Stafordians celebrated the nation’s 65th Republic Day at school, with not only enthusiasm and zeal, but also with a great deal of awareness, conscientiousness and pride. The children put up a well orchestrated programme which began with the flag hoisting and rendition of the national anthem and culminated in a grand Republic Day Parade.
Our school is usually abuzz with activity, but the festive spirit reigned supreme on 26th January when students and teachers, alike, were seen busy in preparing for the celebrations. The special invitees for the day were the students and parents of the forthcoming session which starts on April 2014. Dr. Saurabh Chandra, a renowned ophthalmologist and surgeon of the city who believes in living life to the fullest and in striking a balance between vocation and avocation, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
A rendition of patriotic songs that followed the flag hoisting by the chief guest and national anthem further enthused not only the children but the audience, who sang along and participated wholeheartedly in the celebrations. The Republic Day parade by Stafordians which followed the opening songs rendered by the choir, was a delight to watch. The comperes for the day Ms. Aaisha Alvi and Ms. Sarah Abbas added zing to the activities with the well written lines having a fair sprinkling of Urdu couplets in the live commentary of the parade.
The children marched to the beats of the drums and held the School flag and house colours aloft, with great pride, and performed each item with great zeal and confidence. The show stopper, a dance drama stressing the need for national unity, harmony and respect for individuals won astounding applause from the audience with a pyramid formation at the end.
The parents’ appreciation of the programme, which included participation by all students was evident by the continuous and spontaneous applause throughout the programme. The message of the Chief Guest, reiterated the school’s philosophy and emphasized on the need to be watchful of our thoughts, words and actions so that we can live life to the fullest and attain the true potential of a human being. The school programme conveyed a significant message to all and illustrated the importance of using our resources, and our talents in the best possible way to make a difference to society. The programme culminated with the invitees exchanging pleasantries with each other over a hot cup of coffee on a rather cold day.
We believe that the efforts of the students and teachers will positively pave a way that leads us into a future where our minds are truly without fear and our heads are held high as expressed in the famous poem by the nation’s poet- Rabindra Nath Tagore…
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake