Bhavans Indian Education School, Kuwait, a truly Indian institution which resolutely upholding the ethos and values of its homeland, proudly kept its very tradition of celebrating the Independence Day of India alive even amidst the ongoing pandemic COVID-19. The 74th Independence Day was celebrated with immense patriotic zeal and enthusiasm by the Bhavans fraternity on August 15, 2020. The celebration was the first of its kind as it was an exotically unique combination of both virtual and non-virtual programmes carefully decided by the Student Supreme Council of Indian Education School.

The celebration, virtually hosted by the Head Boy, Jerome John Thomas and the Head Girl, Vaishnavi Rajesh Pai, commenced at 8 a.m. with a prayer in English by the Deputy Cultural Secretary, Akshith Rajesh. The most significant event of the great day, the flag-hoisting ceremony was held in the school premises where the unfurling of the National Flag, the tricolour, the ‘Tiranga’, by the Principal, Mr. T. Premkumar was followed by the Indian National Anthem. The Cultural Secretary, Matthew Thomas Paul, heartily welcomed the gathering consisting of Mr. N.K Ramachandran Menon, the Chairman, Bhavans Middle East, Mr. T. Premkumar, the Principal, Mrs. Anselma Tessy Judeson, the Vice Principal, Senior Wing, Mrs. Jaemi Byju, the Vice Principal, Middle Wing, Mrs. Lalitha Premkumar, the Vice Principal, Primary and Kindergarten wings, and Mrs. Meenakshi Nayyar, the Vice Principal , Co-Curricular Activities, heads of various departments, teachers, parents, and students to the function. The Principal, Mr. T. Premkumar while addressing the virtual and the non- virtual gatherings, extended the Independence Day greetings to the great guild of Bhavans and profusely thanked the eminent leaders of India for their enormous contributions that made our national flag fly high. He wholeheartedly expressed his gratitude to the Department of Physical Education headed by Dr. Murugaiyan Subbarayalu K. Samy, and the Student Supreme Council for organising the whole event. He also read out the excerpts from the message delivered by the President of India on the eve of the 74th Independence Day evoking patriotism in every heart.

The students and the teachers showcased their love for their motherland and expressed their great pride in the greatest nation through a series of spectacular dance and musical performances. A medley of patriotic songs was melodiously rendered by a group of four teachers, live from the school. The Junior Head Girl, Dhwani Santhi Nair, delivered a speech on the vast diversity of India, that could instil a sense of national pride in the hearts of the Indian spectators. The Junior Head Boy, Haridathan Madhusoodhanan, made an interesting and informative video presentation that was followed by a patriotic poem by Dyuti Manu of 3B. The scintillating dance performance by the dance due, Avanthika Suraj of 6J and Anagha Suraj of 3D and the patriotic ballad by Rufus Mathew of 4I also entertained the virtual viewers.

After the speech about the importance of celebrating the Independence Day by the former Head Boy, Daniel Thomas Kolleth, an excellent dance performance portraying the essence of the rich cultural heritage of India by the Cultural Secretary, Teertha Krishna, the Deputy Cultural Secretary, Devika Sasankan and graceful dancer Malavika Vinod of 10D won the hearts of the spectators. The last performances on the programme list was a string of songs rendered by the Student Council members along with Sheril Mathew, a talented singer of Indian Education School. An online compendium of artworks of grade 5 students based on the theme ‘Mera Bharaat Mahan’ (My Great India) was proudly paraded garnering plaudits from the online viewers. The cultural fiesta was wrapped up with the traditional Gujarati bhajan ‘Vaishnav Jan To’ rendered soulfully by Ashwin Jaishankar and Ashwath Gurumurthy of 10D. The bhajan is believed to be a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. The whole event came to a close with the proposal of a vote of thanks by the Cultural Secretary, Theertha Krishna. The programme which lasted for nearly 90 minutes left an indelible impression on the minds of the teachers and the students, filling their hearts to brim with national pride and patriotism.