The campus of Don Bosco College, Panjim was a sight to behold as the Students’ Council along with the Cultural and Literary Committee organised ‘Synthesis,’ an annual inter-class cultural event. This year’s theme, ‘A World of Wonders’, drew inspiration from the rich diversity, creativity, and extraordinary wonders of the world, encouraging students to explore and celebrate the beauty of different cultures and traditions.
The two-day event, held on August 28th and 29th was preceded by Fun Days, where students were encouraged to follow a trendy dress code for each day, namely ‘Gear Up’, ‘Lights, Camera, Cosplay’, ‘Dressed for the Wrong Occasion’ and ‘Monochrome’. Contestants for ‘Best Dressed Male and Female’ were judged and subsequently awarded. The Fun Week witnessed department-wise canteen battles, a football tie-breaker tournament and a penalty shootout, alongside e-sports contests such as BGMI TDM and E-football for gaming enthusiasts.


The Synthesis inaugural was graced by the Rector of Don Bosco Panjim and Principal of the Higher Secondary, Rev. Fr. Tamatur Cardozo, College Director Fr Kinley D’Cruz, Principal Prof. Teotone Vaz, Co-Convenors of the Cultural and Literary Committee, Asst Prof Jude Fernandes and Asst Prof Neeke Golatkar, Student Council Convenor Mr. Agnelo D’Souza, General Secretary Mr Joshua Fernandes and Cultural Secretary Ms Stella Lopes. Fr. Kinley D’Cruz welcomed the gathering and congratulated the organizers for the meticulous arrangements, while emphasizing the importance of inter-departmental collaboration and positive interpersonal relationships. Complementing this, Principal, Prof. Teotone Vaz, in his address, emphasised the values of sportsmanship, teamwork and camaraderie, encouraging students to participate with enthusiasm while fostering a spirit of healthy competition and mutual respect. Rev. Fr. Tamatur Cardozo emphasised the importance of cultivating a wise head, a humane heart, and a hand that reaches out to serve others.
Synthesis 2026 featured a vibrant array of onstage and offstage events, each celebrating the diverse cultures and identities represented by the participating teams. The onstage events included ‘Pride of the Nation’, where contestants brought their assigned countries to life through creative mascots, ‘Beyond the Rhythm’, a dynamic dance competition inspired by cultural dance forms, ‘Walk of Cultures’, a spectacular fashion show showcasing the essence of different nations, and ‘Echoes of the Nations’, where contestants displayed their wit, confidence and knowledge through a question-and-answer round. The offstage events included ‘Geo-Guesser’, a world quiz, ‘60 Seconds Abroad’, a spontaneous speaking challenge that tested fluency and composure, ‘Around the World’, a lively game of musical chairs, and ‘The Great Hunt’, an engaging treasure hunt combining clues, riddles, physical tasks and logic puzzles.


At the end of the two days, Team Italy emerged victorious in Money Heist, followed by Spain and Thailand, while Japan won Flags Unfurled, with Thailand and Bulgaria securing second and third places respectively. In Photosynthesis, Aidan Fernandes emerged as the winner in the student category, while Ms. Jyoti Pandey won in the faculty category.
The results of the Fun Week competitions saw Mr. Mirage Mascarenhas (SY BBA) and Ms. Megan Pereira (TY BBA) crowned Best Dressed Male and Female respectively for the ‘Gear Up’ theme. For ‘Lights, Camera, Cosplay’, Ahmed Bagwale (Netherlands) and Jade Fernandes (South Korea) claimed the titles, while Velvin Palha (SY BBA T&T, Nigeria) and Naziya Kittur (TY BA, Mexico) emerged winners for the ‘Dressed for the Wrong Occasion’ theme. The ‘Monochrome’ theme saw Aden Fernandes (SY BAMCJ) and Angelica Pereira (SY BAMCJ) take the Best Dressed titles.


Among the sporting and e-sports events, USA emerged victorious in BGMI. In E-Football FIFA, Team Italy secured first place. The Tie-Breaker was won by Team Mexico. In the remaining offstage events, France won The Great Hunt, Brazil won Geo-Guesser, Mexico emerged victorious in Titan’s Trials, Nigeria won Around the World, USA secured first place in The Global Pop, and Portugal emerged victorious in 60 Seconds Abroad.
The onstage events witnessed some spectacular performances, with Bulgaria winning Pride of the Nation (Mascot), followed by Italy and the United Kingdom. Italy emerged victorious in Beyond the Rhythm (Dance), with Poland and Bulgaria securing second and third places. In Walk of Cultures (Fashion Show), Ghana claimed the top position, followed by France and Mexico. In Voice of the Nation, Colombia won the Male Category, followed by Mexico and Ghana, while Ghana emerged victorious in the Female Category, followed by Bulgaria and Jamaica.
With the cumulative scores across the various events, Italy (SY BBA) emerged as the overall winners of Synthesis 2026, while France (TY BBA) were declared the runners-up.
The Convenor of the Cultural & Literary Committee, Asst. Prof. Jude Fernandes, proposed the vote of thanks, expressing appreciation to his co-organisers for their dedication in conceptualising and executing the event. Synthesis 2026 concluded on a high note, serving as a spectacular celebration of creativity, talent, teamwork and cultural diversity.