Mr. Seyyed Amir Mohammad Kharazani, the Head of the Iranian School in India, accompanied by Mr. Ali Darbandi, the Principal of the Iranian School in New Delhi, visited DPS R K Puram on 11th February 2010. The entourage consisted of Primary Teachers, Physics Teachers, Maths Teachers, a Literature Teacher and a Biology Teacher.

There was an interaction with the Principal Dr. D R Saini, Vice Principals Mrs. Shobha Mehta, Dr. R G Verma, Headmistresses Mrs. Kamayani Kumar (VI-VII) Ms. Vanita Sehgal (VIII-X) Mrs. Shobha Banerjee (Vasant Vihar) and Mrs. Dolly Chanana (East of Kailash)

The Principal extended a warm welcome and expressed a wish to continue a partnership in the field of education. The delegation was taken around the school and given an insight into its functioning.

A delegation of 14 students from the Anyang Foreign Language High School from Seoul, Korea, along with their Principal, Mr Lee Choong and teacher, Mr.Lee Hyang Geun arrived in Delhi Public School, R.K.Puram on 2nd February as a part of a seven day Indo- Korean Exchange programme . The exchange programme which started in 2004, endeavours to inculcate amongst the participants a deeper understanding and appreciation of both cultures. This is indeed an invaluable step in bridging distances between countries and creating a global culture. During their stay in Delhi, the Korean students stayed with their Indian counterparts.

A cultural programme was organized in the school in their honour. The event began with the western choir singing a self-composed song to welcome their esteemed guests. The Principal, Dr. D.R. Saini welcomed the guests and expressed the need for such exchange programmes. The talented dance troupe of the school presented a dance on the empowerment of women. The music choir sang a melodious song,’Ik tara’. A beautiful Kathak dance was presented. The tiny tots of DPS Shiksha Kendra, a school for the underprivileged run on the premises of DPS R.K.Puram, presented a vibrant dance ‘Barbie Girl’. The Korean students then showcased their culture through various songs and dances. Their fan dance in the traditional costume was appreciated by all. They displayed the traditional martial art of Taekwondo which fascinated the audience.

The delegation was shown around New Delhi, and was enthralled by the city. They visited the DLF Promenade mall on their first day in the city. They also dined with the Principal at school. On the 4th, the delegation visited the city of Agra, where they saw the beautiful Taj Mahal. They also visited the Surajkund Mela, Dilli Haat and the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where they witnessed the Change of Guard ceremony. On the last day, a farewell lunch was organised, and all the participants of the exchange wore traditional Indian costumes. Finally, the delegation left for Korea on the 6th of February.

Such cultural programs are invaluable as they enable students to learn about the cultures, beliefs and traditions of other countries and form lasting bonds with them.

It was a momentous occasion for Delhi Public School R.K. Puram as the First Lady of Malaysia, Her Excellency Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of the Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Sri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, along with the Honourable Minister, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jali and their entourage visited the school on 20th January 2010.

Her Excellency, a devoted philanthropist, dons many hats and dedicates a lot of her valuable time to support many a noble cause. She is the President of the Welfare Association of Minister’s Wives and holds the position of Patron for various associations, such as Children in Hope Foundation, Malaysian Nature Society and the Asian Institute of Management. She is also the first Chancellor of UNISEL, Malaysia.

The delegation was welcomed with the Western music choir of the school, singing a self-composed song. The program commenced with the national anthems of both the countries being played. A melodious song “Iktara” by the Hindi music choir followed. The Principal, Dr. D.R. Saini, warmly welcomed the distinguished guests and declared that the school was honoured by Her Excellency’s presence. A Bharatnatyam dance was performed, depicting Krishna’s destruction of Kalia. The dance troupe of the school enthralled the audience with a fusion performance titled “Sapne”, based on the dreams and aspirations within all of us.

Her Excellency Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor then approached the dais. She expressed her pleasure at being in the school. She introduced the other members of her entourage and talked about her interest in children, especially in early childhood education and care especially for those below five years. The focus of her work has been rural children and the less privileged. She congratulated the school for their work for the underprivileged. She spoke about the various programs she had undertaken for the betterment of women and children especially summer camps for Gifted and Talented students. Talking to students, she stressed on the importance of ‘discipline, honesty and sincerity’ in life to achieve success. She emphasized on the need to inculcate the spirit of respect and understanding in all the children of the world. A short interactive session with the students followed. She then handed over the mike to the Honorable Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jali, Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, who elaborated on the conference which is to be held for the first wives of nations all over the world to chart out a strategic plan for the children of the world, to “turn the children of today into the leaders of tomorrow”.

Tokens of appreciation were then given to the guests present. It was a wonderful opportunity for the students to meet such an illustrious visitor and to learn more about the wonderful culture of Malaysia.

