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Prominent Qatari artist Mohamed Faraj al-Suwaidi was the chief guest during the recent opening of the student’s artwork exhibit at the Blyth Academy’s art room. Following Covid-19 safety protocol with social distancing, the artist did a meet-and-greet with a limited number of students.  Al-Suwaidi shared his artistic journey by showing his distinguished digital artwork. Followed by questions and answers, the Qatari artist inspired students to develop and boost their art knowledge. Al-Suwaidi received a memento to remember his visit to Blyth Academy Art student’s artwork exhibit from principal Darlene Sullivan.  The guest then handed out certificates of appreciation to students for their continuous hard work and distinguished art pieces. Students of Art10/20/30 namely; Naila Nacer, Mouadh Abbaosi, Yousef El Sabik, Hassan Ouda, Minahil Khurraam, Sara Raiq, Esraa al-Hassan, Oscar Metinez, and Summer Scott were pleased to receive their certificates of appreciation from the renowned Qatari artist. Speaking on the occasion, al-Suwaidi said: “I would like to thank Mala Waseem – secondary art teacher at Blyth Academy – for arranging the visit and allowing me to present my artworks to the students. It was a great pleasure seeing the students’ artworks. The students showcased great interest in the arts and their ambition to develop themselves was prominent and inspiring. I look forward to crossing paths with these students as they push their skills and ambitions to their full potential.” Blyth Academy is a Canadian school in Doha, operating since 2006 and offering the world renowned Canadian-Alberta curriculum. Students from Kindergarten to Grade-12 are engaged in hands-on experiential lessons and activities challenging them to be active learners.

Nasser Al Ali Enterprises recently awarded two of its Nepali employees – Tapan Kumar Rai and Mohan Bahadur Thapa and two Sri Lankan employees – Chinthana Kumara and Thiyagarajah P Sammuvel with a purse worth QR15,000 each for their 10-year-long service in the enterprise.  Nasser al-Ali, the company owner, handed over the reward. Tapan Jumar Rai, who hails from Western Development Region of Nepal, came to Qatar in 2010 as construction worker and later got promoted as trade worker. Belonging to a poor family of Nepal, Rai has skills in carpentry and masonry. Mohan Bahadur Thapa landed in Qatar in 2010 to work as a helper and now is an expert in trade work. He has appreciated Nasser al-Ali and has hailed him as a good employer. He says he has gained two things – income and expertise. Hailing from Sri Lanka, Chinthana from a poor family, landed in Qatar in 2010 to work at Nasser al-Ali Enterprises as a helper before he assumed the charge of a carpenter, steel fixer and mason. Due to his hard work, he was able to earn enough to build a new house in an urban area of Sri Lanka for his family. Thiyagarajah also landed in Qatar to work as a helper. But with his employer providing him scaffolding training, he is now perfect in various kinds of the trade category. “I am content with my work, pay and homely environment here which is quite rare anywhere in the world,” said Thiya. Speaking at the award ceremony, Nasser al-Ali encouraged his workers to come to his office as soon as they face any problem. “My door is always open for my workers. I am not their boss. I am their guardian. I talk frankly with my workers and I want them to take good memories of Qatar to their homes.”

