‘Let community initiatives teach you to make a big difference’ 

It is truly said that there is no greater joy nor greater reward than to make a fundamental difference in someone’s life. And this spirit of community-service is instilled in students of Apeejay schools early on. In the school, students learn to contribute towards the nation by solving real-world problems and helping those in need.

To further this social responsibility, six Apeejay schools work in close association with Rotary, a global network of neighbours, friends, leaders who unite to take action to better the world. Students come together as members of Interact Clubs to take initiatives all-year round on causes ranging from literacy, peace to water and health.

On August 13, 2022, Apeejay School, Faridabad Sector-15 held a Composite Investiture Ceremony of Apeejay schools: Sector-15, Svran Global and Panchsheel Park to elect the new student office bearers for the academic session 2022-2023.

“You have become part of the Interact clubs to learn the power of putting service before self. In the course of your journey, you will know how to interact and dive deep into activities for the greater good.

-Hari Khemka

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The ceremony was graced by Mr. Hari Khemka, President of the Rotary Club of Delhi Premier, Dr. Neha Berlia, Co-Promoter at Apeejay Stya and Svran Group and Chair Interact, Rotaract, Rotary Club of Delhi Premier along with Ms. Aneesha Dalmia, Immediate Past President of the Club. Mr. N.N. Nayyar, Senior Education Officer at Apeejay and school Principals including Ms. Anita Yadav, Ms. Priti Wason and Mr. Sandeep Singh Kathuria were also present at the event.

The day commenced with a grand welcome of the guests by Apeejay School Faridabad’s Prefectorial Board. Shortly, the school’s band delivered a power-packed showcase of talent to honour the dignitaries. Before commencing the event, Dr. Neha Berlia bowed to the picture of Apeejay’s late Founder-Chairman, Dr. Stya Paul, to seek his blessings. The gathering then arrived in the school auditorium and paid tribute to the nation by singing the national anthem. The guests lit the ceremonial lamp and students chanted mantras to evoke the blessings of the Almighty, thus marking the beginning of the event.   

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Bringing cheer and good spirits, students danced to a Rajasthani folk song. The stage was lit up with their rhythmic movements and hearty smiles. After the performance, Ms. Anita Yadav formally welcomed the guests. She shared that Apeejay School, Faridabad Sector-15 has witnessed five decades of academic excellence and it continues to educate students in Haryana. She said, “Our endeavour is to raise the bar and reflect on the present and future needs of our students.”

Ms. Yadav expressed gratitude to Dr. Neha Berlia for her presence at the ceremony. Dr. Berlia plays a key role in the operations, planning, and infrastructure of Apeejay schools. She is also an active member of Delhi Premier and balances her time between entrepreneurship and philanthropy. In 2018, she was conferred with the ‘Next Gen Power Icon’ Award at Times Power Icons and India’s Greatest Leader Award’ at India’s Greatest Brand and Leader Pride of the Nation Summit & Awards for her exemplary contribution in the field of education.

Extending greetings to the members of the Rotary, Mr. Khemka and Ms. Dalmia, Dr. Berlia addressed the august gathering. She mentioned how Mr. Khemka, also the Chairman and Managing Director of Aditya Group continues to inspire her through his entrepreneurial skills, determination and commitment. She said, “At Apeejay, we share the same set of human values. Today, we run 24 institutions pan-India with 40, 000 students and 60,000 alumni. Our association with Rotary began with my late grandfather, Dr. Stya Paul who was awarded the highest Rotarian honour in the Rotary club of Jalandhar. Since then, our family continues to mark the tradition and legacy by taking part in community initiatives.”

She further emphasised, “In our schools too, we encourage students to take active responsibility for the benefit of the society. We also work in association with non-governmental organisations such as Prayas and Goonj, just to name a few. I wish to congratulate all the Interactors of the three schools as they begin this new journey, today. I would also like to commend the efforts of Mr. Nayyar and Interact-in charges in our schools!”

After her speech, students of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park performed a melodious ‘jugalbandi.’ Then, the outgoing Presidents Pranav Gaikwad, Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, Anjani, Apeejay Svran Global School and Sonal Butley from Apeejay School, Faridabad Sector-15 transferred their badges to the newly elected Presidents.

The outgoing student Presidents from the three schools further shared their annual report. Pranav Gaikwad stated how his team worked towards initiatives such as distribution of grains, blood donation and raised awareness about menstrual hygiene, health of senior citizens, just to mention a few. During his tenure, he worked along the lines of the motto, ‘STIR’ – solidarity, transform, inspire and radiate to conduct community-focused drives.

Anjani spoke about the importance of forming online collaborations during Covid-19. In her tenure, she contributed to causes like anti-cracker, first-aid, fitness, yoga, etc. She also held online collaborations to commemorate days of national and world importance such as Ozone Day, Democracy Day, to name a few. Sonal Butley emphasised on the importance of promoting service before self. During the pandemic, as fellow students witnessed increased screen-time in the online classes, she and her team held optometry workshops to help them maintain a healthy eyesight.

Community-based initiatives taken by Interact Clubs in 2021-2022

Next, the newly elected Presidents Prateek Rout from Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, Jia Zutshi, Apeejay Svran Global School and Anushka Kant, Apeejay School, Faridabad Sector-15 introduced the core members of their teams to the audience. They were pinned their badges by Mr. Khemka, as he also administered the oath in which students pledged to do their utmost to serve the people and participate in all activities of the Interact Clubs.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Khemka said, “I am delighted to be here. These determined students fill my heart with joy and hope. Students, you have become part of the Interact clubs to learn the power of putting service before self which will be helpful for you for years to come. In the course of your journey, you will learn how to interact and dive deep into activities for the greater good. Let each initiative teach you to take action and make a difference to your immediate surroundings, family, home, school and country. Aim high because each one of you has the capability to become the next Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, P.V. Sindhu or even Narendra Modi. As we mark 75 glorious years of India’s Independence, I wish you good luck! My heartiest congratulations and best wishes!”

Sharing action-plans for the academic session 2022-2023, the newly elected Presidents showcased their reports. Prateek Rout mentioned how he would like to work on drives to plant saplings, educate the less privileged and help fight mental health stigma. Jia Zutshi expressed her wish to improve road safety, cardiac awareness, community literacy, health and fitness of citizens. Highlighting the need to save paper, Anushka Kant’s major focus in the upcoming session will be on campaigns such as tree plantation. She added how she would also like to contribute towards anti-bullying and spread awareness about the dignity of labour.

The ceremony concluded with a formal Vote of Thanks by Ms. Seema Vaidya, teacher at Apeejay School, Faridabad Sector-15. She thanked Ms. Sushma Paul Berlia and Dr. Neha Berlia for their valuable guidance and support. Additionally, she mentioned how Mr. Khemka’s words have inspired students to collaborate and contribute with greater enthusiasm. She appreciated the teachers, staff members, colleagues and students for their presence at the ceremony.