‘Academic, cultural, and sports necessary; but being a good human is paramount, says Mr Hemant Tiwari, IPS

Step into the world of collective spirits where teachers and students work hard for the entire year to deliver a ‘successful event – Adabiyyat’. The Annual Appreciation Day at Apeejay School, Saket marked an event where students’ accomplishments were appreciated and recognised in front of the parents and teachers. It was also a day when students celebrated their milestones.

Therefore, when the curtain rose on the two-day extravaganza at the Annual Appreciation Day, on November 25, the junior wing took centrestage and transformed the auditorium into a playground of imagination on Day 1. The theme this year was The Indian Literature–A Journey through Time.

All the guests were welcomed with a tilak ceremony and bestowed with plants as a ‘green welcome’. This was followed by the lighting of the ceremonial lamp invoking the divine blessings. The enchanting invocation of Ganesh Vandana’ was sung by the students dressed in hues of blue and gold, adding a touch of serenity to the evening.

The chief guest for the day was Shri Hemant Tiwari, an IPS officer, DCP-New Delhi, he also has the additional in charge of the National Cyber Crime Forensic Lab. The occasion was also graced by Mrs Ranjana Prasad, Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Shri Naresh Yadav, MLA and Chairman DDC, and Pandit Shubhendra Rao, an internationally acclaimed composer and sitar player.

Thanking the management and the principal for a warm welcome, Mr Hemant Tiwari, as a father himself, shared an understanding of the joy associated with witnessing the growth of one’s children. Acknowledging the remarkable talent among the students, he said, “The essence of academic, cultural, and sports is necessary; but being a good human is paramount.”

Since he is a member of the Delhi Police Cyber Crime Unit, he also highlighted the prevalence of cybercrimes, particularly OTP scams resulting in financial losses, and cautioned the students and parents alike. “Caution is needed, especially in discussions related to crypto, with a reminder to stay vigilant regarding calls where the person at the other line is asking for details like OTP. It is important to not give this information at any cost and report such calls to the police,” Tiwari advised.

Shri Naresh Yadav, (MLA) in his speech, applauded the dedicated efforts of Dr Sujeet Eric Masih, the esteemed principal of Apeejay School Saket. Acknowledging the broad scope of his constituency, encompassing nearly 15 schools, Mr Yadav said that Dr Masih is rightfully recognised as ‘the best principal’, a sentiment shared by all.

He congratulated the entire Apeejay team for the successful celebration of the Annual Appreciation Day and the significant role education plays. “I urge the administration to reach out to me in case of any hindrances since the Delhi government lays a lot of emphasis on education,” Mr Yadav said.

Taking the stage Mrs Ranjana Prasad said: “There are very few people who are aware of the child’s rights, therefore we must secure and preserve them to enable a healthy environment.” Drawing on 15 years of experience as a school principal, she shares a wish to attend every function at the school due to the invigorating enthusiasm and energy shown by one and all.

“Today I am attending the pre-primary Annual Appreciation Day, and I hope I will be attending their graduation ceremony as well a decade down the line,” Mrs Prasad said. She underscored the importance of identifying and reporting any instances of child harassment, be it physical, mental, or sexual. “I encourage the audience to reach out in case of any child rights discrepancies,” she said and recalled her longstanding connection with Apeejay. “It is important for the community to let every child grow in a nurturing environment,” she added.

Appreciating the essence of education, Pandit Shubhendra Rao said that our parents are our first teachers, the mother is the first guru, and the father is the first superhero. “A child’s education for the parents commences nine months before the birth of their child. Only a father can comprehend both the beauty and challenges of parenting,” Rao said.

Reflecting on the guidance of his mentor, he stressed the importance of teaching a child in the formative years between ‘zero to nine’. He advocated for instilling the right values during this crucial period. “You must encourage your child to explore libraries, museums, and historical places,” Panditji said.

Speaking at the Annual Appreciation Day Dr Sujeet Eric Masih, Principal of Apeejay School, Saket said that the heart and soul of Apeejay Education is Dr Stya Paul, the Founder-Chairman. He expressed gratitude for Dr Stya Paul’s inspiring journey, providing a value-based and well-rounded education to all Apeejay students.

“Driven by his vision, we have become the pillar of nurturing skills and fostering lifelong commitment for our children. Today we move ahead with the foundational principles of sincerity we have defined at Apeejay School, Saket. Our vision is not just a testament to their discipline and leadership but also a tribute to the visionary mentor who propelled us, thereby propelling the school to greater heights and accomplishments.” Dr Masih said.

