Newsletter July 2024

Newsletter July 2024 by Rishona Chopra

The Lost Heritage - Amardeep Singh

Learning Forward with Amardeep Singh is the co-founder of Lost Heritage Productions and the Oneness In Diversity Research Foundation.

‘Lost Heritage Productions’ is a Singapore-based visual media production house led by a Singapore-based couple, Amardeep Singh and Vininder Kaur. It is focused on research and documentation of forgotten legacies.

Born in Gorakhpur, Amardeep Singh attended The Doon School. He studied Electronics Engineering at the Manipal Institute of Technology and Masters in Business Administration at the University of Chicago, USA. He now lives in Singapore. Having worked in the Financial Services sector for 25 years, he has led the Asia Pacific Region at American Express for Revenue Management of the Credit Card business.

Since 2014, he has dedicated himself to visual ethnographic research. He has authored two books, ‘Lost Heritage, The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan’ and ‘The Quest Continues: Lost Heritage, The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan’. He has also made a few documentary films on the remnants of the Sikh legacy remnants in Pakistan.

Amardeep has led a cross-border team to create a 24-episode docuseries, “Allegory, A Tapestry of Guru Nanak’s Travels, " available on www.TheGuruNanak.com.

Guru Nanak glided across distant lands for over two decades on a selfless pursuit. He engaged in philosophical and social dialogue to relate with people of diverse cultures and belief systems. Through words and music, he gracefully imparted experiential insights, fearlessly challenged the binary constructs of society, and relentlessly opposed gender, religious, racial and class inequalities.

The work put forth by Mr Amardeep and his team is truly inspirational. Guided by Guru Nanak’s philosophy and inspired by historical texts, “Allegory, A Tapestry of Guru Nanak’s Travels", a 24-episode docuseries, sequentially presents the life events of Guru Nanak.

Tune into this beautiful conversation where Anvesha is conversing with our guest, Mr. Amardeep Singh. Listen to this meaningful and engaging discussion where Mr Amardeep explains the purpose behind his endeavours, dwells upon the beauty of taking up such journeys and contemplates the effect of this magic upon the followers of Guru Nanak. Trace along with us as we travel the same path, turning the stones unturned.

Thank you, Anvesha and Saikiran from Gyanshree School at Noida, India.

Why do we need Determination in our lives? - Reflections 26th Feb 2023

Yes, Determination is essential in our lives because the word determination itself says the essence of increasing the same chances to be successful in what you want to achieve. It could be an aim of your life or a particular thing you want to achieve. For me, Determination means being motivated and only losing hope once unless you reach what you want and have faith in yourself.

Once you are determined and have faith in yourself, hundreds of obstacles may come your way and can't stop you from achieving your goal. So at last, I say that, according to my having, a determination is essential; otherwise, we can give up things quickly, but once you are determined, you will try your best to achieve that.

Mishu Gupta

When I think of determination I see it as the strong desire or will to do something or accomplish a thing which someone wishes to do. A dream or goal of a person is only fulfilled and hard work comes when one is determined towards one's goal or dream. Determination makes a person more interested and focus towards achieving his goal. Nothing would distract or obstruct a determined person from achieving his dream. 

All successful people have achieved success as determination has played a huge role in their lives. No one can stop a determined person and can never put them down. Even the motivational speakers have always mentioned that determination is very important to achieve something. Determination is something which comes from within and it never comes through forcing or punishing someone. No dream is fulfilled in life without determination , it is the most important part for achieving or doing something.

Shristi Khulal

By having a determination one can achieve anything in life but , one must also have a intrest on what you are doing. If we forcefully try to put our determination on the work in which we are not interested then it will ruin our life and if we put our determination on the work in which we are really interested then it will surely lead to sucess 

In life we need to have determination as without the willing of doing something one can never achieve success. Determination helps us to keep moving forward in life. Are determined to do something, then the way to success is automatically created. It is very important to have determination in life to reach success and to achieve anything in life.

Tenzin Jambey

All reflections are from

Pestalozzi Children's Village India

Poll commissioned at The Sunday School by Jugjiv Sir.

Joy Of Learning @ Kalinga Literary Festival

Sandeep Dutt is an Advisor to the KFL and was invited as a speaker. In conversation what Geetika Kohli, he speaks about life, times and how we thrive in life with the #JoyOfLearning. 

