Students from across Kolkata breaking stereotypes in music, yoga and in the kitchen

Aritra Chakraborty of Class VIII loved cooking since he was 10 years. He would help his mother in the kitchen.

"I enjoyed frying pakodas or chopping the veggies on and off. Cooking is always fun for me," said the student of B.D.M. International.

Aritra and many other boys of the school took part in a non-fire cooking competition, Chef Caps, organised by their school to encourage boys to exhibit their culinary skills. The event took place May 12 and was meant only for boys (for Classes VI to VIII) to break stereotypes.

"My partner and I made phuchkas for the event. We did not win any prizes but our love for cooking got a boost. I would love to make pasta next," said Aritra.

The children of Pre-primary also took part in the contest making a range of delectable snacks, under the guidance of their teachers. They took part with great enthusiasm, trying to make their treats both tasty and nutritious.

The participants of Classes VI to VIII had to pair up in teams of two according to their houses. Each house had to prepare a dish according to a given theme. Wisdom House was asked to make food for a "picnic", Courage House was asked to cater to a "birthday party", Unity House had to put together a "working lunch" and Justice House was told to make grub that will help "beat the heat".

Children came up with creative recipes that spoke of a lot of research. The cuisine laid out was a visual treat to all. The food presentation was also very carefully done.

The dishes were judged on the basis of their nutritious value and taste by renowned chef Aishwarya Chatterjee.

The event also honed the students' decision-making skills and helped them discover new areas of interest.

"The participants were all very enthusiastic. The event was meant to make our boys self-sufficient and break some age-old stereotypes. Our children ended up becoming more independent in the process," said principal Madhumita Sengupta.

On the occasion of World Yoga Day, members of the Yuva Tourism Club of Delhi Public School, Howrah, were invited by the ministry of tourism to demonstrate various asanas on the lawns of the Victoria Memorial Hall. The students performed in the presence of Bengal governor C.V. Ananda Bose.

The school also organised a special assembly, including its Pre-primary, middle and senior sections. The students began by iterating the value of the day. The assembly also had some senior students performing a piece on rhythmic yoga, demonstrating the flexibility of mind and body to music.

The students also performed Surya Namaskaar, an important asana that benefits one's overall health. Finally, the teachers and students joined in a mass yoga.

"We belong to an age where there is constant change and evolution. Therefore, holding on to our cultural legacy is imperative though it might seem like a challenging task. I am doing everything possible to instil the values of our great country amongst our students," said principal Sunita Arora.

Students, teachers and administrative staff members of Sri Sri Academy joined hands to celebrate World Yoga Day in style. The event is a big affair in the school every year.

Each level of the institution celebrated the occasion to motivate the students and teachers. The aim was to promote a healthy body, mind and lifestyle.

The students gathered in front of the school's Saraswati Mandap at 8.30am.

Mentors shared with the junior students the dynamic benefits of yoga, linked it to spiritualism in modern life and iterated its importance for becoming a better person.

The senior students took part in a separate yoga session that was followed by a quiz on yoga. Some students also presented an advanced yoga display.

Principal Gargi Banerjee interacted with the students on the occasion. She spoke about the discipline, leadership qualities and zeal that were displayed by the students while showcasing some of the asanas.

"Yoga has been an integral part of our school's curriculum since its inception. As Sri Sri Ravishankar says, 'Yoga is not just some exercise. It is much more.' On International Yoga Day, we had a special school-wide celebration to honour this ancient art and its importance in our daily lives," said the principal.

From a vibrant dance performance out in the open to a calming yoga session inside the school auditorium — it was a day of joint celebrations for students of Delhi Public School, New Town.

The boys and girls marked World Music Day and World Yoga Day with some dance and yoga displays on June 21.

The students and teachers worked hard and prepared for a flash mob on the occasion. The students performed near the Biswa Bangla Gate in New Town, reviving the festive spirit of Durga Puja.

As the girls danced, clad in traditional red and white saris, other students made music from an unconventional orchestra consisting of paint buckets (used as drums), boxes, oil tins, buckets, plates, spoons and other objects.

The performance was an ode to the heritage, its music — reminiscent of dhaak beats and cymbals associated with Durga Puja. Passersby stopped to appreciate the show.

Hidco chairman Debashish Sen was present to encourage the students. School principal Sonali Sen felicitated him.

Back in school, teachers and students from all classes performed various yoga moves to spread the message of fitness, emotional and mental health. A short video on the importance of asanas was shown to everyone.

"DPS, New Town, has always focused on the all-round development of students. World Yoga Day was celebrated with full enthusiasm. The hall exuded peace and calm as students performed the asanas by following their student instructors. To commemorate World Music Day, our school band Staccato performed the unconventional orchestra at Biswa Bangla Gate as a flash mob, spreading cheer amongst the public. When there's music in the heart, it is easier to face challenges," said the principal.

A bedside lamp, drone and garbage car — these were some of the projects that Shri Shikshayatan School girls worked on in a workshop organised in collaboration with International STEAM Research (ISR) on April 29. Seventeen students from Classes V to VIII took part in the workshop.

The students were given to work on various projects. They were asked to make things such as drone, bedside lamp, automated vehicle, garbage car and musical instrument with paper using IOT, coding, architecture knowledge, machine-learning, model-making and integration of arts. And they had to complete it within 20 minutes.

A brief discussion was held on the futuristic implementation of the projects, their advantages and the methodology used and if they could modify the model according to the requirement in future.

The students followed the instructions given and worked on their projects. They could also modify the models according to their innovative thinking. The workshop honed their critical thinking, problem-solving ability, model-making and other competency skills.

The purpose was to integrate the different elements of STEAM. Students practised time management, learnt about the importance of teamwork and collaboration and were taught to take thoughtful risks. They engaged themselves in experiential learning and work through creative processes.

“Shri Shikshayatan School believes in creating opportunities for quality learning and competency building. To encourage inquiry-based learning and build critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the school organised a STEAM session with the IRS. It was an experiential learning workshop for the students of Classes V to IX. We hope the session will help our students in dealing with real-life challenges and initiating innovations to overcome them,” said principal Sangeeta Tandon.

“STEAM ... is simply building empowering skills for managing life.... which is extremely important as of today. Employers are recruiting those who are having such skills,” said the Shikshayaytan Foundation's secretary-general and CEO Bratati Bhattacharyya.

Students of Purushottam Bhagchandka Academic School shone in the 9th Indo-Nepal Open Karate Championship 2023 held at Budhanilkantha in Kathmandu in May.

Every year, the National United School, Kathmandu, conducts the championship, inviting students from several karate clubs and associations.

Students of the school won over eight gold medals, eight silver and 24 bronze in over 20 categories, coming second in the tournament.

The winners included Ayushman Shah of Class VI, who won a gold and a silver in kata and kumite, respectively.

Adrija Das of Class IV won a silver in kumite and a bronze in kata. Diptoman Mandal of Class V won bronze in both kata and kumite.

“It gives me great pleasure to record that our students, who took part in Indo-Nepal karate tournament, bought great fame to the school. They have displayed commendable performance throughout the karate tournament. I wish them all the best for a bright future,” said principal Madhuparna Andrews.