Gold Award Ceremony 2017 - July 20th

 

Achieving a Gold Award is one of the biggest milestones of your life. It shows that you have the ability, focus and determination to achieve your set goals and pursue them with passion and perseverance. It shows that you have done your share to achieve all-round development and at the same time are open to learn from what the future has to offer. Therefore, it is imperative that you celebrate this achievement with others and The Gold Award Ceremony is designed to celebrate this achievement of yours.

We are happy to announce that the Annual Gold Award Ceremony 2017 will be organised on July 20, 2017 at India International Centre, New Delhi.

We cordially invite you to join this celebration and you will soon receive an invite to GAC 2017. It goes without saying that your presence will make this event memorable and successful.

Please note that the last date for Record Book submission is 5th June, 2017.

A New Experience and a New 'Bonnya'

Bonnya Soren, a Gold Award participant from Sri Sarada Math, Baladbandh, got an opportunity to explore the world outside her village for the first time during her Adventurous Journey. Here, she shares her astonishing experience with us.

I belong to a remote village in Hooghly District, West Bengal. I have never travelled anywhere outside my village before. When I came to know that I was chosen to be a part of Tumling trek as a Gold Award Participant, I was overjoyed. It was a great day for me. I was waiting for 8th June to come. Seventeen Award participants from Sri Sarada Math-Rasik Bhita and two from Modern High School for Girls, Kolkata, participated in the trek to Tumling, which was held from 8th June to 14h June 2016.

Sitting on the Dibrugarh Express, I was very excited as this was my first opportunity to see the Himalayan Ranges from close proximity. Getting down at New Jalpaigudi was a new experience altogether. We could feel the presence of the Himalayas around us. From there, we went by bus to Manebhanjan, which is a small mountain township on the border of India and Nepal, at an altitude of 7,054 ft.

At Manebhanjan our real adventure started. We had to trek a distance of approx 11 km. to reach to Tumling, a small hamlet in Nepal from where we could see the beautiful Kanchenjunga ranges. After reaching Tumling, we had our lunch and in the afternoon went walking to Tunglu Top to get acclimatized to the high altitude. That day we stayed at Tumling and the next day we started our journey towards Jaubari. We also visited Singhalila National Park on the way to Jaubari, a long village with open meadows and houses lined on either side. There we also observed mother nature so closely and faced challenges that we had never imagined and experienced before. We got ample opportunity to interact with the local village people and got to know about their cultural heritage along with the study of flora and fauna of the region for our Exploration Journey.

We reached back on 14th June early morning by Uttarbanga Express. All I can say is: a new ‘Bonnya’ came back from this trek, one who is much closer to nature and much closer to herself and her people. Click here for pictures...

Road to Gold

Sukanya Shukla, a Gold participant from The Scindia School, Gwalior is sharing her Award journey with us.

Back in 2014 when our team was returning from a cycling expedition (and thus, successfully fulfilling one of the criteria of the IAYP Silver Award), my teacher coordinator asked me about how the entire seven days journey had been for me. Extremely excited to answer that question, I described all that I had enjoyed doing. When I was done, she asked me if I had learnt anything on this trip. That’s when I realised that my IAYP journey was more than just enjoyment. It was about exploring, learning and understanding the true meaning of this award. As soon as I realised this, my Gold Award journey became astonishingly interesting. Earlier I only enjoyed IAYP, but now I began understanding it as well.

My Gold Award journey began right after I received my Silver Award. It began with me continuing to do pistol shooting, which I had already been doing consistently for two consecutive years. Every day that I spent in the shooting range brought me closer to understanding the true meaning of discipline in life. I understood what people meant when they said that sometimes you meditate while you work. When I realized this, shooting to me was no longer just a sport that I had started practicing for an hour and a half each day. I had also been working in my school’s papier-mâché department, which was not only a useful and fun skill that I acquired, but also enhanced my creativity. It was an amazing feeling to create things with my hands, without having to worry if I was doing everything correctly. Every idea and every creation was welcomed. This atmosphere of openness in the papier-mâché department was a blessing as all us who worked there; we never felt restricted from making anything.

I also took classes in a blind people's home in my city but, surprisingly enough, I think it was I who learnt a lot in that one hour class. The one thing that was common amongst everyone in the blind home was that they never considered their lack of sight a disability. None of them ever hoped for any sympathy or pity from anyone and each person there was enjoying life as best as they could. It was a pleasure interacting with them.

