In 1967, Dr Stya Paul, a visionary industrialist and founder of Apeejay Education, began a transformative journey in Jalandhar. He believed education could drive nation-building and established not-for-profit institutions across India to promote academic excellence, ethical values, and cultural heritage—empowering students with knowledge, integrity, and a commitment to contribute meaningfully to society.
Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi, was established in 1975 to cater to the educational needs of children in Delhi. The foundation stone was laid on 14th December 1975 by Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia, Chairman, Apeejay Stya & Svran Group, Chancellor Apeejay Stya University, and Chairman, Apeejay Education, daughter of Dr Stya Paul.
Now part of a larger legacy that spans 28 educational institutes across India, the school continues to uphold the ideals of its founder. As Apeejay Education celebrates its Golden Jubilee, Apeejay Panchsheel Park proudly reflects the values and vision upon which it was built.
To commemorate the Golden Jubilee celebration, Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park hosted a special event on April 7, 2025. The day commenced with the auspicious blowing of the conch, setting a spiritual and celebratory tone. The school warmly welcomed esteemed guests — Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia; Mr Nishant Berlia, Co-Family Business Owner and Core Board Member of the Apeejay Stya and Svran Group, and Pro-Chancellor of Apeejay Stya University; and Dr Neha Berlia, Co-Family Business Owner, Core Board Member of the Apeejay Stya and Svran Group, and Pro-Chancellor of Apeejay Stya University.
To honour the occasion and greet the dignitaries, students dressed in vibrant traditional attire representing various Indian states performed a lively cultural dance, reflecting the nation’s rich diversity and the school’s deep-rooted respect for Indian heritage.
This set the tone for the day that began with the havan ceremony. Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia, Mr Nishant Berlia, and Dr Neha Berlia paid shradhanjali to Dr Stya Paul by lighting the lamp and floral tribute. Present at the havan were Dr VS Garg, Education Advisor, Apeejay Education and Mr NN Nayyar, Senior Education Officer, Apeejay Education.
The function was attended by Mr Sharad Tiwari, Mr Bedi, Ms Purnima Vohra, and Ms Anita Paul, Education Officers, Apeejay Education. Also present were Ms Veena Goel, Director, Delhi Apeejay Schools (Principal, Apeejay School, Pitampura), school Principals Dr Sujeet Eric Masih, (Principal, Apeejay School, Saket), Mr Purshottam Dutt Vashist, (Principal, Apeejay’s IB School) Ms Snehlata Krishnan, (Principal, Apeejay School, Faridabad), Dr Neha Sharma, (Principal, Apeejay School, Noida), Ms Sarita Pandey, (Principal, Apeejay International School, Greater Noida), and Ms Komal Nathani, (School Head, Apeejay Rhythms Kinderworld, GK II). Also present were esteemed teachers, alumni, PTA members, school council members, and staff.
After the havan ceremony, Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia, along with Mr Nishant Berlia and Dr Neha Berlia unveiled the 50 years of Golden Jubilee Celebration logo. It was then time for the cultural programme that was put up by the students of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, at the school auditorium.
Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia and Dr Neha Berlia paid floral tribute and lit the lamp in front of the portrait of Dr Stya Paul to start the day’s proceedings amid the chanting of Lord Ganesh shlok.
The day marked a momentous occasion in the life of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, as it celebrated 50 glorious years of excellence, growth, and unwavering commitment to holistic education. This Golden Jubilee is not just a celebration of the past — it is a tribute to a visionary legacy that continues to shape our future,” the school Principal, Ms Joshi, said and added that the presence of the esteemed management — Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia, Mr Nishant Berlia, and Dr Neha Berlia added immense grace and significance to this celebration. Also present were other respected members of the education fraternity, principals of sister schools, distinguished guests, dear parents, and beloved students.
To honour Dr Stya Paul’s remarkable legacy, a short film was screened, capturing his life, journey, and lasting impact. This was followed by a soulful rendition of two bhajans by the school choir. A vibrant dance performance by students that lit up the stage. A key highlight was the unveiling of the Golden Jubilee logo by Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia, symbolising 50 glorious years of holistic education.
Speaking on the occasion, Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia said, “I can’t tell you how much joyful I feel from within and inside to set foot in the school on the occasion of the start of the celebrations of our 50 years of revolution around the sun. It’s memory lane for me, made all the more special by the presence of many of our alumni. Some of you are also here from the first batch of the school. And some of our teachers, our dear, dear teachers — our family — who could join us. I’m grateful to all of them for taking the time and being with us.
“Seeing you here catapulted me back to that time and place — back to when we laid the foundation stone of this school in 1975. I distinctly recall —there was nothing but barren ground. This whole area around the school, Panchsheel Park — much less — even the Defense Colony wasn’t really there when the school was founded. And I was just 16 years old. My father asked me to lay the foundation stone. I couldn’t make out why. I started laughing and I said, ‘You know what? Thousands and thousands of years later, maybe when the city is no more and some archaeologist is digging up the ground and he finds this foundation stone, he’ll wonder — who on earth was Sushma’? So I said, ‘Why don’t you call somebody important to inaugurate it’? And he told me that for him, the VIPs were his children — who were going to be here. And since the first education step had to happen, that’s who I was representing. I was representing all of you — from 1975 till now, and those who will come,” Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia recalled.
For him, children were the first reason that he set up schools right from the beginning—on the very first day when he started, Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia said.