There is no doubt that the efforts taken by the students and parents to complete admission and follow-up activities for different courses in the middle of the challenges and complications created by Covid-19 pandemic are highly commendable.  Amidst the current crisis, let us proactively assume that everyone will pay attention to ensure judicious participation in the activities required for curriculum activities and completion of their courses. Though the procedure for the admissions to various institutions this year has caused a lot of uncertainties, let us not forget that this is the time to actively concentrate on the preparation and training for the next academic year’s courses and admissions. It is high time for students studying in Grade 12 to look more cautiously and attentively at the procedures and entrance exams for further study in the finest institutions in India.  The opinion that expatriate students do not make significant entry in institutions of national excellence is quite apparent. A thorough analysis about this matter reveals that there is a lack of awareness and understanding among the expatriate students and parents about the various institutions and admission processes. The students studying in different schools do not seem to be careful enough to prepare for various competitive exams and thereby gain admission in institutions that are known as institutions of national importance. It seems that even parents who are believed to have awareness and understanding are only concerned about popular and general entrance examinations. Students and parents should spare time to identify their aptitude, interests and personality traits, to correlate the suitable courses and institutions matching with them. While there is a possibility for some reforms in the admission procedures and methods, it is the need of the hour to seriously consider and move forward in the right direction by creating a greater awareness and understanding about institutions’ admission procedures. The situation where there is a lack of understanding of the entry procedures and other procedures of important institutions and hence denial of access to them is quite painful. Admission to most of the courses in  leading institutes is done through the entrance examination but it has been noticed that many opportunities are missed due to not paying proper attention to the notification or not being careful to submit the application before the stipulated time frame. Although the Plus Two course under various boards and the general examination are held in the months of February and March, most of the entrance examination notifications are likely to be issued by the end of the previous year itself. The most important thing as far as the competitive and interested students who want to get admission in the best institutions for higher studies in science, commerce, humanities, management and design are concerned is the preparation for the same since the beginning.  Admission to most prominent institutions is through entrance examinations which are being conducted in a systematic way. The fact is that there are around 40 entrance exams for those who are studying in Class 12 in a particular year.  It is often overlooked that there are many competitive/entrance exams that can be applied not only to science students but also to those studying in the humanities and commerce streams. It is essential to have a very clear cut understanding of the time to apply for such entrance examinations, and details related with the examination such as documents to be attached along with the application, the method, syllabus, type of questions etc. It has been commonly seen among expatriate students in recent years that opportunities are denied for competitive examinations due to the inability to organise the required documents from the local government offices in India well in advance. There is a need to handle things easily by avoiding major headaches by having the necessary paperwork ready in advance. Entrance examinations have distinct features which differentiate it from other board examinations. The exams require a thorough knowledge of the subject and the ability to quickly find the most appropriate answers from similar answers in a short period of time, which require proper training and preparation.  It is clear that even academically gifted students are disqualified or lag behind in competitive examinations due to lack of familiarity with these examination methods and lack of proper training. Connect with children of similar interest and opt for joint training, online coaching and crash courses offered by the best institutes.The practical way for students in Grades 9, 10, and 11 is to try to find out what their preferences in advance, and to choose courses that suit their aptitude, interests, and personality traits, and to find the best institutions where such courses are taught and to prepare accordingly. There are many popular online tools available to scientifically identify the aptitude and interest of the students and to proactively help them to select the prospective colleges and courses.  The teachers, parents and educators can play a significant and vital role in preparing children for such an endeavour. Students need to be made aware in the proper manner and to be motivated to pursue their academic journey after taking wise and timely decisions. In this regard, everyone has a responsibility to provide better opportunities for expatriate students who have planned long-term career objectives. (The writer is an engineer by profession and a career guide by passion. He holds a diploma in career guidance and counselling, and is a certified career counsellor. He is associated with CIGI, one of the Indian NGOs which supports students and parents to select the right careers)

Twenty students from Classes 11 and 12 of MES Indian School participated in the voluntary humanitarian initiative launched by Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) at the LuLu branches recently. The objective of the volunteering was to create awareness on donation to support QCS. As part of the assigned task, the volunteering students interacted with customers and encouraged them to buy products from sections exclusively marked in pink as a certain percentage would go as proceeds from such products to QCS, when the QR Code is scanned at the billing counters for an automatic credit of donation. MES is the only school engaged in the cause of supporting the initiatives of QCS even during the pandemic. The volunteering students were honoured with certificates and compliments at a felicitation ceremony organised at the conference hall of the school in recognition of their initiatives. Nisreen Yahya, head of Events and Volunteering Department, QCS and Ammar Ali, Public Relation Co-ordinator, were also present at the ceremony.  Speaking on the occasion, Nisreen expressed her gratitude for the volunteering service of the students and thanked the school for its involvement in the community service. Congratulating the volunteers, Hameeda Kadar, MES principal, encouraged the students to take part in helping the society and to uphold the core values of MES such as care, compassion, achievement, respect and empathy. Jancy Mol Varghese, media co-ordinator, QCS, school officials, and media personnel were also among those present on the occasion. The programme was co-ordinated by the MES team of teachers comprising Rajesh K S, Suchitra Kotian and Jency George.

Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), under the aegis of Embassy of India, recently conducted an online quiz competition – ICC FB Quiz 2020 – related to the Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) life insurance scheme. The quiz competition was conducted on the ICC Facebook page, by posting a question each day for six days and was open to all Indian residents aged 18 years and above. Six winners were randomly selected through an open Zoom meeting by A P Manikantan, ICC president; Mahesh Gowda, ICBF vice president; Vinod Nair, ICC vice president; Bhumeshwar Padala, head of consular services; and Mohsin P, head of affiliation & membership. Nithya G S won the first prize. The second prize went to Shafqat Nabi and Remya Gibin. The third prize was shared by Navas Edukkupara C, Abhishek Gairola and Afsar P V. The winners were awarded with cash prizes and appreciation plaques by the ICC management committee team.

