Mr. Sourav Ganguly with Rt Revd. Dr Paritosh Canning and School Principal Mr. Suman Biswas Pictures: The Telegraph
Date with Dada
Kashif ul Islam of Class IX could not believe he shook hands with his cricket idol, Sourav Ganguly, at the former’s cricket academy. The cherry on the cake was when the “Maharaja of Indian Cricket” passed on some batting tips to Kashif andhis friends.
The students of Bishop Canning Sports Academy, run by St Thomas’ Boys’ School, Kidderpore, met the former captain of the Indian cricket team at an interaction on April 5.
The school grounds buzzed with excitement as Sourav interacted with the young members of the sports academy, sharing some trade secrets with them.
Principal Suman Biswas welcomed him.
Sourav showcased some classic cricket strokes that got him 11,363 runs in his One Day International career. He offered tips on batting, bowling and game strategies, some of which had come in handy during the ICC Champions Trophy of 2002 and the 2003 Cricket World Cup, where he led the national team.
His advice was peppered with anecdotes. He shared with the young students why his teammates called him the “God of the Offside”.
Sourav also interacted with the young footballers of the academy, sharing his love for the game. After the interaction, the beloved Dada signed autographs for his young fans.
The session continued in the auditorium where Reverend Paritosh Canning, the bishop of the Calcutta diocese of the Church of North India, Raghab Naik and Reverend P.K. Nanda, members of the board of governors of St Thomas’ School, and John A.K. Ghosh, its secretary, joined in.
The bishop highlighted the role of co-curricular activities in combating sedentary lifestyles. Sourav was felicitated with bouquets, a school memento, a Bishop Canning Sports Academy memento and a school blazer. He encouraged young sports enthusiasts with words of encouragement. The students staged a cultural performance and a photo session followed.
“Sourav Ganguly’s presence in our school and his words of encouragement to the students have imbued them not only to go for their dreams but also to embrace change and overcome all odds. I hope this interaction will remain etched in their minds for a long time to come,” said the principal.
Spotlight on help stars
The auditorium of Calcutta Public School (CPS), Bidhan Park, resonated with laughter as Saibal Ghosh of Class XII conducted a quiz — not an ordinary one, but about the school's support staff members. The participants were shown AI-generated pictures and childhood photos of the helpers, and they had to guess the names.
This was one of the events that made the Helpers' Day celebration special on the school grounds on March 20.
Fashion show, games and fun activities took centre stage as students and teachers of CPS, Bidhan Park, gave their support staff members a whale of a time on their special day. Secretary Tathagata Das and principal Protichi Lahiri Sengupta were the chief guests. The celebrations started with an opening dance performance by students of Classes VIII to XII.
The spotlight shifted to the helpers, who showcased their hidden talents through dance performances to Bollywood hits. The Group D staff members also staged a dance drama to Kishore Kumar’s classic, Ek chatur naar karke sringar, earning loud cheers from the crowd. A fashion show saw them, and some teachers, parading in their finest six yards. The theme was sarees from different states.
Students from Classes VII to XII kept the entertainment quotient high with a mock-a-band performance, where they recreated the chartbuster, Believer. Teachers also presented a dance performance to Koi kahe kahta rahe. A cake-cutting ceremony wrapped up the fun.
"Helpers’ Day is not just a celebration, but a heartfelt acknowledgement of their importance in our lives. I am proud of our students and teachers for coming together to make this event so special," said the principal.
Play, paint & protect Earth
Nursery kids form a circle and share what they like about the world. They talked about the birds, flowers and happy moments in the rain.
The Primary section of Birla High School took part in many such activities to pay tribute to the planet on Earth Day. The school turned into a hub of creativity and learning as students spread awareness about saving resources and sustainability through various activities.
In addition, the art department also celebrated World Art Day, showcasing how creativity and care for the planet go hand in hand.
The Playgroup tots dipped their hands in colours and brought the Earth to life through a hand-printing activities. Their miniature models of the planet, crafted in blue and green playdough, captured the essence of Earth’s land and water.
The Nursery kids sang and danced to pay tribute to nature and its seasons.
