Human mind is a powerful tool Which can evoke vivid memories and take you back, emembering and feeling blessed and blissful, in the years gone by. This is what happened on 23rd April 2015 when we, the Mothers Blossoms, all gathered at the school to help  conduct the Talent Fiesta for the children of the Mother’s International School.

This day, 25 years back, I had finished with my boards and was gearing up for my Pre- edical Tests. All of my batchmates were  looking forward to admissions in various universities. And today, after 25 years, having done with all the necessary learning, and kind-of-settled in our life, I turned  up at the MIS gates, reliving the feeling that each one of us sharedwithour school.

We started the day by giving a piece of the yummy ashram cake to all the children exiting from the newly built auditorium. So much has changed in the school…. new areas, new building, new swings, new teachers, new principal, yet so much still seemed the same. Pillay ma’am, Tara Didi, Gulshan sir, peon Mohan and many more are still there and somehow give a feeling that nothing much has changed. Even the principal’s room retained the simplicity with its sparse and simple furniture. The Ashram still evokes the spiritual connect, something which probably no other school in India does.

It was really good to see so much enthusiasm among the participating students. There were 16 events, separately for juniors and seniors, with events like advertisement designing, logo designing, tattoo making, bottle/glass or tile painting, card designing, cartoon sketching, Indian classical dance, Indian vocal music and their western counterparts, short story writing , ad-zap, best out of waste, bulletin express, web designing, salad making and most popularof all, with about 140 participating groups – the snack making contest. It was like life coming back to full circle when I realised that it’s my wife Deepti who will be judging the snacks making contest, with only 1 more judge to help her. Loved it even more when children pestered Deepti to taste their snacks and looked eagerly for favourable comments, just as I have to do at home whenever she prepares a new dish and I have no option but to give a thumbs-up to it. Seeing the technology center was  a nice change. From a single room having x 386` sterminals hooked to a server, it has now transformed into a mini IT centre with young kids trying out their skills into designing marvellous things.

There was one noticeable change.  Inspite of being in the education industry and lamenting the fact that  the present education system is going haywire, the teachers not doing enough ,  blah, blah…felt that kids today are more creative and confident. They have become risk  takers by exploring new career avenues and not just getting struck with being doctors or engineers.  Also loved the summer dress of the students. The girls appeared more groomed and the boys…well, er, a bit less. Maybe the boys’ unkempt looks have more to do with the`  rebel-break the rule` image.

Whatever said and done, today’s kids are really HAPPY when they are at school, especially the junior  ones. So were we. we. Then and even now!

Written by Dr Sandeep Ahlawat