“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” –Flora Lewis
Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram hosted its annual Language Festival on 2nd December 2023. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from students of various schools from across Delhi NCR.This event aimed to provide students with a platform to display their talent and to help them travel across the realms of imagination through their linguistic proficiencies.It was jointly organised by teachers from the Hindi, Sanskrit and Foreign Languages Department inorder to fostered a deeper understanding of foreign and domestic languages.
The Language Festival featured two events by each Foreign Language Department. The Ad-Zap events were a unique showcase of advertisements by the students of classes VI to VIII in their respective languages on the topics, ‘Secret of Good Health’ and ‘Daily-Use Products’. In the Just A Minute events, participants of classes IX and X presented fluent speeches on the topic, ‘One Earth, One Family and One Future’.
The German events included Werbung, the Ad-Zap event for the students of classes VI-VIII, wherein the participants prepared and presented short advertisements on the topics, Geheimnis guter Gesundheit und Produkte für den täglichen Gebrauch. The event was judged by Ms. Sarika Kapoor Nayyar, Assistant Professor (German) at Amity University Noida and Ms. Mehak Talwar, Assistant Professor at the Department of Germanic and Romance Studies, University of Delhi. The second event, Just A Minute, for students of classes IX and X, was judged by Ms. Vijaya Debnath, Senior German Teacher at Sarvottam Public School, Noida.
The French events included Just A Minute, wherein the participants of classes IX and X spoke on the topic, Une Terre, Une famille et un Avenir. The judges for this event were Ms. Rajni Bachwani, project manager (chargée de mission bourse) at IFI, French Embassy and Ms. Pooja Arora, Assistant Professor (French) at Amity University. Another French event, an Ad-Zap event on the topics Le Secret d’Une Bonne Santé and Les Produits d’Usage Quotidien, was judged by Ms. Babusha Verma, French Faculty at St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi.
The Spanish events included Just A Minute, for students of classes IX and X on the topic, Una Tierra, una Familia y un Futuro. The event’s judges were Mr. Christy Varghese, Spanish Language Teacher at Heritage International Xperiential School, Gurgaon, and Ms.Ghazal Aggarwal, former Spanish Professor at North Cap University. The second event, Ad-Zap was judged by Ms. Shweta Agarwal, Spanish Professor at Instituto Cervantes, New Delhi, and Ms. Tanya Gupta, a Spanish Teacher affiliated with the Embassy of Spain.
The Hindi Department organised the event, दादी -नानी की कहानी, कठपुतली की ज़ुबानी, a vibrant story-telling competition for students of classes VI to VIII, judged by Ms. Kaumudi Sharma, and Ms. Fatima Kirmani, both eminent and respected experts in the field of Hindi language and literature. .
Their second event was a captivating talk show on the topic, कृत्रिम बुद्धिमत्ता (Artificial Intelligence) पर चर्चा, for the students of classes IX and XI. This event was judged by Dr. Deendayal, Assistant Professor at Janki Devi Memorial College, and Ms. Santosh Kumari ‘Sampriti’, Language Teacher at Modern Convent School, Dwarka.
The Sanskrit events started with सोपकरणम्-संस्कृतेन कथा-कथनम्, a story-telling competition for the students of classes VI to VIII. The event was judged by Ms. Amla Thukral, former Head of the Sanskrit Department at Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram, and Dr. Green Awasthi, Assistant Professor at the Kamla Nehru College of the University of Delhi. The second event, संस्कृत-भाषणम् was a speech oration competition for the students of classes IX and X, on the topic, Importance of moral values in the contemporary era. This event’s judges were Ms. Vidisha Kant, Assistant Professor at the Apparel Training and Design Centre, and Ms. Meenu Lata, Senior Sanskrit Teacher at ITL Public School, Dwarka.
The valedictory ceremony commenced with the lighting of the lamp by the Chief Guest, Mr. Pratap Somvanshi, Managing Editor at the Hindustan, the leading Hindi Daily Newspaper, and the Guest of Honour, Dr. Sheetal Sharma, Assistant Professor at the Centre for European Studies of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Vice Principal, Mr. Anil Kathuria (Head of the Foreign Languages Department) and the Headmistress, Ms. Rashmi Malhotra.
This was followed by an Odissi dance recital which set a harmonious tone to the ceremony. After which, the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour were felicitated by the Vice Principal and Headmistress respectively.The Vice Principal, Mr. Anil Kathuria, in his address to the audience, appreciated the spirited performances of the participants and congratulated them for their sincere efforts. This was followed by the Guest of Honour, Dr. Sheetal Sharma’s address to the audience. The Chief Guest, Mr. Pratap Somvanshi, during his address, highlighted the perseverance of the students and congratulated them on their hard work. Adopting the idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ the dancers presented a mesmerising Flamenco dance. Ms. Rashmi Malhotra, announced the Overall Winners and congratulated them on their achievement.
