CIzine
1st Edition July—August 2015
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CHOITHRAM HISTORY—SCHOOL AND TRUST
Choithram Foundation The Choithram Group was established by Seth Shri Thakurdasji Choithram Pagarani, which has its business in UAE, UK, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, African countries and different parts of world including India. The Choithram Group was established in the year 1970 at Indore and works under 3 trusts. It runs Choithram dispensary (established in year 1972) which provides free OPD and medicines to patients. The first of these trusts consists of the Choithram Hospital and Research Center (established 1979), which is a pioneer in providing world class medical facilities at affordable cost and also runs the Institute of Cancer Sciences, Institute of Renal Sciences, Institute of G.I. Sciences, Institute of Urological Sciences; Choithram College of Nursing (establishes 1982), which offers graduate and post graduate courses in nursing and specialized courses in nursing after graduation, and lastly the Choithram Institute of Health Sciences (established 2006) which provides courses like BPT, BHA, DMLT, and BMLT. The second trust is the Choithram Fountain of Humanitarian Services Charitable Trust. This is a rural trust for the needs of the rural public such as free eye treatment and free dispensary. Choithram Netralaya every month about 350 free cataract operations are done, at state of art eye hospital. It provides free education and agricultural research. Choithram Fountain Higher Secondary School providing free education to more than 1600 students. Choithram College of Professional Studies with courses like BBA, BCA, BA (Mass Communication), B.Sc. The last of these trusts is the T. Choithram Foundation, which comprises of the educational institutions in Indore. Starting with Choithram School (established 1972) which is affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi and was the first CBSE School of the town with permanent affiliation. It has strength of more than 2800 students with 300 teachers. Followed by Tirathbai Kalachand Higher Secondary
School (established 1978) which has the pride to be the best school of the town for continuous 5 Years. The school is affiliated to State Board of Secondary Education running classes from Nursery to XII with more than 1500 students and 100 teachers. Next came Choithram International (established 2003) which is the only International School in M.P. and Chattisgrah and is affiliated to International Baccalaureate (IB), Geneva which offers Primary Years, Secondary Years and Diploma Programmes (PYP, MYP and DP). It also offers Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). U.K. Then came Choithram School North Campus (established 2004) which is also affiliated to CBSE and has over 1000 students and 80 teachers offering quality education from Nursery to +2 levels. Finally came the Choithram Institute of Educational Research & Training (established 2008), which was created to cater to the needs of quality education of the society. The institute is engaged in Educational Research and also offers Montessori Training, Leadership programmes for Educators, Diploma in Education Management and Consultancy Services in the field of Academics. About Choithram International Choithram International was established in the year 2003. It started as the only institution that implemented the International Baccalaureate and Cambridge board in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The beginning of this school was with a sister school, where Choithram International shared a campus. But today, we have a huge campus that includes an athletic field, a football field, two basketball courts, a tennis court, a swimming pool etc. Our campus provides housing to a total of 40 students, including girls. Today Choithram International is known as one of the best schools in Indore, Madhya Pradesh and was ranked, as of August 2015, the Number One International Day School in the State. We pride ourselves on our very diverse staff and student body with students
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from over 10 different countries. Choithram International also continually gives out the best results in the final IBDP and A-Level examinations, especially this year where our top score was a 44/45. Our students graduate to study in some of the best institutions for higher studies in the world, including the presitigious London School of Economics.
Apart from our achievements, we strive to be an institution that excels in co-curricular activities as well. With top positions in sporting events such as the TAISI Sports Meet and Spandan Fest in Lonavala a lot of our students are national level achievers in a variety of sports. Our students all continually take part and excel in a variety of Model United Nations Conferences, the most memorable one’s being the NHSMUN, DIMUN, IIMUN; Indore, Mumbai and Aamby Valley edition. We were also the host school of the IIMUN Indore edition. -LAVANYA RANGARAJAN AND AYUSH KANTHALIA
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THE PRINCIPAL INTERVIEW It only seems just to begin this very first edition of the Choithram International School Magazine by introducing to one and all the visionary who has moulded and shaped our school, bringing it to the pinnacle at which it stands today. Mr. Dilip Vasu, the second and current principal of Choithram International, is an iconic figure to all of us students and staff, with his extensive experience and qualifications as an educator and his leadership capabilities, reflected in the day-to-day operating of Choithram International. An economics graduate, implementer and overseer of the IBDP program in CI and with nearly twenty years of teaching experience, Mr. Vasu has an innumerable list of qualities, the most formidable being his adaptability to our increasingly dynamic world of education and his drive for perfection. Here’s is what Mr. Vasu had to say about the school and it’s astounding journey, when I was sitting with him one day in his office. Sree: When did you first come here, to Choithram International? When you first arrived at this school, what were the aims you nurtured for this educational institute?