I also took part in an expedition in the Spiti region for the duration of fifteen days, where we worked together to build a greenhouse. We were told that this greenhouse not only served as a great source of income for the local family, for whom we made it, but it also allowed them to grow vegetables during the winters when there is minimal sunlight in the mountains. We cooked our own breakfast and lunch and whoever took to kitchen duty, realised how difficult it was to cook food for thirty people. After eight days of hard work we were finally able to build a decent greenhouse for one of the local families. We also trekked to a lot of places around the same region, home-stayed with local families and enjoyed experiencing their culture. Before we began the expedition, we were told about the rules of trekking in the forest and the different things that we should take special care of while staying in the houses of our host families. It was a memorable expedition which gave us an opportunity to observe the mountains and their culture closely and learn so much from it. 

Immediately after the month of April, my teacher coordinator finally gave me the news that I will be receiving my Gold Award on 14th July 2016. I feel satisfied and proud to have successfully completed all that was required to qualify for the Award. But most importantly, I am also extremely thankful to IAYP for giving me the opportunity to explore and learn. I realise that all the social work that we did, helped the people for whom we did it, but most importantly, it shaped us to become better human beings. The entire IAYP journey was truly an extraordinary one and contributed in shaping my growth as a person. Click here for pictures...

IAYP infuses the power to overcome any obstacle that comes in the way

Rupanjan Goswami, an Award Leader from The Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' School, shares his eye opening experiences of working with the visually challenged Awardees.

"If Eric Weinheinmer could do it, so could I," said the completely visually challenged boy Shibnath, standing under a Casuarina tree in his school campus. When Shibnath said this, his face sparkled like the rising sun. "Sightless mountaineer Weinheinmer of U.S.A proved this, reaching the highest peak of the world, that a sightless person has the potentiality and physical and mental strength to achieve such a stupendous feat."

I was spellbound while listening to Shibnath. I had been observing the growth and development of Shibnath for more than a decade. He gained mental strength gradually like the thundercloud. I asked him how he had gained such confidence. Shibnath said, "Ramakrishna Mission (the organization under which our institution R K.M.Blind Boys' Academy comes, alma mater of Shibnath) infused two powers in him - the power of education and spiritualism, and the power of the International Award for Young People (IAYP), which injected the confidence to overcome any obstacle that I came across on my way."

Such Shibnaths can be seen in our Academy who are always performing with high spirits and strong will power. These Shibnaths are present in every nook and corner of society and are performing tremendously in every field with flying colours. Amongst them, some are teachers, professors, and research scholars, while others are bank employees, government employees, railway employees and some of them are businessmen. Some of them have professional audio recording studios and some of them run popular musical bands.

I am Rupanjan Goswami, Award leader of R.K.M.Blind Boys' Academy. I have been working with the Blind Boys' Academy for more than two decades now. I realised the potentiality of my students while teaching them Biology, the potentiality which had been ignored by the majority of the people in society. This infinite strength of the visually challenged was discovered first by Louis Braille, the French boy inventor of the braille script. It was he who gave the keys to these people who can reach the zenith of success by their power of education and expression.

It is important to say something about the The Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' Academy here. It is a fully residential, educational cum vocational training institute. The Academy was adjudged the best institution for persons with visual disabilities twice and was conferred the President's medal. The guiding principle of this institute is man-making and character building and with this view, this institute started its journey in 1957. Thousands of visually challenged youths have been educated and trained here and they are contributing to the growth and development of our country. It has also helped to eradicate negative concepts regarding the potentiality of visually challenged peoples in our country. By joining hands with the Award Programme, it can be said that the process of growth has been accelerated regarding empowering visually challenged people.

Another Gold Awardee, Kundan Yadav says, "Each modern aircraft is made fully secure with the help of two engines, so that it can fly safely at the right height with the right efficiency. According to me R.K.M Blind Boys' Academy and IAYP are two such engines which help us to fly safely and securely, so that we can reach the appropriate height, removing all impediments and reach our destination safely."

Life at the Blind Boys' Academy is full of diversities. Besides studies, the participants are engaged in vocal and instrumental music, drama, recitation, elocution, quiz, debate, extempore speaking, and various kinds of indoor and outdoor games and sports like swimming, cricket, football, chess, carom, yoga and judo. Our students regularly take part in national level championship in swimming, cricket and judo and snatch prizes frequently.

Along with these activities, engagement in IAYP has become a part and parcel of academic life in our institution. Out of four sections which IAYP emphasizes, three of them (Skills, Service and Physical Recreation) are already in practice through our everyday routine. It is compulsory for every visually challenged student in our Academy to be engaged in these activities which are followed by the able guidance of our teachers, instructors and Award Leaders.

