The song, Maharaja tomare selam, glowing red lights and the rhythmic echo of war cries transformed the school auditorium into the fantastical world of Halla and Shundi as students brought Satyajit Ray’s timeless classic alive
on stage.
P. B. Academic School (PBAS) celebrated its silver jubilee on May 8, with an elaborate English adaptation of Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne staged in the school auditorium. The decorations included cutouts of Goopy, Bagha and Bhooter Raja made by the students themselves.
For Prajeet Pati of Class XII, the production marked his first acting experience, that too in the titular role, Bagha Byne. Play director Alokparna Guha described the adaptation as “a celebration of the simplicity of life”.
The programme began with lamp-lighting and felicitation of the guests. Actors Yash Dasgupta, Nusrat Jahan, Devlina Kumar and Priya Entertainment managing director Arijit Dutta attended the event. Founder-chairman Purushottam Kumar Bhagchandka was also present.
The production opened with a contextual introduction explaining the socio-political themes behind Ray’s work. The play retained Ray’s original Bengali songs. The audience also joined in as students sang Aha ki ananda and Ore baba dekho cheye.
Dancers transformed into moving forests, dancing ghosts and King Halla’s marching army. When Bhooter Raja granted Goopy and Bagha their three wishes, the audience clapped loudly. Contemporary references to global conflicts added relevance to the anti-war message of the original story.
The evening concluded with a medley of songs from the film performed by the entire cast, followed by the unveiling of the school brochure, Utsav. Principal Madhuparna Andrews played a message by rector Usha Andrews, who expressed her love and affection towards the school’s enduring legacy.
“This celebration honours the dedication and hard work of everyone who has contributed to the school over the years. As May also marks Satyajit Ray’s birth anniversary, we chose to celebrate his legacy alongside the school’s milestone year,” said the principal.
The stage became a deck of cards and students marched in to Tagore’s call for freedom at Delhi Public School (Joka) South Kolkata, as the school celebrated the bard's birth anniversary on May 8.
Students from Classes VIII to XII gathered at Surendram Auditorium between 11am and 2pm for a special assembly. It was attended by director Deepak Prakash Agarwal, principal Writuparna Chatterjee, teachers, parents and students. The programme began with a floral tribute to Tagore’s portrait. The event was anchored in Bengali, Hindi and English.
The cultural segment featured Rabindrasangeet performances, including Nabo anonde jaago, Bipulo tarangore, Pran chay chokkhu na chay and Haio maro tan haio. Students also recited poems such as Ekti Shishir Bindu, Dhula Mandir and Khela Bhola. A Science Olympiad Foundation prize distribution ceremony followed.
The programme concluded with the dance drama, Tasher Desh. Students dressed as playing cards portrayed a society bound by rigid rules before breaking into dance sequences symbolising freedom and self-expression. Dance sequences and songs such as Haio maro tan haio, Khoro bayu boy bege and Amra nuton jouboneri doot accompanied the performance.
"We wanted to connect with Tagore's philosophy and an educational system in natural surrounding. As our students rehearsed, they got the opportunity to explore different facets of Tagorian literature," said the principal.
Bunny puppets and Easter crafts to literary timelines and constitutional debates — the first Happy Hour of the session at Lakshmipat Singhania Academy had all that and more.
Simultaneous activities were held in different classes, encouraging students to explore art, literature, language and civic awareness beyond classroom lessons.
Students of Classes I and II took part in a session themed, Easter and New Beginnings, where they decorated egg cut-outs and created bunny puppets while reflecting on ideas of kindness, fresh starts and personal goals.
For students of Classes III to V, a handwriting and drawing competition blended language skills with imagination. Participants copied a given paragraph, focusing on neatness, spacing and presentation, before illustrating scenes inspired by the text.
Middle school students explored the evolution of literature through board presentations on authors such as Enid Blyton, J. K. Rowling and Rabindranath Tagore. Through colourful charts, illustrations and creative layouts, students mapped literary timelines and highlighted important moments from the authors’ lives and works. Another highlight of the day was the Constitutional Quiz, organised to promote awareness about the Constitution of India.
"The competitions showcased that calculated slowness has its own kind of intelligence," said Sohini Mitra Jain, coordinator, Primary department.
Hurried footsteps and last-minute rehearsals took over as Sri Sri Academy hosted its maiden inter-school tech and cultural fest, Srishti, on May 8 and 9.
True to its name, meaning “creation”, the fest brought together students from 16 schools across the city for 12 events celebrating innovation, collaboration and artistic expression. The event opened with a ceremonial lamp lighting accompanied by the school choir performing Indian classical music. The chief guests were dancer Tanusree Shankar and tabla player Prodyut Mukherjee. Students began with a classical dance performance. They also showcased yoga-inspired body formations. Day I featured six events. One of the highlights, Sri-vehemence, challenged participants to present and improvise theatre scenes based on adolescent struggles. At Sri-yantriX, participants built robo-cars and navigated them through difficult terrains while Sri-nava-tarang explored navarasa, the nine emotions of Indian aesthetics, through expressive group dance performances. The excitement intensified with Sri-mphony, a musical band event blending Indian classical, folk and western traditions. The finale, Sri-weavolution, turned the school hall into a runway of sustainable fashion.
