Indian Schools in Oman came together to celebrate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, paying a befitting tribute to the Father of their Nation, at a ceremonious and awe-inspiring programme organized by the Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir under the aegis of the Board of Directors, Indian Schools in Oman on Saturday, 19th October 2019.

H.E. Munu Mahawar, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman presided over the function as the Chief Guest while Sheikh Kanaksi Gokaldas Khimji was the Guest of Honour. H.E. Omar Lebbe Ameerajwad, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Sultanate of Oman was the Special Guest on the occasion.

Dr. Baby Sam Saamuel, Chairman – Board of Directors, Indian Schools Oman and other members on the Board, Mr. Kiran Asher, Former Chairman of Indian Schools, Mr. RajendraVed, Director of Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir, President Mr. Alkesh Joshi and other members of the School Management Committee, Principals and academic administrators of Indian Schools, parents and students were also present on the occasion.

One thousand students from different Indian Schools were arrayed with solar lights depicting Gandhi’s image and a spectacular display of the school band consisting of nearly four hundred students showcasing different formations were the highlights of the inaugural ceremony that enraptured the spectators and kept them spellbound.

Students of eight Indian Schools presented programmes centered on themes of peace, unity, and ahimsa and other values promulgated by Gandhi. Stage performances were interspersed with musical programmes which kept the audience mesmerized with Gandhian ideals and filled them with patriotic fervor.

Mr. Alkesh Joshi, Honorary President of the School welcomed the august gathering and lauded the collaborative efforts of the participating Indian Schools in celebrating the event in the most befitting manner.

Dr. Baby Sam Saamuel spoke about the perennial relevance of Gandhian ideals of Ahimsa, and Tolerance. “In order for us to move forward, to make progress, it is time that we went back – to Gandhi, his ideals and his ideologies. Let our time and life be spent mindfully, with passion & purpose”, said Dr. Samuel while invoking the need for greater tolerance, inclusion, and acceptance in the upcoming new decade.

Indian School Muladha presented a tableau on ‘Mahatma – an Embodiment of Peace and Non-violence’. ‘The Story of the Unique Soul’ was the title of a ballad presented by Indian School Darsait. Indian School Al Ghubra presented a role play titled ‘In the Footsteps of the Mahatma’ and the most spectacular was ‘Karyanjali’, the shadow play presented by Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir.

Choirs from Indian School Al Seeb, Indian School Al Maabela and Indian School Muscat presented melodious renditions to patriotic songs rejuvenating our love for the motherland. Indian School Sohar showcased ‘The Livery of India, the Majestic Khadi’ through fashion parade. A befitting ‘tribute to the Mahatma, the Guru of Peace’ was the title of the dance presentation by the Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir International School.

Indian School Bousher, the 21st Indian School in the Sultanate of Oman, was formally inaugurated by H.E. Dr. Said Bin Hamed Bin Said Al Rubaii, Secretary-General of the Education Council, in the presence of H.E. Munu Mahawar, Ambassador of India, at a ceremonious function on Thursday, 17th October 2019 on the School premises.

Dr. Suad bint Mubarak Saeed Al Fori, Director General of Private Schools, Ministry of Education; Mrs. Siddiqa bint Abdul Majeed Al Lawatiya, Director of International Schools, Ministry of Education; Dr. Satish Nambiar, Chairman of Indian Social Club; former Chairpersons Mr. Kiran Asher, Mr. Yusuf Nalwala, Mr. Tonny George Alexander and Mr. Wilson V. George were the special guests on the occasion.

Members of the Board of Directors and the School Management Committee, luminaries from Indian diaspora, Presidents, Principals and academic administrators of Indian Schools across the Sultanate were the other dignitaries present on the occasion besides the parents and the teachers.

The Chief Guest, along with the Ambassador and other dignitaries, visited the school campus which offers quality educational opportunities complemented by state-of-the-art infrastructure and latest technologies, all intended to provide exemplary 21st-century education.

From an academic perspective, this includes exclusive and spacious kindergarten classrooms, resource centre for augmented learning, STEM laboratories, robotics centre for advanced learning and a kindergarten play area with sophisticated learning with fun equipment.

Placing high importance to all-round development, the school has well-equipped libraries with modern amenities, art & music rooms, swimming and splash pool and health & wellness centre. Construction of world-standard synthetic athletic tracks, cycling track, football ground, basketball court, cricket pitch and kabaddi play area is underway and is expected to complete during the current academic year.

The Chief Guest Dr. Said Hamed Al Rubaii inaugurated the school Robotic Lab and KG indoor play area. Dr. Suad Bint Mubarak Saeed Al Fori opened the school composite lab and Mrs. Siddiqa Abdul Majeed Al Lawatiya launched the ICT Lab. Other facilities such as the Library, Health and Wellness Centre and swimming pool were inaugurated by the former Chairpersons of the Board.