The Philosophy of IAYP is so popular among the very young students that they eagerly wait to reach the eligibility age group so that they may enroll themselves in the Award. Souvik, a student of class IV is waiting to join IAYP the moment he reaches the age of enrollment. He says, "Awardees of our institute are energetic and helpful after receiving this award. Each of them has become a storehouse of power. They are engaged in every activity of the life of Blind Boys' Academy. Helping the newcomers to find their ways, helping weak boys in their studies, serving food, making the campus neat and clean and showing all kind of leadership qualities which has changed the total scenario of our alma mater. When these boys go out for Adventurous Journeys taking their rucksacks on their shoulders, I feel that soon I too will be going with them. Returning back when they narrate their experiences, I too imagine as if I had travelled along with them mentally. Whatever they touch becomes successful. They are good at studies, so are they good at rest of the activities. So, I am eagerly waiting to join IAYP and I am sure that I will be successful like them."

Being an Award Leader, I see my visually challenged awardees take part in the Adventurous Journey. I see them trek through strenuous mountain routes, or on a coastal trek. I see how spontaneous they are while climbing up or rappelling on treacherous rocks using all modern rock climbing equipment like carabiners, jumars, quickdraws, rope, crash helmets, harnesses, belay devices, rappel devices, slings and so on. They are equally adept in doing river crossing, monkey crawling, obstacle trekking and pitching tents in dense forests after searching for suitable place. I see them cooking without regular utensils, using natural resources in the hill and the forest. I become spellbound when I see them well oriented with the whims of nature. They sniff out beehives by hearing the buzzing sound of the honey bees and with the help of escorts they make fires and are able to drive the bees away before tasting the sweet honey. And in the evening, when the day's activity is over, they are engaged in singing, playing the flute and participating in dances with the local tribes people.

These boys are visually challenged, so how are they familiarised with nature? This is a question which echoes in the mind of most people. The answer is so simple: they touch, they smell and they feel with their hands and their hearts and in this way they learn about nature. The concept and philosophy of the IAYP has opened their inner-eyes, helping them to overcome all odds  and at the end of the day they become victorious in their day to day struggle. This spirit helps them to get to the top with indomitable courage and grit like the visually challenged summiteer of Mount Everest, Eric Weinheinmer.

Being a sighted person, sometimes I think, if I had been visually challenged like them, would I have been able to do what my visually challenged students have done? The answer is positive yes. I could do, If I would get two wings to fly: one Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' Academy and the other, the International Award for Young People.  Click here forpictures...

Adventurous Journey Camp

Fifty-five Award participants from The Cathedral & John Connon School, Mumbai completed their Adventurous Journey to Mount Abu. A report by Noshir N.Engineer (Award Leader)

We left for the camp on 23rd March 2016 from Mumbai with 55 Award participants including one Gold level, 20 Silver level and 34 Bronze level participants. We arrived in Ahmedabad at 5:30 am and undertook a bus journey to Mount Abu (the campsite).

On the first day of our journey we learnt about tent-pitching, essential knots and different kinds of camping gear. On the same day, we also went for a three-hour trek to Sunset Point and returned in the evening. The day was full of experiential learning for all of us. Everyone noted the important points in their diaries and record keeping journals.

The other activities in which we took part were caving, rock-climbing and rappelling. The participants were made to trek to the locations at which these activities were organised. These activities were quite arduous under the scorching sun, but they allowed the participants to step outside their comfort zones and challenged them in ultimate terms. They learnt about mountain manners and first aid. At the closing of the day, the participants even put up short skits in groups on social issues, an inspirational sight to witness.

We did get the opportunity to participate in Zumba during morning hours and trekked to Nakhi Talao followed by a visit to the Abrudevi temple where we were made to ascend and descend 407 steps. After the journey we all returned to the school with chapped lips and fond memories. Click for more pictures

Adventurous Journey for Specially-Abled Participants

The National Award Authority organised an Adventurous Journey camp for differently-abled participants of Raphael Ryder Cheshire, Dehradun from 2nd to 5th March 2016, under Special Projects. The group comprised 25 differently-abled participants (21 boys and 4 girls); among them were 4 Gold, 4 Silver, and 17 Bronze participants. The group was escorted by two Award Leaders: Madhu Rawat and Kishan Rana who work as Special Educators; five volunteers: Ambika Thapliyal, Ameeta Upreti, Purnima Singh, Vasundhara, Shilpi and two members from support staff. Four specially trained instructors of the Institute of Climbers and Nature Lovers (ICNL) Kolkata led them on their Adventurous Journey. The camp was supervised by Bivujit Mukhoty, Programme Manager, IAYP. Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT) also represented the NAA for this adventurous journey during the course.

