Strategies & opinions
Ishika Agarwal of Class XII felt that participating in a Model United Nations taught her much more than classroom lessons.
"They are an unforgettable part of my school life, helping me grow through leadership, creativity, and learning to trust others," said the Sri Sri Academy student.
The 10th edition of SSMUN was no less invigorating for her and her peers.
Held over three days in September, the event had students representing six committees — United Nations Historic Security Council (UNHSC), United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Futuristic UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (UN-CCPCJ), The Westphalia Congress 1644, Lok Sabha and Indian National Press Meet (INPM). The committees offered delegates a whirlwind journey through time — from negotiations done in 1644 to wild futuristic dilemmas that stretched imagination and intellect alike.
Agendas traversed histories, predicted dystopias, re-examined crises and questioned governance.
Delegates sparred, reasoned, negotiated and occasionally scrambled to defend their stances.
Ekaterina P. Tyurina, vice-consul general of the Russian Federation in Calcutta, was the chief guest at the event.
After the ceremonial lamp was lit, principal Gargi Banerjee delivered a welcome address on the value of dignified debate in shaping humane leadership. Then came the moment everyone waited for — the sharp rap of the gavel by Samyak Jain of Class XII, secretary-general of SSMUN 2025, marking the formal commencement of the 10th edition.
The conference ran on a structured student force — It had 12 core committee members, 20 executive board members, 33 students for logistics, 22 for administration and three for photography.
With 54 internal delegates, 73 individual registrations and a total of 453 participants, the school resembled a hub of diplomats.
Boisterous lobbying filled the corridors. Speeches soared from poised to fiery. Moments of laughter punctuated the otherwise intense atmosphere — particularly when rookies realised too late that they had agreed to clauses they didn’t fully understand, sparking spontaneous alliances and frantic note-passing.
The chief guest at the closing ceremony was Group Commander of NCC Calcutta, Brigadier Yogesh Kulkarni.
"SSMUN 2025 reflected the resilience and determination of our students. They have shown commitment, adaptability and leadership," said the principal.
Tech ethics
Riya Agarwal of Class X, Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, learnt a lot about cybersecurity from CyRaksha.
Like her, there was learning aplenty for students from different Calcutta schools at the 14th edition of Exe.bit, a three-day inter-school tech festival jointly organised by Lakshmipat Singhania Academy and Lakshmipat Singhania Academy International. The theme was “Towards the Techade”.
Twenty-one schools participated in the fest, including Mahadevi Birla World Academy, The Calcutta Emmanuel School, Ashok Hall Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Birla High School and M.P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School.
The festival opened with a teaser, followed by musical performances presented by students of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy. A dance performance to Khol de parr was up next.
The chief guest was CEO and managing director (India) of Iskraemeco, Madan Mohan Chakraborty. Day I opened with Click, a photography challenge that turned the premises into a visual canvas.
Artify on Day II saw participants crafting eco-friendly pet robots from recycled materials, while Paint IT All encouraged AI-assisted artworks of space gardens using Autodraw.
Scratch Your Head challenged students to design smart city models powered by green energy using Scratch and Excel Pixel merged pixel art with binary calculations on the theme of “Aliens.” The final day also had a packed schedule. CodesCook Intermediate tested participants on Python-based game design.
“Our tech fest has provided students with an excellent platform to explore, innovate and collaborate,” said principal Jaya Misra.
“Exe.bit demonstrated our mission to build technologically aware learners. It showed how deeply our students think of real challenges,” said director Meena Kak.
Yuletide spirit
There was joy in the air as Calcutta Boys' School (CBS) hosted a Christmas Cantata on December 18. The event also marked the institute's 148 years. The programme began with a call to worship.
The ceremony was presided over by C. Selvin, bishop of the Lucknow Episcopal Area of the Methodist Church in India and chairman of the CBS Group of Schools.
The guests included Lovely Shanti Selvin, president of the Regional Deaconesses Conference, IAS officer Kaushik Saha and Gerry Arathoon, former chief executive and secretary of Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, MLAs Naina Bandyopadhyay, Manoj Tiwari and Swarna Kamal Saha.
The dignitaries lit the Christmas tree. The host school choir presented renditions of First Noel and Born to bring us joy. Students from the Sonarpur, Beleghata and the main branch staged musical enactments of the Nativity scene, spreading the message of hope and joy.
The Sonarpur branch presented Echoes of the Promise. Beleghata staged The Promise Divine, while the main branch of the school presented Fulfilment of the Promise, on the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Principal and secretary Raja McGee added: "Today’s programme is a joint effort of the Calcutta Boys’ group of schools. We are celebrating Christmas to share its joy irrespective of the religion we belong to. We aim to spread a message of peaceful coexistence and harmony.”
Treat for teachers
Students of Class X of K.E. Carmel School, Sarisha, used music, fashion and humour to turn an ordinary school morning into a celebration of Teachers’ Day.
The day began with Vedic chants. Chief guest Rev. Fr Xavier Ampattu CMI, principal Rev. Fr Jojo Thuruthayil CMI, vice-principal Br Nickhil James CMI, teachers and supporting staff members made their way to the Saint Louis Auditorium in style. The path was adorned with subject-based displays. Class X students sprinkled holy Ganga water on the guests. Some students welcomed the guests with dances and instrumental performances on the way.
Inside the auditorium, the guests walked down a red carpet and were greeted with a shower of petals, bouquets and shawls.