He said that they are extremely grateful that they can soar under the able guidance of Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia, Chairperson, Apeejay Education, and Chancellor Apeejay Stya University, the only daughter of our beloved Founder-Chairman. “A multi-disciplinary personality, Mrs Berlia is a leading entrepreneur. She has devoted her life to nation-building with global footprints and has made outstanding contributions to the cause of women’s empowerment and education. Mrs Berlia is the first woman in India to have led a pharmaceutical company and is also the first woman entrepreneur in the educational realm. With great spirits, she has always addressed such causes for the physically challenged and economically weaker sections of society,” Dr Masih said.

He also said that we are fortunate to be mentored by her children Mr Nishant Berlia, Co-Promoter Apeejay Stya and Svran Group and Pro-Chancellor, Apeejay Stya University; Mr Aditya Berlia, Co-Promoter of Apeejay Stya and Svran Group and Pro-Chancellor of Apeejay Stya University; Dr Neha Berlia, Co-Promoter of Apeejay Stya & Svran Group and Pro-Chancellor of Apeejay Stya University.

“The grandchildren of Dr Stya Paul have been the constant pillars who have supported the Apeejay family and have played a vital role in ensuring we reach greater heights of success and achievements. They represent the next generation of entrepreneurs, ready to drive ahead with their philanthropic approach, leading the society,” Dr Masih said.

The school principal then proudly shared the achievements of Apeejay School Saket. “It’s a moment of elation as our school is ranked No 1 for delivering holistic education. We were selected after a rigorous selection process under various parametres by teaching methodologies. Our school has also been constantly listed among the top three schools in the Southeast region for three consecutive years. With a continued winning legacy, our school is recognised as a front-runner in the Times Schools’ Survey of 2023,” Dr Masih said and added-Nazar nazar mein utarna kamaal hota hai. Nafas nafas mein bikhrana kamal hota hai. Bulandiyon pe pahunchna koi kamal nahi. Bulandiyon pe theherna kamaal hota hai.

Dr Masih also said that since Apeejay Education is dedicated to offering quality education of international standards, the team is now working to upgrade quality education through the emergence of more workshops, smart-interactive classes, KYC (know-your-child) sessions, mentor-mentee engagements, monthly student reports generated by computers to be shared with parents every fortnight, project-based learning, financial learning, stamp integration with the production of AI.

“We have taken an initiative to promote more competitive exams to bridge the learning gap among students thereby enhancing their cognitive skills. A plethora of activities for the primary section will be induced to make reading and learning enjoyable such as a buddy-reading programme, book fair with bagless days, and more,” Dr Masih said,

Adding to the enchantment of the evening, students performed various delightful dance programmes, orchestras, choirs, and plays based on the theme. These included works of esteemed writers like RK Narayan, Amitav Ghosh, and more. From the tales of the Post-Master to the essence of Rural India, the journey extended to the White Tiger, Grandma’s Stories, Self-Discovery, Krishna’s Tale, and King Ashok to name a few. The participants adorned themselves in splendid costumes adorned with vibrant colours. The portrayal of rural India in one of the plays was especially noteworthy, with costumes meticulously crafted to capture the essence. Before the commencement of the dadi ma stories, a melodious rendition of Dadima humein sunayo koi kahaani set the stage.

The Radha-Krishna dance was executed with grace, using dandiyas, the performance was spectacular and the highlight of the evening. The entire evening was a harmonious blend of brilliant expressions and thematic representations that will remain in the minds of those present for a long time.

After the performances, the chief guest was called upon to give away prizes to meritorious students, who excelled in Board exams, inter-state level competitions, MUN delegations, Dr Stya Paul Awards for Human Values to name a few.

The grand finale culminated when over 400 participants sang Hum Apeejay ke bacche. A heartfelt vote of thanks was given by the senior coordinator teacher, Mrs Ritesh. She thanked all the attendees for making this event possible with their presence and words of wisdom.

“We thank Dr VS Garg, education advisor for his presence. A special thank you to Mr Hemant Tiwari, Shri Naresh Yadav, Mrs Ranjana Prasad, Dr Sujeet Eric Mesih, the leader behind the show and other alumni. We also acknowledge the contribution of the parents for their unwavering support,” Mrs Ritesh concluded.