Summary
Bhooter Raja shared the stage with Disney’s young villains, while the school band belted out old favourites
Tunes and nostalgia
Bhooter Raja shared the stage with Disney’s young villains, while the school band belted out old favourites. That’s how South City International School celebrated its annual day on August 22.
Over 650 students from Classes III to XII took part in the cultural carnival that paid tribute to both Satyajit Ray and Disney. The show opened with a medley — Maharaja Tomare Selam — featuring a hundred dancers in bright yellows and pinks. The spooky Bhoot Sena and Bhooter Raja followed, complete with painted faces, before the mood turned festive with Kotoi Rongo Dekhi Duniyay and Aha Ki Anondo.
Acting principal Rupika Nath used the occasion to congratulate the board students on their academic milestones, while also handing out scrolls to those with achievements beyond the classroom.
The highlight was Descendants, Disney’s hit musical, staged by students of Classes VI to XII. The story transported the audience to Auradon, the land ruled by King Beast, where they met the teenage children of villains — Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos.
“Months of practice later, Gayatri Ray of Class IX and classmate Naaisha Kundra got their parts right,” the school said. Gayatri said: “I dyed my hair blue.” The evening closed on a rock ‘n’ roll note as the school band, The Bohemians, set the stage on fire. "Nearly 650 students performed! They’ve been practising hard and their work shone," said the acting principal.
Pounce for points
Which EU-critical island is rich in lithium and titanium? Greenland
Name UN’s ambassador of friendshipWinnie the Pooh
What kind of hat did Sherlock Holmes wear?Deerstalker
A flood of questions, quick answers and some daring pounces kept the audience glued at Concurso 2025, the inter-school quiz hosted by Delhi Public School (Joka) South Kolkata at the Surendram Auditorium.
Schools that battled it out included Apeejay School, Park Street, Bihani Academy, Ruby Park Public School, Don Bosco, Park Circus, Delhi Public School, Ruby Park, Gokhale Memorial Girls’ School and the hosts. Each team had three members.
The day began with principal Writuparna Chatterjee lighting the inaugural lamp, followed by a bilingual presentation of Aguner Poroshmoni. The guests were Priyadarshini Chatterjee, product head of Madhubun Educational Book, Sumit Basu, vice-chairperson of Delhi Public School Society, Pawan Agarwal, pro-vice chairman of the host school, Deepak Prakash Agarwal, director, and Rajib Bhattacharya, headmaster. Quizmaster Samrat Chakraborty kicked off with Infinite Pounce 1.0 — 20 quickfire questions in clockwise order. Teams could grab 20 points for a direct hit or pounce out-of-turn, though a wrong pounce meant negative marking. Infinite Pounce 2.0 followed in anti-clockwise order with another set of20 questions.
A special surprise came when the cast of Bengali film Saralakkha Holmes joined in, with actor Rishav Basu tossing fun questions on Sherlock Holmes. Ruby Park Public School clinched the trophy with 270 points. Apeejay School, Park Street, came second and Delhi Public School, Ruby Park, third. Don Bosco, Park Circus, and the hosts tied for fourth position.
"The quiz will help students learn beyond textbooks. Learning has become exam-oriented. So we decided to promote the culture of quizzing," said the principal.
Heal the world
Paramanshu Khatua of Class IV enjoyed listening to the language of leaves and music of the wind as he took part in a tree plantation drive as part of the Earth Day at Asian International School.
It was a three-day festival that had students of Classes III to V learn from creativity on April 15 to 17. On Day I, students of Class III set out on a nature walk on the school premises so that they could learn about their biodiversity of their surroundings.
The children observed plants, insects and birds and learnt the indispensable role humans play in protecting them. For Class IV children, the focus shifted to creativity with purpose. They turned bottle caps into colourful art, discarded materials into jewellery and old containers into compost bins.
Class V children were challenged to think bigger. Tin cans were turned into sculptures, recycled fabrics into wall hangings and plastic spoons into pieces of art that told stories of reinvention.
The celebrations resonated with a common theme — every small, everyday actions matter. Students came away with not just finished products in their hands but also values etched in their minds — creativity, ecological mindfulness and a deeper understanding of sustainability.
"Students engaged in plantation drives, ingenious eco-crafts and enlightening discourses on sustainable living," said principal Simran Sanghera.
"The Earth needs human touch. Each year our students celebrate Earth Day by engaging in activities such as planting saplings, promoting art with recycled materials," said director Nidhi Sharma.
Ode to poet
For Prakit Gurung of Class XII and other Nepali students of Birla Divya Jyoti in Siliguri, it was a chance to go back to their roots.
As the school paid tribute to poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya, through shlokas from The Ramayan, a play and other performances, some learnt new things and others felt pride. The tribute to Adi Kabi or the first poet — who translated The Ramayan from Sanskrit to Nepali — was held on the school grounds over July 11 and 12. The occasion was his 211th birth anniversary. The festivities began with a lamp-lighting ceremony. Principal Shweta Tiwari and vice- principal Sarojini Gurung offered floral tributes to the poet.