The programme began with the principal and vice-principal handing over the key of responsibilities to the new school captains, Swastik Mal and Tanisha Parvin. Students presented a welcome song, Amar matha noto kore. Tanisha, newly crowned as captain, delivered the welcome address.
The cultural programme began with a welcome dance.
The principal and vice-principal also presented tokens of appreciation to teachers and support staff members, acknowledging their dedication.
Laughter rippled through the hall as the students presented Hansya Hangama, a comic representation of the character of Gopal Bhar. Students also presented a mashup of Bollywood.
A solo dance by Simontini Khan of Class X drew loud applause. The performance by the in-house band, Prism, was as much appreciated.
The last performance — Finale Flames — raised the energy quotient. It opened with a couple dance by the junior students, followed by a senior group’s dance to Bollywood numbers.
The segment ended with a ramp walk by Class X boys in traditional dhotis.
The programme concluded with a burst of colourful party poppers, filling the auditorium with confetti and joy.
"I was deeply touched by the effort our students put in. The entire programme was a testament to the strong teacher-student relationship we foster in our school. Seeing our teachers feel appreciated and valued was truly special," said the principal.
Music and satire
Priyanshu Das of Class XI was filled with pride when claps filled the Kala Mandir auditorium. He had been waiting for this day, when his role as the teacher, Mr Soundar, in a play would be appreciated.
"From the rehearsals to the final day, the journey was memorable for me," he said.
He was not the only one who had an experience of a lifetime. Students of Young Horizons School (YHS) showcased their talents and emotive power at their annual cultural programme, A Night of Music, Theatre and Magic, on December 4.
Students from both the junior and senior sections of the school participated in different performances on the occasion. The programme opened with a rendition of Vande Mataram sung by Classes VII, VIII, IX and XI. The chief guest was former CEO of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, Gerry Arathoon.
The evening began with the felicitation of the school's toppers, including Nilarka Pahari (ICSE 2024), Niladari Brahmachary (ISC 2024), Riddhiman Chattopadhyay (ICSE 2025), Sk Afra Anjum and Anushka Basak (ISC 2025). Tanveer Haque got the Founder’s Award 2025.
Students from Classes III to VI presented a performance based on Sukumar Ray's Hesoram Hushiyarer Diary. It also incorporated verses from Ray's Abol Tabol and action-based scenes from Pagla Dashu. After the satire, Classes VII to XI staged a play, Take the Lead, on leadership.
"We always try to present meaningful lessons through the event. This time, our theme focused on inclusivity. We aim to raise students who celebrate differences and embrace sincerely diverse learning opportunities," said principal Sharmishtha Sen.
Earth & future
Three-year-old Ekasksh Jaiswal was the youngest participant at Prithvi 2.0, a science exhibition and inter-school competition hosted by SPK Jain Futuristic Academy in New Town recently.
But Ekasksh and his friends, just a little older than him, were not nervous.
They smartly depicted the floating ice experiment, explaining how ice, unlike other solids, floats on water.
"When ice freezes, it traps a lot of air molecules within the crystal lattice, making it lighter," explained the boy to visitors at the event.
Students from five to 15 years of age took part in the event, letting loose theircreative side.
The theme for the inter-school contest was India in 2050. Nine schools took part in the event, including B.D.M. International, Delhi Public School, Newtown, Narula Public School and Vels Global School.
The models ranged from planning a smart city with smarter traffic control mechanisms to a prototype of a hydraulic parking system. Every project showcased a brighter and more sustainable future.
For the exhibition, younger ones popped balloons with citric acid and set up a Perception Lab, demonstrating different illusions. Students also staged a play on the solar system, Choreoverse.
Jayeeta Ganguly, principal of the host school, said: "Prithvi 2.0 is a testament to the success of experiential learning that the school religiously follows. Our objective is not only to prepare students for the competition but also to make them competent in the futuristic skills and to incorporate empathy and compassion in them."
Cook and create
The little learners of Birla High School got a chance to be creative and independent at the end of a term.
They were taught different life skills, lessons as important as classwork.
The Nursery boys were taught tribal art through Warli bookmark making.
Lower Kindergarten boys put on their aprons and prepared their sandwiches, making a statement on healthy eating. The next day, they took part in the Little Champs Obstacle Adventure race. The game taught them that falling and getting up can be as joyful as winning.
Meanwhile, on the terrace, the Upper Kindergarten boys played hockey and hopscotch. The next day, they took part in a non-flame cooking session.
For Class I, art took centre stage. The boys were introduced to tie-and-dye artwork. Then came Kathputli Kala, where tiny hands crafted vibrant puppets inspired by Rajasthan’s string puppetry.
Class II boys dabbled in puzzles and logic, cracking matchstick riddles that tested patience and problem-solving skills. Their second session was about exploring the digital world wisely.
Class III brought stories to life.
Their puppetry project on healthy eating made vegetables and fruits the stars of the stage, while a mime performance, I Am a Responsible Citizen, showed how silence can sometimes speak louder than words. Through gestures, they spread messages of cleanliness, empathy and love for the nation.
Class IV boys took part in coaster-making, doodling and caricature.
Finally, the Class V boys closed the term with pottery and stylistic writing that taught them that patience is an art, too.
"Education is not measured only in grades or performances, but in the quiet confidence of a child raising a hand, the joy of discovery in a simple activity and the resilience built through shared experiences,'' said headmistress Panchali Chattopadhyay.