Shantiniketan Indian School (SIS) recently organised the Children’s Day celebration on the virtual platform Zoom.  The event to pay tribute to the first prime minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was planned by the teachers to entertain the children. The short event turned out to be a cultural extravaganza where a collaborative effort of teachers and parents added variety to the programme. The students witnessed an array of events that included skits, live drawing, live music and songs, dances, and a short documentary on the life of Nehru. Principal Dr Subash B Nair congratulated the parents and teachers for exhibiting their exceptional talents and asked the children to be focused and to work hard for achieving their goals.

Eighteen DPS Modern Indian School (DPS-MIS) debaters attended the first season of the EurOpen 2020 organised by Debating Society Germany recently.  The tournament was conducted in two categories and 120 teams with more than 400 speakers from all over the world competed for the title. DPS-MIS teams debated against many national and international teams. DPS-MIS Team-3 consisting of Azhar Jaleel Mohamed from Class-IX-A, Antara Shailesh Alurkar from IX-A, Tianna Priyadarshi Samal from X-I and Sparsh Chowdhary from XI-I bagged the second position in the novice category followed by DPS-MIS Team-5 with Sneha Chandnani from XI-I, Asin Ashraf Ayinikunnan from IX-C, Drishti Tibrewal from IX-E, Vaidehi Rogiye from IX-A in the third position. In the individual category of the novice speakers, Gauri Gupta from X-B won the third position followed by Victoria Honoridez from X-J in 5th, Aryan Dubey from IX-A in 7th, Azhar Jaleel Mohamed from IX-A in 9th, Vaidehi Rogiye from IX-A in 10th, Sparsh Chowdhary from XI-I in 11th, Aarav Bedi from XI-C in 12th, Aina Merchant from XI-A in 13th, Drishti Tibrewal from IX-E in 14th and Antara Shailesh Alurkar from IX-A in the 15th position. In the open category, DPS-MIS debaters earned their place among top 100 speakers. Gauri Gupta and Priyal Dhare tied for 59th position, whereas Jaefar Shameem finished at the 79th position. Along with the debaters, team coach Jaya Majumder was honoured to judge the break rounds until semi-finals.

DPS-Modern Indian School debaters participated in the Qatar Preparatory School Debate League for Girls recently organised online by Qatar Debate and won top positions. Team-1 consisting of Asin Ashraf, Vaidehi Rogiye and Amishi Negi bagged the top place followed by Team-2 with Antara Alurkar, Geetika Yalamanchili and Drishti Tibrewal in the second place and the team of Gargee Kanade, Manjushree Magesh and Anah Merchant secured the fifth place. In the individual category, nine out of 10 debaters earned their place among the top 10 best speakers. Amishi Negi won the first place followed by Anah Merchant in the second place. Drishti Tibrewal, Asin Ashraf and Vaidehi Rogiye shared the third place and Antara Alurkar, Manjushree Magesh, Geetika Yalamanchili and Gargee Kanade tied for the seventh place. DPS-MIS debaters competed against 107 debaters from different schools in three rounds. The swing debaters, Sansriti, Sharvi, Ishita and Izma also gained in-depth knowledge about implementation of the fundamentals of debating. This tournament opened doors of new opportunities for the debaters and helped them work in team spirit, analyse different issues and structure their argumentation and refutation effectively.