The first day started with a briefing session about the journey. The instructors explained the importance of safety and helped the participants understand the different equipment. They taught them how to pack their backpacks and other equipment while on their Adventurous Journey. Next, the instructors explained the process for pitching tents and helped the participants perform this activity. The students enjoyed the learning activity. The Instructors demonstrated rappelling and other activities and showed the use of different types of rope knots used during the Adventurous Journey. Participants also performed the single rope bridge. The participants enjoyed their evening full of dance and music.

The next morning, the group started their journey to Inside Passage Camp Site, Maldevta Village, Dehradun by bus. Amit Minocha welcomed the group and arranged the stay for the participants. In the pre-lunch session,the participants performed on the Commando Net; in the post-lunch session the instructors organised adventurous activities like Burma Bridge.The evening was spent playing different games and sports as per their ability.

On the third day, the participants went for Tyrolean Traverse on the river Song. The second half of the day was for a track where they visited a natural cave and explored calcite and stalactite depositions. These participants enjoyed the campfire at night. 

The last day of the camp started with different physical exercises and team building games. After the physical fitness training and a late breakfast the group departed for Raphael Ryder Cheshire, Dehradun.

This Adventurous Journey was full of fun for these participants, helping build their confidence and exposing them to a different environment. The NAA expresses thanks to Inside Passage and ICNL team for providing support and organising this camp. click for pictures

Gold qualifying trek to Tumbling

Swagata Sen, Gold Award holder from Sri Sarada Math, Rasik Bhita is sharing her Adventurous Journey experience with us.

My friend Kankana Hambir and I from Sri Sarada Math, Rasik Bhita were selected for this Gold trek from 22nd - 27th June 2015. We were really excited about this camp, mainly because of the venue. We also knew that it was going to be tough so we prepared for the hurdles we were going to face. We started our journey with rest of the team including four instructors and eight girls from the All Bengal Women's Association. Our train (Darjeeling Mail) departed at 10.05 p.m. from Sealdah Station.

The next day around 8:30 a.m. we reached New Jalpaiguri Station. After reaching Manebhanjang we had lunch and were told to take rest to acclimatize to the high altitude. From the next day, 24th of June, we started our trek to Tumbling, about 11 km from Manebhanjang. We were amazed with the scenic beauty that we observed on the way. So mesmerized were we by the beauty of nature that we almost forgot our the difficult physical conditions we were facing.

At first we thought that we would not be able to make it. The steep roads become our greatest challenge to overcome. It was exhausting but we made a slow progress -- quite a tremendous effort. We could hardly imagine that we could make it. Mother Nature also made us happy with her bright skies, drizzling mists, green vegetation and vivid coloured flowers. We also met some lovely people on the way to Tumbling and observed their hard lifestyle and deep love for nature. On the 26th of June we started to come down from Tumbling to Manebhanjang and on the 27th we reached our home safely.

The Adventurous Journey was wonderful; we learnt a lot of things, spent good time with friends, made new friends and came to learn about their struggles in life. There we also observed nature so closely and faced our challenges with a courage that we never imagined we possessed! I think it took us one (big) step closer towards becoming a complete person. The Journey was truly the one that we will cherish in our mind forever.

How the Award Programme transformed differently-abled participants

Rupanjan Goswami, Award Leader, Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boy's Academy, Narendrapur, Kolkata reports on the Award Programme at the Academy.

Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' Academy, Narendrapur, Kolkata -- a pioneer institution for visually differently-abled boys in India -- has been participating in the International Award for Young People (IAYP-INDIA) since 2002. This institute provides various forms of support to the boys to assist in mainstreaming them into society.

The R.K.M.B.B.A offers multifarious activities inside one campus, such as a residential setting, vocational training centre, braille press, agricultural training centre, talking book production centre etc.  The ambience and infrastructure of the academy gives enormous support to the students for their all-round development, so that they become contributing members in our society. We aim to nurture them as leaders in our society and don't regard them as differently-abled; we encourage our boys to tap their potential.  With the introduction of the Award Programme, these participants proved that they do not need to be treated as differently-abled. The National Award Authority is treating our participants at par with other participants and this has boosted their morale and self-esteem. Our boys follow the same programme and perform the same tasks allotted to other students, successfully scaling all the parameters required by the Award.

We all know that the Award is challenging and not easily attained, but our participants accepted the challenge bravely, completing all the sections within the time frame.  Here is an account of the different activities in which the participants are involved. 