The green warriors of LKG went round the school with placards sporting green messages. They also took part in palm printing and clay dough art on paper plates.
UKG students crafted Earth with playdough and chipped paper and took part in a vocabulary activity.
Class I students used colourful playdough and finger painting to form globes of joy. They also decoded puzzles featuring Earth symbols in the maths period.
Class II began Earth Day by singing, The Earth is My Home. There were painting sessions on recycled paper. In the library period, they heard stories of sustainability and took part in meaningfulconversations.
Each child of Class III wrote three personal promises to protect the planet. They also added illustrations tothe pledges.
Class IV created a promise tree that had leaf-shaped cards bearing eco-promises. They also created posters on environmental issues and linked sustainability to different lessons. The Class V connected water conservation with governance.
They also created posters on rainwater harvesting, showcasing how water use can be controlled.
“Earth Day 2025 at Birla High School was not just a celebration — it was a powerful journey of awareness, reflection and responsibility. Students from Playgroup to Class V engaged in a wide range of creative and inter-disciplinary activities that brought environmental consciousness to life in appropriate and meaningful ways,” said headmistress Panchali Chattopadhyay.
Lions, lanterns and language
Bristi Das of The BSS School was awestruck to enter a Chinese wonderland at South City International School. Besides glowing lanterns and a fascinating lion dance, what she liked most was a chance to learn the basics of calligraphy and a paper-cutting technique.
Like her, students from different schools enjoyed an immersive experience as South City International School celebrated Chinese Culture Day in collaboration with The School of World Languages on April 24.
The celebration — held five days after the official Chinese Language Day — brought together over 200 students, teachers and guests from different schools in the city. All the participants have taken up Mandarin in school.
The event was conceptualised by Charisma Saraff, principal of The School of World Languages. The chief guest was the Chinese consul general in Calcutta, Xu Wei. Also present were director Rhea Todi and acting principal Rupika Nath of South City International School.
The cultural showcase had a heady mix of Mandarin songs and dance performances. Class VI students of Modern High School for Girls presented a ribbon dance. Class VII students of South City International presented a drama on Chinese idioms. The Primary school children sang rhymes in Mandarin. Students of The BSS School presented a traditional folk song, Mo li hua.
The programme concluded with a song on friendship by students from Modern High School for Girls and a lion dance performanceby the professional troupeIndia Hongde.
Beyond the stage, students curated 19 stalls that showcased traditional games (Mushe, Cuju and Chuiwan) to art forms such as paper cutting, brush painting, lantern making and calligraphy.
Students took selfies in traditional Chinese costumes. They also exhibited paintings by students on India-China friendship.
“At South City International, we believe that language is not just a means of communication, it’s a gateway to understanding new cultures and traditions. So when Charisma Saraff approached us to host the Chinese Culture Day, we were more than happy as it aligned perfectly with our mission to expose our students to different cultures,” said acting principal Rupika Nath.
Silver lessons
The day was of stories — of loneliness, hope, pain and patience. It left 40 students of Class V of Julien Day School, Ganganagar, wiser and empathetic by the end of the day.
The tales of experiences came from the senior citizens of an old-age home, Dinante Bhalobasha, where the students and principal Michael James Rebeiro visited in February. This visit and interaction helped the students get a reality check.
Located at Ganganagar, Dinante Bhalobasha is home to 40 elderly residents, aged between 60 and 90 years. Its members welcomed the students and teachers.
The students came armed with refreshments and gifts, determined to give every member a special time.
The elders, in turn, shared their life stories, speaking about their experiences in education, careers andfamily life.
They also imparted wisdom on dealing with loneliness, health concerns andcoping with the loss of relatives and loved ones.
These conversations left an impact on the young visitors, giving them a deeper understanding of the importance of human connection.
This visit was an eye-opener for the students. It not only exposed them to the realities of ageing and loneliness, but also taught them the importance of compassion, respect and gratitude for the older generation.
"Our recent visit to the old age home was a heartwarming experience. Students showed immense compassion and respect, engaging meaningfully with the residents. It was a valuable lesson in empathy and community service," said the principal.