Pride Circle and the Keshav Suri Foundation recently hosted an insightful panel discussion titled ‘Queering The Pitch’ at The Lalit on November 20, 2023. Members of the Breaking Barriers campaign were the only school students invited to partake in the session. This international session featured distinguished speakers hailing from France, the United Kingdom, and Mexico. Among the notable panelists were Mr. Krishna Omkar, Founder, Return on Equity; Mr. Fabrice Houdart, ED, Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors; Professor Lee Badget, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts and Mr. Srini Ramaswami, Co-founder, Pride Circle. The interaction dug deep into the concept of the Pink Economy, emphasizing its significance as a segment of the market driven by LGBTQ+ consumers and businesses. The discussion shed light on the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs while also discussing strategies to create a more inclusive business environment. It also touched upon the importance of corporate inclusivity initiatives and how businesses can actively promote diversity and inclusion. During the Q&A session, the audience actively participated, seeking advice on promoting inclusivity in their respective spheres. A notable moment came when one of our students inquired about tangible strategies for creating inclusive environments in educational institutes, earning applause from delegates. Mr. Keshav Suri, founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, lauded the Breaking Barriers initiative by TISVV, acknowledging their decade-long collaboration.
Road safety education is absolutely vital in helping children become aware of traffic lights and road rules and it is never too early to start. The young students of Nursery and KG participated with enthusiasm in the ‘road safety’ activity organized for them in November 2023. They enjoyed colouring the traffic lights and reciting the rhyme ‘red light red light’. They learnt that red light means stop, while yellow means slow down or wait and green light means that the vehicles are allowed to go ahead. It was an excellent introduction to a skill which will help them to stay safe.
The career talk session at our school today provided valuable insights into the realm of public policy. The speaker, Sourya, shared a comprehensive view of careers in public policy, explaining the intricacies of policy-making and its impact on our daily lives. Sourya illustrated the essence of public policies through relatable examples, likening them to Uno cards. He delved into laws that directly affect us, such as demonetization, bans on firecrackers, legal driving age, and city shutdowns for international events like the G20 Summit. The discussion extended to global scenarios like the ban on laptop imports and onion exports, emphasizing the pervasive influence of laws. The speaker highlighted that, whether or not we actively engage with legal matters, laws play a significant role in shaping our lives. He emphasized the interconnectedness of laws with our daily experiences and the importance of understanding their implications. The talk outlined various areas falling under the umbrella term of public policy, including the development sector, bureaucracy, and the involvement of private multinational corporations. Sourya’s expertise, backed by his experience with organizations like the Red Elephant Foundation and Tarunima Foundation, added depth to the discussion. In his role at the Centre for Civil Society, Sourya leads the Training division and contributes to research and policy advocacy. His background as a Peacebuilder trained by UNESCO MGIEP and involvement with Students for Liberty as a Local Coordinator in Hyderabad further enriched the session. Overall, the session not only provided valuable information about careers in public policy but also instilled an understanding of how policies shape our daily lives, making it a thought-provoking and insightful experience for all attendees.
As part of the social outreach program Outlive Yourself, the students of Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar, organized a Blanket Donation Drive on 24 November 2023, to aid those in need during the winter. Students worked hard to collect and donate blankets to the inmates of Swarg Vridh Ashram, Nihar Vihar. With a shared commitment to giving back to the community, over 70 blankets were collected and donated during the drive. The spirit of generosity and compassion was evident. This substantial contribution reflects the dedication of our students to making a positive impact in the lives of those in need. The event not only provided warmth to the old people there but also fostered a sense of community, empathy and shared responsibility among the students.
Pride Parade is an incredible experience that can be both exhilarating and emotional. It’s a chance to celebrate diversity, love, and acceptance, and to be surrounded by people who share your values of acceptance and inclusivity. This year too our school was invited to be a part of the Delhi Pride Parade on 26 November 2023. Under the banner of our campaign Breaking Barriers, our students attended this event with great enthusiasm for this noble cause. The students prepared for the day with excitement, creating posters and getting their faces painted in diverse vibrant colors. With beautiful brightly-coloured posters showing our strong advocacy for the community, the students soaked in all the positivity. The energy at the Pride parade was electric, with music, dance, and laughter everywhere. The street was filled with people of all ages, races, and sexual orientations, all united by their support for the LGBTQ+ community. Apart from having a lot of fun, they also interacted with members from the other campaigns supporting the community, along with many other influential advocates. One of the most moving aspects of the parade was seeing the pride of the community on full display. People were not afraid to be themselves, and were proud of who they are, giving out a powerful message of self-acceptance and love. This was certainly an unforgettable experience for every student.