SERVICE

The participants undertake Service to develop a lifelong commitment to society as civic or social volunteers.  They take up different subjects as part of their Service Section such as Environmental Management, Cleaning drive, Braille teaching, Food Serving etc. in the school's hostels. All their activities are strictly monitored by the Award Leaders.  We have noticed the benefits of Service among the participants. The Service section of the Award enhances their patience, tolerance and feelings of fellowship. It helps them deal with fear, ignorance and apathy, which are the main barriers to achieve a sense of responsibility towards the society. We have also noticed an improvement in their communication skills and sense of responsibility.  The Award has helped them break the barriers and fears that inhibited them from being involved in social duties and responsibilities.

SKILLS

For their Skills section our participants choose one of these subjects: Chess, Clay Modelling, Classic Indian Music (Vocal & Instrumental), Computer (Jaws supported), and Hand encrypted Braille magazine production.  Under the supervision of concerned teachers and instructors the participants successfully complete this Skills section.  We have noticed their amazing transformation and the development of their talents.  Their self-confidence has been boosted as they become aware of their potentials.  After successful completion of the Award many participants have successfully established themselves as professional entertainers and performing artists. Skills section opens their scope to choose their livelihood too.

PHYSICAL RECREATION

Our Award participants take one of these: Yoga, Swimming, Cricket, Football, Athletics (Track & Field) etc. as their Physical Recreation. Our Academy has a standard swimming pool and well maintained playgrounds. Under strict guidance of qualified swimming instructors and physical instructors and coaches our participants develop their physical ability and fitness and adopt a healthy lifestyle and habits.  Their sense of achievement emerges and they learn how to work as a team when they approach team sports like cricket and football.  

We are proud to inform that some of our Award participants among the best swimmers in our country.  These participants lift more or less all the medals and trophies in the State and National level swimming competitions for the visually challenged youth. Not only that our participants lift most of the prizes in the Pare-Olympic games, where they take part regularly. One of our participants took part in the International Para-Olympics in Germany.  In cricket our Award participants also lift trophies in National and State level tournaments consistently. We believe everything is going in the right direction due to the structured approach of the Award programme.

ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY

This is the most awaited section for our participants. They regularly take part in Adventurous Journeys to different, challenging, unfamiliar locations.  Sometimes it is altitude trekking in the great Himalayas, sometimes it's Coastal Trekking along the seashore of the Bay of Bengal and sometimes it is in the invincible mangrove forests of the Sundarbana. At other times they attend nature camps and rock climbing courses along with training on survival in different critical and hostile climatic conditions.

Since 2002, Adventurous Journey are being organised and evaluated by the the Institute of Climbers and Nature Lovers (ICNL). Qualified, experienced and die-hard ICNL instructors supervise the Adventurous Journey segment strictly. There are no modifications or adaptations to make the Adventurous Journey of our participants smooth or easy. These visually challenged participants face the same challenges, same conditions and same tasks given to their sighted counterparts.  The participants enjoy the practical phase of strenuous rock climbing and survival courses.

This segment of the Award programme enhances their leadership skills, improves their planning and organizational ability, and helps to understand group mentality and dynamics and role of others along with their own roles. Adventurous Journey section develops their self-reliance, independence along with enhancement of their mobility and sense of orientation in the lap of mother earth.  Adventurous Journey improves their skills for working as part of a team and skills for overcoming challenges

RESIDENTIAL PROJECT

To enhance experiences through involvement with others in an unfamiliar residential setting, our Gold Level participants take up different subjects for their Residential Project. Some participants choose activity based projects like outdoor sports, skills development by joining cricket and football coaching camps, some of them select environment and conservation projects in unfamiliar locations and work in restoration program of rural religious temples and mosques, village roads and dikes.  Some participants take personal training course like Spoken English course, Computer course, etc.

Our participants take all these challenges wholeheartedly and complete their Residential Project as perfectly as they can.  We get remarkable response from the society, Village people who tell us that they are being inspired when they watch our participants help and solve the village's problems with their own hands and can't resist joining in with our participants.  We feel great when we see our participants successfully strike on the apathy of the village people for their own problem. This is what we can call leadership. We also notice that our participants are getting accustomed to unfamiliar places and unknown people with enriched sense of responsibility and communication skills.  They are able to build new relationship with different people regardless of their age, race and religion.  We believe this segment broadens our participants' outlook and horizons, which is the sparkling philosophy of the Award.

