Delhi Public School R.K. Puram hosted the Inter-School French Language Festival, ‘Postcards from Paris’, on August 4, 2018 with 32 schools competing in 3 on-site and 5 off-site events . The event is organized annually under the aegis of the DPS Society. The French Club students helped enthusiastically in the organization of the event.
The Chief Guest for the day was Dr. Zeenat Khadar, Joint Secretary of DPS Society, New Delhi. She is facilitating the newly established Franchisee DPS schools in India and abroad, and earlier during her teaching career, she held the position of Headmistress and Principal. Professor N. Kamala, teaching French at Jawaharlal Nehru University, was the Guest of Honour. Her English version of ‘The Diary of Mademoiselle d’Avers’ has been published worldwide along with many more works. She was awarded the Katha Award for her contribution to translation. The event was graced by the presence of the Principal, Ms. Vanita Sehgal, the Vice Principal, Ms. Anita Singh.
The fest consisted of 8 events – 5 on-site and 3 off-site:
Duet Song
The duet song competition comprised of 27 participating teams. They performed exquisite French tunes such as the famous Dernier Danse by Indila as well as French translations of popular songs by artists such as Ed Sheeran, Celine Dion and Luke Graham. The esteemed judges of the event were Ms. Aude Priya Wacziarg and Ms. Swati Dasgupta. Ms. Wacziarg, educated in France, Italy and India, is trained as an opera singer in academies in both Rome and France. Ms. Dasgupta has had more than 30 years of experience teaching French, spending more than half of her career in DPS R.K. Puram. She currently teaches in the University of Delhi.
Enact a Fable
More than 20 teams took part in the ‘Enact a Fable’ competition where they recreated versions of ancient fables like La Cigale et la Fourmi (The Ant and the Grasshopper) by Jean de la Fontaine. Various props were used to enhance their performances; creative costumes including face paint and headgears were also used. The contestants collaborated theatre with music and dance, captivating the attention of the judges while displaying the morals of the fables. Ms. Asha Puri and Ms. Divya Bhatia were the expert judges for this event. The former has worked as a French translator and broadcaster, and is currently teaching in Jawaharlal Nehru University. Ms. Bhatia is a member of the guest faculty at Bharti College, Delhi University.
Ad Making
22 teams enthusiastically participated in the French ‘Ad Zap’ contest. They presented various products such as sunglasses, brushes and solar batteries in eye-catching costumes. The honorable judges of the event were Ms. Babusha Verma, French Faculty, Centre for Languages, St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi and current Head of the French Editorial Board at a Foreign Language Publishing House in India, and Ms. Yarmila Sayai, is a winner of the ‘Sharpak Scholarship for Excellence’ and a former Masters student of Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier.
Just a Minute
The ‘Just a Minute’ competition had participants from 23 schools, each given a different topic ranging from ‘L’argent de poche’ (pocket money) to ‘Supermarché’ (supermarket). The contestants were marked on their fluency, expression and content. The panel of judges consisted of Mr. Sebastian Thejus Cherian, Assistant Professor, Centre for French and Francophone Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Ms. Rajni Bachwani, Chargée de Mission Bourses et Alumni, Institut Français en Inde, Embassy of France in India.
Poetry Recitation
Students zealously presented poems in unique and dramatized way for the ‘French Poetry Recitation’ competition, wearing inspired costumes and using creative props. Their poems were judged by Ms. Shilpa Gupta, who has worked at various colleges of Delhi University and is currently a faculty member, French department, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, and Ms. Pooja Arora, who has a Masters Degree in French and is currently Assistant Professor in French at Amity University.
Off-site Events
The students of the participating schools worked hard behind the scenes, bringing out their creativity and love for the language. They made artistic greeting cards with catchy slogans, beautiful self-designed T-shirts and original French poems expressing their individuality and inspired ideas on Nature.
Post the events, the valedictory ceremony was inaugurated by an enthralling welcome dance by the students of the Performing Arts Society, leaving the audience marvelling at their melange of the renowned dance forms, ballet and contemporary. The Guest of Honour and the Chief Guest were felicitated by the Principal, who presented them with tokens of her appreciation.
Ms. Vanita Sehgal, the esteemed Principal, warmly welcomed the gathering with a Biblical story about the creation of languages. She continued by expressing the importance of sometimes speaking with no words in order to understand each other and remain united. She also mentioned that whatever language one speaks, it should be spoken with love, clarity and meaning in order for it to come alive. Reciting an anecdote from her past, she explained how knowing diverse languages is a strengthening power. While signing off, she said, “If you have won nothing, at least you have won friends.”
A wonderful presentation, ‘Glimpses of Morning Events’, was played which exhibited banners and posters, students and teachers and all the events that had taken place throughout the day. The winners of the on-site events also performed their respective productions, mesmerizing the audience with their talent.
The Guest of Honour, Prof. N. Kamala, showed her passion for French by starting her address to the gathering in French language. Mentioning its merits, she explained how it was a global language, spoken in more than 77 countries, which gave an edge to all who learnt it. She concluded her speech by wishing everyone bon courage!
The Chief Guest, Dr. Zeenat Khadar, warmed the hearts of the audience with her words, graciously appreciating the wisdom brought forward by Ms. Kamala. She spoke about how everyone was a born learner, and every language we knew would take us higher.
Then arrived the much awaited magazine release of the 7th edition of DPS R.K. Puram’s French Magazine, ‘Crayon d’Or’, for which Ms. Vanita Sehgal and Ms. Anita Singh were invited to join the two respected Guests on stage. This gave way to the prize distribution ceremony for which the participants and audience were so eagerly waiting. The winning students along with their respective teachers were invited on stage to accept their well- deserved prizes.
The Vote of Thanks was given by the Vice Principal, Ms. Anita Singh. She expressed her gratitude to both the Guests of the day, and thanked all the teachers involved in the event. They were called up on stage along with the French Department teachers and students of the French Club to receive the thundering applause of the audience.
The event, proving to be an enriching experience for all who attended, ended with the national anthem.
As every year, the event comprised of both off-site and on-site events. The results of the off-site events were announced along with the winners’ showcases.
Results (Off-site events):
Results (On-site Events):
| Greeting Card Making |
1st – DPS International 2nd– DPS, Dwarka 3rd– DPS, Panipat Refinery |
| Design a T-shirt | 1st– DPS, Vasant Kunj 2nd– DPS International 3rd– DPS, Panipat Refinery |
| Poetry Writing | 1st– DPS, Greater Noida 2nd– DPS, Bulandshahr 3rd– Birla Vidya Niketan, Pushp Vihar |
| Poetry Recitation | 1st– DPS ,Vasant Kunj 2nd– DPS, Sushant Lok 3rd– DPS, Bulandshahr |
| Ad Zap | 1st– DPS ,Bulandshahr 2nd– DPS ,Rohini 3rd– DPS, Expressway Noida |
| Duet Song | 1st– Birla Vidya Niketan, Pushp Vihar 2nd– DPS, Sushant Lok 3rd– DPS International Consolation Prize: Modern School, Barakhamba Road DPS, Karnal |
| Just a Minute | 1st– DPS, Expressway Noida 2nd– DPS, Vasant Kunj 3rd– DPS, Greater Noida |
| Enact a Fable | 1st– DPS, Noida 2nd– DPS, Faridabad 3rd– DPS ,Greater Faridabad Sector- 81 |
