Category Archives: Vidyasthali

Vidyasthali’s ‘Adishakti’ Concert Dazzles with Talent and Social Message

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Lucknow, November 4, 2023: Vidyasthali Kanar Inter College marked a remarkable moment with its annual concert, “Adishakti – A dance drama.” The event was graced by the esteemed presence of Mr. Indrajit Singh, the Municipal Commissioner of Lucknow City and CEO of Lucknow Smart City, and the guest of honor, Mr. Jayant Krishna, the founding Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Advancing Science and Technology, a nonprofit dedicated to catalyzing transformative changes in India’s science and technology landscape.

Shipra Verma, the principal of Vidyasthali Kanar Inter College, extended a warm welcome to the audience and expressed her heartfelt appreciation for the tireless efforts of both the students and teachers in preparing for the concert.

Mr. Indrajit Singh addressed the gathered audience, stating, “It is truly heartwarming to witness such a magnificent performance. I am genuinely awestruck by the extraordinary display of talent. It is of paramount importance to address societal issues within educational institutions, and I am genuinely impressed by the exceptional showcase presented by these brilliant students.”

Dr. Urvashi Sahni, the CEO and President of the Study Hall Educational Foundation, applauded the students and teachers for their unwavering dedication and extended her gratitude to the parents for their continuous support for the school. She said, “In 2005, we founded Vidaysthali with the mission to bring quality education to rural areas and to educate children on pressing social issues. Since then, we have endeavored to nurture socially and politically conscious youth who will contribute to the creation of a more equitable society.”

The evening began with a captivating welcome dance, followed by the enchanting Pahadi Dance. The pinnacle of the event was the “Adishakti – A Dance Drama,” a mesmerizing performance that featured a diverse array of acts, including Pahadi Dance, Punjabi Dance, Garba, Phoolon Ki Holi, Dhunuchi Dance, and a thought-provoking play. The students further captivated the audience with their Thumri & Kathak dance performances, leaving everyone in sheer amazement.

The event was a splendid amalgamation of culture, talent, and a compelling message on women’s empowerment and environmental consciousness. It concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks and the rendition of the national anthem.

“Theatre provides a safe space for children to express their feelings, rehearse resistance and think critically,” says Dr Urvashi Sahni

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Lucknow: “Theatre provides a safe space for children to express their feelings, rehearse resistance and think critically. At SHEF we provide all our children safe space to learn and fail. Arts and drama are an integral part of our pedagogy,” said Dr Urvashi Sahni at Yuva Manch, a theatre festival organised by Study Hall Educational Foundation (SHEF) at Sant Gadge Auditorium in Gomti Nagar. The festival showcased three critically acclaimed plays by renowned writers – Munshi Prem Chand, Anton Chekhov and Rabindra Nath Tagore, and performed by the students and alumni from various units of SHEF.

Yuva Manch opened with Thakur ka Kuan, an adaptation of Munshi Premchand’s story of the same name. The play was performed by students of Vidyasthali Kanar Inter College (a unit of SHEF). It was followed by a series of two English stories under the theatrical performance “Cheers to Chekhov” as a tribute by the students, to the renowned Russian playwright and master of modern short story, Anton Chekhov. ‘The Chameleon’, was a comical parody that kept the crowd guessing. It captured the hypocritical nature of individuals in society who prioritise authority and status over principles of truth and justice.

Meenakshi Bahadur, Principal of Study Hall said “Drama instils discipline and hones multiple skills in the children. It helps in fostering creativity, self-expression, and teamwork.”

The final presentation was an adaptation by Shrimati Usha Ganguly, of Rabindranath Tagore’s story ‘Chandalika, a poignant tale exploring caste, compassion, and self-liberation in 20th-century India, a compelling story of societal barriers shattered. Students of Prerna Girls School, Prerna Boys School and Study Hall performed the play for the audience.

A month-long theatre workshop was organised to hone the acting, diction and stage presentation of students by Mr. Bhartendu Kashyap and Mr. Vinay Kumar Mishra who directed all the plays. At the core of all these plays, societal issues were brought to light, which made for an evocative theatrical performance by the children.

