“Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity.” – William Wordsworth
The Annual Dr. Prem Kirpal Memorial Inter-school Art and Poetry Competitions-‘Art Poetica’ was hosted by Delhi Public School R.K. Puram on 16th December, 2023 in the fond memory of Dr. P.N. Kirpal, the former Chairman of the DPS Society.
Students from 24 different schools from across Delhi and NCR demonstrated their literary and artistic talents by participating in 6 creatively tailored competitions. These competitions allowed the participants to not only showcase their talent, but also to explore, imagine and express with unparalleled ingenuity.
Blend Art involved the recital of English poems by students of classes IX and XI, which were based on various social themes. They further encapsulated the essence of the poem through dramatisation and sketches/paintings. The competition was judged by Dr Pramod Kumar Gupta, Ms Sabah Bari, and Ms Manisha Manocha.
Artistic Poesy incorporated a series of pictures that were presented to the students of classes IX and XI. The participants were to promptly compose a ballad connecting the provided visuals in any order. The judges supervising this event were Mr Atul Khorana, Mr Sahil Mukhi, and Dr Shwetanshu Bhushan.
Lyrical Canvas called for the participants to capture the predominant emotion evoked by a unique line in a poem. Mr. Pankaj Guru, Mr. Shashi Paul, and Ms.Him Rajani judged this competition.
Inverse Rhapsody featured an innovative competition where participants were presented with an excerpt and were tasked to contrast the central emotion conveyed by the poet. Evaluation of students from classes VI-VIII was conducted by Ms. Nishtha Singhal, Ms. Saroj Chawla, and Dr. Sangya Gupta.
Stage-a-Verse saw the creative enactment by students of classes IX and XI, which was based on their self-made scripts versed on a visual prompt. This was judged by Ms. Garima Arya, Ms. Ruchika Rai, and Mr. Nirmal Kothari.
Lime-in-Rhyme provided aspiring poets from classes VI-VIII with an opportunity to come up with limericks within a thirty-minute time frame, followed by an animate on-stage recital.The event was judged by, Ms Dipanwita Shome, Ms Juhi Tyagi, and Ms Yashee.
The events took place simultaneously at different venues in the school campus.
Valedictory Ceremony
The Valedictory ceremony was organised on 15th March 2024 at DPS Vasant Vihar from 6 pm onwards.The gala event was graced by the presence of Shri. VK Shunglu, Chairman Managing Committee,DPS RK Puram .Honourable Shri. B.N. Kirpal, former Chief Justice of India and Member DPS Society, presided over the event. Other prominent dignitaries who graced the occasion included Ms. Namita Pradhan, Honorary Treasurer, DPS Society, Dr. Kiran Datar, Member, DPS Society, Ms. Vrinda Swarup, Member, DPS Society, Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Member, DPS Society, Ms Shravani Rao, Principal, DPS International and Ms. Priya John, Principal, DPS Indirapuram. Mr. Luv Prakash, our Alumnus Dr. Manika Khanna and Ms. Nandita Chaddha and Ms. Shruti from STG University also attended the event. The venue was transformed into an ethereal place with props and decorations highlighting the literary theme for the evening. The guests were welcomed by the Principal, Ms. Padma Srinivasan and the Heads of the English and Art Department, Dr. Atika Dayal and Mr. Amit Rajput.The event began with the auspicious lamp lighting ceremony in the presence of the Chairman Managing Committee DPS RK Puram Shri VK Shunglu , Honoured guests , Principal Ms. Padma Srinivasan, Vice Principals Mr. Naresh Miglani and Mr. Anil Kathuria and Mr Mukesh Kumar , the Headmistresses Ms. Rashmi Malhotra, Ms. Anubha Gopal and Ms Vinita Gupta.This was followed by the felicitation of the guests by our esteemed Principal Ms. Padma Srinivasan.
In her address, the Principal Ms. Padma Srinivasan expressed her happiness at hosting this event after a period of four years. She congratulated the winners and reiterated the importance of finding artistic expressions through an amalgamation of art and literature.Subsequently, a short film showcasing the activities and achievements of the English Department in the previous session was presented.
The piece de resistance, ‘Couture Lit Vignette,’ A Fashion Show’, unfolded like a masterpiece on a resplendently adorned ramp, where haute couture effortlessly intertwined with the rich narratives of English literature, unveiling the essence of iconic eras that continue to shape the English literary panorama. It was accompanied by live music adding a sublime dimension to the act. The audience was taken on a mesmerising walk down memory lane that journeyed them across different epochs, immersing them into the world of Shakspearean drama, delving into themes of love, betrayal, and politics.
This was followed by the felicitation of the award winners. The Rolling Trophy was bagged by The Mother’s International School. During his address, Sri. V.K. SHunglu hailed the vision of Dr. Prem Kirpal and brought to fore how relevant it still continued to be with the passage of time. He congratulated the winners and expressed hope that they would continue to explore the realms of art and poetry.
Following this, Mr. V.K Shunglu ,Justice B.N.Kirpal and other distinguished guests released the Annual English Literary Book, ‘The Bubbling Cauldron’.
The Vote of Thanks was proposed by the HOD of the English Department Dr. Atika Dayal. The event came to a close with the rendition of the national anthem.
Following were the results of the events that were conducted:
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