15th January was a special day for Delhi Public School, R.K.Puram as Mrs.Cherie Blair, President of the Loomba Trust visited the school. A function was held in her honour. Other esteemed guests comprised Mr.Raj Loomba, Founder of the Loomba Trust, Lady Stagg, the Patron of the Trust, Mrs.Gorgrieva, Second Secretary of Bulgaria and Ms.Dina, Counseller from the Embassy of Egypt. Mr.Ashok Chandra, the Chairman of DPS Society presided over the function. Also present were Mr.Pramod Grover, Vice Chairman of DPS Society; Lt.Gen.J.S.Bawa, Member of DPS Society and DPS R.K.Puram Managing Committee; Mr.H.S.Phoolka, a renowned lawyer and human rights activist and Dr.Mark Sly, Principal, Coomera Anglican College, Oxenford, Queensland.

A short cultural programme took place. The Principal, Dr.D.R.Saini warmly welcomed all the guests. The students of the school, of its junior branches, Vasant Vihar and East of Kailash and the senior ones at R.K.Puram performed beautifully choreographed dances from the various states of India depicting the rich cultural tradition of the land. Mrs.Cherie Blair addressed the gathering and spoke about the plight of the underprivileged, especially widows who are deprived of all rights by society and whose property is taken over by others thus making them and their children lead a life of deprivation and suffering. She appealed to the audience to take up the cause of providing education to such children of poor widows.

Mr.Raj Loomba spoke next about the Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba Trust which was set up 12 years ago in fond memory of his mother. The Trust has been educating thousands of children of poor widows throughout India. He also exhorted the audience to take up the cause of the less privileged.

Several meritorious students who are all-rounders were awarded for their outstanding performance in various fields. These included Aradhya Narain and Apekshita Alkesh from the junior wing at East of Kailash; Nikita Balaji and Kartikeye Khullar from the Vasant Vihar wing; Siddharth Bhogra, Ridhima Dilwari, Suvansh Raj Nirula, Kartik Sawhney, Anand Khare, Malika Chadha and Rishabh Marya from senior school, R.K.Puram. Rahul Anand and Manisha Gupta were the ones from DPS Shiksha Kendra, a school for the underprivileged run on the premises of DPS R.K.Puram.

A group of 22 Australian Principals and teachers visited Delhi Public School, R.K.Puram on 13th January 2010. The team are in India from 8th to 20th January as part of the Australia-India Teachers & Principals Professional Learning (TPPL) program. The participating teachers will be provided a homestay with the local teachers of various schools in the city. Various workshops, visits to different schools and a tour of the city were some of the things on their itinerary. The aim of the visit is to provide them with an insight into the Indian school system as well as India’s cultural ethos.

A special function was organized for them at DPS R.K.Puram. On their arrival, they were welcomed traditionally with garlands. A welcome song was sung by the Western music choir. The Principal, Dr.D.R.Saini warmly welcomed the guests and shared fond memories of his trip to Australia. Mr.Peter Nolan, First Secretary, Education at the Australian High Commission, addressed the gathering. He talked about the objectives of the programme, of increasing interaction between teachers from both the countries. Also present were Ms.Anu Jain and Ms.Dhanya Bhatia from the Australian High Commission, who coordinated the exchange programme.

A scintillating performance by the students depicted the vibrant dances of different states of India and showcased the rich cultural heritage of the country. The students of DPS Shiksha Kendra, a school for the underprivileged run on the premises of DPS R.K.Puram, presented a mesmerizing folk dance. The guests were presented with souvenirs by the Principal. They were introduced to their host teachers with whom they later departed. The evening provided the guests with a glimpse into the diversity of Indian culture and tradition.

The delegation interacted with the Principal Dr. D.R. Saini, Vice Principals Mrs. Shobha Mehta and Dr. R.G. Verma, Headmistresses Ms. Vanita Sehgal and Mrs. Kamayani Kumar, alongwith other staff members and school appointments.

Their visit was co-ordinated and organized by Ms. Mamta Sharma, Education Counsellor.

Lighting of the lamp ceremony	The Korean delegation interacting with the Principal, Dr. D. R. Saini

The visitors were welcomed at the school with garlands, which was followed by the traditional ceremony of lighting of the lamp accompanied by the chant of shlokas. The delegation then interacted with the Principal, Dr. D.R. Saini and senior staff members namely, Vice Principals, Mrs. Shobha Mehta, and Dr. R.G. Verma; Headmistresses Ms. Vanita Sehgal and Mrs. Kamayani Kumar; and the Education Counsellor Ms. Mamta Sharma, who was also the Co-ordinator of the programme. Heads of Departments of Political Science, History and Sanskrit, along with the Head of the Library also joined in the discussions, which included topics such as building the potential of talented students specially in Science and Maths, the benefits of rote-learning and ways of coping with stress. The delegation also met with school appointments i.e. students in key leadership positions. This was followed by a round of the school, Computer, Robotics and Maths Labs.