ARRIVAL OF NEW LEADERS

Our visually challenged participants have emerged as leaders in society after successful completion of the Award and their education in our institution.  A few decades ago visually challenged people were subject to be ignored and were often considered permanent liabilities of society. But assimilation of the philosophy of the IAYP with the ideology of world famous spiritual organization Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama has changed the scenario.  Our participants emerge as the leaders in society.  In their life they become teachers, lecturers, professors in the schools, colleges and universities. Some of them join in different Govt. sectors and private sectors companies even as IT professionals.  Some of them choose different types of business, like one Award participant has established his own FM radio station along with an ultra-tech sound recording studio.  Some of them are working as radio jockeys.  Some participants have founded a professional rock music band named X-RAF, which has attracted national fame within a short span. Click for pictures

My Award Journey

Debalina Mukherjee, Gold Award 2015 shares her Award Journey experience with us on achieving the Gold Award.

Time and tide wait for none.  I can't fathom how quickly the last four years have passed.  It seems as if July 2011 was just yesterday... when I started my journey with the International Award for Young People. And now today, 16th July 2015, we, the recipients of the Gold Award are assembled at the India International Centre, New Delhi to receive our Gold Badge and Certificate.  Today is the day that we have been awaiting. It is impossible to describe how much we have gained in these four years from this organisation, from friendship that spans across our country and into other nations, to uninhibited creativity; from the light of knowledge that was kindled not just in us but others we came in contact with; and from a deep understanding of nature, to a spirit of adventure. I am very sad that our beautiful journey now comes to the finishing point, but I realize today from the inspiring words I heard at the ceremony, that there is no end when doing something for others. In one word, what I learnt from this journey, the soul of our great culture is 'Udar charitaya'- I am connected to the whole universe.

I am very proud of being a participant of the IAYP, very grateful to our respected Mataji and elders of Sarada Math, Rasik Vita for their guidance to me and also my parents for their support.  I pay my respect to all concerned.  I wish we shall meet again one day, maybe on a cliff or a steep mountain, or maybe around a bonfire under the twinkling night sky.  Till then, good bye...

Life After Gold

Arunish Singh, Gold Award Holder from Welham Boys' School, Dehra Dun sharing his experience during his Award Journey for all three levels.

Don't live life as it is meant to be lived.  Change its course to the harsh and the mildest of conditions and you will see the wonders of life! I have always been actively involved in all spheres of my school life. IAYP was one of them and I must say the experience has been very enriching. Even on having achieved the Gold Award of the International Award for Young People I do not feel content. I say so because during the past three years I have worked to achieve these three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards; I have been from the harshest climatic conditions during my Adventurous Journey trek to the harshest human conditions during my Service. The Skill and Physical Recreations were not something I was compelled to do. I was blessed to be in one of the nation's finest schools, Welham Boys' where all the criteria to be an Award holder of the IAYP did not make us take a harsh route.

The school trained us from the very beginning to be involved in all spheres of life primarily because it's a boarding school. Day boarders and people who are not a part of such institutes might have found it very difficult to achieve the IAYP standards. This Award gave me an objective to work upon. And still there is so much to learn and so much to conquer.

IAYP helps us embark on a journey of learning and discovery which takes us beyond the classroom. And indeed teaches us all the values and qualities of a gentleman and a good human being that we are meant to learn in a class. Our mentor Mr. Laxman Singh who introduced the IAYP to our school motivated us immensely. With his support we always worked beyond the time limit because he taught us on our journey to accomplish the Awards that the Award should not be our main objective; the learning will eventually help us shape our future and guide us through the storms of life. In the words of Mark Twain he taught us that "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream. Discover."

The Award programme -- a platform for continuous progress and well-being

Sudershan Kongkham, Gold Participant, Miles Bronson Residential School, Guwahati sharing his experience and achievement in the Physical Recreation section

At MBRS we indulge in various sports like football, volleyball, basketball, cricket, lawn-tennis, swimming, mini-golf, and other indoor games. Karate is an emerging physical activity along with yoga, to help us keep physically and mentally fit.

I started playing basketball and soccer as part of my Physical Recreation for the IAYP. I learnt fast and soon was selected as a part of the school's basketball and soccer team. My team mates and I were always hard at work, practicing together to perfect ourselves at the sports.

I participated in the North East Zone CBSE cluster tournament in 2014. We emerged as champions of the entire zone and got an opportunity to compete at the National level in Gujarat, representing the North East. Though we could not reach the finals, our hard work, perspiration, love and respect for the game rewarded us with the trophy for the "Most Disciplined Team" of the tournament.

