Delta English School (DES) wins the 2016 Cultural Championship Award (the highest award), in a two-day performing arts festival sponsored by Swanthanam. The event, held in November 2016, featured competitions in 28 Indian music and dance categories and competed by over 500 students from various schools across the United Arab Emirates. DES student Soorya Mahadevan Pillai of Grade Level 05 A became recipient of the 2016 Swanthanam Performing Arts Award for Kalaprathibha in Sub-Junior Category.