The programme was a learning experience for one and all, the sharing of ideas and the Indian and Korean educational systems. It will be telecast on Korean TV, at Prime Time, in the near future.

The Virginia Education Leaders Delegation, comprising 20 members, visited Delhi Public School, RK Puram on 4th November 2009 to explore the potential of developing a partnership with schools in Virginia and for the purpose of providing a global education to the students.

The Vice Principal, Dr.R.G.Verma, Ms.Mamta Sharma with the delegates from Virginia and some school appointees	Principal, Dr.D.R.Saini with the delegates from Virginia at DPS R.K.Puram

The delegation was welcomed by the Principal, Dr. D.R. Saini. There was a traditional lighting of the lamp. This was followed by an interactive session with the Principal and other staff members which included discussions on the school's requirements and accomplishments, opportunities provided to its students, curriculum planning, educating the underprivileged, and various other facets of the school system. The delegation was also shown a film on DPS R.K Puram, showcasing its mission and its endeavour of promoting inclusive education. Glimpses of ‘Mirza Ghalib', an in-house production were also shown. The guests also interacted with school appointees, including members of the Student Council, Cultural Club, Youth Congress, Environment Club and Social Service League. And finally, they took a round of the school and the 6-acre Sports Complex. The programme was co-ordinated and planned by Ms. Mamta Sharma, Education Counsellor, DPS R.K Puram.

The visit was memorable, as it exposed the children to a global perspective of education and was a great learning experience for all the students and teachers involved.

UKIERI DELEGATES AT DPSR. K. PURAM WITH THE PRINCIPAL DR.D.R.SAINI

The UKIERI is a prestigious programme started by Mr. Tony Blair the British Prime Minister when he visited India in 2005. It is organised by the British Council. Our participation in this programme involves forming a cluster with 5 other elite schools of Delhi: Sanskriti School, Modern School, Barakhamba; Amity International, Saket; Springdales, Pusa Road and Sardar Patel Vidyalaya. This Delhi cluster has been interacting with 4 UK schools located in Leicester: Judge Meadow College, King Edward VII, Linden Primary and Ashfield Special School.

This three year programme, started in 2006 will end this October. DPS R. K. Puram arranged a small function and hosted a dinner for the delegates on Monday, 5th October 2009 at 7 pm on the school campus. Mr.Ashok Chandra, Chairman of DPS Society and DPS R.K.Puram Managing Committee, was the Chief Guest. The function began with the lighting of the lamp. The Principal, Dr.D.R.Saini extended a warm welcome to all the guests. The guests comprised Ms. Elizabeth Maher from King Edward VII in Melton, Mr. Phil Keeling, Ashfield Special School; Ms. Azma Qumar and Ms. Petra Court, Judge Meadow Community College; Ms. Lisa Beale and Ms. Rachel Fletcher from Linden Primary School. The Co-ordinators and Principals of the schools of the Delhi cluster were also present. Representatives of the British Council as well as British Petroleum, the official sponsors, also graced the occasion.

In his address, the Chairman, Mr.Ashok Chandra, spoke of the ‘increasing globalization’ and how it places more responsibilities on the educators of today to prepare students to interact and mingle with others. He also put on record his appreciation of the UKIERI programme and its achievements. This was followed by a power-point presentation, giving an overview of the exchange programme by Mrs.Udita Ganguly, the Coordinator of the programme at DPS, R.K.Puram and Head of the Department of English. The students presented a scintillating dance to the beats of ‘Jai Ho’ and the national anthems of both the countries were sung.

On the 6th October, a short programme was held in the school’s audio-visual hall. The UKIERI report was presented. Students displayed their presentations on agriculture and tree plantation, tracing carbon footprints, inspirational heroes and disaster management- floods and tsunamis.

The aim of the UKIERI programme is to increase interaction between students of both countries, to boost cultural awareness and creativity and to address both governments' priorities in mainstream education.

Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram organized a special ceremony on 26th September to honour Hon’ble Jacinta Allan MP, Minister for Skill and Workforce Participation as well as Minister for Rural and Religious development who visited the school from Australia.

Ms. Allan was accompanied by her Chief of Staff, Jade Grieve, David Hanna, Dy. Secretary, Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development and Ms. Annie Santhana, Manager, Education Services-India.

A small programme was organized which commenced with the lamp lighting. The Principal, Dr. D.R. Saini introduced them to the cricket team of the school. She presented each member with a cap. Mementoes were given to various prominent sports players such as Arjun Arora, Arzoo Malik, Vice Head Girl, Astha Tyagi and Yasasvika Sharma.

The students enjoyed the unique opportunity of interacting and sharing views on sports and education with the dignitaries.