DPS-Modern Indian School (DPS-MIS) honoured the high-performing students at the recently held award ceremony.  The board toppers of Grade X and XII and all-round performers of Grade V to IX and XI were felicitated at the ceremony organised virtually. The occasion was graced by Dr Deepak Mittal, ambassador of India to Qatar, as the chief guest. The ceremony was attended by Hassan Chougule, DPS-MIS president; members of DPS-MIS executive committee, Asna Nafees, school principal; vice principals, headmistress, parents and the young achievers. Dr Mittal commended the dedicated efforts of DPS-MIS in moulding and preparing the students to navigate the challenges with determination.  He congratulated the students on their achievements and advised them to remain inquisitive, aim higher, contribute to achieve the dream of New India and to build the world of their dreams. He also urged the future citizens to embrace environmental sustainability and support QNV 2030.  Speaking on the occasion, Hassan Chougule appreciated the high achievers of DPS-MIS. He encouraged the students to think, dream, wonder and innovate, and carry forward the legacy of excellence of their alma mater. In her welcome speech, Asna Nafees thanked the Indian embassy for their support in every endeavour and appreciated their efforts in the smooth conduct of the CBSE board examination 2019-20 during the pandemic. “DPS-MIS believes that excellence is a journey not destination and strives persistently to provide ample opportunities to its students for their holistic development and academic excellence so that they become the trailblazers of tomorrow and contribute positively in the progress of the world,” she said and congratulated the students. She also expressed her happiness for receiving the award of ‘Excellence in Academics’ in the Gulf region on behalf of the students for eight consecutive years. A total of 20 students were awarded with trophies and merit certificates as a hallmark of their all-round performance and five students were bestowed with Kanjani Memorial Award for academic excellence.  The programme was aired live on Facebook and was anchored by Priti Ketanbhai Modi, activity co-ordinator Senior Wing; Chinmayee Pathak, activity co-ordinator for Class VI-VIII; and Sonal Sampath, activity co-ordinator for Class III-V.

Hailing the role of Ayurveda, a top executive of an international forum has urged Indian companies to invest and forge partnerships in Qatar’s nascent alternative medical branch that recently received licence for operations. Speaking at an online event held to celebrate the 5th World Ayurveda Day, Yousif al-Jaber, International Business Delegation Summit chairman, said: “Qatar has recently opened doors for the ancient Indian medical science of Ayurveda. On behalf of IBD members, I encourage investors from India to forge partnerships with Qatari companies.” India’s Ministry of Ayush launched World Ayurveda Day in 2016. Anchor Anu Sharma conducted Qatar’s first global healthcare webinar titled, ‘Ayurvedhodhayam - the Rise of Ayurveda’ organised by Qatarstories. In her opening address, Angeline Premalatha, Indian embassy counsellor, spoke on the efficacy of Ayurveda and thanked the Qatar government for granting license for Ayurvedic doctors to practice in Doha. Ayurvedic and allopathic doctors from Qatar and India spoke on the scope and benefits of the old Indian medical science at the webinar. Representatives from Ayurvedic pharma and a wellness expert shared their experiences and the way forward for this branch of healthcare in India and Qatar. During his presentation on ‘Global Investments in Health Sector’, al-Jaber said: “Qatari companies may think of investing in Ayurvedic companies in India if there is good business model.” Qatar spent QR22bn, around 11% of its budget, for healthcare in 2020, he said while highlighting Qatar’s healthcare initiatives like announcing health insurance for all government employees. Speaking on the Ayurveda Day theme – ‘Ayurveda and Covid-19’ – Dr P M Varier, Kottakkal Arya Vidya Sala chairman, highlighted prevention, control and management of the pandemic. He lauded Qatar for being highly vigilant and said: “Hardcore measures are good for the society”. He mentioned India’s programmes and control measures to check the spread of Covid-19. Longtime Qatar resident Dr Mohan Thomas, chairman of Cochi Medicity and Tourism, spoke on the rising prospects of medical tourism business in India that has grown from $3bn in 2003 to $8bn in 2019. “India offers great medical tourism options in all medical branches, not just Ayurveda,” he said. Dr Rashmi M L, the first Indian Ayurvedic doctor to receive licence to practise in Qatar, hailed the Qatar government for introducing “new complementary medical practice like Ayurveda” in Qatar. “We need to spread awareness about the benefits of Ayurveda in Qatar, especially its preventive aspects because Ayurveda can make an impact on Qatar’s healthcare,” she said. Dr G C Gangadharan, director of Ramayya Ayurvedic Hospital, spoke on the importance of integrative medicine (IM) and stressed its need because of Covid-19. “All modern medical sciences understand the IM language. There are individual efforts, but IM needs institutional support in India,” he said and suggested Ayurveda has to change its form to address the changing dynamics of health issues. Dr Rajiv Vasudevan, managing director of Ayurvvaid Hospital, gave an outline of Qatar’s population and health data. He said Qatar’s current population is around 2.6mn and it grows at 1.7% and 88% of its population comprises expatriates, where 75% are males and 25% are females. Life expectancy is 80 years and 80% of the population is under universal health cover. On death data, he said, “Cardiac issues caused 24% deaths, diabetes (17%) and an alarming 28% because of road accident injuries.” He hoped for regulatory support from Qatar government for importing Ayurvedic medicines from India. Ritika Patni, Singapore-based Ayurveda founder and CEO, spoke on the topic ‘Future and Mental Health Wellbeing’. She highlighted wellness and lifestyle benefits of adapting to Ayurveda as well as yoga, a complementary branch. Dr Ram N Kumar, managing director of Nirogstreet, spoke on using the digital medium to spread awareness and to expand market of Ayurvedic products while speaking on the topic ‘Ayurveda Web Marketing’. Dr D Ramanathan, managing director of Sitaram Ayurveda Speciality Thrissur, gave an overview of the Ayurveda industry while Dr Suresh Kumar of Triveni Nursing Home Trivandrum spoke on entrepreneurship and business development in Ayurveda. Balaji, Qatarstories director, concluded the webinar by thanking participants and the Indian embassy in Qatar.

