AHAM – The first ever ‘Youth Conclave’ was organized by Delhi Public school Bangalore south to bring about a confluence of students from schools across Bangalore. The two day event held on the 2nd and 3rd of November 2018, engaged students in thought provoking sessions. The youth are front runners in nation building and the endeavor was to facilitate the building of self-concept and self-image.
DAY 1
Principal, Mrs. Manju Sharma, addressed the assemblage stressing on the infinite potential each individual is bestowed with. “It is the power of the spirit that refuses to succumb to complacency and strives ever forward. The youth of a nation are trustees of prosperity and students must be motivated and supported to excel,” said she. AHAM was based on the axiom that an individual’s potential is infinite. Everyone needs to have a purpose in life. And each one of us also has a unique talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and the exultation of our own spirit which is the ultimate goal of all goals.
The occasion commenced with a mesmerizing musical performance and a classical dance showcased by young Dipsites. Mrs. Anitha Bijesh, the Head Mistress, extended a warm welcome to the dignitaries, teachers and students of various schools taking part in the event.
The conclave was then taken forward by the first keynote speaker, Dr. Sathyaki, Asia’s first Cardio thoracic surgeon to have mastered minimal invasive heart surgery, provided insights into the significance of perseverance and passion.
Dr. Nambala touched upon the key factors of success- perseverance, hard-work, dedication and patience. He stressed upon the importance of being a good student in terms of attitude. Dr. Nambala also took the students through a few cardiac vascular operations and left the audience fascinated by his work. Later, the gathering was shown two socially acclaimed works of the School Cinema production: ‘Chinese Whispers’ and ‘Chasing the Rainbow’.
In collaboration with LXL ideas, School Cinema films were showcased periodically. The films brought about awareness about concerns faced by school students pertaining to class 9 till class 12.
Post lunch, the participants were spilt into different groups and guided towards their respective focus sessions across the campus.
‘Crumb Together’ was conducted by Mrs. Shazia Khan, runner up of Master Chef India season 2. instructed the participants through various recipes and students were part of a master class. The workshop was held in The Cooking Studio and students learnt through hands on experience.
‘The Dance Machine ‘was headed by Mr. Tejesh Kumar M. He is passionate about dance and began training in freestyle forms during his Bachelor’s degree. It was during his studies that he encountered the Natya Institute of Kathak & Choreography (NIKC), where he began his study of Kathak, choreography, and contemporary dance under the acclaimed Guru Madhu Nataraj Kiran. The workshop threw light upon the contemporary style of dance and taught students how to depict wildlife through contemporary dance.
Moving on, ‘The Theatre Company’ was mentored by Mr. Sudarshan Alwar, Assistant professor, Theatre and Arts. He has been associated with Samudaya Cultural Organization and has directed several plays for students. He has also written the story and screen play for the film Gandhi Jayanthi in 2014. A man of many great accomplishments, Mr. Sudarshan has directed several documentaries and short films. The session took the students through the meaning and importance of theatre. Mr. Alwar also placed in front of the students the art of theatrics as a career option.
The next focus session, ‘Pitch Perfect’ was held by Rohin Joseph, head of western music department at Sarla Birla academy. Mr. Rohin Joseph is an accomplished pianist and has over 20years of experience in teaching and training students for Trinity College of Music examinations. The session focused on learning to use analytical skills, appreciate music ,involve in research and perform. Students were divided into 3 groups and Mr. Joseph guided them through California Dreamin’ by J. Phillips.
‘Frame To Frame’ was a hands- on intensive workshop by Mr. Jay Gholap; an alumnus of the famed New York Film Academy. He founded The Open Film School to bring film education to everyone. The students were made to watch various clips from the movie ‘Moana’ and ‘Titanic’ and discussed the process from scripting a film to bringing it on screen. Students were made to understand films in depth.
