The first-ever virtual investiture of Indian Education School, Kuwait for the academic session 2020-2021 was held in a digitally pompous way in the Zoom auditorium on May 16, 2020. The school invested the insignia of authority and power with 18 virtually selected members designated as the Student Supreme Council members for the new session. The chief guest for the day was the retired Indian Army officer, Brigadier Dinesh Kumar Badola, whom the school referred to as the ‘Veteran War Hero’.

The iconic presence of the ‘Kargil War Hero’ Brigadier Dinesh Kumar Badola, the Chief Guest for the day brightened up the glorious occasion. The Chief Guest was given a reverential salute and a guard of honor by the cadets of the Bhavans Service Scheme and the members of the Supreme Council, and ceremoniously welcomed to the Zoom auditorium by Mr. N.K Ramachandran Menon, the Chairman, Bhavans Middle East, Mr. T. Premkumar, the Principal, Indian Educational School, Mr. Mahesh Iyer, the Principal, Smart Indian School, Mrs. Rathi Raveendran, the Principal, Jack and Jill ,Mrs. Anselma Tessy Judeson, the Vice Principal, Senior Wing, IES, Mrs. Jaemi Byju, the Vice Principal, Middle Wing, IES, Mrs. Lalitha Premkumar, the Vice Principal, Primary and Kindergarten, IES, Mrs. Meenakshi Nayyar, the Vice Principal , Co-Curricular Activities, IES, Mrs. Albin Daisy, the Vice Principal, SIS and Mrs. Rajini Menon KG Supervisor, SIS.

The investiture ceremony of the academic year 2020-2021 unfurled at 9 a.m. with the recitals from the Holy Quran by Sahal Ansar of 10B followed by the singing of the Kuwait National Anthem by Angela Mary Jose of 9A and prayer song by Reyna Mary John of 9G and Reine Mary John of 5C. Sharon Mathew of 11B delivered the welcome speech. The ceremony was attended by the members of the Bhavans Family comprising the teachers, BSS cadets and the parents of the members of the Supreme Council.

The parents of the respective supreme council members bespangled their proud children with their insignia – badges, sashes, and flags while the Zoom auditorium throbbed with thunderous applause. It was an emotional moment to see the young officers receiving their badges and sashes from their fathers, offering the reverential salute to their first teachers. The oath of allegiance for the newly selected student council was administered by the head of the institution, Mr. T. Premkumar. The young and dynamic leaders with an unfaltering sense of responsibility swore in by taking the oath of office. Donning the mantle of accountability, the new heads of the Supreme Council, Jerome John Thomas (11D) and Vaishnavi Rajesh Pai (11 B) delivered their acceptance speeches, infused with devotion to the institution and duteousness toward the student community of IES.

The Chief Guest, retired Brigadier Dinesh Kumar Badola, in his address, reminisced his old school days, and appreciated the Bhavanites who paraded their extraordinary and multifaceted oratory skills on the virtual dais. He defined ‘leader’ as a person accepted by the group as a head and followed willingly. Brigadier Dinesh Kumar Badola then spoke about military leadership qualities and the numerous career options the Indian Army offers, by debunking some of the age-old myths and misconceptions about the military force floating around. He described the importance of possessing a bright personality, power of decision making, commitment, courage, and the competence for becoming a great leader. The residual message reminded the students of the importance of holding entrusted duties and responsibilities high up in a virtuous manner.

Mr. N K. Ramachandra Menon, the Chairman, Bhavans Middle East addressed the gathering. He appreciated the new corps d’ elite and told them to be more confident in their lives by taking their own decisions on what they want to become and how they want to grow, as they are their own judges and wished them to be successful in all their endeavors.

The first edition of ‘Widening Horizon’, a newsletter comprising the creative virtual activities conducted in the beginning of the current academic session, was released on the virtual stage. The emcees expressed their profound gratitude to the editor Mr. Shylesh. V. (Department of English) and the designer, Mr. Krishok A.K. (Department of IT) for publishing its first edition of the session successfully.

Principal Mr. T. Premkumar extolled the efforts of Dr. Murugaiyan (Head of Physical Education Department) and his team for their untiring efforts in making the virtual Investiture possible and truly magnificent in its virtual ambience. Abhishekh Jayaprakash of grade 11A proposed a vote of thanks. The emcees of the day were Ethan Bobby Kurien of grade 10F and Evan Sunil Abraham of 10F. The Indian National Anthem marked a graceful end to an eventful virtual day. The team left the zoom auditorium proclaiming “Corona, You cannot kill the spirit of Bhavanites”, and they meant it in every sense of it.