The New Year comes imbued in the patriotic fervor. January 26th marks one of the most important days in the history of independent India. It was on this day in 1950 that the constitution of India came into force, and India became a sovereign state.

At KRM, the occasion was a time to revel in the rich diversity and culture of India. The Social Science Department of the school organized a grand spectacle, JASHN-E-HIND, as part of the ongoing Social Science Week, to commemorate the occasion.

The ceremony commenced with an invigorating parade by the four houses followed by a skit showcasing the fortitude and leadership qualities of Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhasi. An enthralling display of tableaux and dances from four Indian states, Kerala, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh and Kashmir, received profuse applause from the audience.

The guests sampled the delectable cuisine from Kerala, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh and Kashmir in the state stalls put up by the students besides appreciating the handicrafts and handlooms of the states.

The Chief Guest for the occasion, Dr. Sunita S. Kaushik, Additional Director of Education for Schools and Exams, applauded the students’ efforts and the role played by the school in channelizing the energy of the students in creative ways.

A host of other activities, organized by the Social Science Department, like collage-making, mask-making, quiz, story writing, fancy dress and visits to places of historical importance helped students appreciate the diversity in Indian culture besides sensitizing them about their duties as citizens of free India.

Presentations by students of classes VI and IX were the other highlights of January. It’s My Life, the presentation by class IX, focused on offbeat career options and tried to incorporate the perspective of both parents and students on the issue. The need to value the individuality and uniqueness of each student was successfully put across by the students. The class VI presentation, Reverberations: Echoes of Mother Earth, was an attempt to foster concern and care for Earth amongst the budding learners and adults alike.

It has been our constant endeavour to inculcate strong values in our learners and build their confidence and awareness. We look forward to your support in this regard.

It has very rightly been said that, ‘Sports do not build character, they reveal it’. The Sports Fiesta, JOSH, brought to the fore the real mettle of the aspiring athletes and sport stars of K.R . Mangalam. The run –up to the final event had our stars toiling hard to deliver outstanding performances at each stage. If on one hand, the spirit of competitiveness shone forth in individual events, on the other hand, team bonding reverberated in the group events. The coordinated efforts of the teachers and students took the shape of a riveting display of talent and skill on the occasion of the Sports Day of the school.

But, December had more colour and spirit to it than just the Sports Fiesta. The 2nd Inter-School, Literary Event, Eloquence, saw enthusiastic participation from more than 20 schools across Delhi and the N.C.R. The two competitive categories, ‘Melange’ and ‘Twist-in-the-Tale’ showcased some enthralling performances from the participants. Adding a fillip to the event was the presence of an eminent panel of judges who encouraged and guided the young participants with their pearls of wisdom. K.R. Mangalam delivered scintillating performances in the two competitive categories to bag the overall trophy, but passed it on to Amity International, Saket, as it was the host school.

The action was not just confined to the literary domain: The month had our Mathematics wizards working their way through puzzles, quizzes, tangrams and various other exciting activities during the Math Week.

Our Exchange partners from Australia, Germany and Canada had a rich and varied experience as they learnt about the Indian Educational system and savoured the sights and sounds of the land and its rich culture and tradition.

The much awaited Scholar Badge Ceremony was held in the month of December. The ceremony is not just recognition of the mental prowess of the young learners but also an endeavour to inspire the bright scholars to put their academic knowledge to optimum use so as to benefit the society at large. The Chief Guest for the day, Ms. Anita Satia, Deputy Director of Education, District South, applauded the young scholars and spoke eloquently about the role of the school in inculcating good values.

Presentations by classes 8 and 4 brought to the fore the importance of values and festivals. While class 8 put up a vociferous display on values, class 4 regaled all with their dramatic enactment of the life of Jesus Christ and ushered in the festive spirit.

Our students brought lively cheer to the month by securing the top honors in ‘Band Competition’ at Sanskriti School and Inter-School Roller Skating Competition at Summerfields School. To top it all, our energetic Taekwondo stars bagged the gold, silver and bronze medals at the Delhi State ITF Taekwondo Championship.

