Assam Valley Express 7_Sept_2010

A V E

Vol. V ol. IV Issue 25

Established: 1995

Tuesday, 7th September , 2010

PHOTOGRAPH: KARKEN BADO, XII

ON TEACHERS’ DAY...

I REMEMBER THE DAY I FIRST SAW THE CHALK

leave a trail on the blackboard, in shapes that seemed foreign to me. My curiosity was mercilessly beaten by shyness and confusion… bullies that have always harassed me, but it was

you who had shooed them away. From then on, and up to now, you have always chased away the demons for me. There have been moments when I have faltered and you have held my hand; moments when I have lost your advice into oblivion, yet you have always looked at me with patience in your eyes.

I have been tedious and I have complained, very often, I have been erratic and I have been disrespectful. I often wilted under failure…yet it was you who pulled me back on my feet countless number of times, dusted my clothes, told me to go back and fight and then, gave me the certainty that you would always be there if I should ever fall again.

Few promises are kept.

Yours has been one of them.

Thank you, my teacher.

Nandini Das, X 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 YOU DO US PROUD 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 Sayuj Jain has entered the semi-finals of India’s Got Talent and Teji Toko will perform 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 at the quarter-final round on the 10th.

123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 Bedashree Choudhary and Aidan Nongrum were adjudged the best swimmers in the 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 Men’s and the Women’s Category at the 7th Meghalaya Open Swimming Competition.

123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 In the All-Assam State Shooting Championship, Snehankita Borah won the bronze and 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 Melanie Pariat, the silver medals for the 10m air pistol Sub-Junior Category. Anushika Paul (Sub123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 Junior, air pistol), Shaunak Shokey (10m air rifle, Sub-Junior) and Mr. Chandresh Shah also qualified 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 in their respective categories.

123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 Alumnus Obja Borah Hazarika has secured the highest marks in the 2010 MA Politics 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 from JNU and has been accepted for an M. Phil in the American Centre at JNU. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789

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REACHING FOR THE STARS AVS’ TRYST WITH NASA

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t is said that great opportunities come knocking at the door only once in a while, and when they do, we should seize them. The twelve of us did just that, and took the road all the way to the US Space Camp and Rocket Center at Huntsville, Alabama. On the 28th of July, Bhavana Nath, Kezleen Kholie, Nizika Sorokhaibam, Gurpreet Singh Sethi, Shubhashish Dasgupta, Rweetom Baruah, Aman Agarwala, Luching Sorokhaibam, Simran Agarwal, Manjaree Jain, Dhruvi Gupta and yours truly, along with the Head of Curriculum 1

Development, Dr. Kuljeet Singh, left for an educational visit to NASA. After our arrival at New York City, where we spent two days and three nights, we headed for the much awaited NASA Space Camp, on the 1st of August. This program was held in the premises of the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It was a six-day programme in which we had the opportunity of undergoing an intensive training in three main tracks – Space Track, Robotic Track and Aviation Track.

Every morning we were woken up by a

Weekly Newsletter of The Assam Valley School

seconds! Trainees experience a real lift-off and then experience weightlessness for two or three seconds!

The G-Force Accelerator, which was as large as a room, spins to create G-Forces, where the trainees experience three times their body weight, just the way astronauts do during a lift-off!

Scuba Diving was yet another wonder for those in the Advanced Space Academy group. Trainees were expected to practise missions underwater (as deep as 24 ft!) just the way an astronaut would before he went to space. Apart from the missions, the programme also The space hitch-hikers at the Graduation Ceremony included fun games like underwater basketball, building blocks, fixing counsellor at 6:30 am. After breakfast, we would satellites and so on. Hence, at the Space Camp, get ready for the day and would continue with it was apparent that students don’t just hear about our schedule until 10:00 pm at night. what astronauts do, they do what astronauts do!

The programme involved participation in Our six days of training finally came to an realistic, interactive shuttle missions, where we, end on the 6th of August with the prestigious the trainees, had to work together to launch a Graduating Ceremony where certificates were shuttle to the International Space Station. We given to us to mark the completion of the had to complete experiments that approximate programme. It was a memorable moment with those conducted in space, and return the crew to the hall filled with proud parents and visitors. At earth. These shuttle missions were the highlights the same time it was time to bid adieu to the new of the Space Camp experience. friends we had made during our stay. We only We also experienced the Microgravity wished that we could have stayed longer!

