‘Allow children to pursue their interests,’ says IAS Municipal Commissioner, Panvel 

Annual Appreciation Day is a celebration of accomplishments, victories and the spirit to overcome difficulties that one may encounter throughout the year. The day includes graceful dances, prizes and life lessons. With it, surely there’s lots of fun and excitement!

Recently, Apeejay School, Kharghar in Navi Mumbai held its 22^nd Annual Day, ‘Xpressions 2022-23.’ This year, it was themed ‘Nrityanjali – The Great Indian Dances’. As the name suggests, the show was nothing short of a visual treat as it intended to teach students about India’s rich culture and heritage.    

Mr Ganesh Deshmukh, IAS Municipal Commissioner, Panvel was the Chief Guest of the programme. Only a day prior to Xpressions, Mr Deshmukh was bestowed an honour for ‘City Beautification and Cleanliness Competition 2022’ by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Eknath Shinde, in the presence of a host of ministers, top bureaucrats and dignitaries. Besides him, the Special Guest was Mr Jatin Kishore, CRPF Commanding Officer, Kharghar.

To mark the beginning of the programme, Mr Deshmukh lit the ceremonial lamp. He was accompanied by the school Principal, Ms Tejaswini Katdare. Followed by this, a floral tribute was paid to Dr Stya Paul, the late Founder-Chairman of Apeejay Education. At present, Sir’s legacy is being carried forward by his only daughter Madam Sushma Paul Berlia. She is a leading woman industrialist, educationist and philanthropist who is working towards Dr Stya Paul’s vision of man-making and nation-building powered by a global footprint.

On the special day, Mr Deshmukh addressed the gathering and shared his pearls of wisdom with the students and parents. He said, “I am thankful to Apeejay and its management for inviting me to the function. As part of an introductory discussion with Ms Katdare, I asked her how many students will be there today. She gave me the numbers but I am more than delighted to see so many parents and teachers in attendance today! Truly, the success of students is a joint venture of teachers and parents, and that is showcased in the strength in front of me today. Further, I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to all the students for attaining prizes.”

Mr Deshmukh then appreciated students on scoring well in their examinations. He shared, “For students, my message is to learn and differentiate brilliance with hard work. If you want to succeed in life, then the learning is to keep working and being dedicated. If you make hard work a habit, only then you will be able to reach heights. To the parents, my suggestion is to kindly allow your children to pursue their interests. If I share my own example, the reason why I was able to crack competitive examinations was because I wanted to do it. So, the key is following natural curiosities, interests and passions. Always remember, if your child is happy, you will be happy too.”

Amongst the audience, eminent members of Apeejay Education, parents, grandparents, students, teachers and staff were present on the Annual Day. Mesmerising them all and taking them to a world of divinity, students evoked the blessings of the Almighty. They moved to the rhythmic beats and didn’t miss a chance to showcase their grace and talent. After this, young learners presented a melodious delight which uplifted the spirits of the gathering.

Shortly, Ms Katdare showcased the school’s Annual report. It displayed the stellar record of the institution across academics, sports and extra-curricular activities. Highlighting the same, Ms Katdare said, “A number of functions and workshops have been organised in the past academic year to develop personality and boost learning among our students. At Apeejay, we strongly believe that each child is unique and has inherent potential to learn and grow.”

She continued, “On this big day, I extend my gratitude to Mr Nishant Berlia, Co-Promoter Apeejay Stya and Svran Group and Co-Founder and Pro-Chancellor of Apeejay Stya University, Mr Aditya Berlia, Co-Promoter Apeejay Stya and Svran Group and Co-Founder and Pro-Chancellor of Apeejay Stya University, and Dr Neha Berlia, Co-Promoter of Apeejay Stya and Svran Group for supporting us. I am also grateful to Dr VS Garg, Education Advisor and Education officers for their guidance and encouragement.”

Ms Katdare also appreciated all students and teachers for striving hard through the year to deliver their best. She said, “We have always been committed to providing holistic development paired with the right attitude, personality, values and sensitivity. A perfect balance of academics, extra-curriculars, research and exploration gives our students an edge.”

Followed by her address, the prize distribution ceremony was held. The success, academic excellence and outstanding achievements of the students was at display during the ceremony. Further, they were encouraged to ‘soar high’ and higher. Then Ms Katdare inaugurated the school magazine ‘Reflection 22’. The document was presented to the Chief Guest as a reflection of the school’s spirit in its pursuit of excellence. It contains artworks, poems, writing, creativity and imagination of young minds from the school.

And that’s not all! The much-awaited cultural extravaganza started soon after. Through a stunning show of dances, students of Apeejay, Kharghar embarked on the journey of exploration.

They traced India from its history to the contemporary phase through the eyes of legendary figures such as BR Ambedkar, Sarojini Naidu, Ramanujan and Sardar Vallabhai Patel, just to mention a few. These leaders travelled to the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Bengal, Odisha and Punjab. Eventually, they deduced that youth must stay rooted in the traditional values and culture of the country.  

To conclude the programme, Head Boy of the school, Dirshak Patro, proposed the Vote of Thanks. He mentioned the role of the Principal, teachers, students, and staff in putting up a great show. Finally, the event culminated into a power-packed grand finale followed by the singing of the National Anthem.