30th January, 2016
Podar World School, Sherkhi, Vadodara hosted its Annual Day celebration on 30th January, 2016 with great pomp and splendour at Sayaji Nagar Aditi Gruh, Akota, Vadodara. The theme of the annual day was ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ i.e. ‘The Whole World is One Family’. It had been the buzz word repeated over and again by the executive head of our country, Shri Narendra Modi during his foreign visits. The school was privileged by the presence of the Supernumerary Assistant Collector (in the place of the Collector and District Magistrate of Vadodara city, Ms. Avantika Singh Aulakh). Dr Jincy .R.William, as the Chief Guest and Mrs. Priyadarshini Kelkar, Principal of New Era Hr. Sec. School, Vadodara as the Guest of Honour. Besides, the other dignitaries included the Principals and Headmistresses of Podar schools and the PJK’s of other units in Vadodara and our most valued parents were also present to encourage the children.
The revered Principal of Podar World School, Sherkhi, Ms. Preeta Pillai escorted the Guest of Honour to light the lamp of knowledge which was followed by a melodious rendition of Prayer by the school choir. The Co-ordinator of Secondary section Ms. Nayana Rastogi introduced the guests of the day through her welcome speech. All the invited guests were felicitated with Khadi garlands by the Principal and Co-ordinators of both the sections respectively. After an hour or so of the programme, the Principal was invited to apprise the audience with the Annual Report for the academic year 2015-16. The revered Principal Ms. Preeta Pillai eloquently addressed the audience in her dignified manner and read an exhaustive report elucidating threadbare the events held during the year. She read about the various projects undertaken, the workshops attended for teacher enhancement, the laurels achieved both in Scholastic and Co-scholastic events held at Inter school, Zonal and at District levels. The Chief Guest, Dr.Jincy William, in her speech talked about her school days, especially the eagerly awaited Annual day celebrations taking each and everyone down the memory lane. Having wished all the best and progressive years ahead for Podar Sherkhi, she concluded her speech. She was again felicitated with a book on…. The Guest of Honor Ms. Priyadarshini Kelkar was all praise for having chosen such a theme. She even narrated a Sanskrit slokha to highlight the theme. She found the theme apt at a time when technological advancement has reduced the world to a global village and hence only peaceful co-existence forgetting all misgivings among nations can lead the world towards a progressive future. She too was felicitated with a book as a token of love and appreciation.
The program right from the beginning to the end mesmerized the audience and took them on a sojourn along with a pair of alien siblings who happen to land on earth specifically in India wherefrom two humans, Rahil and Saumya (the Headboy and Headgirl) happen to see them and, they together go globe trotting exuding the opulence and grandeur of the culture of different countries of the world. The whole program attempts to highlight the qualities of love, hospitality, tolerance, wisdom and above all the quality of mercy highlighted through the enactment of Shakespeare’s play ‘Merchant of Venice’. At the finale of the program, the students danced to the song ‘Around the World’ where they placed box after box with parts of map of India stuck on one side and the map of the whole world on the other side in the middle of the song as if solving a jigsaw puzzle in quick succession without actually seeing how they placed the boxes, receiving huge round of applause from the audience. That was indeed a result of rigorous practice the students were put through. As any event is incomplete without acknowledging all those who had been a part and parcel of the program, the Co-ordinator of Primary section Ms. Aesha Makati proposed the Vote of Thanks to all including the ground staff, the teachers, the members of the admin, the student participants, the volunteers and finally the honourable Principal for having come out with the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and thereby rekindling in each one of us the feeling for one’s fellowmen and the dire need to see the whole world as a single unit, a family.
At the closing of the celebration, both the Headboy and the Headgirl called all the members of the Podar family (of Sherkhi unit) to the dias. The member’s ramp walked in pairs with the word ‘Podarite’ written sashe worn on their right side. They walked to the front of the stage, bowed to the audience and moved back and swayed to the background music of ‘Hath se hath mila’. After the pair of Co-ordinators and the Headmistress of PJK, the dynamic Principal of Podar World School, Sherkhi came holding high the Podar flag and swayed it to the music, receiving a huge round of applause from the audience. Finally the National Anthem was sung in accompaniment of all the student participants and the volunteers on and off the stage standing in attention position. Then there was the controlled movement towards the exit bidding adieu to each other and drawing the curtain on the 6th Annual Day celebrations.
Respected Principal, Ms. Preeta Pillai thanked Mr. Raghav Podar, Gem of India Award winner, and Chairman of the Podar Schools for providing the best resources, infrastructure & conducive learning environments.
