The guitar contest at Mar Thimotheus High School, Kuriachira, saw 15 students perform, but only two were girls. Most players were boys, making it feel like a “boy’s world,” said Nikhita S Krishnan, a Plus Two student from Vimala Hridaya Girls HSS, Kollam. She won an A grade for the third time and wishes more girls would play guitar, as it is often linked to boys and band culture, while girls prefer violin or piano. Easwar M Madhu, who also scored an A grade for the second time, noted that girls do join at local levels but rarely make it to State competitions. He described mastering guitar as needing “intense passion and full attention” and “a certain kind of obsessive practice.” Another student, Nived P from Vaduthala Jama-ath HSS, who amazed the audience by playing smooth guitar with percussion beats, admitted he had not noticed the low number of girls in the contest until now. He said, “I am not sure why that happens.” This gender gap in guitar participation highlights the need for more encouragement and support for girls in the music scene.