Curiosity, Culture and Conscious Growth Shine at the 33rd Founders’ Day Celebrations

CHETNA EXHIBITION 2025

Innovation met tradition at Seth M. R. Jaipuria School as the Founders’ Day exhibition Chetna opened its doors. The Chetna Exhibition was designed to bring the joy of learning and help students build real life skills.

To generate awareness among students and parents, various Nukkad Nataks were staged. These centred around present day issues and the challenges children face, especially the growing communication gap at home. One of the key performances highlighted how relationships weaken when conversations stop and suggested simple solutions like a dedicated no judgment listening day. Another performance Atulya Bharat by the Social Awareness Club traced India’s journey from the ancient wisdom of the Vedas to modern scientific and sports achievements.

The English Debating and Activity Club held live discussions on topics such as brain drain, India-US trade conflicts and the Supreme Court order on stray dogs, encouraging students to think critically about current affairs.

In the Techpreneur and Science sections, students presented ideas such as a Swadeshi e-commerce app, a platform to verify medicine authenticity, ultrasonic sensor based robotic cars and chemistry experiments.

The cultural and art zones added creative energy through dance, music and visual art that explored themes like heritage, nature and emotional wellbeing.

Principal Promini Chopra Ma’am described the exhibition as a catalyst for self discovery. “Through Chetna we want to raise the consciousness of the children,” she stated. “We provide a playground where they can explore if they are interested in science, commerce or performing arts. Even something like our Wall Magazine is designed to lead them into a debate. We want them to look into the depth of our heritage and the beauty of the country while simultaneously exploring future technologies.”

Explaining their sustainable model, a student said, “We have shown how the Royal Challengers home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, is becoming India’s first eco sport arena. Our model demonstrates how solar energy stored during the day powers the floodlights at night. We also incorporated vertical gardens for air quality and a drainage system that ensures matches resume quickly after rain.”

Vice Chairman Shreevats Jaipuria Sir advised students to carry this problem solving attitude into adulthood. “In school you study within a structure but life has no syllabus,” he remarked. “Take care of your body because it is the one thing you carry for life. Value your friendships because real friendships allow honesty and vulnerability. These bonds and your curiosity are your true assets.”

The Chief Guest Prof. Sheela Misra Ma’am observed how the school is nurturing complete human beings. “Education here goes beyond scientific skill,” she said. “It touches the inner spirit. When students grow in this way they do not only excel academically, they also live with harmony and purpose.”

A parent visiting the Lateral Thinking corner noted, “The energy is different here. Usually math is fearful but here my child and I were solving puzzles together. These games were so interesting and fun that I look forward to playing at home with my child.”

The Math Club had people enjoying activities ranging from Number Jigsaw to Musical Merriment while the MUN Club hosted a Lok Sabha session where they passed bills and held debates.

In the art and craft rooms, students blended heritage with emotion through clay monuments, installations and canvases that explored Indian culture, mental wellbeing and more.

Prof. Sheela Misra Ma’am, Dean of the Faculty of Science at Lucknow University and Chief Guest, praised the school’s integral approach. “I am amazed to see students bring their own out of the box ways of learning and form a powerful sense of unity here at Jaipuria.”

Giving advice to the students, Shreevats Jaipuria Sir said, “In school you study within a structure but life has no syllabus.” He added, “Take care of your body because it is the one thing you carry for life. Value your friendships because real friendships allow honesty and vulnerability. These bonds and your curiosity are your true assets.”

JUNIOR SCHOOL FOUNDERS’ DAY

The junior school programme opened with a recital of the Hundred Names of Sri Ganesha by students who performed the chant breathlessly in Hindi. The atmosphere shifted into devotion and focus as the audience joined in a moment of shared silence before the festivities began.

This devotional start led into the Sanskrit play on Maha Kavi Kalidas which traced his journey from ignorance to wisdom with clarity and simplicity. The young actors handled the classical language with surprising ease and made the timeless story accessible for even the youngest viewers.

Another highlight was the English play Swami Meets His Inner Friend, adapted from the work of R. K. Narayan. The performance followed Swami and his friends through familiar childhood dilemmas and discoveries. Gentle humour and everyday situations helped children see their own questions and confusions reflected on stage.

AI ki Adalat, a contemporary courtroom drama, examined the relationship between artificial intelligence and humans. Framed as a lively trial, the script raised questions about ethics, dependence on technology and human responsibility. The students balanced humour and commentary with confident delivery.

The event also featured a podcast where students interacted with the Chief Guest Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj Sir, Paralympian and IAS officer.