I have learnt a lot while participating in these events: I have tasted both defeat and victory. I understand that failures are the pillars of success. So I am optimistic that I will achieve more success in the field of sports and games in the near future and bring glory to our esteemed institution. I am confident that I will be consistent and maintain a positive attitude towards fair-play and hold up the spirit of the games and sports. I am grateful to the Award, which has provided me with a platform to maintain a continuous progress both in the games I play and also in my general well-being. Click for pictures

Giving back to Society

GSIS has taken up the initiative to sustainably serve (through the IAYP Residential Project of the Gold Award aspirants) the Kolikarai village under the aegis of the Nilgiris Adivasi Welfare Association. Fourteen of us (8 boys and 6 girls) from Grade 12 embarked on this mission from November 14 to 18, 2014 at Kolikarai, a tribal village of the Irula community in the Kotagiri taluk of the Nilgiris district. This tribal hamlet is located 28 km east of Ooty. We started by organizing and storing our provisions, kitchen utensils, tools, and bedding and once this was over, we were eager to get into action. It was a thrilling experience to cook our own food. Washing our own used plates and kitchen utensils, laundering our clothes were quite an eye opener that these mundane chores are possible and great to be engaged in. We learnt what it is to manage our living space for the next five days.

Housed in the space provided at the village hospital and crèche, we helped clear off the weeds and trash from the nearby play ground which was also used as a volleyball court by the villagers. We were engaged in digging and setting up a compost pit for garbage disposal. Along with these, we had set up a fence around the play ground.

In the following days, we presented an awareness skit on sanitation and healthy living. This was performed by students of the IGCSE Global Perspectives. We spent our evenings visiting homes and interacting with the village folk to understand their lifestyle. We found the people of Kolikarai very warm and supportive of our efforts to render service as well as to learn from them the true spirit of living.

The NAWA ofce in Kolikarai encourages traditional herbal medicine. The herbal garden was a wealth of knowledge about the importance of varied herbs in providing immunity and important nutrients to our body. As a part of our project, we cleared the garden a8nd the pathways of all the weeds there. We then helped clean the Kolikarai village hospital.

The Nilgiris Adivasi Welfare Association runs a primary school in the vicinity for the children of the Kolikarai village. We spent time with the children. We engaged in classes, distributed snacks. This project has truly made us experience another aspect of life. We learnt to survive with basic resources.

The IAYP Residential Project challenged our outlook and expanded our horizons. It has inspired us to undertake our duties and responsibilities faithfully, excel in all that we do and to contribute valuably to society. There is no substitute to education as relief from unwanted pain and difficulties in life.

Knowledgeable interaction with people is of primary importance to alleviate avoidable hardships and to foster greater understanding and appreciation of life.  Click for more pictures

Adventurous Journey Trip to Panchalingeshwar

A report from Divisha Jaiswal and Vedika Karnani from Modern High School for Girls, Kolkata

It was with much enthusiasm and spirit that Modern High School for Girls IAYP unit set out for the Panchalingeshwar Camp in the afternoon of 19th January, 2015. There were 65 participants in all, divided in two spacious buses, with four Award Leaders and six Field Officers of IAYP.  For most of us, this was our first I.A.Y.P trip. It was thus not very surprising that the excitement levels in the bus bordered on mild chaos.

After a 7 hour long bus journey which nearly convinced us that the journey did NOT in fact matter more than the destination, we arrived at our lodging; an inn called Panthasala.  After snacks was a session with Chandan Sir, the IAYP Programme Manager.

The next morning was the official beginning to our trip. At 6:15 a.m., we headed out for a round of jogging and exercise. Later, we were divided into our rope-line groups in which we would do all our activities. After a (very) hearty breakfast, we headed out to begin our activities- linear traversing, rappelling, tent pitching and rock climbing, with the Award Leaders actively participating in each exciting (scary) activity.  Ropes 1 and 2 also trekked to Khemkut dam (3.5 km away) after lunch, while the remaining ropes did self-cooking to provide the snacks for when we returned. The dam was a sight to behold, what with a submerged temple and hunting tower, built in the age of the Nanda rulers. After returning, we had some time to rest and another session with Chandan Sir. While discussing the day's events, he told us that this day was not only about what we did, but it was about what we learnt. That was the primary objective- to learn, and not just do. Suffice to say, at the end of the day, we weren't just tired, we were on the verge of perpetual collapse.

The third day began much like the second, only with many aching muscles and joints to add to the glorious morning. After breakfast, we headed out for the remaining activities, along with single lined bridge, Burma Bridge, knot class and the spider web. We learnt important things that would help us in the future, for situations which we might unexpectedly encounter. After snacks we got ready for Camp Night, which even in the absence of a campfire, was no less enchanting. We all sang, danced and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Courtesy of soft drinks. Ahem.

