In the month of June, the Breaking Barriers team hosted Prismatic – an online Intra-School Competition with the theme Ruminate, Radiate, Illuminate. Students competed in four categories namely;Artistic Alchemy: a piece of art (either traditional or digital ) to help spread the message of diversity and inclusivity.Essay Enigma: Essays reflecting thought-provoking insights and demonstrating a genuine passion for bringing change in society.Poetry Pinnacle: express emotions in verse. The Seniors also took part in the “Reelovation” category, which required them to create a reel that raises awareness of the LGBTQIA+ community, in order to keep up with the social media age. Congratulations to all the winners.
Interact envisions a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in their communities, and in themselves, which is not only true of what we believe at Tagore International but also what we are embracing as part of the inclusive precepts of G20 and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. The Installation Ceremony of the Interact Club was held on 24 July 2023. The ceremony began with the students rendering ‘We Shall Overcome’ in English, Hindi and French, followed by the lively Chirni dance. The encouraging words of the distinguished guests, namely Interact Chair, Rtn. Sameer Mehrotra; Club Secretary, Rtn. Sudip De and Director, Youth Services and New Generation, Rtn. Sandeep Pal Mandal served to motivate the students to put in their best. After being honoured with a medal and badge, President, Rhea Sehgal took the stage and delivered an inspiring address, emphasizing the importance of leadership, dedication and teamwork, followed by the introduction and installation of the 2023-2024 team. The ceremony came to a close with a vote of thanks delivered by the Vice President, Yashaswi. This will undoubtedly prove a wonderful opportunity for Tagoreans to learn and grow !
On July 28, 2023, Tagore International School Vasant Vihar (TIS VV) witnessed a spectacular interschool competition called “Connect Saathi” that aimed to raise awareness about organ donation through various artistic expressions. This event was organized as part of the campaign “Outlive Yourself,” in collaboration with the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). The theme of the competition revolved around organ donation, and students from different schools participated in three exciting categories: Goonj (Nukkad Natak), Abhivyakti (English and Hindi Poetry), and Rangrez (Art). The competition’s first round took place online, attracting more than 40 entries from enthusiastic participants. The creative works submitted in the initial phase demonstrated the young minds’ passion and commitment to spreading the noble cause of organ donation. Following the online round, the second round was held offline at TIS VV, where the top four teams from each category had the opportunity to present their talent and compete for the prestigious first and second positions. The school campus was bustling with energy and excitement as the participants eagerly awaited the chance to showcase their artistic brilliance. The esteemed panel of judges, consisting of Mr. Anjon Bose, Ms. Sarmishta Chakrabarti, Ms. Puja Dewan, and Ms. Priya Pal, brought their expertise to evaluate the performances and artworks. Each entry was assessed based on creativity, relevance to the theme, and the impact it could potentially have in promoting organ donation awareness. The event’s grandeur was enhanced by the presence of the distinguished chief guest, Dr. Krishnan Kumar, OSD, NOTTO. His inspiring speech emphasized the importance of organ donation and how it can transform and save lives. In addition the Guest of Honour PP Rtn. Sanjeev Verma and Rtn. Sudip De from Rotary International graced the occasion, further adding to the event’s significance. As the performances and presentations unfurled, the audience was captivated by the powerful messages conveyed through Nukkad Natak, heart-touching verses of poetry, and thought-provoking artistic creations. The students’ dedication to the cause was evident in their exceptional performances, reflecting their commitment to making a positive impact on society. Finally, the event culminated in a grand prize distribution ceremony. The judges applauded the winners for their efforts in advocating for organ donation. However, it was evident that each participant contributed significantly to the cause, making them all winners in their own right. “Connect Saathi” proved to be a resounding success in fulfilling its objective of raising organ donation awareness among the youth and the wider community. The event not only showcased the creative potential of young minds but also ignited a collective passion for a cause that holds the potential to save countless lives. The spirit of camaraderie and compassion displayed during this competition will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on all participants and attendees, inspiring them to become ambassadors for organ donation awareness in their respective communities. As the curtains fell on “Connect Saathi,” the echo of its message continued to resonate, with the hope that the seeds of awareness sown during this event would blossom into a future where organ donation becomes a readily embraced practice, thus gifting the invaluable gift of life to those in need.
Ms. Anjali Gopalan, Founder and Executive Director, NAZ Foundation, conducted an interactive session for the students of grade XI and the Breaking Barriers team on Tuesday, 11 July 2023. The session started with Ms Anjali clarifying basics like what exactly does each of the letters in LGBTQI+ stand for and addressing the commonly misunderstood, ignored and misconstrued information pertaining to these terms. This was followed by an extremely informative discussion wherein strong opinions were shared from both ends on topics ranging from homosexual matrimony in India to unequal laws, parental pressure to societal rejection and sensitization to acceptance. Students zeal to learn more about the community was equally matched with Ms. Anjali’s patience to address each query. It was a unique opportunity for one and all to gain insight into the struggles faced by today’s youth due to discrimination and set-thought process of the Indian society at large.
