On the 10th of February 2010, The Voice Against Animal Mistreatment, a club started by a group of students at DPS R.K. Puram to spread awareness about the cruelty against animals, invited Ms.Ambika Shukla, an eminent animal activist and one of the leading advocates against animal mistreatment working with the People for the Ethical Treatment Of Animals(PETA) to speak on the prevention of cruelty to animals.

The Voice Against Animal Mistreatment was started by the students of DPS R.K.Puram and blossomed under the constant support and guidance of Ms.Sangita Bajpai, a Geography teacher in the school. They were recently awarded a Certificate of Achievement for using their voices to speak up for animals and their skills to defend them against cruelty by PETA.

Ms. Ambika Shukla expressed her delight at being present and instantly connected with the audience. She circulated a petition against ‘manja’, a glass coated thread used to fly kites, causing an alarming increase in the deaths of birds. She apprised the students on how they could help and should have the ‘courage to care’ about animals. She busted popular myths about pedigree dogs, informing them how they are genetically deformed and live in constant pain. She encouraged students to adopt stray animals especially, Indian dogs, which have evolved to suit the Indian climate. She spoke about the importance of vegetarianism inspiring many present to give up meat, by citing examples of vegetarian celebrities and enlightening the students on why the humans aren’t meant to be carnivores. India has the strongest animal protection laws, and Ms. Shukla enlightened the audience about all of them and urged them to intervene and report acts of cruelty. She advised them to enquire if the cosmetics and toiletries have been tested on animals and boycott them if they had.

The seminar ended with an interactive session when Ms. Ambika Shukla addressed the questions posed by students. The members of VAAM delivered the vote of thanks. The event was a resounding success with students vowing to make a change and raise their voices against animal mistreatment.

28th January, 2010 was a memorable day for the outgoing batch of Class XII of D.P.S. R.K. Puram. The Farewell is an important day in the school calendar, a day where the school bids adieu to the batch passing out, wishing them luck for the future and thanking them for their contribution to the school. The students, clad in their finery, were very nostalgic about the many years spent in school.

The event kick-started with a cultural show, organized and performed by the students of Class XI. The school choir, performed a harmonious medley of songs, leaving the audience teary-eyed. This was followed by an energetic and foot-tapping dance performance.

The Head Boys, Karan Chadha and Rudrath Kaul and the Head Girls, Ragini Lalit and Medha Khanna addressed the gathering and expressed their view about what D.P.S. R.K. Puram meant to them and how it had shaped their personality. The Principal, Dr. D.R. Saini greeted the students, wished them best of luck for their life ahead and congratulated them on being a splendid batch. The Vice Principal, Mrs. Shobha Mehta, also wished them the very best for the life ahead.

The school felicitated the school appointees, class monitors and the student of the year with certificates, as they proudly took the stage for the last time. Shikha Jain, Vaishali Ganga and Shruti Lakhtakia, Toppers of Science, Commerce and Humanities respectively were also felicitated. Others given the honour were best sportsperson, India’s no.1 in Under 19 table tennis, Pranshu Gupta and Prerana Bhambri; best debator, Medha Khanna; best artist, Pragun Agrawal and best musicians, Benjamin BabyJohnson and Ragini Lalit. Soveniers were presented to each student of the batch. The ceremony concluded with a duet performance by our music teachers, Mr.Rajesh Upadhyay and Mr. Hamid, that left the audience humming to their tunes.