Children in their fairytale costumes and happy faces stole the hearts of the audience at the annual primary school concert of the J. N. Tata Parsi Girls High School, Nagpur, on November 28, 2017. The plays that followed reinforced the well known and appreciated policy of the School — that it does not believe only in academic achievement, but a holistic development of the students, with qualities of leadership and team work, confidence and communication skills and a passion to do well in everything they undertake.
Every item, while being fun and festive, had a good moral to impart. The Indian dance "Patriotic fervor” depicted dancers from all major communities of India dressed in the colours of the national flag — orange, white and green. Unity among diversity was the underlying theme. The Gujarati play Pagal Kaun (Who is mad?) about a trio of delightfully crazy, cantankerous and stubborn Parsi patients admitted to a mental hospital, where in the end the doctor, nurse and support staff turned mad, perhaps depicted what many non-Parsis think of the Parsis — crazy but lovable! The Hindi play Ravana had a more serious message to impart. When the effigy of Ravan is about to be burnt at a Dussera celebration, it comes alive and speaks out to the crowd, "Pray, do not burn Ravan. That will not help improve the society you live in. Burn instead the corruption, falsehood and greed within each one of you for a better tomorrow,” was the message. The young girls’ choir and the recitals on the harmonium and synthesizer delighted audiences.
Primary students of J. N. Tata Parsi Girls High School presenting tableau
"Maharana Pratap" (top) and choir: stealing hearts at annual concert
Introducing chief guest Nandini Ghanekar, project director, District Development Agency, Salma Azra, headmistress of the primary school said it was a proud moment to have her as the chief guest for this occasion. Ghanekar, who has a master’s degree in public policy from The Netherlands, and who is actively involved in implementation of government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna, is also a motivational figure in organizing training and employment generation for young people in rural areas, Azra informed the audience. Ghanekar emphasized that the ages of five to 10 were the most formative years of a child’s life. "Teachers and parents are the role models of a child and play an important part. The children of today are going to be the future of tomorrow,” the chief guest said. Prize distribution followed the speech of the chief guest.
In her welcome speech Azra said "From this tender age we should make our children understand that no obstacle is insurmountable, once you make up your mind to do a thing... They (parents) must instil positive concepts and beliefs to make a firm foundation...The values that we leave in our children are in the long run more important than the valuables we leave behind for them.”
Earlier, the headmistress welcomed Ghanekar, the board of trustees, principal of the School Meena Devnani, junior college principal Shanoor Mirza, parents, teachers and the guests. She thanked the School chairperson Dr Mehru Major Dadachanji and members of the managing committee Dr Thrity Patel, Diana Hormusji and Edul Bhagwagar for their active and continued help and support.
The morning ended with the singing of the school hymn and the national anthem.