ORGAN India (Organ Receiving and Giving Awareness Network) is an initiative that was launched in March 2013 by The Parashar Foundation, (a Delhi-based NGO) to address the unhappy state of organ donation in India. They seek to remedy the shortage of organ donors and spread awareness about it. Ms Sunaina, CEO ORGAN India, accompanied by Ms. Divya, visited our school on 31 October, 2023 to conduct a session on organ and tissue donation. The students of Class IX along with the team of ‘Outlive Yourself’ and ‘Flawless Flaws’ participated in it. Ms. Sunaina addressed the students about the dire need for organ donors, organs and tissues that can be donated, types of organ donation and the side effects of a transplant. A short movie about heart transplantation, provided a glimpse into the complex process. She spoke about the World Transplant Games and representation by Indian athletes there. Students were given an insightful glimpse into the life of Mr. Karhun Nanda, who exemplifies vitality after a successful heart transplant. The interaction culminated in an engaging quiz, where those who answered correctly were delighted to be rewarded with diaries.
Ms Simi Srivastava is a master storyteller and founder of Kathashala, who has been narrating stories for close to three decades using different art forms, genres and techniques to entertain, educate and engage her audience. She is an author, an educationalist who has successfully promoted stories as a pedagogy at school as well as university level. She is a parenting expert who encourages use of stories to bond with children and a Story Therapist, helping people identify, introspect and heal.Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar recently hosted a mesmerizing storytelling session by Ms. Simi Srivastava on 13 October 2023. This enjoyable event was a testament to the power of words and the art of storytelling. In the serene ambience of the school library, there was hushed anticipation as students gathered for this enjoyable experience. With bated breath, they eagerly awaited the tales that would soon transport them into the world of stories. Ms Srivastava made the session truly captivating with her unique narrative techniques, encouraging questions and participation from the audience. This interactive element made her stories a shared adventure. It not only stimulated their creativity and imagination, but also enhanced their language skills. Being able to relate to the characters’ emotions certainly helped them to understand their own. Truly a delightful learning experience for the students !.
The most recent United Nation’s data indicates the world generated a staggering 74 million metric tons of e-waste in 2022, and only 17 % of that was recycled. Responsible disposal of e-waste is an absolute must so that we do not further harm the already fragile environment A workshop and awareness session was organised on 12 October 2023 for the students of Classes VI to VIII about the hazards of improper e-waste disposal and to encourage responsible e-waste recycling within our community. The session was conducted by Sohini Dutta and Nandini Arora of the Bajaj Foundation who tried to create a sense of environmental consciousness among the students through discussions and various interactive activities.
People who challenge binary social constructions of gender have traditionally faced discrimination and humiliation in society. The Breaking Barriers team has been working very sincerely to create a more inclusive mindset and to sensitise students to the needs of the LGBTQI+ community. As part of this effort, on 16 October 2023, our students had the opportunity to interact with Hiten Noonwal, who is a very successful drag artist, model, cosplayer and fashion designer. Hiten uses the pronouns ‘they’ and ‘them’ and speaks openly about their genderfluid identity. They started with a beautiful live performance and the graceful dance moves spoke of acceptance and self–love. Hiten’s sensitive video exploring the concept of identity through music, dance, colours, costumes and creative visuals was deeply moving. Using simple language, they proceeded to share their journey of self discovery, of discrimination, ridicule, loneliness and finally the use of art as a therapy to express oneself and find one’s own place in the world. They made sure to put a special emphasis on expression as a form of letting out pain and vulnerability. Their struggle touched every listener and clearly students could empathise with their pain.The students were given a chance to express emotions through bodily postures in a theatrical display with groups of 8-10 students where they were given two minutes to prepare a scene and enact it just by stationary expression. Students came up with different situations ranging from a masquerade ball to a scene unfolding in a football field. Hiten gave their inputs and explained how this art helped them express their deepest emotions – an eye opener for all the hidden artists in the room ! The Q&A session which concluded the event showed how much students were inspired by this tale of struggle and self discovery.
A panel discussion was conducted by Alliance India in Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar on 13 October 2023 with the Breaking Barriers campaign members from both branches of Tagore International School, i.e Vasant Vihar and East Of Kailash. Mrs Anubhuti is a Project Manager at Alliance India and looking into their new project named SAHAS which focuses on issues faced by the transgender community. Ms Veronica Tyagi, a transgender woman who aspires to be a marine biologist, shared her inspiring and fascinating story as a transgender woman, with the audience. She started working in NGOs to support her education. She highlighted the issues that the transgender community faces, for example unavailability of transgender friendly washrooms, surgeries that can be very risky, lack of money and support, side effects of hormone therapy, decreased immunity, increased risk of HIV-AIDS, pills that they have to take throughout their lifetime in order to avoid hormonal imbalance and social stigmas as people consider being trans as irreligious, unethical, or unnatural. She recalled personal instances of ragging and name calling. Where sensitization is concerned, she commented that the discrimination was caused by lack of awareness among people, not only of society as a whole but also of our own parents. Hence, ways to bring about an inclusive change were discussed, among which were transgender friendly restrooms , the use of social media, myth busting reels, and more.