International School of London (ISL) Qatar took on a whole new dimension of synchronous learning with their unique participation in the Microsoft Global Learning Connection. As the only school in Qatar to engage in an interview with Anthony Salcito as part of the day, Garin Rees and his Grade-1 class were more than a little excited! Minecraft, alongside Microsoft has become synonymous with the magic of creative learning at ISL Qatar. As one of the many dimensions of innovative collaboration, ISL Qatar has taken Minecraft to heart and seen wonderful opportunities to engage with learning from multiple perspectives. Epitomising ‘Open Hearts –Open Minds’ as an integral part of their thinking, the students considered culture, diversity and identity on their learning journey in Grade-1. Creating their own facets of identity using Minecraft as a platform, the class was able to communicate their thinking through collaborative creativity. They were able to craft a world upon which to elevate their own concepts of cultural diversity and identity. More importantly, they were able to share their ideas in real time with their peers and connect with one another. Utilising Microsoft Teams, students also took their ideas to other classrooms around the world and extended their ‘Global Learning Connections’, with Microsoft providing the innovative tools to make this happen.  David Bryan, ISL Qatar’s deputy head, commented on the event: “Our partnership with Microsoft provided us with a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate our student’s mastery within a culture of collaboration; one of the key elements of our mission statement.’’ It was the opportunity for students of Grade-1 to demonstrate their understanding, critical thinking and self-awareness. An opportunity provided by Microsoft  has forged other pathways of learning for the students at ISL Qatar, alongside the creative and innovative energy of our learning community. When students, teachers and parents come together to harness imaginative concepts, it becomes the most powerful expression of learning that we can envisage. As part of the day, the students continued to develop and grow their ideas to share with their peers and the rest of the world. At a time when learning has taken on new perspectives, fresh dimensions and enlightened thinking – ISL Qatar has embraced these elements with aplomb.

A long journey starts with one step. Every adventure starts small. It is very important to have an initiative and keep working towards achieving the set goals. Only perseverance and determination can lead to some accomplishment. Pollution is one of the major universal issues faced by humanity today. The problem can only be solved with gradual and persistence efforts. Plastic has long been polluting oceans endangering marine life. Saving the oceans is not an easy task. To have clean and a healthy occasion, every adventure or effort needs to be counted. Qatar is a place where the awareness regarding pollution is growing and activities to clean up beaches and underwater surfaces are gaining momentum. Khaled Zaki is a PADI certified instructor for underwater diving and an underwater photographer. He has long been associated with beach cleanups in Qatar and now has started underwater cleanup dives encouraging other divers to make every dive a cleanup dive. There is no doubt that plastic and microplastic pollution has been badly affecting the occasions. “It needs to have some positive action and that too now. Efforts have already been underway as many countries have started banning plastic or single-use plastic. We need to do away with use of plastic. It is good to see more and more volunteers getting involved in cleanup activities,” said Zaki, who has been taking part in cleanup dives while working with Project AWARE, a global organisation that takes action to create both local and global change for the ocean and the communities who depend on it. Zaki, who has been a diver for 25 years, motivates divers to take part in underwater cleanup drives. “As a PADI instructor, I have started spreading the word about environment related issues among my friends, colleagues, and students. By only having a little mash bag in your Buoyancy Compensator Devices (BCDs), you can start collecting small plastic bags, mineral water bottle caps, plastic spoons, and couple of cigarette butts. The butts are a toxic plastic pollutant that stay there for ages. It can be eaten by the fish and finally can end up at our eating table.” The environment activist has also been organising underwater cleanup dives in Qatar. “Usually, I announce on my social media pages about the cleanup divers and the areas where we plan to dive. Many divers get together and get into water for adventure as well as for environment. We collect debris and trash from the occasion bed. We usually dive in the Sealine Area where we have three dive sites. “I believe in a future where the ocean no longer needs protection. We exist to connect the passion for ocean adventure with the purpose of marine conservation.” In response to a question about how he seriously got attracted towards cleanup dives, Zaki said: “I have been diving every day for 25 years. I see underwater life and changes in it. I can see both negative and positive changes. When it comes to trash and plastic, it really needs our attention. It has happened a couple of times when I saw fish eating microplastic during my dive. I saw birds eating plastic at the beach and they died. I have also seen marine species get stuck in plastic rings or in waste material. I have also witnessed turtle taking bites of plastic bags. That is why I have decided to light a candle rather than merely complaining about the darkness. I started it with myself making small efforts.” Underlining the need to minimise the use of plastic, the underwater dive master said: “My family and I have started taking reusable bags to supermarkets and refuse using plastic bags. I campaign for clean beaches asking people to clean the area after having a barbecue party. I want authorities to make beach visitors strictly follow the cleanliness rules.” Zaki has won a short video competition recently organised by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and Qatar Photography Society. “The competition was held to support the cause of environment in Qatar. I made a short film on underwater life in Qatar. I was lucky to win the first prize.”