In his welcome address Mr. N. Omanakuttan, President of the School Management Committee thanked the Ministry of Education for its relentless support in all educational endeavours of Indian Schools. He acknowledged the contribution made by the former chairpersons of the Board in accomplishing the establishment of Indian School Bousher.

The Chairman of the Board Dr. Baby Sam Saamuel, in his address, stressed on the importance of schools in transforming children into confident, life-long learners and resilient adults. He also talked about the need to instill in children the habit of ensuring their physical and emotional wellbeing. “ISB is a purposeful & conscious effort to be a child-focused facility that approaches education in a 360-degree manner”, stated Dr Saamuel, while acknowledging the efforts of previous Boards as well as the SMC in making the school a reality.

The cultural programme put up by students embellished the inaugural ceremony. ‘We are all grateful for your presence on this day’ was the theme of the group song presented by the school choir. The beauty and sanctity of the Indian Folk dance was portrayed by the students of grade 5-8 through their scintillating dance performance.
Mr. Rakesh Singh Tomar, Principal of Indian School Bousher, proposed the vote of thanks and reiterated that every effort would be made to accomplish the vision of the school – ‘Educate to Innovate’.

The school has nearly 2000 students already enrolled from kindergarten to Class 8. Considering the high quality of education at an affordable rate, the secure and environmental friendly campus, and the easy accessibility through the Muscat express highway, Indian School at Bousher is expected to attract a large number of new applicants in subsequent years.

Indian School Al Maabela hosted Ambassador’s Polemic Challenge 2019, under the aegis of the Board of Directors, Indian Schools, Oman, on 17 October 2019. His Excellency Munu Mahawar, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman was the Chief Guest.

Dr. Baby Sam Samuel, Chairman, Board of Directors, Indian schools in Oman, Mr Anuj Swarup Second Secretary, Embassy of India, Mr. Vinoba M.P, Educational Advisor to the BOD, Mr. Jolly Mathews, honorary President of the School Management Committee along with other esteemed members of SMCgraced the occasion as distinguished guests. 30 participants from 15 Indian Schools in Oman took part in the event and showcased their debating proficiency on the topic ‘Our forefathers had better quality of life.’

Anirudh Govil of Indian School Al Ghubra and Mansi Gururani of Indian School Salalah were declared the Best speaker and the First Runner-up respectively. Eshat Jahan NurJhuiof Indian School Ibra was placed at the Second Runner-up position. AnirudhGovil of Indian School Al Ghubra also bagged the prize for the Best Rebuttal.

Mansi Gururaniand Sneha Hemnani from Indian School Salalah entranced the audience and the panel of adjudicators with their debating skills and emerged champions and lifted the coveted the Ambassador’s Trophy for the Polemic Challenge 2019. His Excellency Munu Mahawar presented trophies and certificates to the winners. The chief guest also gave away the certificates of participation to all the speakers who put up an impressive show.

AVENIR 2019 –‘be future ready’, a comprehensive project, designed and aimed at effectively guiding students and parents to chart out the future course of action after school education, was inaugurated at Indian School Al Seeb on Thursday, 10th October 2019in the presence of a host of dignitaries, parents, teachers and students across Indian Schools in Oman.

Dr. Suad Bint Mubarak Saeed Al Fori, DG of Private Schools, Ministry of Education was the Chief Guest. The Keynote Speaker was Prof. Fouad B. Chedid, Vice Chancellor, A’Sharqiya University. Dr. Baby Sam Samuel, Chairman, Board of Directorsof Indian Schools, members on Board, Presidents and members of the Committees and Principals of various Indian Schools in Omangraced the occasion.

The Inaugural Ceremony included a harmonious rendition of theme Song by the choir and an enchanting cultural display ‘Shape Your destiny’ portraying various phases of school life. It was followed by Career talks and Soft Skills speeches under different domains by renowned speakers and resource personsin the Sultanate. These sessions were attended by over 2000 students of Secondary and Senior Secondary classesacross all Indian Schools in Oman.
The vital objective of the event was to facilitate the students with the dissemination of information about employment and higher education opportunities and to enkindle their minds with diversified fields and motivate them to choose the course of their interest and caliber.

In his opening message, Chairman Dr. Baby Sam Saamuel stressed on the need to keep pace with the changing world and urged students to find purpose, passion and power and fulfill their full potential. “As board, we are happy & honored to do what we can to broaden the horizons of thinking of our children with the second edition of Avenir 2018 – a platform that brings together tomorrow’s citizens and today’s change-makers”, said Dr. Saamuel.
Chief Guest Dr. Suad Bint Mubarak Saeed Al Fori, DG of Private Schools, Ministry of Education said that the Ministry of Education would extend its support in all educational endeavors undertaken by the Indian Schools in Oman. Keynote speaker Prof. Fouad B. Chedid stressed the importance of thinking out of the box and encouraged the students to be innovative.