Vidyasthali holds convocation for students of 2020 and 2021

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Vidyasthali Kanar Inter College, a unit of Study Hall Educational Foundation (SHEF) held its Convocation Ceremony for the graduating batches of 2020 and 2021. IB Singh, Senior Advocate, Allahabad High Court, Lucknow Bench was the chief guest on the occasion. The principal of the school Anusha Sharma welcomed the audience and congratulated the students on their success. She also added, “Over the years, Vidyasthali has become a community transformation hub. Our students have once again made us proud and today we celebrate their success.”

The ceremony started with the academic procession of teachers and students. The school choir sang Rangeel Bharat along with the students performing poems. The students of batches 2020 and 2021 were awarded by the chief guest, I B Singh, Dr Urvashi Sahni, founder and CEO of SHEF and Shibani Sahni.

Mr I B Singh said, “I started my education in a rural school, and Vidyasthali has set an example for other schools to follow. These children are so confident and smart. They can easily give competition to children from any urban private school. I want to congratulate the principal, the teachers and the students for all the hard work they put in.”

Dr Urvashi Sahni, founder and CEO of SHEF said, “Firstly I want to thank and congratulate all the parents present here. It is heartening to see the trust you have in our school and our teachers. It is with your support that our students have yet again given such remarkable performances. I urge our students, especially girls, to work hard and follow their dreams.”

Priyanshi, an alum of Vidyasthali said, “My school is a universe of care. We are welcomed here with our lives and our problems. After completing my class 12, my family faced a financial crunch and I was unable to continue my higher education. My principal and my teachers supported me and I got a job as a GyanSetu teacher. I am now pursuing my Bachelors in Computer Application from Study Hall College.” Priyanshi also runs digital literacy classes at her GyanSetu center in Nabipanah.

The ceremony also facilitated 38 children who completed their Digital Literacy course at GyanSetu centers. There are 23 GyanSetu centers in and around Malihabad. GyanSetu (a unit of SHEF) centers are small, intimate learning support centers in rural and urban pockets where poverty, gender and caste intersect to prevent children from going to school. Children (predominantly girls) who are out of school and at high-risk of harm go through an accelerated learning program that enables them to enroll in formal schools.

The event ended with the National Anthem and a vote of thanks.

Bicycle distribution at Vidyasthali School

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On Saturday, 20th March 2021, 49 students of VidyasthaliKanar Inter College, Maliahbad received bicycles. The event was organized on behalf of the mutual fund company Canara Robeco as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] to empower our young learners. The Cluster Head – Sales of Canara Robeco, Mr. Rishi Dhawan along with some members of his team, Anusha Sharma, principal of Vidyasthali School was present at the event.

Aman Pal a Class 9 student said,“Now that I have this cycle, I will reach my school on time and not bother about public transport.”

“I am thrilled to have bicycle. I don’t have to walk long distance or ask people to drop me to school. I can now easily come to school without depending on others” says a very happy Shagun of class 10.

VidyasthaliKanar Inter College, is a unit of Study Hall Educational Foundation which is the rural unit of Study Hall Educational Foundation, Lucknow. Based in Block Malihabad and engaged in the education of students from 55 villages, it is an institution which follows a unique pedagogy. Here students learn what it means to become a truly democratic citizen.

This social initiative will help students overcome transportation issues, which at times become great impediments to furthering education.