‘The Artistic Arsenal’, tutored by Ms. Charitha Lingam, a Graphic Designer for a few firms in New Jersey & New York, guided the participants in making a doc page wall clock.
Flights Of Fantasy’ was a workshop on story weaving and comic making, guided by Ms. Reena Puri, Executive Editor of Amar Chitra Katha and the Associate Editor for Tinkle Comics. A strong media and communication professional, Reena Puri is skilled in Copywriting, Storytelling, Editing, Comics Production, Biographies and Fiction. The session focused on comic creation and discussed the three main elements of making a comic – ideating, research and scripting.
‘Toon Tales’ was a session geared towards animation headed by M Bhaskar Nagendra and Rajesh M Dharan-Technical Head and HOD Gaming. They focused on the creational aspect of animation-discussing SFX, VFX and the making of 3-D animation.
’My Haute Couture’ by Rachel Shibani- Founder of My Master Strokes involved students into designing their own clothes. Under the guidance of Ms. Shibani students worked on the theme being spiraling Blooms.
’Photo Phactory’ by Ms. Abhijna a freelance photographer and cinematographer was a workshop on photography.She started by discussing the history of photography and progressed to familiarizing the students with the technicalities of photography such as aperture and exposure.
’Discovering your Aura’ by Raghunath Perumal-CEO and managing director of Hasiru Foods was a session that focused on making pupils understand that colors are another manifestation of vibration and energy. The workshop largely focused on the healing aspects of aura therapy.
The first day concluded with a discussion on the importance of cyber security by Ms. Aina Rao and an interactive panel discussion was held by the students of the participating schools.
DAY 2
The second day started enthusiastically with an impactful key note session by Mr. Sanjay Anandaram, an entrepreneur, a start-up mentor, a VC and investment advisor. Mr. Anandram spoke about the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset through examples of renowned personalities such as Walt Disney and Steve Jobs. He repeatedly stressed on the fact that students must have a positive outlook and have an innate curiosity to learn. He believed that if something is possible, it is doable. “What was considered impossible becomes possible in the way that we think about it. Whatever field you choose, learn to ask yourself if it is possible. And if something is possible it is doable. All of us as humans have an innate capacity to learn, to discover, to know,” stressed he.
He went forward to answer the questions raised by students and concluded his speech by shedding light on individuality and rationalism
The stage was then set ablaze by a few breathtaking performances by the founders and members of Abhinava Dance Academy [ADC] headed by, one of India’s foremost classical dancers, Nirupama and Rajendra who hail from a family of educationists, artists and Harikatha Vidwans. The performances took inspiration from historical texts and scriptures such as the Mahabharatha and Ramayana that instilled among the audience a sense of awe and pride towards our Indian heritage and culture.
After lunch, the next keynote speaker, Mr. Syed Sultan Ahmed, the founder of LXL IDEAS, an advisor to CIET-NCERT and a member of the FICCI School Education Committee, took the stage to deliver an impactful speech on the life skills needed in the digital era. He said, “Your eyes and ears are your best teachers. He serves as an advisor to several children’s brands and educational institutions globally on issues related to the psychosocial development of teenagers and pulled upon his years of experience to inspire the students to dream outside the box and have the courage and determination to do something impactful with their lives. If you can see what someone else doesn’t see, you’re a visionary and if you can listen to things not being told, you can understand the problems that the world is facing”.. He urged students to break the niche and follow their heart. Lastly, he asked students to accept themselves, dream big and never be content with being an average.
The conclave concluded with an electric performance by Maple Reed, a classic rock band from Bangalore known for their acoustic and electric set lists for over a decade. The audience joined the band dancing and grooving to the metallic beats.
AHAM is a journey, not a destination. The journey has just begun and shall take new turns and twists in the coming years. Season 1 witnessed a plethora of events engaging and involving students of different aptitudes and attitudes to discover their interests and make life changing decisions in the course of their career choices. It served its purpose in enriching students and awakening their hidden potentials.