ISM CELEBRATES INDIA ’S REPUBLIC DAY

India ’s 59^th Republic Day was celebrated with patriotic fervour and enthusiasm by all the Indian Schools on Saturday, 26^th January, 2008 on the grounds of Indian School Muscat. The Indian tri-colour was unfurled by the Chief Guest, His Excellency Mr. Anil Wadhwa, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman, in the presence of dignitaries, teachers, students and their parents. Prominent members of the Indian Community, members of various school managing committees, and Principals of the Indian schools in the capital area were among the special invitees. His Excellency Mr. Anil Wadhwa, Ambassador of India was accorded a warm reception. S. Sabarinath of Class IX and Siddharth Kerkar of Class VIII presented a bouquet to the Chief Guest. These two boys from Indian School Muscat had won the Championship Trophy in the Inter-school Quiz open to all the schools in the Middle East .

 Later, the contingents from all the Indian schools in the capital area, in their school colours marched with their school flags in perfect unison. The march past was led by Varun Arora, Head Boy and Nikita Chengappa,  Head Girl of ISM. The Indian School Darsait’s marching contingent was led by Ashwathi Rajagopal and Cilson Cyriac; Leena Vasaikar and Sachin Sharma led the team from Indian School Al Ghubra; Mariate S. and Shammas Sulaiman led the marching squad of Indian School Al Seeb; the marching team from Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir was led by Pooja James and Thomas Joseph; and the contingent from Indian School Muscat was led by Nitya Balakrishna and Aditya Kurian. All the marching teams marched smartly and proudly with military pomp, precision and coordination. The Indian School Muscat Band, led by its Band Master Mr. Permanand, Ex- Indian Navy, played the ‘Voluntary March’ and ‘Montegobay’ tunes that added splendour to the march past.

 The Chief Guest, His Excellency Mr. Anil Wadhwa, Ambassador of India shared excerpts from the Indian President Mrs. Pratibha Patil’s address to the nation on the occasion and her vision for ‘an economically developed India by protecting our rich cultural heritage and its values of compassion and harmonious living’. His Excellency Mr. Anil Wadhwa, Ambassador of India also touched upon the close ties India has with the Sultanate of Oman.

 The ISM ground was tastefully decorated with festoons, murals and the India ’s tri-colour flags. The school Band played the National Anthem. A few other lilting tunes enchanted the audience throughout the programme. The Indian Schools presented a medley of five patriotic songs with various musical instruments. Enthusiastic young voices, filled with love for their country swelled in the air. The songs, melodious in their tunes and nationalistic in their themes, reverberated in the stadium and echoed in every heart. The highlight of the morning was the reenactment of Mahatma Gandhi’s famous Dandi March by over 400 students of ISM. In the colonial past, this episode had shaken the mighty British Empire , and its enactment on this day filled the hearts of the Indians present on the occasion with patriotic fervour.

 Thus, though miles away, the Indian community in Muscat saluted their motherland in a befitting manner.   

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