Indian Association of Bihar and Jharkhand (IABJ) Qatar management team recently met Dr Deepak Mittal, ambassador of India to Qatar, in his office and explored the activities of the association.  Their discussions focused on the social and cultural activities of IABJ in Qatar and the ways and means to strengthen co-operation between the Indian workers and the embassy, together with IABJ community members. Xavier Dhanaraj, first secretary at embassy of India, was also present during the meeting. Afroz Ahmad Dawar, IABJ Qatar president, together with IABJ managing committee members briefed the ambassador about the motto, achievements and future plans of the organisation and expressed gratitude to the Indian embassy for all the support to IABJ Qatar and the community. IABJ was founded by people from Bihar and Jharkhand in Qatar and is affiliated with the Indian Cultural Center under the aegis of embassy of India. IABJ is a socio-cultural non-profit organisation functioning in Qatar for  community development and welfare of  people. Sajjad Alam, IABJ chairman; Shakeb Ahsan, patron; Hamid Raza, vice president; Nasim Khan, general secretary; Khalid Hussain, media secretary; and Ranjan Singh and Dr Ekramur Rasheed, IABJ managing committee members; were also present at the meeting.

Dr Deepak Mittal, ambassador of India to Qatar, has said that he wished to be connected with the blue-collar sections of the Indian community in Qatar and offered 24/7 dedication from the embassy.  He was recently addressing the Zoom audience on the conclusion ceremony of the trimester campaign – Post-Covid-19 Expatriation, Comforts and Prospects – organised by Qatar Indian Islahi Centre (QIIC). The ambassador appreciated every member of the Indian community for coming together to take care of the needy during the pandemic.  During the repatriation, everyone came out selflessly and facilitated the process. Dr Mittal plans to look after the welfare of the blue-collar community and to connect with them to understand their issues, so that their needs and requirements may be addressed. H e said: “The embassy is your home; we can work together as a team for those who may need us for consular services, labour and community welfare issues.” Earlier, he discussed with QIIC leaders about the labourers, the jobless and what can be done jointly to alleviate their plight. The ambassador appreciated QIIC for their four decades of community welfare services in Qatar. Dr Mohamed Easa, chairman of the trimester campaign, chaired the webinar and  appreciated the efforts of all. Inaugurating the function, Munavar Ali Shihab Thangal, illustrated how people have changed due to Covid-19.  The gathering was welcomed by Hussain Mohamed U, QIIC President. Basheer Pattelthazham, renowned scholar from Kerala, delivered the keynote address. During the campaign period, the organisers were able to provide food and shelter for the needy, those who became jobless and to those in isolation. They attended 98% of cases of joblessness in co-ordination with the entrepreneurs through the campaign helpdesk, and organised medical support and counselling sessions by leading doctors and experts in India and Qatar. Abdul Raoof Kondotty, member Loka Kerala Sabah, and Dr Mohamed Unni Olakara conducted felicitations.  Abdul Latheef Feroke proposed the vote of thanks. Mohamed Muneer Mankada, QIIC vice president, compered the event, which began with Qur’an recitation by Azza Hisham.

