Sangeeta Kohli of Loreto House being awarded the Innovator Award at the TTIS Golden Flame Awards, on September 5 at Vidyamandir. Picture by Sanat Kumar Sinha

Teaching is a social duty. The responsibility of nurturing the future generation is entrusted to us,” said Sangeeta Kohli, who teaches primary students at Loreto House. Kohli was among the 225 teachers from 58 schools who were honoured for their contribution to the teaching profession at the TTIS Golden Flame Awards, held on September 5 at Vidyamandir.

The awards were given away in seven categories, including Communicator, Touchstone, Aristotle, Scales, Monash, Mathemagician and Innovator, with one teacher selected the winner in each.

Debasri Saha of Birla High School for Boys beat 31 nominees to win the Mathemagician award for inculcating love for mathematics among students. “I organise workshops in class where we replicate a market scenario, with students doing calculations while buying and selling wares. We also have relay races where students have to solve mental math questions as part of the race,” said Saha.

Sonia Dhir and Sangeeta Kohli of Loreto House won the Monash and Innovator awards, respectively. “Teaching does not end in the classroom. My students also come to me to discuss their problems and I try my best to guide them,” said Dhir, who teaches English.

Santa Mukherjee of Our Lady Queen of the Mission, Park Street, was honoured with the Scales award, with Delhi Public School, Megacity teacher Moushami Banerjee receiving the Aristotle award for nurturing leadership ability in students. Manti Bhattacharya of Apeejay School, Park Street, was selected the best Communicator for strengthening communication skills in English, while Ashok Kumar Gupta of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Ballygunge, won the Touchstone award for guiding students in their choice of career.

The programme included a performance titled ‘matrika’ by dance school Manipuri Nartanalaya, followed by a panel discussion on the subject, ‘How globalisation of education will help India in future’.

Speaking on the subject, Sunirmal Chakravarthy, principal of La Martiniere for Boys, said: “In today’s world, we cannot ignore the impact of globalisation. But we must take what is good and leave out what is harmful. We make use of the resources in the developed world, but we give them the best students.”

chit chat

Talent fest

Tata Consultancy Services organised an inter-school cultural and talent competition, Prothsahan, for underprivileged children at Don Bosco School, Park Circus, in August. More than 600 students from 16 city schools participated in the event.

Singing, group dance, painting, face-painting, quiz, English and Hindi recitation, football and athletics were some of the categories. Don Bosco, Park Circus, was declared the champion in the junior section and Loreto Day School, Sealdah, topped the senior section.

Global warming risks

St Xavier’s Institute, Panihati, organised an awareness programme on the dangers of global warming on September 5 with a rally from the school premises to the Sodepur bus stop near Peerless Nagar. Heads of institution Anju Banerjee and Pamela Pal, accompanied by teachers and about 400 students from Class IV, participated in the rally. As part of the initiative, the students and teachers resolved to switch off all lights and electrical appliances for nine minutes at 9pm on September 9.

Peace message

The West Bengal chapter of the Association of Heads of Anglo-Indian Schools celebrated World Anglo-Indian Day in August at Assembly of God Church School. It brought together 13 Anglo-Indian city schools, along with the NGOs and schools for underprivileged children that they support. “Our schools are like mini-Indias. Students from all communities grow up here respecting each others’ individuality,” said Barry O’Brien, a member. Asha Deep, under Loreto, Bowbazar, and NGO Smile Foundation, run by La Martiniere for Girls, were among those who performed various song and dance programmes. A mime act, accompanied by Michael Jackson’s Heal the World, sung by students, spread the message of peace.

PAYEL SEN