Mr. Vasu: I have been at this school for nearly eight years as the second principal of this school. When I arrived here, the first thing that struck me was the lack of recognition this school had: even after nearly five years of being established, CI was an unkown entity to most both here in Indore and in the IB educational network. The lack of exposure of the existing staff and children, the low student strength and the need of awareness about the IB and it’s values, were the greatet issues I found existent at Choithram International, when I joined. From these problems arose the principal aims I devised all those years ago: to gain recognition in the IB World and in the local area, to spread awareness about the International Baccalaureate in Indore and the
surrounding region, to cultivate an institute which strives for excellence through a deep set, positive ‘work culture’ and to produce students who, regardless of their future aims, would always stand out from the crowd in terms of their values, attitute and, most importantly, self confidence.
Sree: To what extent do you feel these aims have been achieved, in terms of the greatest feats achieved by Choithram International over the last eight years?
Mr. Vasu: A great num ber of these aim s have, in fact, been achieved, I remember, on the last day of school before the Winter Holidays in December 2013, I held a full-staff meeting, wherein I emphasised the importance of sprading awareness about our educational board and the educational environment cultivated here in Choithram International. Today, as of a week ago, Choithram International was declared the Num4
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ber One International Day School in Madhyapra-
road. In the years
desh, in an independent survey conducted by ….. . Not only big achievements, but smaller day-to-
to come, I hope to ensure that the
day incidents continue to prove to me the extent to which CI has flourished over the years. IN and
values and morals every global citi-
around Indore, Choithram International has created it’s own brand, having held the largest stu-
zen should possess seep down to
dent-led event Indore has ever seen in the form of IIMUN Indore 2014, and it’s students are looked upon with pride by the citizens of Indore.
Seeing such an incident, last month at the airport when an MUN team of ours was complimented by many passers-by for their immaculate behaviour and cultured speech, truly instills me with pride
the very foundations of this school. I hope to inculcate the drive for excellence in each student who roams these corridors. I hope to develop in these precious students self-confidence so deeply -seated that each makes his/her due contribution to the society and our world. Just as Martin Luther King, I also have a dream. To see Choithram International grow and flourish: if in eight years, the school can progres to such extents, then further progress is by all means possible. I dream
and infuses a sense of fulfillment, as one gets when one’s desires have been achieved. Our students are confident enough to organise their own events, to represent our school in various local
that, each one of us: each member of staff, each student along with me, are able to discover ourselves again and again, to explore knowledge, push boundaries and, above all, learn to be life-
and national events, and with a credible placement record in many top instituitions, the student’s and school speak for themselves – I don’t need to delineate more about aim achievement!
long learners. With this dream, I continue on. In the next five years, I no longer wish to increase the school’s quantitative strength, but increase the qualitative strength of all that happens in assosciation with Choithram International. More exposure, better oportunities, up to date programs and much more is planned for the years to come, and progress is to be the motto for the future!
Sree: What are your future aims and plans for this institute as a whole? What do you envision this school as being, five years down the line?
