ACHIEVEMENT -- 4:

COONOOR GIRLS TO REPRESENT INDIA IN FENCING COMPETITION IN THAILAND

P S SUNDAR 

Six students of Shanthi Vijay Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Coonoor, have done The Nilgiris district proud by getting selected to represent India in the international fencing competition to be held in Bangkok, Thailand. 

“Of them, K Krithika, E Soundarya and K Kaveya will compete in under-16 category while N Mithuna, P Priyadharma and S Sarikashree will compete in under-14 category”, Shanthi Vijay Correspondent R Kantilal Chordia told me after complimenting the students and the PET S Usha Rani and the coach K Karthikeyan.

 

“This follows their getting selected in the national-level tournament earlier.  By virtue of this, they will compete for the world title being conducted by the Thailand Fencing Academy from Dec 8 to 10.  About 40 countries are competing for this title.  We are teaching fencing regularly in our school but for this international competition, we are providing specialised coaching by a team headed by PET Usha Rani and Coach Karthikeyan”, Headmistress R Vairamani said.

“Already, these students have become qualified for Diploma in Fencing and they have a chance of getting adopted for further studies and coaching based on their performance at the Thailand competition.  The first three winners in the international tournament will get cash prizes of US $ 300, 200 and 100 respectively”, Usha Rani, who is also Team Manager for this tournament, disclosed.

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AWARD -- 9:

THIS TEACHER HAS BEEN SILENTLY REVOLUTIONISING LEARNING

P S SUNDAR

G Rajendran, post-graduate teacher of Political Science in Government-aided St Antony’s Higher Secondary School, Coonoor, has been silently bringing about a revolution in the learning process of students mostly hailing from marginalised families with no fixed income.

Four years ago, when he was assigned the task to teach Political Science for Plus Two students, he discovered that the poor economic background of most of the students was a de-motivating factor.  So, besides taking special classes in the evenings which helped the students study in a better ambience than in their houses, he announced a cash reward of ` 10,000 from his personal money to every student who scored 180 marks out of 200 in Plus Two public exam.

In the first year after announcing this, no student rose to this level.  So, Rajendran intensified his coaching strategy and the next year (2015-16), one student won this cash award.   Excited by this, Headmaster Bro Arul made the student receive ` 10,000 at the school’s Parents’ Day function.  This motivated the students further and in 2016-17, two got the award – ` 20,000 in all.

And, in 2016-17, the number swelled to as many as six!   Of them, D Padmanabhan scored 197 marks out of 200 and bagged Third Rank in the state in the subject.  “In the 37 years of introduction of Plus Two, this was the first time a student of our school has scored state rank in Political Science.  So, I am giving an extra `5,000 to Padmanabhan”, Rajendran told me.

Hence, at the function held on Monday, the Bishop of Ootacamund Rt Rev Dr Amalraj distributed ` 65,000 in all to the six students as monetary contribution made by Rajendran.

The students – Padmanabhan, Abinesh, Hariharan, Karthick, Praveen Kumar and Sibi Chakaravarthy – all hail from poor families.  They acknowledged that the money now received will help them for their college studies.

“With this and some other contributions, Rajendran has donated over ` one lakh from his personal money for the benefit of our students.   In appreciation of these, we have honoured him with the ‘Jewell of St Antony’s award’,” Bro Arul said.

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com) 

ACHIEVEMENT -- 3:

COONOOR STUDENT BAGS NATIONAL TITLE

P S SUNDAR

Sree Kiran, XI standard student of St Joseph’s Boys’ Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School, Coonoor, has done his school and The Nilgiris proud by bagging a National title in the Athletic championship.

“He has won Silver Medal in the 800 metres running race representing Tamil Nadu in the 33^rd National Junior Athletic Championship conducted by Athletics Federation of India at Vijayawada with an impressive timing of 1.52.95 seconds”, Principal Bro Ramesh Amalanathan said after complimenting him.

“Sree Kiran had been posting consistent success in the various qualifying rounds.  In particular, he stood First in Tamil Nadu State Level Juniors in Madurai, South Zone Nationals in Thiruvananthapuram and Open State Athletic Meet at Ramanathapuram by virtue of which, he was qualified for the Nationals”, Bro Amalanathan said. 

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com) 

HAPPENING -- 19:

EVENTS TO IGNITE PATRIOTISM AND ECO-CONSERVATION

P S SUNDAR 

To ignite patriotism and eco-conservation among students, St Joseph’s College Alumni Association, Coonoor, conducted two contests for various schools.

“Our ‘Battle of the Bands’, contest devoted as a tribute to the Indian Armed Forces, evoked good response from many school bands.  The celebrated band of the Madras Regiment, the oldest regiment of the Indian army, judged the competition and declared the band of St Joseph’s Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Coonoor, as the Best”, Alumni President H Thiagaraj told  me..

The Madras Regiment band also gave a thrilling rendition of patriotic numbers.

Brig Atmanathan, former Commandant of Madras Regimental Centre, honoured the winning team.

“For eco-conservation, we conducted a marathon called ‘Greenathon 2017’ covering 6.3 kilometres on the theme ‘Save our Sholas and Springs’.  