The link to the video on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/live/jSj94W-q4LU

The literary extravaganza, a spectacular range of language diversity in the programme, participation of 10 countries and over 25 languages. Over 500 speakers from various nationalities and recipients of major awards such as the Nobel, the Booker, International Booker, the Sahitya Akademi and many more.

Featuring a range of themes, including the ongoing climate justice debate under the urgency of borrowed time theme, the great women writers and artists focusing on the female voice and identity, crime fiction, memoir, translation, poetry, economics, tech morality and Artificial Intelligence, the global crisis, cutting-edge science, India and the world, art and photography, health and medicine, amongst others.

Every year, the festival brings together a diverse mix of the world’s greatest writers, thinkers, humanitarians, politicians, business leaders, sports people and entertainers on one stage to champion the freedom to express and engage in thoughtful debate and dialogue. The Kalinga Literary Festival has hosted nearly 2500 speakers and performers and welcomed book lovers worldwide since its inception in 2013.

Celebrities from literature, cinema, media and politics will assemble in the temple city of Odisha to deliberate on the “India and the World” theme at the Kalinga Literature Festival in Bhubaneswar from February 24-26. Acclaimed writers from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Japan, the UK, Italy, South Africa, and Austria to the festival.

"I was foolish when..." - Reflections from The Sunday School 23rd Jan 2023

"Before sharing my experience, I would like to apologise to all the readers who might or can feel wrong about this statement. 

I am a big fan of k-pop and would explain to my family about each member from different Bands and entertainment. I used to feel very bad when someone I was close with fought with me about all this. My family would tell me that no matter how much I watched their videos, they would not know me. I didn't realise how badly it affected my studies until I did horribly in my exams. After I showed the result to my grandparents, they worried about me being inspired by the k-pop idols after I had sincerely thought about myself on the roof. I wondered why my family would tell me not to see the things I like unless and until that would make me enter the world of fantasy instead of where I belong. I also wondered, Why am I not like the old mini-me, the real me. The extroverted and funny part of me was all I missed. That was the last time I promised my family that I would listen to k-pop songs, but a little less, I mean a lot lesser than before & to score well in my academics the way I did back then.

PS: I would like to apologise if anyone in the readers felt terrible about it. After all, it is my life experience..."

Tenzing Dhekyong N

"There is a saying that no one, no one in this world, is perfect. Counting from rich to poor, young to old, and from man to man, no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes but,
There are also some foolish mistakes which you make. I have made countless mistakes in my life from my childhood till now. But those were the mistakes which I made unintentionally. I made a foolish mistake; childhood was fun, and I  liked playing. I often used to go to play without informing my parents. My mother would tell me to inform her before going anywhere. Even after I knew I had to seek permission before going anywhere, I never did that. Once, I got a nice beating from mom for being like this. I don't know whether I should say it was my foolish mistake or my young mind." 

Tenzin Jambey

"Mostly, I didn't study every day. I used to look at the last moment when the examination is almost started. When I told myself to study, I always told myself that I had enough time to sleep and play, and I always felt lazy to study. It was my loss, I knew, but I always told myself I would start studying tomorrow, but I never did that. Tomorrow never came, so when the examination came, I could not complete my syllabus and even once got fewer Marks in history. After that, I finally realised that I was marking a fool of myself only. Now I do study whenever I got the free time. I feel energised to study". - Nirusha Limbu  

"I make a fool of myself by trusting someone who is not trustable, believes them and tells me all secrets and also shares my personal things without knowing it is right to trust them or not, and without thinking, if the person is trustable or I should share that person my secrets or not..." - Soniya Mishra. 

"Foolish means I think it is showing a lack of good sense. I think we can be fooled by anyone, so in my option, we shouldn't trust everyone very fast. We should take time to know that person, his or her habit, nature, and personality. Only then should we trust them. I think foolishness can be both negative and positive; for example, some people fool their friends or relatives as a joke or to see the reaction of the person being a fool. This is positive. But negatively, foolish is kind of brainless, senseless, rash, dumb etc., like, e.g., "She is foolish," shows like that person is insulting another person. 