Training Chair, popularly known as the 1/6th Just as all good things come to an inevitable chair which hangs from springs which reduce 5/ end, so did our adventure at NASA. Needless to 6th of the trainees’ weight, giving the sensation say, it was definitely an experience to be of walking on the moon in a ‘no-gravity field.’ cherished for a lifetime. After such an enriching Space Shot was one of the delights of the experience, we hope to see an astronaut from Space Camp. It is a fifteen-second space flight amongst us reaching for the stars, in the near ride that launches trainees straight up in just two future!

Jabin Ullah, XII

NEW VOICES ON CAMPUS The novelty of the semester was further augmented by some new faces on campus. Paula Guerra and Maria Jose Rocha, both from Colombia, are here as Gap Students and Mr. Rajat Sabharwal Sabharwal, for Commerce and Mr. Adreyo Sen, for English, have joined the teaching faculty.

Just a thought or two from the new-kids-on-the-block for AVE Why AVS? Paula: I was interested to visit schools in Thailand Paula and India. So we checked up the Round Square website where we saw The Assam Valley School.

Then we applied for it and we are here now.

What feature of the school amazes you?

Paula Paula: Compared to my school, the respect that the students have for the culture and the teachers here is amazing. When we were at the Assembly,

everyone was so quiet and everyone was singing the national anthem together which, I thought, was beautiful.

What would you like to take from AVS with you?

Maria Jose: The cultural aspect of the School is great. In our school, they always emphasized on science and math but its very different here.

The passion that drives the students here to excel in the arts is what I would like to take with me.

Nandini Singha, XI

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AVE Tuesday, 7th Sept , 2010.

Mr. Rajat Sabharwal How has your experience at AVS been so far, Mr. Sabharwal?

Rajat Sabharwal: So far it’s been wonderful. I have found the students to be very cooperative and the teachers have been very cordial and accommodating.

Being an alumnus of the Doon School, what differences and similarities do you find?

Rajat Sabharwal: Honestly, for me, it’s like being back in School. The differences are very few, apart from the fact that it is a co-ed School and your campus is definitely more massive and picturesque.

Your thoughts on being here, Mr. Sen? Sen: Mr. Adreyo Sen I am a former boarding school brat and am consequently delighted to be back again on a school campus, especially, one as beautiful as that of AVS. However, I am trying to get over the feeling of being a student in the junior-most class! I was involved in my school’s weekly magazine and look forward to a long association with the AVE. Having studied in the UK and the US, I feel that I would be able to assist students who wish to go abroad for their higher education with any queries they may have about admission procedures and student life abroad. I would also be more than delighted to discuss books over coffee with students in the cafeteria. I find the way in which all of you manage to balance the many different activities you take part in along with your academics so gracefully, extremely inspiring. I look forward to getting to know you all in the days to come.

Tanvi Bist, XII he air was heavy with tension and outraged murmurs. I tried hard to make some sense out of the somewhat blurred images that I could see through my teary eyes and the grilled window. But being a child of nothing more than fourteen, it was all baffling and petrifying to me. Only an hour ago, I had been playing around the khejri trees with my friends when amma had come running and had grabbed me in a rush. I saw the mothers of my friends do the same as amma dragged me into the hut and before I could raise any questions to protest, she ordered me to stay in and ran out again. I tried to run behind her but the door had been bolted from outside.

Looking through the window, I could see my amma, along with a horde of other village women, alertly standing with her hands on her waist and eyes blazing with rage as if in anticipation for some intruder who was on his way to rob her of her most precious belonging.

Within a minute, the whole of Khejarli had gathered around the place. Soon, more and more villagers started pouring in, and as they passed by our dilapidated little hut, I heard what they were saying: “They will be here any moment” “Abhay Singh is sending his men from Manwar. Says he wants wood from our khejris; wants it to burn lime for the construction of his new palace. That spiteful scoundrel! Doesn’t

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know that the khejris are our lives; our gift from the great Lord.”

“But we will not let them have it. They will have to do it over our dead bodies.”

At that moment, I did not know how much they had meant it but my gaze went to the trees under which I had spent time playing with my friends. Under its shade I had found repose after a tiresome game of kho kho; behind their extensive boles I had hidden for hours from my amma. I had spent hours sitting on the topmost branch with a book that masterji had lent me to read and, occasionally, had gazed at the world from above.

I remembered the day I had been bitten by a snake and amma had pounded the bark of the tree and had applied the paste on the bleeding wound. I had been in excruciating pain but the relief had come almost instantly after amma’s treatment.

Suddenly, loud noises intruded my reverie.