Children sang Nepali songs, performed dances and recited poems inspired by Bhanu Bhakta’s works. The performers were all dressed up in traditional white and red Nepali attire. Storytelling and interactive sessions introduced them to the poet’s values of humility, devotion and patriotism, while highlighting his literary contribution.
On Day II, Classes IV to XII presented a more elaborate tribute. The principal delivered an address on the poet and his role in shaping Nepali literature. The school choir rendered Nepali folk and contemporary songs, while students recited shlokas from the Ramayan. Students of Classes VII to IX took part in a skit, The Ramayana – Sweetness of Devotion.
"I felt very proud to see our students take part in the Bhanu Jayanti celebration. Their songs, dances, poems and skits showed how much they are learning to enjoy literature," said the principal.
Flight of the tots
Dressed in red-and-white saris and kurtas, with dhunuchi in hand, the little ones of Mangalam Vidya Niketan lit up the stage with a Durga Puja dance that had the audience clapping along.
Their poise and energy set the mood for Wings of Fantasy, the junior school annual concert, held on August 19 at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Salt Lake.
Over 300 students — from Infant to Class V — brought alive an evening of fun, colour and creativity. The chief guest was theatre actor-writer Debashis Roy Choudhary. He lit the inaugural lamp along with secretary Vivek Pancholi, principal Jayati Mukherjee, vice-principal Jaya Pradhan and headmistress Debjani Mukherjee. A soulful Lakshmi Stotram and Ganesh Vandana followed.
The programme also highlighted various initiatives and activities carried out by the school. Pre-primary students (Infant to Kindergarten) stole hearts with their festival-themed dances, while board toppers were honoured on stage. Senior students from Class VIII to XII added a classical touch with a Kathak performance. The spotlight then shifted to Classes III to V, who staged a play titled, Call of the Mountains, exploring nature, adventure and emotional growth. The show ended with a burst of colour and emotions — a fitting finale to a flight of fantasy.
"The students practised for two months. We tried to include almost all from the Pre-primary section," said the principal.
"The Pre-primary students looked so confident on stage. Their confidence made us all very happy," said the secretary.
Grandparents take a bow
Class II student Shreyanshi Mondol turned into a tiger on stage as her grandparents beamed with pride. “She had been practising for days,” said her family, the smiles making all her hard work worth it.
That joy was shared by her peers at Delhi Public School (DPS), Newtown, as they celebrated Grandparents’ Day on August 23 in association with The Telegraph, Young Metro. The little ones from Nursery to Class II filled the day with performances, stories and plenty of laughter.
Actor Paran Bandhopadhyay was the chief guest, with Dr Dibyendu Kumar Ray, neurosurgeon, among the special guests. Founding principal Ruma Chandra was also felicitated amidst much cheers, and representatives from Humanity In Help, an organisation working for underprivileged elders, also joined in the event.
In her address, principal Sonali Sen described grandparents as “the guiding lights who shower love and shape values in children”.
The Class II students anchored the programme, while their peers stole the spotlight with a vibrant musical adaptation of Satyajit Ray’s Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne and Hirak Rajar Deshe.
The hall came alive with lively songs and dances — Kotoi Rongo Dekhi Duniyay, Paye Pori Bagh Mama and the spooky-funny bhoot sena scene that had the audience laughing and cheering. The crowd burst into applause during Bhooter Raja Dilo Bor.
The narrative moved into Hirak Rajar Deshe, delivering a strong message: “Knowledge is power and wisdom is the way to true strength.”
The finale, Aha Ki Anondo, ended the show on ajoyous note.
"We’ve been celebrating Grandparents’ Day for many years because they play such an important role in children’s lives today. With both parents often working, grandparents not only care for the children but also provide unconditional love and pampering. They are the storytellers and the keepers of traditions, shaping values that stay with a child forever," said the principal.
Lessons from the bard
Empathy for all — that’s the lesson Class XII student Samriddhi Banerjee carried home after playing the lead in Tagore's Chandalika.
And she wasn’t the only one to walk away with something meaningful. The students of Sudhir Memorial Institute had a day full of lessons, joy and creativity as they celebrated the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore on the school grounds.
The morning began with a floral tribute to the poet’s portrait, followed by a prabhat pheri, where teachers and tiny tots from the Pre-primary section walked in a procession. Their voices rose in Rabindrasangeet, filling the premises with melody and reverence. The Primary wing lit up the stage with dances to some of Tagore’s iconic songs, including Era Sukher Lagi. A solo performance by Mooushrita Tarafder of Class III to Phagun Haway Haway drew much applause.
Not to be left behind, the teachers too joined in, presenting a medley of Rabindrasangeet that had everyone humming along. While staging Chandalika, the Secondary students combined dance, narration and music to bring alive the story of Prakriti, a young girl from the untouchable Chandal caste.
"Rabindra Jayanti is not merely an annual celebration but a tribute to Tagore’s spirit of creativity," said principal Palash Kumar Saha.
Last updated on 04 Sep 2025