Senior boys of DPS Modern Indian School (DPS-MIS) topped the Qatar School Debate League-I for Boys, which was hosted online via Discord recently. As many as 96 speakers, 32 teams and 27 different institutions from all over Qatar participated enthusiastically. DPS-MIS team – Aarav Bedi, Sparch Choudhary, and Sajish Varghese – topped the tournament followed by the team of Jaefar Shameem, Azhar Mohamed, Aryan Dubey in the second position. Pratyush, Aritra Ghosh, Vidit Dalal came third. In the individual category as well, top positions were secured by DPS-MIS debaters. Jaefer and Sparsh were tied at the top spot followed by Pratyush in third, Azhar, Aaarav, Vidit, Sajish and Aritra in seventh and Aryan in 15th position. The tournament consisted of three rounds ranging from topics related to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement to ‘Energy Conservation’ and ‘Pooling Donation from Charities’. The three motions gave a deep insight and understanding of the burning issues of the world. All in all, it was a fun-filled and enriching experience for everyone. “The tournament definitely helped the debaters enhance their experience in the field of debate”, said Asna Nafees, DPS-MIS principal.

Birla Public School (BPS) recently hosted the Virtual Vista 2020, an inter-school competition on Zoom. A P Sharma, BPS principal, and Rajesh Pillai, vice principal (co scholastic), inaugurated the initiative. The event focused on changing the tempo of the students from curricular to co-curricular activities. There were four major categories for the students from Grade-I to XII, two for the primary school and one for the middle and senior section each.  A host of events comprising quiz, speech, music, and art competitions were included. Different topics portrayed culture and heritage of both Qatar and India and the Qatar National Vision 2030. Students from various Indian schools in Qatar participated and showcased their talents.  Nearly 200 students were part of the virtual competition. The quiz, show and tell, and speech contestants were livestreamed on Zoom. Entries for painting, music, and poster making were received by the host school and judged accordingly. The school also included a painting competition for SEN students in keeping with the inclusive policy of CBSE. The leadership team at BPS encouraged the participants with their motivating address. Jalees Bukhari, co-scholastic co-ordinator, and the team of the Virtual Vista were instrumental in hosting and organising the competitions. The results for the various competitions will be announced tomorrow.

Members of the Student Council Primary-II of Birla Public School (BPS) were sworn in for the academic session 2020-21 at an investiture ceremony held on Zoom.  The inductees included head boy, head girl, prefects, house captains and house vice captains. The proceedings of the function commenced with the school prayer by Rasika Somalinga Ganesh and Mohamed Abdul Muqsit, followed by Qatar and Indian national anthems.  Bhayatri Pillai, co-ordinator of Primary-II, welcomed the school management committee members namely, Gope Shahani, chairman; Maria Thomas, vice chairman; Lukose Chacko, C V Rappai, Dr Mohan Thomas, directors; Chindu Anthony Rappai, committee representative; well-wishers, teachers and parents. Gope Shahani, BPS chairman, said: “Leadership does not depend on age, it’s a state of mind and actions inspire others to dream high by taking more responsibilities.”  A P Sharma, BPS principal, congratulated the young leaders. He urged the leaders to be responsible. The Student Council 2020-2021 Primary-II members are Aditya Nithin, head boy; Natasha Padman, head girl; Ramin Ferhad, school sports captain; Johanna A Jomon, school sports vice-captain; Mysha Fathima, Srijan Dhanraja, Ryan Geo, Md. Khaja Mohiuddin, house captains of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune respectively; Jovaena Tijo Thattil, Aliana Ros Shaju, Meenakshi Das, Evelyn Ann Georgie, house vice captains; Tanaya Remesan Nambair, Alphonsa Sibi, Hanin Ranees, Abel Marphy, prefect academics; Myeisha Mendes, Md. Zohan Shinil, Ishaan Dinesh Hebbar, Anagha Biju Pillai, prefect Qatar national identity; Keshav Jayamohan, Preksha Prashant Mannur, Varsha Sudarsan, Swarnika Thankaraj, prefect sustainable development goals; Joshua Anil Thomas, Muadh Ibn Sameer, Aeryn Elizabeth, Fathimathul Bathul, prefect sports; and Theresa Rose Tanin, Aiza Manal, Adarsh Bijo Philip, Nakul Shajimarar, prefect cultural activities. The principal administered the oath to the new office-bearers.  Parents of students’ council members invested the badges. Bhavna V S, section head and vice principal CBQED, extended her support and guidance to the team. Rajesh Pillai, vice principal co-scholastic, was the guiding force with ideas for effective functioning of the ceremony. Radhika Rele, vice principal academics, along with middle leaders were present on the occasion and congratulated the new members. Sushmitha C George and Binila Susan Oommen, teachers from Department of English, compered the programme. The vote of thanks was proposed by Supriya, co-ordinator for Grade III.

