Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav: Students commemorate 75th anniversary of Independence Day through creative activities

India is celebrating 75 years of independence this year. As a countdown to August 15, the country has been rejoicing in the government-led ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to commemorate our glorious culture and history and pay a tribute to the freedom fighters to whom we owe our independence.

In line with nationwide celebrations, Apeejay schools have been organising a range of creative programmes themed on Independence Day, teaching young students in the process about India’s history and instilling in them love and respect for their nation.

Among these schools, Apeejay Noida planned a range of activities for students. Each of the activities was themed on the freedom struggle and the sacrifices of the great leaders of independence.

Students from classes 6-12 participated in the events that pushed them to stretch themselves intellectually with research, assimilation, and impressive expression. For the painting competition, for instance, students had to depict the cultural form of the freedom struggle of India. Talking about how class 8 student Saesha Gupta conceptualised her painting, she said, “I drew three hands in saffron, white, and green respectively. At the top of it was the Ashoka Chakra with blood on it—the painting symbolised the struggles we went through as a nation and how we overcame it all with our bravery.”

Similarly, students also participated in an inter-house rangoli-making competition themed on the Indian freedom struggle. They were divided into teams of six by their teacher. “Before making the rangoli, our team did some research on the given topic and finally selected one design based on ‘flying for freedom’,” said Aadya Sharma, another student.

For Aadya and many other students, the competitions were a learning exercise. Elaborating on her rangoli, she added, “Our design had helicopters, peacocks, and all the things that make India what it is. It was a fun process, but it also taught us a lot of things. First, we learned teamwork. Learning about the struggles of our freedom fighters further inspired me to work hard and try to be a responsible citizen.”

Annika Tikkha from class 8 participated in an essay competition. Participants had to write about the role of the freedom fighters of Meerut in the Indian freedom struggle. Annika mentioned, “When I researched, I found that Meerut actually played a very big role in how our country was freed. It was where the rebellion of 1857 took birth.”

Annika also participated in a quiz competition. “There were questions about the freedom movement and in my preparation for the quiz, I actually gained a lot of knowledge.” 

Another participant in the quiz competition, Anusha Jain, added, “The topic for our quiz was ‘Know your India’. It was obviously a great opportunity to learn more about my country and it made me feel very patriotic.”

Living up to the magnificence of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, Apeejay Noida has also planned a special Zoom interaction with the soldiers of Leh. It is even hosting an awareness walk, ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign for flag hoisting as well as some cultural activities.