The highlight of the day was the Panel Discussion on ‘Artificial Intelligence and 21stCentury Careers’. Dr. Amer Al Rawas, Founding Partner of Paradigms Consulting LLC was the Chief Guest and the keynote speaker. He spoke on the importance of emotional andsocial intelligence besides cognitive intelligence. His highly edifying talk with touches of humour captivated the audience.

The distinguished panelists who spoke on the topic were Mrs. Shyamala Srinivas, Asst. Professor, Middle East College, Dr. VinuSherimon, Asst. Head, Academic Committee, Higher College of Technology, Dr. Siva Kumar, Head of E-learning, Oman Dental College, Mr. Vijaykrishna Venkataraman, Data Analytics Lead, Central Bank of Oman, Mr. Sachin Ravindra Toprani, Director, SACTECH. Dr. Alex C Joseph,Asst. Educational Advisor, Board of Directors for Indian Schools, was the moderator for the discussion. The discussion followed by the interaction with the students was undeniably prolific.

The arrival of a student impersonating ‘Sophia’, the robot and her interaction with the moderator and the audience was the icing on the cake.

Avenir 2019 provided a platform to the students to get themselves acquainted with myriads of educational opportunities available with renowned universities and also gave an insight into the relevance of Artificial Intelligence in the modern world. All in all, it served as an enlightening and informative event for the students.

The second phase of Avenir 2019 was concluded with the motivational address by Prof. L.S. Ganesh, renowned academician and former Dean of IIT Madras, on 10th October 2019 at Indian School Al Seeb.

Dr. Baby Sam Saamuel, Chairman – Board of Directors, Indian Schools Oman presided over the event as the Chief Guest. Members of the Board of Directors, School Management Committees, Teachers, parents and students from different Indian Schools attended the programme.

The highlight of the day was the motivational speech by Prof. L.S. Ganesh who underscored the significance of self-discipline to be successful in life. He emphasized on the importance of time management with examples from his own life. He asserted that discipline is the key to success and advised the students to adhere to principles and values that make better humans for society.

The event began with a message by Mr. AjitPanicker, Director in Charge of Indian School Al Seeb. He welcomed the august gathering and highlighted how the large number of students who participated in the Avenir benefited from the career guidance talks organized as part the event. Avenir 2019 provided a platform to the students to get themselves acquainted with myriads of educational opportunities available with renowned universities and also gave an insight into the relevance of Artificial Intelligence in the modern world.

The day’s programme included a harmonious rendition of theme Song by the school choir and an enchanting cultural display ‘Shape Your destiny’ portraying various phases of school life.The vital objective of the event was to facilitate the students with the dissemination of information about employment and higher education opportunities and to enkindle their minds with diversified fields and motivate them to choose the course of their interest and calibre.

Prof. L.S. Ganesh addressed the teachers of different Indian Schools the next day. He discussed the challenges of a teacher in the new educational scenario and spoke about the significant role of teachers in moulding the young to become responsible global citizens.

With a view to igniting the spark of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship innate in children and transform them into competent, enterprising and confident visionaries, the Board of Directors of Indian Schools has initiated Entrepreneurship Club activities in Schools.

This is yet another significant initiative of the Board aligned with its vision to provide transformative learning to every child and to equip them to find their identity and purpose in life. The programme was officially launched at a ceremonious function held on Monday, 7th October 2019 at Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir.

Dr. Baby Sam Saamuel, Chairman – Board of Directors, Indian Schools Oman presided over the function as the chief guest. Mr. Arjun Sethunath, serial entrepreneur and motivational speaker, delivered the keynote address. Mr. Alkesh Joshi, Hon. President of the School Management Committee and Mr. M.P. Vinoba, Senior Principal and Education Advisor were present on the occasion.

In his presidential address, Dr. Baby Sam Saamuel emphasized the importance and relevance of Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy to thrive and flourish in the world of business – whether as an employer or as an employee. “We aim the Entrepreneurship Clubto be a space where the inherent creativity of our students is fostered, supported by a real-world, practical understanding of how enterprises work. The club shall familiarize students with the basics of a start-up – from the creation of new innovative ideas to converting that into a viable business model and shall also be a platform for interaction with like-minded students, mentors or entrepreneurs.”
Mr. Arjun Sethunath in his motivational address differentiated between a businessman and an entrepreneur and exhorted the students not to be afraid of failures. “The prevailing school of thought in progressive companies viz. Intuit, Corning and Virgin Atlantic is that great success depends on great risk, and failure is simply a common byproduct. Executives of such organizations don’t mourn their mistakes but instead parlay them into future gains,” he said.

The Entrepreneurship Club of Indian Schools is rightly called ‘Stride’ qualifying the most salient characteristic of an entrepreneur – referring to the decisive step taken in one focused direction taken with undivided attention and undying grit and determination.

A series of motivational speeches and a visit to the Entrepreneurial Development Institute of India at Ahmedabad are in the pipeline of activities listed out for the members of the Club. The Commerce Department of Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir gave a presentation about the various entrepreneurial activities taken up by the department both in the school and inter-school levels.