Sri Sri Academy won Sri-vehemence, Mahadevi Birla Shishu Vihar won Sri-weavolution and Delhi Public School, Howrah, were the overall champion.
"Keeping the vision of our school in mind, I wanted students to create something rooted in our culture. They rose to the challenge," said principal Gargi Banerjee.
Students of Calcutta Public School, Kalikapur, excelled at a sports meet where members of Bidhan Park and Barasat branches also took part.
The annual sports day of the Calcutta Public School group was held at the NKDA Stadium. The Kalikapur branch stood tall, showcasing discipline as they performed in various events.
Its four houses — Orchid, Rose, Tulip and Daffodil — competed with zeal. The day opened with the 100m dash. Head girl Anushka Das led the guard of honour. The march past showcased synchronised moves to drum beats.
The chief guest was athlete Soma Biswas. At the torch-bearing ceremony, students Prapti Mondal (Class VIII), Ishant Kr Singh (Class XI) and Aditi Mahato, Sujal Singh, Khushi Rai and Yash Raj (Class XII) lit the flame.
Students of Classes III, IV and V presented a colourful drill display, while boys of Classes III, XI and XII performed a pyramid formation. Field events such as discus throw and shot put tested strength and technique, with Himanshu Kumar, Piyush Singh and Mahima Dutta earning honours for their muscular strength.
Track events included a 200m dash and the 4x100m relay. There were races for teachers. Aryan Sinha of Class IX, Kalikapur, was the male champion of the day.
"Our annual sports was a celebration of energy and teamwork. It encouraged our students to stay active and confident while learning the values of fair play," said Kalikapur branch principal Proma Das.
For Diotima Das of Class XI, the Rabindra Jayanti celebrations at St John’s Diocesan Girls’ Higher Secondary School demanded both versatility and emotional depth. On May 7, she took on two roles — bringing the complex character of Chandalika to life on stage and performing a solo rendition of Ami Chitrangada.
“It was both a challenge and an inspiration for me,” she said. Her performance was part of the Rabindra Jayanti programme that the school had organised to pay tribute to the bard. The celebration began with a floral tribute. The theme was Rabindra Sahitye Naari (Women in Tagore’s Literature). It focused on the concept of empowerment as seen through Tagore's female protagonists. Short enactments highlighted the complexity, resilience and sense of dignity in Tagore's women.
The narrative opened with Adrija Sarkar of Class X portraying Nandini from Raktakarabi. Donning red flowers, she symbolised love, dignity and freedom. Prasheetha Bhattacharyya of Class X played the protagonist of sadharon meye, voicing the idea that ordinary girls, too, deserve recognition and admiration. Adrija, Prasheetha and Sayani Dutta Chowdhury of Class XII were the narrators of the event.
A dramatic presentation of Chitrangada followed, with Trishita Sengupta of Class X portraying the protagonist. Diotima's Chandalika added another dimension to the theme.
In another act, Anushka Das of Class X portrayed the Buddhist monk Ananda, whose acceptance of water from Chandalika challenged the barriers of untouchability. The high school choir sang timeless songs such as Amra sobai raja and Agunerporoshmoni.
Dance performances to Maati toder daak diechhe also received audience appreciation.
The programme concluded with all participants gathering on stage to sing Aguner poroshmoni.
"Rabindra Jayanti was observed in our school through songs and dance performances presented by the students. This year’s theme, Women in Tagore’s Works, sought to highlight the depth, dignity and strength of the women portrayed in the works of Tagore. The programme was a humble tribute to his timeless vision and cultural legacy," said teacher-in-chargeSreyasi Biswas.
The interact club of Sri R.N. Singh Memorial High School paid tribute to the school’s Group D staff members on the occasion of May Day. The event was held on May 5.
The programme began with a speech on the historical importance of the day and the dignity of labour. Students thanked the helpers and Group D staff members of their school.
A cultural programme was organised. Students sang songs and presented dance performances. A group also recited Sukanta Bhattacharya’s Bengali poem, Runner, conveying their respect to the tireless effort of the workers.
Students individually addressed different groups of staff members, expressing their heartfelt thanks for their continuous support, care and contribution to the smooth functioning of the school. They presented them with gifts as well.
“The entire event was well-received by all, and the staff members expressed their happiness and appreciation for the thoughtful gesture. The programme successfully instilled values of respect, gratitude and recognition among the students,” said principal Puja Mehra.