Art with insight- BIRLA HIGH SCHOOL
For two months, Debojyoti Dutta of Birla High School juggled rehearsals with studies. It was hectic, but the Class X student emerged enriched, having anchored and acted in a play staged for the school’s annual day.
The Secondary section of Birla High showcased their music, drama and dance skills at the annual day and prize distribution ceremony, held at Vidya Mandir Auditorium on April 29 and 30. In the process, students picked up several life lessons.
Parents of Class VIII toppers were invited as chief guests on Day I, and those of Class XI toppers on the next day. The first day honoured students of Classes VI and VIII, while the second day was dedicated to Classes VII, IX and XI. Performances remained the same on both days.
The event opened with a Guru Vandana, followed by The Tempest of Melody, a fusion instrumental performance blending tabla, violin, guitar and synthesiser with student-led beatboxing. Strobe lights and thunder effects added drama, earning a loud applause.
A thought-provoking play, Human or Humanoid?, critiqued the growing dependence on technology and social media. On the occasion of International Dance Day, the boys performed Dance Like a Man to challenge gender norms in dance, grooving to songs such as Gum gum megh oi gorojay and paying tribute to iconic male dancers.
Principal Loveleen Saigal presented the annual school report. "We had different events, a potpourri of music, dance, drama, keeping in mind the social relevance. We highlighted the harmful impact of social media and how children are getting addicted to gadgets. We wanted to show what they learnt in extra-curricular classes," she said.
Students were awarded for both academic and co-curricular excellence. Special prizes included the S.P. Banerjee Award of Excellence, Bhavesh Jajoo Memorial Award and Abhirav Jatia Memorial Award, among others.
Shivaji House (yellow) was declared Best House, while Green Thumb (nature club) and Let’s Rock (music band club) shared the Most Active Club trophy.
Code, chords, click & create- ST THOMAS’ BOYS’ SCHOOL, KIDDERPORE
Krithivan Dutta’s childhood fascination with gadgets has found a new home. Now in Class VIII, he is thrilled to explore his interests in the new robotics laboratory atSt Thomas’ Boys’ School, Kidderpore.
The state-of-the-art lab was unveiled on April 29, along with three new spaces — music, media and audiovisual rooms — aimed at fostering innovation, creativity and skill-building.
Reverend Paritosh Canning, bishop of the Calcutta diocese of the Church of North India, blessed each room at the inauguration. He even tinkered with a computer and played the synthesiser, much to the students’ delight.
Principal Suman Biswas welcomed guests from the girls’ wing, including principal Rachel Elias and vice-principal Melod D’Rosario. Students of Classes XI and XII from the host school also attended, excited to explore the new facilities up for grabs.
The upgraded robotics lab now houses 30 computers, up from 12 earlier, and can accommodate 60 students at once — a response to growing interest in AI and robotics. “Artificial Intelligence is the need of the hour... change is always good, and we have to accept it,” said the principal.
The new music room, designed as a space to unwind and create, features guitars, harmoniums, synthesisers, and student graffiti on one wall, with portraits of global music icons on another. Free guitar lessons have already begun, with violin classes in the pipeline.
The audiovisual room, fitted with projectors, microphones and headsets, will help students dive deeper into subjects through research and presentations.
The media room offers opportunities to write, edit, design and report — skills the school hopes will shape future professionals.
“We didn't have such facilities in the past. We wanted to give students top-notch amenities to help them excel,” said the principal.
Greener together
Students take a pledge to conserve the resources of the planet during a workshop at Calcutta Public School (CPS), Bidhan Park.
Aatrio Barik of Class VII, along with Megh Ganguly and Samriddha Barui of Class VI, envisioned a sustainable town where energy is better utilised and carbon footprint reduced. Their model won accolades at an inter-school green competition held on CPS, Bidhan Park grounds. The event marked the culmination of the Conserve My Planet project, hosted by the school in collaboration with Schneider Electric India. Students of Classes VI and VII took part in a series of workshops ahead of the final challenge, learning the importance of conservation through interactive activities, discussions and pledges.
Topics included the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources, the three R’s — Reduce, Reuse, Recycle — and practical steps to save energy and materials.
Students crafted art from waste, monitored electricity usage, and placed conservation reminder stickers around the school.
The final competition featured entries from schools including Delhi Public School, Megacity; Lakshmipat Singhania Academy; National English School, Baguiati; and Mangalam Vidya Niketan.
Each team presented their own take on conservation. Delhi World Public School highlighted water conservation, National English School staged a skit titled Embrace Cleanliness: A Path to a Better Life, while the host school presented on the importance of tree preservation. Calcutta Public School emerged overall winners.
“Through this workshop, I saw our students blossom into environmentally conscious individuals. I am proud of their efforts and support their journey in conserving our planet,” said principal Protichi Lahiri Sengupta.
Voices for equality- INDUS VALLEY WORLD SCHOOL
What if the perfect relationship is just a facade? Sixteen storytellers brought this unsettling question alive through music, dance and drama at I Rise: Walk the Talk for a Gender Equal World, held at Indus Valley World School on April 11.
Curated by educator Sohini Das Hartmann, the performance blended classical, folk and ballet styles with theatre and storytelling to trace the resilience of a woman confronting fate.
Some 200 students from Classes IX to XII across seven city schools — including Swarnim International, BDM International, Gokhale Memorial Girls’ School and Lakshmipat Singhania Academy — watched in rapt attention.
The show was followed by a panel discussion addressing trafficking, social pressures, cultural silence and legal gaps. Students were encouraged to share stories and experiences, exchange ideas and pledge action towards a gender-equal world.
IPS officer Kalyan Mukherjee attended as chief guest.
"To bring about any change, we need to encourage students to lend their voices to question traditional norms and stereotypes that perpetuate inequality. This event prioritised our approach towards gender equity through a sensitive theatrical presentation and it also aimed to offer open and safe discussions about gender issues,” said principal Reshma Bhattacharya.
Last updated on 08 May 2025