The next and final morning of our short trip, we trekked 8 kilometres to see the Panchalingeshwar temple. After a total of 311 steps and a walk through the forest, we finally reached our destination. But this time, the journey was indeed what mattered more, and what we shall carry with us. Along the way, we learnt the precautions and the important things we must know when we enter a forest. After a quick breakfast at the temple we headed back to camp to pack and leave for Kolkata.

We left Panchalingeshwar with memories and valuable lessons that would stay with us for a life time and a half.  Be it jumping off a small cliff, praying to all gods in existence, or climbing rocks like mountain goats, or starting a fire by burning a foot long leaf to cook pasta.  Be it sharing a room with (lazy) friends or sessions with Chandan sir. We learnt to be independent, self- sufficient, to conquer our fears and be stronger. Here we discovered a side of us we didn't know existed, stretched our limits, exceeded them and set new ones, only to break them later. We truly rediscovered ourselves on this journey.

Thanks to all the Field Officers and Award Leaders who accompanied us, this became the most fulfilling time of our lives. We were in it for the fun, but what we got back was so much more. Thus, it was with hearts heavier than our hearty breakfasts, that we boarded our buses to leave for Kolkata, with the echo of the mountains still ringing clear in our hearts.

Oh, and most importantly, we found the answer to a very difficult question; a question which has been a favourite of every teacher in existence. The question being - "So if your friend jumps off a cliff, will you also jump off a cliff?”

The answer after this Camp my friends, is yes. For we evidently did.

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IAYP EXPEDITION TO SPITI VALLEY

On the 28th of September 2014, 55 students of the Modern High School IAYP unit started a ten-day journey around Himachal Pradesh. The group, comprising two gold awardees (Residential Project and Adventurous Journey) , 15 silver awardees, 38 bronze awardees and three Award Leaders, was in for an experience of a lifetime.

An overnight bus ride from Delhi to Manali made up the very first leg of our trip.  We reached Manali, greatly enthused by the idea of what lay waiting for us. A 7 km acclimatization walk to the Manali market area that very evening introduced us to the beauty of Himachal Pradesh. On our second day in Manali, we trekked up to the Maharshi Jagdamba Mandir, where we played an enjoyable round of Ibex, an IAYP favourite.

The fourth day of the trip was devoted to travelling to our base camp, a village called Shego in the Spiti Valley. It was a 10 hour drive from Manali. For most of us, this was to be the first time we would stay in tents. These tents would be our home for the next four nights. Our first night in Shego was spent in the exchanging of horror stories which ironically caused peals of laughter.

Early the next morning, we embarked upon a particularly strenuous trek to the Kaumik village, which, at 14,500 ft above sea level, is the world's highest village. We visited the Kaumik monastery, one of the country's oldest monasteries. Here, some fascinating facts about the Buddhist way of life were shared with us. We completed another trek, this one on extremely treacherous terrain, to the Dhankar Lake the next day. As we trekked up to the lake, we couldn't stop marveling at the mighty Himalayan mountains and the sparkling blue rivers gushing through between them. We had a tent pitching session with the teachers and IAYP Field Officers on returning to our base camp. We continued our rendezvous with the Buddhist heritage of Himachal Pradesh when we visited the enchanting Tabo monastery on our fourth day in Spiti valley.  We were given the opportunity to participate in a cultural exchange with a llama at the monastery. This proved to be one of the highlights of the expedition for most of us. On the same day, we visited the Pinn valley and Pinn River.

We began the ten-hour bus journey back to Manali in the wee hours of the next morning, each of us desperately trying to taking in as much of the beauty of the Himalayan ranges as we possibly could. We reached Manali that afternoon. The remainder of the day was spent in excited preparations for camp night.  With the added charm of a bonfire, camp night proved to be a memorable affair.

Through this camp, we got the opportunity to explore what IAYP is all about. We spent ten days on a trail of self-discovery; exploring our limits, pushing them and consequently formulating new opinions of our own strength. The camp was a crash course in the virtues and benefits of efficient team work. We returned with a deep appreciation for the values of disciplines and punctuality, grateful for having adopted the IAYP  motto "Away from home, close to nature".

We headed back to Delhi the next afternoon, longing for more. We landed back in Kolkata on the 7th of October. Of all the things we had done in ten days, returning home was the undoubtedly the most difficult.  Click for pictures

Ayushi Saraogi   (XI-B)