Avik-Kumar Debnath, our Welsh Affairs officer in India visited Mt Carmel School in New Delhi to celebrate India's 63rd Independence day. The school is partnered with schools in south Wales. The event was marked by a unique exhibition on Welsh life and culture. Here's how he got on.
It was a rare and refreshing opportunity for me to visit a school in Delhi on the 13
th August. It was a welcome change for me and my colleague, Bharat Rampal of International Business Wales (IBW), getting to visit a school and spend time with a very dynamic and young India, away from the fast pace of daily life. The few hours we spent at the school were mentally recharging and took us back to our school days.
The event was to celebrate the 63
rd Independence Day of India and showcase Welsh life and culture through an unique exhibition on Wales. The day started with the raising of the Indian Flag by the Chief Guest, Mr. Kannan Jegadesan, DCP- South West Delhi. I was invited as the Guest of Honour and was requested to address the gathering and distribute prizes to the top of the class students. Bharat was invited as the Special Guest and was also requested to distribute prizes to the students. The principal DR. N. M. Williams also presented us with mementoes.
Then was the time for the cultural programme. The students of all classes performed different items starting with a Bhangra group dance followed by group song, poetry, another group dance, play etc. I thoroughly enjoyed the
entire programme. Then we went towards the exhibition and a group of students performed a Welsh Dance for us in Welsh costumes, which was remarkable. I inaugurated the exhibition and started to take a tour. Each classroom was decorated and turned and into an exhibition centre on a particular topic. The students covered a wide range of current topics of global concerns as themes for their exhibition. The topics ranged from water conservation and recycling methods, usage of computer aided application on media and advertising to the current recession that has hit the market. It was not only that they have made different display boards, charts but all the students were well aware of the topic they had chosen.
We then entered the Welsh Exhibition. The very popular Welsh Red Dragon (which was sent by Bharat and Kant from IBW Bangalore office for this exhibition) adorned the centre of the room. The room was very well decorated showcasing Welsh culture, lifestyle, geography, climate etc. To my surprise, they had prepared Welsh cakes and the students served them to us. The students were well aware with all the statistics (population, GDP, area etc) and the dates and history of Wales. Many of the maps and posters were hand drawn and painted beautifully.
Finally after staying almost an hour longer than we initially intended, we
headed back to our work, bidding goodbye to Mt. Carmel. I could sense the amount of time and work that has been spent, both by the students and the faculty, to make this entire event a success. Needless to say, the school management is also very supportive in all these initiatives and activities taken up. I certainly hope that the relation between the Welsh schools and Mt. Carmel and other partnering schools continues and grows stronger in future.
Avik-Kumar Debnath (Welsh Affairs Officer in India)