Our zest to broaden the horizons of our young learners continued unabated all through the year, and we resolve to further enrich and supplement their knowledge and awareness in 2012.

November brings with it memories of India’s first prime minister, Mr. Jawahar Lal Nehru. A man of letters and a prolific writer, Pandit Nehru perfectly blended eastern philosophical values with western scientific thinking and outlook. A man of vision, Pandit Nehru laid the foundation to convert a nascent nation into a world power.

Chaacha Nehru’s fondness for children is well known. He compared children to buds in the garden and firmly believed that children should be nurtured lovingly as they would blossom as future leaders of the nation.

We paid tribute to this great leader and visionary on the occasion of his birthday. Children’s Day at K.R. Mangalam was an entertaining potpourri of performances by the teachers who regaled the young learners with their wit and talent.

Our attempt to broaden the students’ horizons continued unabated during the month. Right from nursery classes to senior school, our students avidly participated in the myriad events lined-up during the English Literary week. From designing book covers to writing dramatic letters, engaging in book discussions to showcasing versatility, the young learners broadened their knowledge about literary figures and characters, the Booker Awards, stories about the jungle, and many other hitherto unexplored areas.

Gurupurab was celebrated with zest and fervor in the school premises. The audience was left spell bound as the tiny-tots of nursery paid obeisance to Guru Nanak.

The rich and diverse exposure provided at K.R. Mangalam is an attempt to provide a solid foundation, which would be the building block to the future destiny of the nation and the world.

It is this exposure that has always given our learners a winning edge. Our students bagged the top honours in Computer Science quiz, Mathematics Quiz and Masquerade event at the Inter-School level besides lifting the Overall trophy at Amrita Vidyalayam. B. Lalith Kumar did the school proud by winning the Board Prize in the C.B.S.E. National Level Chess Championship.

Provision of quality education to young minds is our foremost priority.We are confident that our blooming buds will blossom into men and women of integrity, caliber and vision.

A mélange of festivities and celebrations have indeed illumined the month of October with the spirit of gaiety and fervor. However, alongside the revelry, it is equally important to remember and uphold the message that underlies each festival.

The world dazzles to the light of millions of diyas in the run up to Diwali, the festival of lights, which symbolizes the victory of righteousness over evil. The glow from the beautiful diyas is not only heart-warming but is also a subtle indicator of the need to dispel all darkness and ignorance from our lives.

At K.R. Mangalam, we have always espoused the need for learning, giving and sharing as epitomized by our motto, Together Towards Tomorrow. Our celebration of culture and customs is characterized by concrete action, which upholds the essence of each festival. The scintillating Diwali Presentation by class III was backed by an equally vociferous campaign, ‘Say No to Crackers’. Endorsing the campaign in spirit and action would be a befitting way to show our commitment to a pollution free world. In fact, the need to protect and preserve our resources for the generations to come is inculcated in our learners since the very beginning of their schooling. No wonder, our young enthusiasts wholeheartedly supported the campaign against crackers.

The spirit of togetherness flowed forth when a German delegation from St. Emmeram Realschule Aschheim, Munich ,visited K.R.M. in October. The camaraderie, bonding and exchange of views and ideas fostered a feeling of mutual respect and understanding, besides providing students a deep insight into the education system of the two countries.

The school’s earnest endeavour to broaden the students’ horizons was manifested through various other initiatives as well. Department weeks, Class presentations and myriad other activities that have been deftly woven into the yearly schedule played a pivotal role in enlightening our budding learners.

The confidence gained through such endeavours is what gives our learners the conviction to express themselves in a creative and eloquent manner. No wonder, our students won laurels in debates, essay writing, science quiz, chess tournament, western dance, yoga competition, just-a-minute, radio shows etc. at the inter-school level and added to the cheer of the festive season.

It is the radiance and vivacity of our young learners that adds zest to all our initiatives. We look forward to your continued support and involvement in all our future endeavours.

Wishing you a Happy Diwali!