Summary
Centred on the theme, Udaan – Embrace Your Dreams, the 17th annual day of K.E. Carmel School, Behala, was a celebration of talent, imagination and aspiration
Talent show
For Prattay Das of Class VIII, the annual day programme was a journey of self-discovery through creativity and expression. “Months of hard work and dedication paid off as the audience loudly applauded our performances,” he said of Canorous 2025: A Symphony of Dreams, held at Sarat Sadan.
Centred on the theme, Udaan – Embrace Your Dreams, the 17th annual day of K.E. Carmel School, Behala, was a celebration of talent, imagination and aspiration.
The event was presided over by Rev. Fr Sebastian Chamathara CMI, regional superior and secretary of the K.E. Carmel Group of Schools, Bengal.
The chief guest for the day was R. Arjun, an IAS officer associated with child rights protection.
The guest of honour was Nilanjana Sen, head of the English department at KBBN College, Behala.
The evening commenced with a prayer by students of Classes III to VI. This was followed by a homage to the founder father, Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara.
A Ganesh Vandana by Classes VII to X was next.
A series of performances on the theme of Udaan was staged by the students of Classes III to X. They put up dance routines, songs and theatrical acts that portrayed the journey of rising above challenges and chasing
one’s dreams.
Students of Classes VII to X presented a performance based on Maya Angelou’s poem, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Equally compelling was the Bengali play Bharate Chai by Narayan Gangopadhyay, which earned a standing ovation. Students highlighted the humorous and chaotic daily lives of ordinary people. The evening continued with songs and dances.
A special thematic enactment further reinforced the message of embracing dreams fearlessly and crossing hurdles.
The Excellency Awards were presented to students for their consistent performance in academics and co-curricular activities.
"The annual day celebration reflected the vision and values of our school. The programme showcased the talent and confidence of our students, inspiring them to dream big," said principal Johnson Kadamthottu.
Tiny tots, big step
Young learners in tiny footsteps went up on stage, dressed in graduation attire. Watched by doting parents, they received their certificates for growth.
Birla Bharati celebrated its graduation ceremony for the academic session 2025–26 on March 19, marking a milestone moment for students of Upper Kindergarten. The highlight was the distribution of certificates for graduating students. They received this recognition for completing their Kindergarten years. The celebration featured cultural performances by the students.
“Graduation day is a proud moment in the life of every child. At Birla Bharati we believe in nurturing young minds with care, creativity and strong foundational values,” said the vice-principal Sumana Mukherjee.
On the ground
For Tanzilur Rahman of The Frank Anthony Public School, basketball meant teamwork. It was this belief in unity that helped his team beat the boys of Indus Valley World School (IVWS) and win the All Bengal School Basketball Championship. The meet, for both boys and girls, was organised by the West Bengal Basketball Association (WBBA) and IVWS from April 14 to 18.
The matches were held on the West Bengal Basketball Association ground in Maidan. Eleven teams participated in the boys’ and 13 in the girls’ category.
The semi-finals saw St John’s Diocesan Girls’ Higher Secondary School defeating Sushila Birla Girls’ School by a strong margin. La Martiniere for Girls dominated the second match, securing a win over Lakshmipat Singhania Academy.
Among the boys, IVWS and St Lawrence High School kept spectators on edge, with the game passing through three tied scores before IVWS won. The Frank Anthony Public School booked the final spot after a closely contested match against La Martiniere for Boys.
The finals began with a surge of excitement. Among the girls, St John’s Diocesan Girls’ Higher Secondary School started strong, but La Martiniere for Girls won by two points. The Boys’ final remained neck and neck with The Frank Anthony Public School and IVWS trading baskets throughout, before the former won.
Reshma Bhattacharya, principal of IVWS spoke of the need for students to shift to sports from the screen. “Students are missing out on the experience of collaboration not virtually but in real life. We feel that this is a dire need. Our plan ahead is to be able to engage schools, and even NGOs, in such tournaments to give children the same kind of exposure,” she said.
Exhibition and life lessons
Sristi Halder of Class VI discovered the close relationship between nature, science and human life as she participated in the History, Geography and Science Exhibition recently hosted by Julien Day School, Kalyani.
“We presented different models showing how the Nile river shaped the Egyptian civilisation, explained sustainable farming methods and highlighted scientific ideas for protecting the environment,” she said.
The exhibition aimed to promote experiential learning and highlight the interconnectedness of the three subjects in real-life contexts.
Students from different classes participated, presenting topics that reflected both academic understanding and practical relevance.
The history section featured models of ancient civilisations, focusing on how rivers influenced early human settlements. Students explained timelines, locations and historical significance, demonstrating an understanding of cause-and-effect relationships.
The geography section focused on environmental awareness and sustainable practices. Topics included sustainable agriculture, climate patterns, natural resources and human–environment interaction. The science section featured experiments and models related to energy conservation, pollution control and scientific principles in everyday life. Students presented their work with confidence and clarity, answering questions and engaging with impressed visitors.
The event highlighted the importance of integrated learning and encouraged students to think critically and creatively, reinforcing the value of experientialeducation.
"I feel immense pride and joy witnessing the creativity and confidence of our students at the Science, Geography and History Exhibition. The beautiful models on sustainable energy, reuse and recycling reflect thoughtful learning and social responsibility. Such exhibitions truly bring classroom concepts to life and inspire young minds to build a smarter, greener and more sustainable future," said vice-principal P. Ravi Kumar Rao.
Go green
Samriddhi Shaw of Class VIII found it fun to approach random people in the market and offer them handcrafted cloth bags. "This is a more sustainable option," she told them. The Eco club of Seth Soorajmull Jalan Balika Vidyalaya distributed cloth bags to shoppers and shopkeepers to raise awareness about environmental preservation, global warming and advocate tangible changes.
Students distributed these cloth bags to vendors at College Street market, Chatu Babu Latu Babu bazaar and shops near Ram Mandir.
Students of Classes VI, VII, VII and X took part in the programme, making bags from old and used cloths around the year, in school and at home.
They targeted the local vendors, shopkeepers and buyers in the market. Plastic bags were taken away from the users, and cloth bags were given free of cost to them for their personal use. Students also convinced some local people to change their habits and adopt a sustainableapproach.
"We are working on our long-term social activity to raise awareness about banning plastic. Our students consider focusing on educating the public about the harmful effects of plastic pollution, promoting eco-friendly alternatives and encouraging behaviour changes such as reducing plastic consumption and participating in recycling programmes," said senior section principal NupurBanerjee.
Festive flavour
The courtyard of Sunny Prep. & High School looked decked up and festive as the students celebrated Poila Baishakh with enthusiasm.
The display boards had cutouts of mangal ghat, kulo and gamcha, while the courtyard was adorned with red and white wall hangings made of dupattas.
The celebration started with the lamp-lighting by principal Mahua Ghosh.
Girls turned up in red-border white sarees while boys wore white kurtas as they welcomed the Bengali year 1433 with performances. The teachers explained to them the significance of the day. The little ones sang Aha ki anondo and danced to Ajke Poila Baishakh.
Secondary section students also performed and joined in the celebration. The song Adi taba shakti was presented by all the students. This was followed by a dance performance by Classes I to IV. The teachers recited Barshoboron and sang Esho hey Baishakh. Students of Classes V to XI danced to Naba anonde jago. The programme concluded with the principal's address, highlighting the significance of cultural values and unity.
"The prep started right after the school reopened from the term recess. The children got a week to put up the show and arrange everything. There was joy and excitement even during the rehearsals," she added.
Last updated on 23 Apr 2026
