Jalandhar students meet RJs from MY FM to hail ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ 

Punjab, the land of great saints and freedom fighters is enriched with soil perfect for cropping. Its culture, agriculture, people and beliefs motivate a massive part of the Indian population.

Often, the picture of Bhagat Singh who was born in the Lyallpur district of Punjab comes to mind when we think about heroes and martyrs of the Indian Freedom Struggle. His vigour, enthusiasm and spirit of patriotism never fails to leave any Indian in awe.

For members of Apeejay Education, the upcoming Independence Day holds special importance. On this occasion, the Apeejay family will not only remember the soldiers and leaders, but their very own Founder-Chairman, Late Dr. Stya Paul, who was a freedom fighter as well. Inflicted with polio at a very young age, he brushed aside all challenges to become a successful educationalist, industrialist and philanthropist.  

During the 1942 Quit India Movement, he was jailed. But, he swore to challenge the British Army, and post India’s Independence laid the foundation of the first Apeejay School in Jalandhar, his hometown. His driving force to fill the education gap in India’s youth, today stands as 24 education institutions pan-India, successfully run by his only daughter Dr. Sushma Paul Berlia.

‘Pragati ke path par agrasar, Apeejay Rama Mandi’ – is the tagline we have provided to encourage and motivate students this year. Speaking about India’s growth and development in these 75 glorious years, she says, “Our country is the birthplace of Yoga and Ayurveda. Both of which are now known and recognised worldwide. We have favourable climatic conditions and crops all year round and there is nothing stopping our growth. There are a lot of opportunities for us in the near future. Our people know how to turn a challenge into an opportunity for progress.”

– Ms. Sangeeta Nistandra, Principal

And so, inspired by his spirit and dedication, Apeejay School, Rama Mandi has commenced a week-long celebration for the Independence Day. Amongst a host of competitions, performances and patriotic dances, the school recently welcomed a team of Radio Jockeys (RJs) from 94.3 – MY FM. RJs Garry, Reet and Vikas paid a visit to the school on August 03, 2022 to further the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign launched by the Government of India under the aegis of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.’

On the day, the halls of Apeejay School, Rama Mandi reverberated with the sounds of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’. An interactive session was held with the team of MY FM, as students discussed the importance of ‘bringing home the National flag.’ Further, these young minds were encouraged to hoist the National flag in their homes marking the 75th anniversary of India’s independence.

RJ Garry says, “Visiting Apeejay reminded me of my school years. In the session, students were very excited. They were well-versed and understood the true meaning of patriotism. To add to their knowledge, our team enlightened them about – ‘Ek Nek Kaam, Tirange Ke Naam’, an initiative through which they can help and contribute towards the nation. In an hour-long discussion, we shared multiple ways in which we can help the less privileged members of the society and spread awareness about this nation-wide campaign.”

A class 6 student, Sahibjot Singh Bhogal says, “I had a great time at the school event. I loved how the RJs made us feel very comfortable. They gave flags to each one of us. Together we discussed India and how we envision it to be. I want to contribute to the country by being a good human being above all. In the future, I aspire to be a scientist as I hope to make new discoveries in India to solve global problems.”

Speaking about the event, Simarpreet Kaur, a class 11 Commerce student says, “My key learning from the session was how youth can change the course of events in the nation. I felt very inspired by the discussions. One thought that often lurks in my mind is why India is still a developing nation. I dream to contribute to it by becoming an entrepreneur. Not only will I have my business here, but I will stay here throughout my life. My father, Mr. Baljeet Singh is a businessman too and I have learnt this from him.”

Sharing why she takes pride in the nation, Simarpreet adds, “The diversity of India is fascinating. Even in our school and classes, we have students from across religions who are provided with equal opportunities. I love how so many people with different backgrounds can live together in peace and harmony. If I had to share a message with fellow citizens, I would say that we must rethink what we mean by patriotism. It goes beyond hoisting the National flag. Patriotism should further translate into participation, collaboration and contribution for the country.”

For class 11 student, Raghav Gupta love for the nation means love for the soil. And so, to help the environment, he cycles to school every day from his home in Jalandhar. He says, “I aspire to become a Software Engineer and develop an application for the benefit of the citizens when I finish schooling.”