In its continuing endeavour to promote science and knowledge sharing, Science India Forum Qatar (SIF-Q) recently conducted its 10th webinar. The topic was ‘Microbiome and Nutrition’ for school teachers. Dr Arvind Ranade, scientist with Vigyan Prasar – Department of Science & Technology – Government of India, graced the occasion as the chief guest. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ranade highlighted the importance of nutrition and its relevance in present times. He also lauded the efforts of SIF-Q in conducting a series of webinars to promote the exchange of scientific knowledge for capacity building among the teaching faculty. The guest speaker was Dr Rashmi Kulkarni, who holds a doctorate in molecular genetics from the Ohio State University and specialises in developmental genetics.  With her research experience as a molecular biologist and evolutionary genetics expert in unravelling functions of non-coding RNAs on metastatic vs non-metastatic breast cancer at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, she kept the audience engrossed with an in-depth talk on the topic of ‘How human are we? Our microbiome and nutrition’. Dr Rashmi explained the concept of microbiomes in the human body and how it is uniquely defined for each individual depending on various factors such as genetics, environment and nutrition.  She elucidated the relation between certain gut microbiota and the various diseases arising out of it, due to the lack of those microbiomes. She expounded the theory of how a good diet could help balance the diversity of gut microbiome to give a healthier life. She encouraged healthy eating by emphasising the concept of ‘eat a rainbow’. The highly informative presentation ended with a question-and-answer session and was followed with closing remarks by Dr Ranade. The webinar was well attended with over 100 teachers from Qatar. Parents and students also joined the session through live streaming on the YouTube channel of SIF-Q.

DPS-Modern Indian School (DPS-MIS) recently conducted the intra-school Arabic and Urdu handwriting competition and the Holy Qur’an recitation competition for students of Class-I to VIII, with an aim to promote better understanding of the vibrant Arabic culture and its inherent religious values.  The competitions, initiated by Department of Arabic, Urdu and Islamic Studies, were held online using MS Teams and Zoom platforms. All the competitions saw an enthusiastic participation from the students. After the audition round, six to eight students from each class were selected for the final rounds of the Holy Qur’an recitation competition. The final rounds with 31 shortlisted students from classes I to IV and 26 students from classes V to VIII were held on separate days.  It was a good experience to see and hear the children reciting different Surahs with respect, enthusiasm and perfection. The final events were graced by Siraj Ahmed, chief judge; Yasir Nainar, DPS-MIS vice-president; and Asna Nafees, DPS-MIS principal. The best three reciters from each class were awarded  e-certificates. The event was livestreamed on the official Facebook page of the school. The Arabic and Urdu handwriting competitions were conducted for classes III to VIII. It was heartening to see children writing with ease and precision in the early stage of learning the languages.  Three best entries from each class were selected for the first three positions and the winners were given e-certificates.

KEF Toastmasters recently conducted the finale of the Speechcraft session for members of Anjuman Institute of Technology & Management Alumni Qatar (AITMAQ) and Coastal Qatar.  Speechcraft is a toastmasters’ programme for non-toastmasters to help improve their communication and leadership skills. The success of the final Speechcraft session was demonstrated by the speech crafters who took up all the roles and executed it like any other toastmasters’ meeting. There were eight sessions in total. Special commendation was made for Neshi Kumar Arimbil, Area 15 director, who took all efforts as the Speechcraft co-ordinator to make the programme a success. He was assisted by a team of assistant co-ordinators from KEF Toastmasters and Excel Toastmasters clubs. The Speechcraft programme also resulted in the chartering of a new club – AITMAQ Toastmasters under Area 15, Division D, District 116 Qatar. The sponsoring clubs are KEF Toastmasters and Excel Toastmasters. Babu M K and Pradip Sadiye are the club sponsors and the club mentors are Neshi Kumar and Bindu Pillai. The finale was also attended by Manzoor Moideen, District 116 programme quality director; Rajesh V C, club growth director. The keynote speech – Leadership Is Influence – was delivered by Joseph Stanley. An educational module was presented by Raghavan Menon, immediate past District director. Neshi Kumar, Area 15 director, conducted the induction of all the members online. Abdalla Hamdan , Division D director, conducted the installation of the executive committee. The guest speaker on the occasion was Nishad Azeem, founder and CEO of Coastal Group, and he enlightened the speech crafters and fellow toastmasters on ‘Effective Communication at work’.