At the event which evoked keen participation, St Antony’s Higher Secondary School, Coonoor, emerged overall winners for boys and St Ann’s HS School, Wellington for girls”, Thiagaraj said.

Dr Manivannan, Principal Scientist, Central Soil and Water Conservation Institute, gave cash prizes worth Rs 60,000 to the students who came within the first ten ranks.

Boys winners::

1.  Sree Kiren.. St. Joseph's/2nd.  Elim Thomas..Hebron/ 3rd. Srudhan...St. Antony's/ 4th.  Vikram...St. Antony's/ 5th..Vikas..St Joseph's/ 6th..Aravind..St. Antony's/ 7th...Rajkumar..MountainHome/ 8th...S.M.Nitish..St. Joseph's / 10th..Friedrich..Hebron

Girls  winners::

Overall winners..St. Ann's  Wellington

1. Dhanisha ...St. Ann's/ 2nd...Sornalakshmi..St. Ann's/ 3rd...Sarojini...St. Ann's/ 4th..Reshma..St. Ann's/ 5th..Haritha...Bullmore's/ 6th..Adithya..St. Ann's/ 7th..Subasri..St. Ann's/ 8th..Theresa Maria...St. Ann's/ 9th..Akilandeshwari..St. Ann's/  10th...Latha..St. Ann's

“Many organisations had lent their support to us in this mission.  We are working with them to take our commitment towards preserving sholas and springs on a regular basis”, Thiagaraj added.

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VOLLEY BALL - 5:

ST JUDE’S EMERGES NATIONAL CHAMPIONS FOR FOURTH TIME

P S SUNDAR

St Jude’s Public School and Junior College, Kotagiri, has scripted a new chapter in the history of Nilgiris volleyball by emerging as National champions for the fourth time in succession.

“Our boys’ team had earlier emerged champions of Tamil Nadu region and hence represented Tamil Nadu region in the Nationals where teams from 11 regions vied for the title.  In the Finals, our team defeated Punjab in straight sets and made Tamil Nadu proud”, St Jude’s Chairman P P Dhanarajan  said after complimenting the winners and the coach.

“We received another crown when our studentHiruthu Krishna was adjudged the Best player of the tournament”, Principal Saro said.

“Our girls’ team also did well and bagged Silver when Gujarat clinched the title after a tough fight.  Our girls’ team was the defending National champion”, Vice Principal Rajee said.

“In all, 280 players from various parts of the country enthusiastically participated in the two-day volleyball fiesta held in our new international-standard sports arena.  Former Secretary to Government of India Surjith K Chaudhary honoured the winners with trophies, medals and certificates”, Executive Director D Samjith added.

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HAPPENING-- 18

ST JOSEPH'S STUDENTS EXHIBIT MULTI-TALENT

BY P S SUNDAR

The iCreas programme conducted by Imageminds department at 127-year-old St Joseph’s Boys’ Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School, Coonoor, helped the students to thrill their parents with a showcase of their multi-talents.

“We conduct these value-added classes by Imageminds’ experts as part of regular curriculum in weekly two periods for primary and one period for others with accent on fine-tuning students’ creative skills.   Every student is required to gain proficiency in one of the very many Imageminds’ activities”, St Joseph’s Principal Bro Ramesh Amalanathan told me.

At the iCreas Programme, the students showcased their creations -- short films, on-campus radio with radio jockey, drawing, computerised arts, commercial arts, photography, clay sculpting and dolls and carry bags from waste materials.

At an impressive fashion parade, the students showcased their own designing of dresses under 15 categories – Indian culture, Flower Boys, Cowboys, Fashion Animal, Black Angel, Bikers, Cartoon, Fluoro Rock stars, Mix and Match, Street Fashion, High Fashion, Wealth out of waste, The Ocean, Black and White and Robo-17.

The judges questioned the in-charge of each category on the theme and the highlight of their costume.   The explanations given by the students reflected a high-level of maturity throwing up an opinion that they are ready to enter the commercial world with their creations.

Complimenting all concerned in my Chief Guest address, I said, “You have now the learnt the art of using digital gardets, mixing with mental imagination, constantly upgrading technology, thereby opening a plethora of career opportunity and chance for growth through constant research.   This is value-addition – more than the exam-related curriculum. This itself show how valuable – or invaluable – your days at St Joseph’s are. All you have to do now is to take these skills acquirted with you and apply them for success in studies and career.  When you do that, there will be none to defeat you because you will be prepared to face emerging challenges .. that means, “never Unpreprared” as your school motto says – Nunquam Nonparatus”.   

“On the one hand, you are proceeding towards Prime Minister’s ‘Digital India’ concept.  On the other, you are telling the world that you have creative mind to handle technology and art for creating a New India, Young India, Creative India, Imaginative India and Josephite India”, I said motivating the youngsters who have benefited from Imageminds’ year-long coaching.

Vice Principal Bro Gubendiran and I honoured the best creators.

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ACHIEVEMENT -- 2 ::

STUDENTS EXCEL IN ENGLISH DEBATE 

(My article in today's The New Indian Express)

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