“To ignore history is to lose sight of our purpose and direction as a civilization.” — R.S. Sharma

The DP1 students of Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram undertook a CAS field trip on 10 September 2026 to Rakhigarhi, Haryana, a 7,000-year-old Harappan site, guided by expert Dr. Amit Verma. The excursion was designed to grant students a deeper understanding of their roots, fostering a balanced perspective through an examination of past lifestyles and diverse historical interpretations. The students and teachers commenced with the journey early in the morning from the school premises. En route, the group stopped for breakfast at Mannat Haveli before continuing on to the site.

Once the students reached Rakhigarhi, Dr. Amit Verma guided them through the settlement’s history. The site was initially identified by Surajbhan in the 1970s, and subsequently excavated for the first time by Amarendra Nath, with the concluding phases of excavation carried out by archaeologist Vasant Shinde.

The students toured the excavated mounds and examined what each revealed about Harappan life:

Mound 1— An industrial and residential sector featuring mud-brick walls with interlocking masonry, and fortified domestic structures equipped with kitchen artifacts.

Mound 2— An area dedicated to fire-related pyrotechnological industries and craft workshops.

Mound 3 — A residential neighbourhood housing an estimated 50 families, featuring community and individual wells alongside covered drainage channels. The walls were built intentionally thick to provide natural thermal insulation.

Mound 4 — The citadel: the elevated, fortified administrative epicentre of the settlement.

Mound 5 — A significant site for faunal remains, including bones of rhinoceros and elephant, offering vital clues about the region’s prehistoric climate and wildlife.

Mounds 6 & 7 — The craft and burial sectors. Here, human remains yielded ancient DNA in a landmark 2019 study that redefined our understanding of Harappan genetics. Finds of raw carnelian, lapis lazuli, and steatite workshops pointed to extensive long-distance trade networks reaching as far as Afghanistan.

Despite the intense heat, students remained engaged throughout the visit, examining burnt bricks and perforated jars believed to have held fragrance, and learning about the skeletal remains found at the site. The visit concluded with a tour of the indoor museum, which displayed terracotta artifacts, beads, tools, and skeletal remains, offering a closer look at the objects unearthed at the site.

The excursion to Rakhigarhi transformed a chapter of history into a hands-on learning experience for the students. By stepping away from their regular academic routine for the day, students were able to engage directly with a site that offers insight into thousands of years of human civilisation, engineering, and cultural development.

The students were truly grateful to the Principal, Mr. Anil Kumar, for encouraging them to undertake this trip, and for the thoughtful questions he posed beforehand — ones that stayed with them throughout, prompting genuine reflection. They also extended their gratitude to IBDP Head of Academics, Mr. Ajay Goel, and DP Coordinator, Ms. Sudeepta Chatterjee, whose support and guidance made this enriching excursion for the DP1 students of DPS R.K. Puram possible.

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“Perseverance is not one long race; it is many short races one after the other.” — Walter Elliot

The IBDP wing of Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram had the privilege of hosting an interactive Guest Speaker Programme with Mr. Shishir Gupta, CEO of Oakter Smart Appliances, on 2 September 2026. A key figure in the growth of India’s startup ecosystem, Mr. Gupta offered DP1 students a first-hand understanding of entrepreneurship and the world of business innovation.

The session began with Mr. Ajay Goel, Head of Academics IBDP, felicitating Mr. Gupta with a token of appreciation on behalf of the school, acknowledging his valuable insights into the world of entrepreneurship and thanking him for taking the time to connect with the students and bring classroom learning closer to real-world experience. The moment carried special significance, as Mr. Goel had once been Mr. Gupta’s teacher, making the felicitation not just a formal gesture but a quiet, full-circle moment between mentor and former student.

Following the felicitation, Mr. Gupta, an accomplished entrepreneur who has played an integral role in shaping the startup culture in India, took the students through a compelling overview of what it takes to begin a startup of one’s own – walking the audience through the various stages of building a business, from ideation to execution. He ensured the seminar remained a two-way exchange throughout, warmly welcoming questions, reflections, and new ideas not only from students but also from the teachers and faculty present. His candid, down-to-earth approach helped demystify entrepreneurship, encouraging students to think critically about innovation, risk, and resilience in the face of a rapidly evolving business world.

Ms. Sudeepta Chatterjee, Diploma Programme Coordinator, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing the school’s sincere gratitude to Mr. Gupta for generously sharing his time, wisdom, and experience with the students. She thanked him for encouraging students to not merely generate ideas, but to think them through with care, shaped by an understanding of the context and environment around them. She thanked the, Principal, Mr. Anil Kumar for his unwavering support and HOA, Mr. Ajay Goel for his continued encouragement, extending her gratitude as well to the student representatives, teachers, and support staff whose efforts helped make the event possible. 

Guest Speaker Programmes like these help students envision a future that is both self-built and fulfilling, reinforcing the IBDP’s emphasis on real-world learning and inquiry beyond the classroom. Mr. Shishir Gupta’s visit left students inspired and better equipped to imagine possibilities beyond the conventional, enriching their understanding of the knowledge and craftsmanship that trade and enterprise demand.

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