Delhi Public School, Noida emerged as the overall winner and was presented with a trophy.
Concludingly, Ms. Seema Mehta, Head of the Hindi and Sanskrit Department, proposed the vote of thanks. The event came to an end with the National Anthem.
| LANGUAGE | EVENT NAME | CLASS | POSITION | SCHOOL NAME | PARTICIPANT NAME |
| HINDI | दादी नानी की कहानी कठपुतली की ज़ुबानी | VI-VIII | FIRST | Delhi Public School Faridabad | BHANAVI SINGH |
| SECOND | Lotus Valley International School, GurugramDelhi Public School, R.K Puram | SHANAYA SURINIKUNJ | |||
| THIRD | Delhi Public School Mathura Road | VIVAAN MODA | |||
| HINDI | टॉक शो | IX-XI | FIRST | Delhi Public School Faridabad | KRITIKA ; RIDDHI CHUGH |
| SECOND | DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL ROHINI | PARTHVI GAGOI; KUHU | |||
| THIRD | Delhi Public School, Noida | SUGAURI RASTOGI; ADYOT SHREE | |||
| SANSKRIT | कथा कथनम् | VI-VIII | FIRST | Delhi Public School, Noida | NIYA SARVATRA |
| SECOND | Delhi Public School Vasant Kunj,New Delhi -70 | KISHAN SEHGAL | |||
| THIRD | Bluebells School International | ANVITA BAHUKHANDI | |||
| SANSKRIT | संस्कृतभाषणम् | IX-X | FIRST | Delhi Public School Vasant Kunj,New Delhi -70 | LAKSH DANGWAL |
| SECOND | MAYOOR SCHOOL | KRITIKA UPADHYAY | |||
| THIRD | Delhi Public School, Maruti Kunj | YUVRAJ | |||
| German | Ad-Zap | VI-VIII | FIRST | Bal Bharati Public School, GRHM | KRIYANSH AGGARWAL ANGAD SINGH |
| SECOND | Delhi Public School Vasant Kunj,New Delhi -70 | AARADHYA BARIYAR SAMYRA SAINI | |||
| THIRD | Delhi Public School, Noida | HIFAZ UR RAHMAN GARVITA VARSHNEY | |||
| German | Just a Minute | IX-X | FIRST | Delhi Public School, Noida | SHAURYA SINGHDIPIKA SINGH |
| SECOND | Delhi Public School Faridabad | JAUNITA ROSE TOBYJASMEET SINGH | |||
| THIRD | GD GOENKA PUBLIC SCHOOL VASANT KUNJ | ASHREYA BHUTANI, AANYA MALIK | |||
| Spanish | Ad-Zap | VI-VIII | FIRST | Delhi Public School, Noida | NAITIK MITTAL ; SEERAT MALIK |
| SECOND | GD GOENKA PUBLIC SCHOOL VASANT KUNJ | AANYA SINGH ; AARINI MALHOTRA | |||
| THIRD | Delhi Public School, R.K PuramLotus Valley International School, Gurugram | KRISHNAV SINGH ; VEERAAJ GAMBHIRARSHIYA GARG ; NAVIKA ARORA | |||
| Spanish | Just a Minute | IX-X | FIRST | GD GOENKA PUBLIC SCHOOL VASANT KUNJDelhi Public School, R.K Puram | RIYA SABHARWALPRATHAM BHALLA |
| SECOND | DPS INDIRAPURAM | SHRISTI TYAGI | |||
| THIRD | Delhi Public School, Noida | MISHITA MISHRA | |||
| French | Ad-Zap | VI-VIII | FIRST | Bal Bharati Public School, GRHM | HIMANI GAUR ; KAIRAV |
| SECOND | Delhi Public School Vasant Kunj,New Delhi -70 | NAMAN KAR ; RIYA GUPTA | |||
| THIRD | Delhi Public School, NoidaDelhi Public School, R.K. Puram | AANYA ARORA ; SHIVALI BHARDWAJDEVAANG BAJAJ ; AKSHARA AGRAWAL | |||
| French | Just a Minute | IX-X | FIRST | Delhi Public School Vasant Kunj,New Delhi -70 | DEVANSHI NAGPAL |
| SECOND | Delhi Public School, Maruti KunjDelhi Public School, R.K Puram | KRISHAAARAV ANAND | |||
| THIRD | DPS INDIRAPURAM | GURNOOR KAUR |