Oye lucky, lucky GT!

The 16th GT Awards: From Memories To Medals And Milestones

Arpita Chakraborty, GT Network

Some evenings begin with a song. Others become stories.
The opening beats of Oye Lucky Lucky Oye had barely echoed through the F2 Auditorium at AUUP when the young performers of AIS Saket burst onto the stage with infectious energy. It was the perfect opening to the 16th GT Awards, held on Aug 5, 2026. The song summed up the evening even before a single trophy had even been presented. For 16 years, The Global Times has celebrated young journalists. This year, it all began on one very lucky note.

A lucky beginning
Following the lamp lighting, Vira Sharma, managing editor, The Global Times, welcomed the gathering and took everyone through 16 unforgettable years of the newspaper. As the memories unfolded, one thought quietly lingered in the auditorium: the luckiest part of the GT journey was all the things that it taught along the way. The evening had only just begun, but it already felt like everyone was exactly where they were meant to be.

Lucky to have the best
Every great newsroom is shaped by the people who trust and believe in it. The grand celebration was graced by Dr (Mrs) Amita Chauhan, Chairperson, Amity Group of Schools and RBEF, along with the principals. Joining them were Sikta Deo, contributing editor and senior editor, NDTV, as the chief guest; Bharti Jain, senior editor, The Times of India, as the editorial jury; and Akib Javed, assistant infographic editor, The Times of India, as the design jury. In true GT style, the guests were welcomed with handcrafted tiaras made by AIS Vas 6.

Lucky to witness it all
Turns out, journalism knows how to throw a party too. AIS Noida wowed the audience with a fashion show featuring costumes designed and handcrafted by its students. AIS PV added a dose of humour with a witty stand-up act recreating the everyday adventures of GT. AIS Gur 46 then turned the auditorium into a concert with a power-packed band performance.
The tiny cheerleaders from AIS Vasundhara 1 stole every heart as they swayed their pom-poms to ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It’. One of the loudest rounds of applause, however, was reserved for the GT Teacher Coordinators for a lively dance video on Soda Pop, starring the coordinators and principals. The celebrations culminated with editorial boards from all participating schools dancing together to Taylor Swift’s Opalite.

Lucky words to hold on
Some words deserve more than applause. Sikta Deo encouraged students to remain curious, fearless and honest, reminding them that journalism begins with asking the questions others hesitate to ask.
Reflecting on 16 years of The GT, Dr (Mrs) Amita Chauhan spoke about the newspaper’s role in nurturing compassionate and responsible Amitians. Echoing Founder President’s vision of making India a knowledge superpower by 2030, she urged students to remain disciplined, creative, inventive, and humble, reminding them that knowledge finds its true purpose only when guided by strong values.

The lucky ones? Everyone
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for. Amid roaring applause, AIS Noida lifted the Overall Winner’s Trophy. AIS Mayur Vihar and AIS Gurugram 46 shared the First Runner-up position, while AIS Gurugram 43 secured the Second Runner-up position. AIS Saket received the Jury’s Special Mention. The evening also celebrated excellence across a wide range of individual and school categories, including Best Top Story, Best Ground Reporting, Best Photograph, Best Editing, Best Design, and Best Newspaper. AIS MV won the Best Headline Award, while AIS PV received the newly introduced Best Newspaper Launch Award.
Recognising the mentors behind every newsroom, Namrata Amit Sharma of AIS VYC Lko and Rekha Monga of AIS Saket were honoured with the Best GT Mentor Teacher Award. One of the most emotional moments of the evening came when eight alumni were presented with the GT Schooltime Achievement Award.

One last lucky click
As the celebrations drew to a close, the carnival-themed photobooth by AIS MV became the final stop for memories and photographs. Perhaps the opening song had been right all along. Being lucky was never about lifting the biggest trophy. It was about getting your first byline, learning to unlearn, and celebrating your team’s victories. The lights dimmed. The music faded. Yet somewhere, another editorial board has already begun working on its next story.

And that might just be the luckiest part of all.