I have also been fooled by my friends and brother so many times, but that day I still remember when I was fooled by my brother. During summer vacation, we all were together and having lunch. Then my brother started talking about me and making fun of me by saying that yesterday night when I was sleeping, I kicked off the blanket, and it fell. Then I woke up in a deep sleep; after that, I picked up the blanket and again fell back to sleep. He told me I did the same thing more than 5 times, and then my parents started laughing at me and making fun of me, and even I laughed at myself. I felt embarrassed. And I got angry, but after a few minutes, he said he was just making me foolish to see my reaction. But it was funny and also a kind of amusement. I was stupid to believe him".  - Smriti Rai.

"Hiding a mistake from someone older than us, even after knowing about it,  is bigger than it is. Once when I was about 5 to 6 years old, I went on a morning walk with my youngest brother, who was about 2 years old, and some friends. I was so busy with my friends that I forgot about my brother. When I went back home, my mother asked me about my brother. I was so scared that I lied to my mother and never took him out with me. That was my foolish mistake because anything would have happened to my brother, and I would be guilty and sad about my life." - Monika Singh Pundir. 

“The only thing we can do is better…no one is perfect. We all come with mistakes and have done foolish things, and it makes for a better story too. Be humbled by your past and learn to be better from there on”. - Januka Basnet. 

"It is rightly said that "No one in this world is perfect except for the Almighty." We all have made many mistakes and will continue to make many more. Mistakes not only allow us to improve but also help in making a version better of ourselves. We try to overcome them, learn from them and move on with our lives. Many of the mistakes we make in our daily life are neither intentional nor deliberate. It happens naturally or accidentally since we all are imperfect, and it is human nature to make mistakes. I have conducted plenty of mistakes, most of them rather too silly. Therefore, it is tough for me to think of a fault which was not at all foolish or brainless. 

In the end, I would like to quote a line from an unknown author who said, "Once you realise there is life after mistakes. You gain self-confidence that never goes away." With this, I come to the end of my piece of work. Hope you enjoyed it?" - Tenzin Norsang.

"Like everyone makes mistakes, I have also made many many which were foolish in my life. Those mistakes taught me many things, and I learned from them. Those mistakes also include my childhood memories.

I would like to share one of the incidents from my childhood. When I was 6 to 7 years old. My parents always told me not to touch the lighter that was kept in the kitchen. I was inquisitive about using it because whenever my parents used to light the fire, I found it fascinating. One day when my parents were busy with work, I took the lighter from the kitchen and tried to use it on the dry hay kept near our house. I was so happy that I could also light a fire with the lighter. I didn't realise that the fire grew big as it was dry hay. Somehow my father saw smoke and came running. He hurriedly put water from the tap which was nearby. He was furious. I got terrified. He scolded me, and I started crying. I never tried to disobey my parents from that day." - Shristi Khulal.

"For me, foolish means to believe whatever other people tell me. Back then, I was so silly that I always thought of them. Once upon a time, when I was young, my friends and I played in our school. We played a game named hide and seek, which we used to play every day. But once it was my turn to search for them, they all went towards a very dense forest, and I went to search for them there, but they were not there because they all were hiding in a big tree and I could not find them.

Once, they fooled me into thinking that there was a ghost who eats human beings. I was searching for them, but suddenly I remembered what they had told me; I started running from there and they made terrifying voices simultaneously. Later on, when I was unable to run, I started crying, and then they all came out and took me from there and later told me that they all made me a fool. There was no ghost at all. Later, I laughed while writing this." -  Manisha Rana.

Pestalozzi Children's Village India

What I fear the most... Tenzing Dhekyong N

Reading Chapter 32 - Human Quality: Preparedness

"What I fear the most is the scare of the darkness. So generally, many people are scared of the dark. I have been wondering about those creepy things repeatedly during my childhood, so that's why I had a fear inside me of ghosts. I still am scared of a ghost, but I try to overcome them by thinking of funny movements which have happened today". 

Tenzing Dhekyong N
Pestalozzi World Children's Village

The Diary Of A Paper - Rishona Chopra

Dear Diary,  

I hope you have a day full of colours and joy because I do not have one! I was being made in the factory just yesterday, enjoying my life and relaxing until they put me in the suffocating packing of plastic. Goodness, it is so difficult to breathe; I think I might die!! I can't wait for someone to buy and get me out of the suffocating packing. Oh, there goes a customer! Yes, you please do pick me up!! And yes, that little girl achieved quite a difficult task, didn't she? 