Teachers Day Celebration virtually

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Happy Teachers’ Day

Welcoming all to the celebrations of 5th September’20, Teachers’ Day. The students utilized the day to express their heartfelt gratitude and thankfulness towards their teachers through a virtual presentation. As is the ritual of Study Hall, the head girl of school Deepanshi Verma, adorned as the principal Meenakshi Bahadur aunty and the vice head girl Gaurisha Prakash, as vice principal Meenakshi Shah Aunty started the morning assembly with usual meditation and the vice head boy Aryaman Shukla, that day transformed into Rajesh sir, the yoga teacher @Study Hall headed the yoga session. The head boy Kushagra Trivedi entitled the teachers as the unsung heroes, and it’s worth it, all those moments they asking the students to switch on the cameras, permission for PDF in drives, responding to the questions, while the students sometimes choose to stay silent; thanked them for adapting to the virtual medium so well and making the teams classes as any other reality class. Thereafter Sherlock Holmes and James Watson, the comparers for the day (detective theme) opened the show, which was mostly pre-recorded and displayed through screen share on zoom, and invited the students of standard 6th and 7th to present their dance on peppy and fun numbers. It was enchanting to see the little ones hop and rock on the screen and how the teachers wished they were relishing the event physically in the school campus. Nevertheless there was no compromise from the student body in putting up a great show. The pair of detective friends handed over the microphone to batman and robin, who sadly drew the former’s vehicle into an accident and so the conversation moved on to listening and respecting elders and specifically teachers. Why? Due to 3 reasons- firstly if students are smart, teachers are double smart, next for the amount of hard work they put in and manage their job and homes both, and last teachers have since ancient times been the superior figures even where god stands in comparison, all of these creatively visualized and presented by the students of 8th and 9th in a skit. Next the celebration had Dana Scully and Fox Mulder from FBI opened the floor for riddles where the teachers were required to move the detective minds in them and ace the games. Then again the legends Feluda and Byomkesh, the celebrated detectives came on screen and introduced the music video prepared by the musicians of 10th and 11th. The audience was swaying and tip toeing to their tune, mesmerized, praised by Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys as well. And last but not the least, standard 12th put up yet another comical dance-drama to make their last teachers’ day in school memorable for their teachers. They took the reality of their virtual classes to the skit, mixed with additional comedy, intertwined with dance to portray the situation, garnished with emotions! And with a thank you note from all the students and Meenakshi aunty herself for making the celebration possible on virtual platform, the day came to an end. With all due respect and love, HAPPY TEACHERS’ DAY.

Vidyasthali organises its annual sports day – Confluence

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On 15 February, 2020 Vidyasthali Kanar Inter College, unit of Study Hall Educational
Foundation (SHEF) organised their annual sports day – Confluence. The chief guest of the event was Mr Vaibhav Mishra, ADM Finance and Revenue and the guest of honour was Siya Ram, SHO Malihabad. The president and CEO of SHEF, Dr. Urvashi Sahni was also present at the occasion.

The sports day started with the principal of Vidyasthali welcoming the audience. The chief guest lighting of the torch. The lighting of the torch was followed by an impressive March Past and the oath taking by the Sports Captains of Vidyasthali.

GyanSetu, unit of SHEF that provides education to out of school children also participated in the event. A special competition – Dress your bride was also organised for the parents and event thoroughly enjoyed by the audience.

The event continued with 50 meters and 200 meters races and 400 meters relay races, yoga, dumble drill. A pyramid formation by the girls and boys of class 11th and a dance performance by children of class 5th, 6th, and 7th. The day ended with the prize distribution to all the winners, vote of thanks and National Anthem.

VidyasthaliKanar Inter College felicitates its class 12th students

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On 12 February, 2020 Vidyasthali Kanar Inter College, a unit of Study Hall Educational Foundation organized its Convocation Ceremony. Jai Devi Kaushal, MLA, Malihabad was the chief guest on the occasion. The principal of the school Anusha Sharma welcomed the audience and congratulated the students on their success. She also added that over the years, Vidyasthali has become a community transformation hub and there have been zero child marriages in the area in the last three years.

The ceremony started with the academic procession of teachers and students. A hymn was sung by the school choir. The students of class 12th, 2019 batch were awarded.

The ceremony continued with songs and a Nukkad Natak. The students also shared their experience with audience. Harsh Singh, currently perusing his B.com from Study Hall College thanked the teachers and the principal for their support and guidance. He also offered a special thanks to the founder Dr Urvashi Sahni for establishing Vidyasthali.

Engage, Blend and Inspire: An interactive session among the students to understand Democratic Values

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The Game of Democracy took place in the beautiful campus of Vidyasthali in Malihabad, surrounded by the lush green mango orchard. Children from different units of SHEF came together for the occasion. Coming from the diverse family backgrounds and ages, the children played together and performed for a better India. Together, they prepared 14 different performances including theatre, drawing, poetry, singing… even rap and nukkad natak and were staged with the creativity, strength, hope and sanity that only free and safe children can demonstrate.

Vidyasthali student shines at International Children’s Online Painting Competition 2018

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40,000 children from 97 countries participated in the International Online Children’s Art Competition organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerela. 5 entries were sent in by Tanvi Maurya, a student at Vidyasthali Kanar Inter College. She was one of the lucky one’s, across the globe, who was shortlisted among the 3000 final paintings. She was awarded a certificate for her exemplary work.