Summary
Nature taught Ayushree Barman of Class XII patience. Despite the intense heat of May, she and her buddies kept their watch. Finally, they were rewarded with the sighting of tigress Shakti and her cubs
Heart of wilderness
Nature taught Ayushree Barman of Class XII patience. Despite the intense heat of May, she and her buddies kept their watch. Finally, they were rewarded with the sighting of tigress Shakti and her cubs.
The venue was Ranthambhore National Park, where nine students of Sri Sri Academy had a transformative experience from May 11 to 14.
Organised by the school's Fellowship for Sustainable Services (FFSS) Club — the trip turned out to be an immersive experience in nature. Principal Gargi Banerjee and club in-charge Rinku Das Mamtora accompanied the nine from Classes XI to XII.
The students undertook five safaris. Each dawn brought a new story, a new sighting and a deeper connection with the earth.
On Day I afternoon safari, the group spotted Ridhhi, the park's most majestic tigress, stalking her prey near the common lake. They also clicked pictures of sambar deer, peacocks and the bird, Rufus Treepipe.
The group spotted a crocodile and various birds in the morning safari on Day II. The afternoon safari on the same day was even more thrilling as the group spotted Shakti and her playful cubs hiding behind dense foliage near a lake. The third day was most fruitful as Noori the tigress was caught bathing in a pond. The experience taught the students the value of stillness, patience and observation.
"Our recent excursion to Ranthambhore was an experience that will remain with our students for a very long time. Being immersed in nature allowed them to witness the forest's complexity and the harmony," said the principal.
Rhythm divine
When Agnijo Sammadar finished his rendition of Bare bare ke jeno dake, there was a split-second silence in the auditorium before a thunderous applause. The performance by the Class XII student of South Point High School earned him the Best Singer award.
It was an afternoon of melody and joy at Satrangi, the finals of an inter-school music competition hosted by South Point High School on June 18. The event was part of the school's fest Kalakosh 2025, organised under the aegis of the M.P. Birla Smarak Kosh.
Eight schools out of 15 qualified in the final rounds of Satrangi. The finalists were Army Public School, Barrackpore, Bhavan’s Gangabux Kanoria Vidyamandir, Mahadevi Birla World Academy, Shri Shikshayatan School, St Augustine’s Day School, Barrackpore, Vivekananda Mission School, Lakshmipat Singhania Academy and the host. The judges were musicians Kalyan Sen Barat and Chandrabali Rudra Dutta.The highlight of the event was the diversity of music presented.
The event featured three rounds. The first saw three members of a team performing in chorus. This was followed by a solo round. In the final round, students sang according to the judges' choice. The host school emerged as the champions; they sang Kabira as part of their choral performance. Rastri Banerjee of Class XII sang Jhooti mooti mitwa in the individual round. Classmates Agnijo Sammadar wowed the judges' round and Agnidipta Dey completed the trio. Vivekananda Mission School was the first runners-up followed by St Augustine’s Day School, Barrackpore.
"The motive of the event is the holistic development of children and to bring out their skills, not just of the South Pointers but all students," said principal Jaidev Ghosh.
Lead and serve
Ankita Verma of Class XII was proud to become the games captain of Calcutta Public School (CPS), Bidhan Park. She credited her school for nurturing her passion for sports, training her and shaping her character.
"I promise to foster teamwork, inspire participation and build a culture where effort, unity and spirit matter more than victory," she said as all the new leaders got ready to take their oath.
CPS, Bidhan Park, hosted its investiture ceremony on the school grounds on May 16. Members of the newly elected student council got their badges and duties formally on that day.
Principal Protichi Lahiri Sengupta and vice-principal Alokananda Chakraborty attended the event. Students and teachers were also there to cheer for their favourite leaders as they went on stage.
The chief guest was principal of the Barasat branch, Abhilasha Das.
The ceremony began with lamp-lighting by the principal and the chief guest. Then students of Classes VI to IX sang a prayer song.
The principal stressed the importance of leadership, discipline, service and integrity. She reminded the council members of the duties and expectations that come with the roles they now shoulder.
A badge and sash ceremony was conducted. Rimi Das of Class XII was appointed head girl, while classmate Ankita Verma took on the role of games captain.
The four houses — Amity (yellow), Elan (red), Impetus (blue) and Acumen (green) — got their new house captains from Class XII and vice-captains from Class XI.
Each house also had two prefects who got their badges.
Amity House was led by captain Swastika Maity and vice-captain Ayush Gupta; Elan House by Wrishaa Dirgangi and Arka Majumdar; Impetus House by Ritusree Gupta and Saniya Jadhav; and Acumen House by Riya Kotal and Rupsha Maity.
The selection process for the council began in April at the beginning of the academic session. Teachers shortlisted students for each post based on punctuality, obedience, house participation and sincerity. Finally, a faculty vote finalised the candidates.
Eighteen students made up the council.
The council members took a formal pledge and vowed to carry out their responsibilities with integrity and dedication. Rimi and Ankita delivered speeches, outlining their visions for the school and emphasising how unity and service are the core of strong leadership. They also shared development plans for the school.
A well-coordinated drill performance by students of Classes IX to XII followed.
House rankings for the past year were also declared with Amity House securing the first place. The event concluded with students of Classes VI to IX singing Peace is flowing like a river.
"True leadership lies not in holding a title, but in serving others with courage, compassion and integrity. I sincerely hope our young leaders lead by example, stay grounded in values and continue to uphold the noble spirit of our school," saidthe principal.
Toy world
A green bee with yellow wings — Rajveer Roy and mother Debasree Roy cut coloured papers to craft their toy. As they snipped and glued, the two bonded over shared stories.
Stories, laughter and nostalgia flowed as 22 tots sat with their mothers to create toys and new memories. The event was organised by the Playgroup section of Birla High School, Mukundapur, as part of the Toyathon activity. The event was organised under the Poshan Abhiyan or National Nutrition Mission.
As the toys took shape, they became catalysts for imagination, skill-building and emotional bonding.
Mother and child together fashioned grain-filled rattles, hand-puppets and aeroplanes from sustainable materials and recycled goods.
The space turned into a kaleidoscope of colour — paper birds suspended in flight, butterflies perched on handcrafted trees and stars and clouds scattered across walls and boards. Each creation told a story.
"It was heartening to witness our little ones and their parents unite in a session that was both enjoyable and purposeful. The collaboration and the creativity brought the classroom to life," said headmistress Rakhee H. Patel.
"The session was a thoughtful initiative aimed at strengthening our bond with parents. We witnessed a display of creativity and craftsmanship from both mother and child," said the principal Jessica Gomes Surana.
Last updated on 26 Jun 2025