I saw a group of men standing with axes in their hands. I vaguely heard the protests of the villagers but the men looked malevolently determined. “Sar sântey rûkh rahe to bhî sasto jân” they were saying. If a tree is saved even at the cost of one’s head, it’s worth it.

At that moment, my heart began to beat frantically against my ribs and hot tears rolled down my cheeks. I rushed to the door and began banging it hysterically but in vain. My arms were not strong enough to break it. I yelled for my amma, begging her to come back, but she stood there, oblivious of my cries, with her arms AVE Tuesday, 7th Sept , 2010.

ART BY: GEYIR SORA, XII

T

Benevolent Shades

embracing a tree. I saw the men uttering words of ultimatum but that hardly had any effect on the villagers who stood unperturbed, clinging to the trees.

I saw the men raise their axes and approach the trees. My mind became devoid of all consciousness and my feet froze as I saw the first drops of blood flying in the air. I ran to the door, this time using all my might to break it open. After about a minute or two, it flung open and I ran out. A hand grabbed me from the back as it tried to stop me from going any further.

Not daring to face what they had done any longer, the men disappeared hurriedly from the

place. I walked over to my mother, as she lay unconscious. I buried my head in her clothes which were smeared in thick, fresh blood as I cried inconsolably, not knowing where my life would lead me hereafter.

My amma had given up her life to save our khejris. Although, soon after the incident, Maharaja Abhay Singh prohibited all cutting of green trees and hunting of animals within the revenue boundaries of Bishnoi villages, my loss had been insurmountable, but I was content that amma’s cause had been fulfilled. Mother Nature was now safe in our hands and I was determined to carry amma’s purpose of life forward till my last breath.

Vishakha Sharma, XII

A MOMENT TO MUN

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AVIATORS AT CMUN

n the 19th of many intriguing and August, the challenging topics were A V S debated upon. Each day delegation, of the conference comprising Joyeeta brought up a new Dutta, Tanushree challenge with many of Deorah, Grisha Gupta, our committees being Radhika Moral, Chetan crisis committees. Every Damani, Pushpak hour there was an Chamariya and yours emergency update, truly, landed in the city forcing everyone (both of dreams – Mumbai active and lazy to participate in the 15th delegates) to plunge into Cathedral Model United a frenzy of activity.

The delegates ponder a point Nations Conference. To There would be loud mark the occasion of the 150th anniversary of condemnations and criticisms, and then there the Cathedral and John Connon School, the would be sober interludes to find amicable CMUN was held at the Oberoi Trident amidst solutions. The three days of the conference saw its glamour and splendour. diplomacy at its best, handled by young aspiring Bigger and better than ever, over 40 diplomats, lawyers and politicians. Whether it schools from all over India as well as a school was lobbying with allies or compromising with from Nepal participated in this prestigious rivals, or researching and drafting resolutions till MUN this time around. The evening of the 19th midnight, we did it all to prove ourselves to be was the opening ceremony. The panelists the responsible representatives of our respective included some renowned names like Dr. Kiran nations.

Bedi, Mr. Chetan Bhagat and Mr. Nikhil Before we realized, it was the last day of Dhanrajgir to name just a few. Their fierce the conference. We were sad, yet satisfied as our debate on the future of India inspired one and sessions came to an end. As we all gathered for all, and as we left the hall, we were charged up the last time to witness the closing ceremony, it and looking forward to a fruitful experience at was indeed a proud moment for The Assam CMUN 2010.

Valley School with Joyeeta Dutta receiving the The next morning, the committees went award of Honorable Mention as the delegate of into session and from then on there was no Italy at the Human Rights Council. Her hard work looking back. Although, it was a new experience and dedication had paid off. Though not all of for many of us, we sportingly let go of our us could win prizes, we had won an experience inhibitions and engaged ourselves in the debate. worth having. After all, not everyday are you From the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, designated as a delegate of a lesser known or wellto the Human Rights Violations in Colombia, known country at a world forum like the UN! Meghna Siddhant, X Editor-in-Chief: Vishakha Sharma. Deputy Editor: Karken Bado,, Pooja Gill. Associate Editors: Sukrita Baruah, Antareep Boraz. Production Manager: Tanzeem Ahmed. Publisher: DHM (Educational Administration), The Assam Valley School, P.O. Balipara, Dist. Sonitpur, Asom-784101, India. Telephone: 03714-292470.

E-mail: E-mail:ave@assamvalleyschool.com. Printed at: Swastika Printers, Rangapara, Asom.

Website: www.assamvalleyschool.com.

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AVE Tuesday, 7th Sept , 2010.