A day to celebrate art and artists!

Apeejay School Rama Mandi in Jalandhar recently dived into the spirit of art and creativity. The school gave wings to the artistic expressions of their students by organising Rajeshwari Kala Utsa, 2023.

This art festival was held in reverence of the 99th birth anniversary of Smt. Rajeshwari Paul, the first lady of the Apeejay Stya Group. Smt Rajeshwari Paul was an exceptional lady who stood tall for art throughout her lifetime. 

The cultural extravaganza began with the auspicious lamp-lighting ceremony and floral tribute followed by a soulful bhajan rendition put together by the music teacher, Ms. Nidhi Sharma, along with the school choir. A beautiful invocation dance was presented by Divyansha, a class 4 student.

Some memorable glimpses from the life of Madam Rajeshwari Paul were shared with the students through a beautiful PowerPoint Presentation. Students learnt about the life of the first lady and understood the importance of art for both the individual and the society. It was, however, the puppet show which became the highlight of the programme. Hindi teacher, Ms. Indu Bala, along with her students narrated a captivating story with beautiful dancing puppets. The story emphasised on the importance of hard work, positivity and believing in one’s dreams and realising them gradually with grit and determination.

Class 12 student Raghav Gupta recited a thoughtful self-composed poem on women empowerment for the special occasion. Another class 12 student Jasraj Kararia charmed the audience with his enchanting prowess over the guitar strings. More Spanish fervour followed as class 7 students mesmerised the audience with a brilliant foot tapping performance on the song ‘Aasmaan di Pari’.

Music Teacher Ms. Nidhi Sharma’s performance and melodious voice left everybody spell bound in the auditorium. She sang the ever popular ‘Bekhauff aazaad hai jeena mujhe’. And can an event be complete with an energetic bhangra dance?  Senior girls of the school stole the show as loud dhol beats reverberated in the school auditorium.

The prime attraction of the day was the art exhibition organised under the guidance of art teacher Mr. Amit Kumar. Countless picturesque artefacts made by the students were displayed. Their creativity, imagination and artistic expression gathered a lot of appreciation from the Principal, parents and teachers alike.

On the special occasion, Mr A. K. Sharma, Principal of the school,  read a hearty message from Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia, Chairperson, Apeejay Education, that threw light on the life of Ms. Rajeshwari Paul on this special occasion. He then congratulated the school staff and every participating student for making the event a success. He stated, “There are different forms of art in our lives in the present times and each one has its unique importance and role. Students! You must focus on learning something new every day without thinking of the failures or mistakes that you will make while learning.”

Mr Sharma then went on to quote some inspiring incidents from the lives of Napoleon Bonaparte, Meera Bai, Thomas Alva Edison, M S Dhoni, and highlighted what made them the role models for the future generations.

Vice Principal, Mrs Aarti Shorey Bhat, proposed the Vote of Thanks and acknowledged the efforts of each and every member of the school for putting up a wonderful show.

Teachers, students and parents from Apeejay School, Model Town, too paid a heartfelt tribute to the First Lady of the Apeejay Stya Group. The school organised a week-long celebration to pay tribute to the remarkable lady. Acknowledging her immense contributions towards art and education several events were held for students.  A poster making competition was organised to commence the celebrations. The entire school participated in the activity and created beautiful posters on various topics.

It was followed by an art exhibition where the creative works of the students were displayed. The students were assigned an array of creative artistic tasks during the summer vacations. The artistic endeavours of the students were on full display with paintings across various art forms such as  Madhubani, Mandala and other abstract art forms.

The Kala Sangam culminated with a special assembly held in honour of Smt. Rajeshwari Paul. Students from various grades showcased their musical talent through mesmerising bhajan and song renditions. Students also put together sublime classical dance performances as a tribute to the patron of fine arts. The auditorium reverberated with melodious tunes, demonstrating the student’s dedication and respect for their late benefactor. A beautiful Bharatanatyam recital by Ms. Devika Kocchar, a parent and a dedicated Bharatnatyam trainer spread the magic as the auditorium reverberated with a thunderous applause. 

Principal, Mr.Malkiat Singh informed the gathering about the First Lady, a motherly figure who was an epitome of love and affection. Mr Singh explained to parents and students how Smt Paul brought faith and hope to the lives of all in the Apeejay family. He reminded the students to pledge to uphold the values of compassion, generosity, and large-heartedness which the first lady exemplified all her life.

Similarly, Apeejay School, Rhythms Kinderworld organised a Kala Sangam in honour of Smt Rajeshwari Paul within the school premises. The first lady always emphasised on including art within the curriculum as part of holistic education. In line with her vision a drawing and colouring activity was organised for the students of grade Pre-Nursery and UKG. The tiny tots immersed themselves in the art activities and enjoyed and learned many key life lessons such as thinking out of the box, enjoying the task at hand and giving it a creative turn around.