“Failure defeats losers, but it inspires winners.” – Robert Kiyosaki
Delhi Public School, R. K. Puram hosted its eagerly awaited, prestigious Virtual Scholar Badge Ceremony for class VIII on December 12, 2020. The theme of the event was ‘A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.’
The online event commenced with the auspicious lamp lighting ceremony. The Western Music Society performed a harmonious and upbeat song, “Victorious”. The song showcased the relentless determination and tenacity of the students to strive for success and victory even during these strenuous times.
The ceremony was graced by the Chief Guest, Dr. Kiran Datar, Member of the DPS Society and Managing Committee of DPS R.K. Puram and Mr. Prabhjeet Singh, President of UBER India and South Asia as the Guest of Honour. A video presentation about school achievements illustrated the scaling heights conquered by students under the dynamic leadership of the Principal, Ms. Padma Srinivasan. The exemplary performance of students in academic and non-academic fields highlighted their resilient spirit in the face of these unprecedented circumstances.
The Principal, Ms. Padma Srinivasan commenced her address by congratulating all the awardees and spoke of the ceremony being a celebration of the accomplishments and extraordinary achievements of all the students. She highlighted the diverse and holistic education provided at DPS R.K. Puram. She spoke of the various hardships faced by the teachers in managing the online classrooms and grasping the new technology and commended them for their efforts and coordination in order to interact with the students virtually. Addressing the students, she talked about great leaders proving themselves by never quitting and always following their hopes and ambitions. She narrated the story of a dreamer who never gave up, the Missile Man of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.. She encouraged the students to stay united, cooperate, collaborate and work as a team to achieve all goals. She concluded her speech by reassuring the students that these tough times will not last long, and hoped for a wonderful school year ahead.
A graceful and ebullient Indian folk dance performance was put up by the performing arts society. The energetic dancers lit up the virtual dance floor with their moves.
The chief guest, Ms. Kiran Datar commenced her speech by congratulating all the awardees and talked about how they could equip themselves to further excel in life. She delved into explaining how power and responsibility go hand in hand and how the combination of power and responsibility makes the students the future leaders of the world. She emphasised on the fact that along with intelligence, emotional stability too is required to lead a healthy and successful life. She analogised surfers facing the waves with a smile and riding its crest to students overcoming challenges in life. She then said that the most important attribute to help us face these challenging times is unity and collaboration. She spoke about our institution being a leader in its own field, how it has achieved so much and how it’s valued by everyone. She empathised with the teachers by commenting on how it has been challenging for the faculty to keep up with the changing times and how students should help them and support them through the process. She concluded her address by expressing her gratitude to everyone for having invited her at the wonderful Scholar Badge ceremony of class VIII.
Mr. Prabhjeet Singh, the Guest of Honour, expressed his gratitude towards the Principal for giving him an opportunity to be a part of the Scholar Badge ceremony. He felt honoured to be back at the institution that has had a major influence in shaping his life and also for the opportunity to interact with the young future leaders. He congratulated all the students for their achievements. He talked of the impact of the pandemic on businesses and the economy. He further went on to share five major learnings from his own life, on how to face life and career choices ahead. He asserted that the students need not follow any benchmarks set by society, rather they need to aim high and set their own benchmarks. Next, he claimed that although it is important to plan ahead, one should always be open to serendipity. He also stated the necessity of giving back to society. He reassured the students, and said that sometimes, it is okay to fail, but it is never okay to quit. Lastly, he emphasized on the importance of being a good human being. He concluded his address by congratulating all the students, parents and teachers for their efforts in putting up the show.
The award ceremony commenced with the felicitation of Blue Blazer awardees by Ms.Reema Khosla, followed by that of the Green Badge awardees by Ms.Pratibha Sacher. Ms. Sacher then proceeded to present the awards for co-curricular activities, the Red Blazer, Red Tie, Pin, and Certificate of Appreciation. The Gold Medal was awarded to students for 100% attendance.
The Headmistress, Ms. Niva Chhonkar then addressed the gathering and thanked the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour for gracing the occasion with their presence and for sharing their experiences with the students. She congratulated the students for their achievements and thanked the parents being encouraging, sharing timely feedback and providing a conducive & comfortable learning atmosphere at home.She expressed her gratitude to the staff for providing rich and engaging, well-rounded experiences and fostering curiosity amongst the students during such challenging times. She thanked everyone for putting effort into organising and presenting the ceremony successfully.
The ceremony concluded with the national anthem.