________________________________________________________________________

Dear Diary,

I am out of that plastic packaging, finally!! It's a day to celebrate and enjoy. That young girl is so lovely. She even threw that plastic packaging in the dustbin! I bet she understood my pain and threw him as punishment. I can't wait to draw and paint with those bright colours. 

________________________________________________________________________

Dear Diary,

It's been two days, and the girl hasn't put a single stroke of colour on me. She just comes to look at me, draws a little and goes away. At least, she should place me in front of a mirror so I can see what she is making on me. I learned a few things about her - She has a family, one sister and two brothers. The girl's name is Lily, and her brothers' names are John and Alvin, just like Alvin and the chipmunks! The brothers are naughty but cute. Her sister's name is Sara, and she is truly a sweetheart! Seeing her just makes my day. I hope Lily is creating a masterpiece for me; I am missing the beauty of those colours!

________________________________________________________________________

Dear Diary,

It's been about 6 days, and she has finally put a little colour on me. Her painting should be good after all that waiting I did. I pray every day that she puts me in front of a mirror. I really want to see myself!

__________________________________________________________________________

Dear Diary,

Sorry, I haven't written to you in a while; I have been swamped. Turns out, the girl did make a masterpiece. I am in the museum of arts, and several people look at me and embrace my beauty. I am famous now! This was quite a journey from plain paper to a masterpiece. One thing I learnt on the trip was that patience is always beneficial. Life is a journey. Every day has a different beat to it. Life unfolds itself. It's a journey we can't force.

___________________________________________________________________________

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

When I see a glass half full... - Rishona Chopra

When I see a glass half full, at first, I think the glass is half empty. Instead of looking at the positive side, I look at the negative side by saying that the glass is half empty. It's very catchy, isn't it? Always look at the negative side of every situation.  

Little things in life make a difference. When I see a glass half full, I always try to change my thoughts by thinking that the glass is half full, not half empty. Little exercises prepare you for big ones. Slowly by slowing when we learn to control our negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones, we attain mindfulness. Whenever you think of something negative, try to change it to the opposite. Slowly you will get used to it, and the positive side of every situation will be pretty straightforward. 

The most important part of this glass is that it is refillable, whether half full or empty.

Rishona Chopra 
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

The Art Of Focus - Rishona Chopra

 
A book with stories that will take you miles,

It will bring you a smile,

With stories that display values and fun,

To them, I would say thanks a ton!
A piece of advice,
That will make you think twice,
Trust me, it is truly so nice!
With values like compassion,
I could never forget my passion,
Stories filled with love and care,
Stories to be shared.
Teaching us about the meaning of spirituality,
Bringing us to reality.
The Art Of Focus is worth a read,
These stories will fulfil your need.
Come here at the Sunday Session,
This book will calm your aggression!

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

The Art of Storytelling - Rishona Chopra

Storytelling ain't something everybody can do,

You need some content and rhythm too!

A little music with some effects,

Everything should be set and perfectly correct.

Just add some feelings,

The story could be lovely, so it works like healing!

Just add some voice modulation and thought,

So it stays in people's minds as if it was taught.

The story could have a moral,

Or a quarrel.

All you need to do is hook the audience,

By being a little more patient!

Like in a movie theatre where people feel the water splash,

Hook them with your words, so they clap with a clash.

Make people feel like they were in the story

Make them feel all happy with glory.

The fundamental trick is just to feel the theme,

And the story will come out like a beautiful dream!

Along with storytelling, we need to be good listeners too,

We need to understand the story and try our best to reflect too.

If you know how to tell a story,

Make one yourself and tell me the story quickly!

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Teachers Travel with You All Your Life - Anvesha Rana

        " A Good Education can change anyone, but a Good Teacher can change everything. "

When we go to school, we go with the mindset to learn whatever is taught but seldom do we ponder upon the lives of those who come with the vision to give others as much knowledge as possible, our teachers. A Teacher is a crucial part of any child's development, and they play a vital role in success. Wherever I am standing today, it is all because of my parents and teachers, who never gave up on me and constantly encouraged me to walk forward and never look back again. 

