Kozhikode: Aparna Raju is lying on a bed in the first aid room hoping for her fever to go down so that she can perform Kuchippudi on the Kerala State School Kalolsavam stage.

After securing an A grade in the Mohiniyattam competition on Wednesday, the Class 11 student is now struggling with body pain.

Aparna got the first lot to perform in the first cluster, but her number was changed as she fell sick.

"With the help of Ramya Haridas MP and others at the venue, we changed the number to cluster 4," said her mother Sindhu, a dance teacher.

"She had a cough when we were coming for the Kalolsavam. We still came because it was a great opportunity for her. Her temperature rose after her Mohiniyattam performance yesterday," her family said.

Aparna’s mother added that they had taken her to a health centre in Kozhikode the previous day.

On Thursday morning, her mother said, Aparna fell really sick and was unable to even get up for makeup. "We put ornaments on her this morning, but had to remove them due to their weight," her family added.

The Peruvallur native secured the first position in the Thrissur district Kalolsavam.

Aparna's family runs a dance school in Elavally, where they teach dance forms including Kadhakali and Ottamthullal. Music classes are also part of their school. Her mother has been teaching dance for the past 30 years. Her aunt Sheeba Elavally has been teaching her since 13.

Aparna is also a teacher. "For the Thrissur district level UP competition, one of Aparna's students secured the first position in Mohiniyattam. Aparna started learning dance when she was 4 and a half years old," Sindhu said.

This is Aparna's first experience at the Kerala School Kalolsavam as she studied in a CBSE school till Class 10.