The joy of an occasion lies not just in receiving an award, but in giving from whatever little one has — often anonymously.

Over the next two Saturdays, close to 550 students will receive awards or scholarships, while an equal number of friends will cheer for them from the audience — some faces familiar, many unknown.

This is the “soul” of The Telegraph School Awards for Excellence 2025, now in its 30th edition. Presented by the International Institute of Hotel Management in association with The Bhawanipur Education Society College, Adamas University, and Exide, this award ceremony continues to restore faith in humanity and the power of resilience in an increasingly fragile world.

The journey over three decades has been remarkable — not just in years, but in scale, magnitude, and impact. This year, organisers received submissions from 225 schools, with 350 students set to receive scholarships across two ceremonies.

“There has been a significant increase in the number of schools that have responded this year — about 20 per cent more,” said Barry O’Brien, founder-convener of the awards and trustee of The Telegraph Education Foundation.

The surge in entries comes from both new schools sending nominations across various categories and veteran participants who have “stayed back” or “come back” after a hiatus. “So there are many welcome-backs,” O’Brien said.

The first ceremony will take place at South City International School on August 23 from 11am, divided into two sessions. The second ceremony follows on August 30 at the Science City auditorium from 10am.

Those honoured include students who battle adversity with unwavering determination, teachers who go beyond their call of duty, and institutions whose selfless service to the marginalised helps build tomorrow’s citizens.

But the awards’ influence extends far beyond these two stages. The spirit has entered schools’ own prize distribution ceremonies, where many now recognise students’ courage in overcoming adversity and parents’ sacrifices in supporting their children’s education.

“There are schools that excel in many areas but lack in social service. After attending our awards, they’ve gone back to do something in their neighbourhood — visiting a railway platform nearby or an old folks’ home. The message is spreading, each person passing it to another, and the movement keeps growing,” O’Brien said.

Having hosted the ceremony for 29 years, O’Brien recalls the humble beginnings. When the awards started in 1996, the idea was simple: do something meaningful with schools and recognise their efforts.

“We didn’t envision where it would reach in 30 years. We wanted to work with schools and recognise their efforts — that was our singular purpose. But as years passed, we thought about children showing courage, parents, teachers, non-teaching staff… we kept adding, and the movement kept expanding,” he said.

Scholarships, which now boost confidence and provide crucial educational support, were introduced in 1998. Last year alone, scholarships totalling ₹54,57,000 were distributed, demonstrating the awards’ tangible impact on young lives.