A three hour session on Diversity Equity and Inclusion was conducted by renowned activist, Harish Iyer, on 10 May 2023 for the members of the Breaking Barriers Campaign at TIS,VV. Harish Iyer is currently the head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Axis Bank. Harish’s valuable insights and fun references to pop culture kept the students hooked throughout. They appreciated his humour and approachability The main objectives of the workshop were to: Raise awareness about the importance of inclusivity and diversity. Encourage open dialogue and create a safe space for students to share their experiences, thoughts, and ideas. Foster empathy, respect, and understanding among students from different backgrounds. Understand why is equitable distribution important for inclusivity To let students hear real life experiences and take snippets of popular culture to understand and empathize with the problems faced by certain groups of people. Guest speakers shared their personal experiences and expertise related to inclusivity and diversity. The speakers discussed topics such as racial and ethnic diversity, gender inclusivity, LGBTQ+ rights, disability awareness, and cultural sensitivity. The sessions were informative, engaging, and sparked meaningful conversations among the participants. Students were divided into small groups to facilitate deeper discussions on various aspects of inclusivity and diversity. This encouraged students to share their perspectives, challenges, and ideas and focused on developing practical strategies to promote inclusivity within the school community. Students were encouraged to think out of the box and try to break societal stereotypes. Some amazing ideas emerged from the students, proving that this workshop had successfully helped children become more inclusive. Participants had clearly gained a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by individuals from different backgrounds and developed empathy towards their peers. The event provided students with a platform to engage in meaningful discussions, develop empathy, and formulate action plans.
On 11 February 2023, Project Saksham, a student-led initiative of Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar, in collaboration with Special Olympics Bharat, held a unified sports event where students with and without intellectual challenges played together. This event was a unique opportunity for people to come together and enjoy sports while promoting inclusivity and breaking down barriers. The event was attended by employees of Macquarie, and commenced with a short presentation by Raman ma’am (Director Marketing and Communications at SOB) along with SOB youth leaders. followed by campaign president, Tishya Chandok, introducing Project Saksham to them. Football and basketball matches were enjoyed thoroughly by all participants. Students of Classes V to XI of our school were invited to play with the athletes. The event was organized by campaign heads, Tishya Chandok and Sanvi Awasthy along with a team of youth leaders from Classes VII and VIII. Vrinda Arora was the compere. At the end, a medal ceremony was held where all participants were awarded by Air Cmde Sharma, Executive Director, SO Bharat and TIS, VV Principal, Dr. Parul Tyagi.A photobooth was prepared by the art team and was much appreciated by the audience. Refreshments were served to all attendees. The event was a huge success and it was a heartwarming sight to see people working together, laughing, and having a great time. The atmosphere was filled with positivity, as everyone cheered each other on and celebrated each other’s achievements. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of inclusivity and reminded us that we can all come together to make a difference in each other’s lives.
To celebrate and spread awareness about our rich cultural heritage, one of the world’s oldest civilizations, is one of the guidelines of the NEP. However, TIS,VV has always held this to be one of the guiding principles of the school. One of the many initiatives taken by TIS in this regard is the formation of SOCH or the Society of Caretakers of Heritage (S.O.C.H) SOCH has been especially active in disseminating awareness about various historical monuments and took the students of Classes V and VI on a heritage walk to Rajon Ki Baoli in Mehrauli on 02 and 07 February 2023. The importance, stories, facts and legends associated with the Lodhi period baoli (stepwell) shared by the well-trained student members of the club from Classes IX and XI, kept the enthusiastic participants engrossed. The information and ideas shared during the fun-filled visit was reinforced by the worksheet that the students were asked to complete afterwards.
IIT Delhi’s Queer Pride Festival, “Vibhinn” was organised from 20-22nd January 2023.As part of their All India Queer Collective Conference – Spaces in the Making, various queer collectives from all over India were invited to share their journeys. Two of our students – Sonakshi Sharma and Arnav Tanwar (both of Class IX) participated in the panel discussion as representatives of our school’s Breaking Barriers Campaign. A discourse on the struggles and the achievements of these collectives of various institutions was conducted. Breaking Barriers was the only school level campaign present among the queer collectives of universities as well as various NGOs and Trusts.
Flawless Flaws is a student-led campaign of Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar which works for the welfare of acid attack survivors. This group, in collaboration with Team Awaam, the theatre team of our school, performed a play to raise awareness about acid attack survivors at District Centre, Janakpuri on 30 December 2022. The eight students who performed were Saira Bhateja, Gunamay Rakhyani, Saiansh Kwatra, Saivansh Kwatra, Vrinda Arora, Tishya Chandok, Prabhtej Singh and Harnoor Kaur. A crowd gathered at the sound of dhol being played by Shriyans. Those who started watching the performance, stayed till the very end which showed how riveting the performance was. One could see how deeply the audience was affected. At the end, the whole team along with Ms Uma Chopra received a huge round of applause and a number of viewers filled out the skin donation forms which will subsequently be deposited with NOTTO.
The power of education can bring about great social change. An interactive and impactful Gender Sensitization Workshop was conducted by Breaking Barriers for DPS Rohini on 19 October 2022 for Classes X and XI , with almost 400 students attending this session in twobatches.The entire team worked together with much enthusiasm to deliver a very informative presentation. The campaign team members discussed various concepts related to the LGBT+community and human rights. The audience was keenly engaged and asked many questions and made note of key points. They expressed interest in having more sessions like these and so that they may initiate Breaking Barriers campaigns in their own campus.