“His (Dr Stya Paul) motivation was very simple. I agree, he wasn’t very rich — he came from a very humble family. I don’t know how much you’ve heard about him. Maybe you’ve heard all those accolades about how wonderful he was. He was very ordinary, involved in a small business of making buckets. You can imagine how small, when I share with you that they couldn’t afford electricity in those days.
“But both parents (Dr Stya Paul’s) passed away at a very young age. His mother passed away when the last kid was born. His father also passed away soon after. So on his shoulders fell the responsibility of bringing up his brothers and sisters — getting them educated, married, settled in life, and so on. But you know, not the kind of burden where you give up. Nothing of the kind that would make you want to stop. He went on and did his MA in Mathematics. He was a gold medalist in the combined Punjab. He wasn’t always good at Math — I have to tell you this! But he was very passionate about Math. And he had a wonderful teacher called Master Jagannath. I still remember him. And then later on, you know, when he (Dr Stya Paul) started the school, he was part of that. That’s what a wonderful teacher can do,” Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia shared.
After Dr Stya Paul completed his MA in Mathematics, he wanted to teach in a college but was refused because he was physically challenged. He had polio when he was a very young child. He had to walk with crutches, and he was in a wheelchair. Of course, much later, when he did earn enough money in life, he went abroad and had a surgery — a polio-corrective surgery that wasn’t available in India in those days. He could then walk with the help of a walking therapist.
Dr Stya Paul was also involved in the freedom movement. He was thought to be distributing literature and was engaged with some of the renowned freedom fighters of that time. The school’s motto: Soaring High is My Nature, is inspired by those very ideals — by the literature he was reading at the time, apart from The Bhagavad Gita and shouting slogans with all the freedom fighters, Mrs Susham Paul Berlia said.
“He was almost sent to Kala Pani in those days, but luckily, there was a General Amnesty and he was released along with the other prisoners. I am sharing this with you for two or three reasons. We often talk about the founder. “Oh, he founded a school.” That’s fine; many people found schools, right? But just think: This was 1967 for the first school, and 1975 for this (Panchsheel Park branch) one. There was nothing around. No reason for anyone to start a school here. He really wanted to give back to society in those days.
“He was invited along with all his fellow freedom fighters to join the government. Many of them went on to hold very high positions. But he chose to serve the country in a different way, which was through education. We need to remember those days, when there were hardly any good schools. Initially, we contributed by funding schools, by setting up scholarships. He gave many scholarships to people who didn’t even know who was funding them. It was only after his passing that I came to know — hundreds and hundreds of people came to meet me. I didn’t know them. They were strangers. It was the first time I saw them. And they had come to tell me about the difference he had made in their lives,” Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia mentioned.
“So what was his dream? His dream was to create the kind of education that would really bring out the best in a child, in all dimensions. And since then, this is what we have been striving to do. Whether it’s physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychological — so much more. Sometimes we do well, sometimes not so well, over the years. But that’s what we’ve been striving for. And it’s not because of his wish. It’s just that we are still trying to live up to it.
Even if you look at the New Education Policy 2020 — it’s now capturing what we dreamt of so many, many years ago. But why do we constantly want to remember him? Not to emulate him, not to put him on a pedestal, but because of what he stood for. The values he stood for. The values he wanted us to embrace in ourselves. The dream. The dare to dream. Grit. Determination. Never to give up. To face the challenges of life, as he used to say, with the courage of a hero and the smile of a conqueror,” Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia shared.
“That’s what I want us to remember today. That is what would make him feel wonderful and happy — wherever he is. If he looks at these 50 golden years, and all those who led us here, whether they were our principals, our teachers, or the many, many students who are now in different parts of the world and those who are here — who have all contributed to this journey as we came along. I can only bow my head in gratitude to all of them for being with us as part of our journey.
“And to all the parents, who — mind you — started with us in tents. Can you just imagine? One hundred children came in the first batch and started studying with us in tents while the school building was being constructed. No fans, no nothing. But obviously, they were delighted to be here. And one of them is here with us today. I know, as the year goes by, there will be many more occasions and many, many ways in which we will celebrate this year. But today was a very auspicious day. You know that last thing that was shown in the short film — “You are energy, and energy never dies”? That’s true for each one of us here. Even Einstein and scientists have now told us clearly: Remember the formula? E = MC². So all matter is only energy that we perceive with our limited eyes. But actually, it is all-encompassing. We are all interconnected in so very many ways. Probably that’s why we say: Do good to others as you would have them do to you.” Not because you are doing anybody a favour. But because you are connected to everything. If everything is reality, then there is no difference between any one of us.
“With this energy, right from that energy and with the energy of all of us together, really take us to so much more higher heights than even we could have dreamt of,” Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia said and invited all the alumni and past teachers, including Dr Garg, and the PTA members on the stage to thank them for their contribution.
“I am truly grateful to each one of you for the unwavering trust you have placed in this school. Your contributions—be it through involvement, encouragement, or collaboration — have helped shape our journey. Together, as partners, you have played a crucial role in helping us take this school forward. Thank you for walking this path with us” Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia said and concluded with these lines: Agar monolbal kar liya hai udaan ka, toh kya naapna kad aasmaan ka.
The 50 years of Golden Jubilee Celebration at Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park ended with the school choir singing the school song: Hum Apeejay ke bacche.