Since childhood, I have always felt connected to all my teachers and share a special moment with each one. I cannot describe it accurately in words but simply say that My Teachers are the Best. A few instances where my teachers are still travelling with me are: 

When I was young, I loved art and would almost draw anything in sight. One day when I went to the fruit market with my mother, I had set my eyes upon a green apple, and it was the first time that I had seen an apple other than red, so this was really amusing for me. The next day at the art class, when we were asked to draw an apple, I drew a Green Apple! All the other kids were doing red, but I was confident that Apples were also green. When our art teacher came to inspect our work, she looked at my drawing and asked about it, so I told her that I had seen green Apples. To my surprise, my teacher agreed and even praised me for my creativity; a phrase that she had said at that time makes sense to me now 'Art Has No Rules.'

Listen to the podcast

Many other occasions have taught me lessons for life, and those are the learnings that I carry forward. Teachers are critical to me because I am who I am because of them.

Thank You, Sandeep Sir, for being the most creative teacher I have met.
Thank You, Brinda ma'am, for being the most dedicated educator.
Thank You, Sunita ma'am, for motivating me to indulge in language.
Thank You, Mahvesh, ma'am, for laying the foundation stone and constantly guiding me.
Thank You, Akanksha ma'am, for making lifelong geography learning.
Thank you, Supriti ma'am, for always being there no matter what.

Thank You to all my teachers who have always promoted Learning for Life!

Anvesha Rana
Grade 10-B
Gyanshree School
Intern at My Good School

The School Bell - Simar Kaur

It is bizarre how a school bell can affect one’s mood regularly. The first bell of the day is accompanied by yawns, people rubbing their eyes, cranky comments, and excitement for a new day (which is rare in my case). Ah, the first class is sports. The most beloved classroom is the playground, where there are no rules. You don’t have to stay quiet or tire your hand while making notes when surrounded by the beautiful green grass. I perceived it as starting the day with an ounce of freedom until you get trapped in the strict regimentation as you enter through the large doors. 

It is hard to sit down and study right after having an intense sweating session on the ground (which is very true for me since I sweat a lot). As soon as the bell rings, I go upstairs with the rest of the school and sit at my desk panting, drinking water and coughing. That was how I used to follow the bell and get myself prepped for the studying sessions which were to follow. 

When I had maths and physics, I sighed, made a face, and moved on. And in English, painting and computers I used to be excited unless I forgot the equipment at home. To put it in a nutshell, I think nothing besides the school bell has been able to alter my mood so quickly and efficiently. I mightn’t have learnt a life lesson because of the bell, but the fact that it makes the school building feel alive with pleasure or, at times, sadness makes the school, school for me. After two years of frustrating mobile alarms, the school building is alive again, and so is the bell! Simar Kaur Grade X Gyanshree School

Freedom - Samaira Gupta

“Freedom means self-determination. Freedom is not just what makes dreams come true; it makes dreams possible. Freedom is essential because it leads to enhanced expressions of creativity and original thought, increased productivity, and overall high quality of life. 

Freedom for me is art. I can do art whenever I want. It's like I am inhaling the colours and exhaling them on the canvas.

Name: Samaira Gupta

Grade: 5C

Billabong High International School, Thane

Art: My Passion My Life - Ushita Saxena

 

Art is very important. It helps in anxiety, stress and keeps you calm. It makes life more manageable, tolerable and enjoyable. It also enhances your drawing skills. Art in any form, whether while creating or observing, makes you feel good. By letting you enjoy a sense of fulfilment, it turns you into a more positive person. Here is my personal experience-

Once I was stressed because I was worried that I wouldn’t submit an essential assignment in time. So my Mom suggested doing some drawing. I doubted her but then started to do it. I looked it up and saw something to draw. As I drew, I felt calmer, and my nerves began to settle. After an hour, I had finished my drawing. It looked pretty good! Soon, I completed my assignment correctly and beautifully and submitted it. My Mom was very happy.

Art is my meditation. It helps me express myself, and it makes me feel more confident.

Ushita Saxena, Gyanshree School, 5A