Dibyendu Barua shows some key moves to the students of GD Goenka Public School Pictures: The Telegraph
Right move
Shaurya Soni of Class VII is a chess addict. He practises regularly at home and in school, and tries to remain focused on his game.
It was a dream come true for Shaurya and other chess lovers of G.D. Goenka Public School, when one of their role models walked into the school and interacted with them, clearing many doubts.
Over 200 students from Classes V to VII walked into their auditorium to find Grandmaster (GM) Dibyendu Barua visiting them.
Some gushed, others got goosebumps, while a few could only stare wide-eyed as Barua was felicitated with a bouquet by principal Priyanka Ghosh Jesuraj.
After introducing the GM to the students, he was led to the school chess room on the fourth floor. Ten chess addicts, including Shaurya, followed him.
The school chess room had four low-height tables where students regularly practise the game.
The whitewashed walls were filled with posters of chess heroes and illustrations.
Barua took his seat on one of the tables. He answered questions and taught them a few important moves. Barua also highlighted how practice and smart strategies are the key to success. "To play chess, one needs full focus, which comes with daily practice," he said. "Learn to stay composed, respect your opponents and turn every loss into a lesson."
"Academics and sports go hand in hand. That was the purpose behind inviting Dibyendu Barua. He not only built interest in chess, but with this visit, we officially tied up with his chess academy," said the principal.
On the field
Managing 32 schools and two tournaments was a tough job for Reyansh Bose and his team. "From planning the schedules to coordinating with the teams and volunteers, every stage of the event taught me the value of leadership, teamwork and responsibility," said the Class XI student of M.P. Birla Foundation HigherSecondary School.
Reyansh was the co-head of this year's inter-school basketball meet (Hoops) and football tournament (Kick Off), which the school hosted simultaneously on the school grounds from November17 to 20.
The 21st edition of HOOPS (basketball) included categories for boys and girls, while the 15th edition of Kick Off was exclusively for boys.
The finals were held on November 20.
The boys’ basketball saw several high-energy clashes. In the semi-finals, the hosts beat South Point High School, while St James' School defeated St Paul's School. In the final match, St James' School showcased teamwork and precision, overpowering the hosts with 41 points.
The girls’ section offered equally competitive moments. The semi-finals saw the host school defeating Shaw Public School and The BSS School stumping D.A.V. School.
The final showdown between M.P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School and The BSS School kept the audience on the edge. With a close score of 27–23, The BSS School claimed the HOOPS (Girls) title.
For Kick Off, 11 teams took part. The first semi-final saw La Martinere for Boys (LMB) edging past Birla Bharti with a 1–0 victory.
The second semi-final saw P.B. Academic School scoring two goals against the hosts. The championship match witnessed a power-packed performance from LMB, who scored two goals against P.B. Academic School, clinching the Kick Off trophy.
"It was an exciting time for us. The response this year was overwhelming. More than 30 schools took part in Hoops and Kick Off. The finals were intense, and everybody had a great time. It was a learning experience for the players," said principal PurnimaChattopadhyay.
"Our students should excel not only in academics but also in various other fields, and this sports competition is a step in that direction," added CEO S.K. Singh.
Peer love
Students of St Augustine's Day School for Girls, Barrackpore, celebrated Friendship Day through a special morning assembly.
The students of middle school highlighted the significance and the origin of the special day.
Dyuti Paul of Class VI gave an emotional speech, explaining how the day teaches the importance of love, trust and togetherness.
Diposhree Dutta of Class VII delivered the thought of the day. Principal Jhuma Biswas told the students, "Always nurture true friendships and be kind to everyone around you."
A highlight was a storytelling session by Ipshita Jha of Class VIII. Her tale was based on friendship and hardwork. “True friends stand by you not only during happy times but also in difficult moments,” she told the audience, making everyone think.
After the assembly, students took part in fun and creative craft activities in the second and third periods. They made colourful friendship bands and even designed surprise gift hampers fortheir friends.
A potluck lunch was also organised on the occasion. Students got a variety of dishes from home and shared them with their friends, making the day memorable.
There was a lot of laughter and bonding as food was passed around, and so were the bands made by the students for their friends.
Some even tied the bands on their favourite teachers, thus creating new memories.
Tribute service
Students, teachers and members of the alumni came together to celebrate the 149th Founder’s Day of Pratt Memorial School on October 31.
A service was held on the occasion at St James' Church to pay tribute to theirfounder, John Henry Archdeacon Pratt.
The event began with a ceremonial procession led by the members of the school choir. The head girl held the school banner, followed by the house captains with their respective flags.