When students asked him how courage can change a person’s destiny, Suhas Sir reflected for a moment and said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and people underestimate how difficult that first step really is. Most of us hesitate because we are scared we might fail or scared that the path we choose will not lead to success. But unless you take that step you will never know what you are capable of.”

Another student asked what advice he would give to youngsters who feel their circumstances limit their dreams. He replied, “This is a tough question because it touches something very real. Many young people believe their situation is holding them back. But the truth is that success and failure are never entirely in our control. What we can control is our effort and our attitude. Circumstances will challenge you but courage means moving forward despite them.”

He connected his message to the Gita. “Lord Krishna says do your karma without getting overly attached to the result. We have all heard this but living it daily is the biggest challenge. For example, when a student gets low marks you can explain all the wisdom you want but in that moment the child still feels defeated. That is why I always remind them that every day is a new day and you must start again.”

Speaking about passion, he added, “It is not that parents do not want their children to follow their passion. Parents simply do not want their children to struggle or live in poverty. The challenge today is figuring out how to turn your passion into something that can support you. Passion is beautiful but learning how to monetise it is where the real work begins.”

Suhas Sir encouraged them by reminding them of the opportunities available today. “Your generation has more opportunities than any before it. If one window closes another door truly opens. I know athletes who trained harder than me yet they did not reach the Paralympics podium. Sometimes destiny and divine grace play a part. But effort is always worth it whether or not success comes immediately.”

He added with honesty, “If I had not cleared the IAS exam and not won a Paralympic medal I would not be standing on this stage today. No school would invite me. That is the reality of life and we should not be afraid to acknowledge it.”

He closed with a message the students carried with them. “Life is a journey not a destination. Walk it with courage, take the first step and allow yourself to discover what is possible.”

SENIOR SCHOOL FOUNDERS’ DAY

The senior school celebrations carried a reflective and spiritual tone. Sundarkand, presented in Sanskrit, enchanted audiences with the calm composure of the performers and the live recitation of the chaupais added devotional depth that resonated strongly.

Shreevats Jaipuria Sir urged students to stay open, questioning and adaptable as he addressed the audience. He said, “Curiosity is no longer a luxury. It is survival. Be curious enough to learn new skills, curious enough to unlearn old beliefs and curious enough to ask yourself what if I am wrong. When you stay curious you continue a 5,000 year old Indian tradition of inquiry and exploration.”

The prominent Guests of Honour were Kanak Gupta Sir, Director Jaipuria Schools and Dr. Kum Kum Dhar Ma’am, a well renowned Kathak Artist.

During her address, Anjali Jaipuria Ma’am, Vice Chairperson, spoke about inner evolution and the role of conscious participation in our growth. She said, “We are here for moments of awakening, these instances when something shifts inside us. When information becomes knowledge and knowledge becomes wisdom. This is the process of evolution. Sri Aurobindo spoke of evolution not as something that happened millions of years ago and ended but as something that continues through us in every single moment. From matter to life, from life to mind and now we stand at the threshold of the next leap from mind to higher consciousness.”

She added, “Here is what most people miss. This evolution is no longer automatic. It needs our participation, our awareness and our collaboration with the Shakti that works through us. When we collaborate with this Divya Shakti, the journey of growth becomes swifter. It calls for conscious transformation.”

“Every development we see around us exists because someone lived with a clear purpose,” Principal Promini Chopra Ma’am said. “It is not enough to talk about purpose. We must recognise it, stay committed to it and consciously transform ourselves to reach the aim we choose. If education does not help children understand that they need an aim in life then it fails to serve its own purpose.”

Divya Shakti, based on Sri Aurobindo’s vision from The Mother, brought serene bliss to the atmosphere. Narrated entirely by Anjali Jaipuria Ma’am, the performance used movement and symbolism to explore inner strength and the search for higher consciousness. Its quiet intensity and meditative rhythm made it one of the most memorable moments of the day.

The play Genius of India celebrated the country’s intellectual and cultural lineage by depicting icons from across the ages and highlighting wisdom, strength, harmony and perfection. The production moved from ancient to modern figures such as Sister Nivedita, Sri Aurobindo, Kalidas and later personalities like Mithali Raj, Virat Kohli, Shreya Ghoshal, Kalpana Chawla, Lata Mangeshkar and many more. The play unfolded like a sweeping journey through India’s inner spirit and showed how each generation adds its own brilliance to the nation’s story.

The Udhav Utsav dance stood out as a reflective and deeply felt piece. Drawing from the idea of inner awakening, the choreography explored themes of longing, connection and surrender with a gentle Sufi undertone. The dancers moved with quiet discipline that allowed the emotional depth of the piece to surface naturally.