Principal Carolyn Lionel delivered the Founder’s Day prayer and the Prayer of Adoration and Confession.
The church echoed with hymns, scripture readings, prayers and special songs presented by students from different classes and members of the choir.
Paritosh Canning, moderator of Church of North India, Bishop of Calcutta diocese and chairman of the board of governors, through his speech, motivated the students to walk towards progress. The students commemorated the event by singing Famous Men Canticle.
Next, it was time for awards. ISC topper for 2025 Arushi Dasgupta was felicitated as well as teacher Shridatri Dutt for her 25 yearsof service.
The ceremony concluded with the Five-Fold Amen and the Recessional Hymn. Vice-principal B. Routh thanked everyone, including the teachers, for “being silent architects”.
The church resonated with the school song that filled everyone’s heart with pride. "The founder of the school, John Henry Pratt, was a church leader, scientist, author, astronomer and mathematician. We hope he inspires all our students to become what each one truly desires," said the principal.
Colour & curiosity
For Adrija Sarkar of Class IV, it was a dream come true when she got a chance to perform Twinkle twinkle little stars at her school's 80thanniversary.
Similarly, Adriti Chatterjee was grateful to be part of a vocal performance, Ganesh Pancharatnam. "My teammates and I tried our best to feel the song from the heart and present it," said the Class V student.
Abhinav Bharati High School marked the event with a three-day celebration. On the occasion, the school also unveiled its new logo, symbolising a fusion of heritage and contemporary vision. Each day of the fest had students of Classes IV to XII staging performances. The guests were IAS officer Vivek Kumar, industrialist Hari Mohan Bangru, director of British Council (East and Northeast India) Debanjan Chakravarti and cardiologist Dr Anjan Siotia.
The cultural segment began with Jagaran, a thematic performance representing the traditional night-long celebrations of Durga Puja. Students of Classes VI to XII recreated the entire festive ambience on stage — devotional songs, the beats of the dhaak, dhunuchi dance and some rituals that are an integral part of the Puja.
Another highlight was a dance-drama, Pilgrimage of the soul, portraying the human journey through conflict and enlightenment. It was performed by Classes VI to XI. The in-house band also performed. The second day featured a play Jasmine of Agrabah by Classes VI to XI. Classes I to V performed Twinkle twinkle little star.
"It is a matter of pride for us to celebrate the 80th anniversary of our school. We had planned to celebrate the 75th anniversary, but the pandemic made it impossible. So we decided not only to celebrate this milestone but also to rebrand the school," said principal Sraboni Samanta.
Tiger cause
Around 40 students from Classes VI to XI, Divya Arya Vidya Public School, Bishnupur, hopped into their school bus armed with umbrellas and placards to spread awareness. They braved the rain, travelled over 20km with painted faces and hot costumes to talk about tiger conservation.
Their mission — Save the Tigers, Save the Nature.
What was planned as a day-long campaign turned into a test of resilience, as torrential rain delayed the morning schedule. Yet, the students — soaked, smiling and spirited — turned the streets of New Market and the south gate of Victoria Memorial into hubs of wildlife awareness. The event was organised jointly by the school's eco and other activity clubs. Performance merged with public dialogue as the students urged citizens to face the reality of India’s dwindling tiger numbers.
Some of them staged a street play on the subject near Simpark Mall (New Market). The students enacted the emotional journey of a tiger from the freedom of the forest to the hopelessness of captivity. The performance highlighted themes of poaching, habitat loss and human indifference.
“We’ve lost nearly 97 per cent of wild tigers in the last century. If we don’t act now, forests will lose their king forever,” said Srijan Sadhu of Class X, a student narrator. At Victoria Memorial’s south gate, another group of performers danced and spread messages through storytelling. “This is not just a performance — it is a cry for help,” said Tanumay Khatua of Class X.
Students also conducted impromptu quizzes on tiger conservation and distributed handmade tiger masks.
"Standing together showed our dedication, teamwork and belief that meaningful change requires resilience, passion and determination," said secretary Pankaj Gupta.
"This day reminded us that learning extends far beyond books. Our students used their voices for tiger conservation with courage, creativity and compassion," added principal Rama Chakraborty.
Bonds of unity
They made rakhis with colourful threads and tied them on the wrists of their peers.
But students of Calcutta Public School (CPS), Baguiati, were taught that the Raksha Bandhan went beyond tradition in modern times. It was also about mutual respect and unity. Students tied the handmade rakhis on their teachers, staff members and classmates as symbols of gratitude and friendship. They re-learnt the values of compassion and responsibility.
Principal Shrabani Ganguli said: "Through the festival, we highlighted the importance of preserving traditions in modern times."