Mr. Vasu: One m ust alw ays look forw ard: this is something I very firmly believe in. Despite being satisfied with the school’s performance and achievements in all spheres of development till date, the journey to excellence is a never-ending
Sree: That w as inspired me to w ork, and made me feel just a tad guilty about pushing aside my internal assessments. Thank you sir, for your constant support and help: we surely will do you proud! - SREEVIDYA AYYAR
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Anirudh Sharma 44/45
Siddharth Chopra 40/45
Chirag Hablani 38/45
IBDP RESULTS That Time of the Year… International Baccalaureate Diploma Progamme (IBDP) is a tw o-year educational programme that our school has been following for the last five years. The recent IBDP exam in 2015 produced the best results we have obtained so far. The highest score achieved was 44 by Anirudh Sharma and the average score for the 2015 batch stood at 31. This year, quite a large number of students who were registered for the IBDP examinations, also received a diploma. There were 29 students in this year’s batch, out of which 21 appeared for the IBDP examinations and 15 were successfully able to receive their Diplomas. This means that this year we got 71% results, which is very high compared to the previous years. Our first IBDP batch of 2012 was able to get 50% results, where the highest score was a 43, by Amit Singhi and the average score was 33. In this batch a total number of 12 students were registered for the IBDP examinations and 6 received a Diploma. Moving ahead, in 2013, a total of 10 students were registered for the examinations and 4 of them received the Diploma, producing a 40% result. The highest score for this batch was 35 and the average score was 31. Similarly, for the 2014 batch, 25 students were registered and 12 of them received the Diploma. The highest score was 35 and average score was 30. The 2014 year batch produced 48% results. Amit Singhi’s score was a benchmark for the 2013, 2014 and 2015 batch. Finally, in 2015 Anirudh Sharma broke that record and set a new benchmark for the upcoming batch. The 2016 exams are getting closer and all of us are waiting to see if someone can break the records again and crack the idealised score of 45. -ANUSHKA GOYAL
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ELECTION EXTRAVAGANZA CHOITHRAM INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COUNCIL 2015-16 A student council promotes the development of the school and the welfare of its students, in cooperation with the board, parents and teachers, ensuring that the discipline is maintained and the principles guarded. Council members are elected by the student body and Choithram International organised its annual investiture ceremony for the year 2015-16 on 31stJuly, to officially declare the positions. The event was held in the school auditorium, with over 500 students in attendance, and began with welcoming the Chief Guest, (Retd) Lt. Col. Vasant Shintre AEC, Principal of Tirathbai Kalachand School. This was followed by the Student Council proceeding in a slow march and taking their positions on stage. The Principal then gave an inspirational speech to the new Student Council. Thereafter, the Chief Guest
was invited on stage, and he and the Chief Guest together conferred the official badges and sashes to the student council. The Principal then took the dais and led the council members into pledging the oath. The oath-taking was a solemn affair, wherein the students pledged their duty towards the school and vowed to uphold its glory. Once the oath-taking was over, Lt. Col. Shintre addressed the gathering, motivating the students to live their lives with discipline, dedication and determination. He appreciated the way Choithram International organised the Investiture, stating it was one the most disciplined and well executed school events he had ever attended. -NEERJA SHARMA
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Say hello to the new CI Student Council, 2015-16! Senior School Student Council 2015 - 16 1
Head Boy
Kanishk Chamadia
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Head Girl
Sreevidya Ayyar
3
Deputy Head Boy
Shlok Kothari
4
Deputy Head Girl
Khushi Karnawat
5
Cultural Prefects
Anushka Goyal Preksha Jain
6
CAS Prefects
Poonam Kaur Sohal Lavanya Rangarajan Harshil Chordia Sarthak Patidar
7
Sports Captain
Kalash Kothari
8
Literary body
Neerja Sharma Naman Jain Smrutam Rath
9
Discipline Prefectorial Body
Swati Modh Priya Rathi Tavleen Kaur Janmajay Mall
10
Gandhi House Captain
Poottinan Pongpattarawit
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Mandela House Captain
Aditya Soni
12
Lincoln House Captain
Deepak Solanki
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Tagore House Captain
Niharika Dekhmukh
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Boy’s Boarding Prefect
Vaibhav Garg
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Girl’s Boarding Prefect
Bhoomi Sharma
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MYP Student Council 2015 – 16 1
Head Boy
Sachit Kshatriya
2
Head Girl
Bhumika Dikhit
3
Literary Prefect
Sujay Jain
4
Cultural Prefect
Baani Pasrija
5
Community & Service Prefect
Bhavesh Pariyani
6
Discipline Prefect
Aditya Patwala
7
Sports Captain
Jatin Chawla
8
Gandhi House Captain
Aarushi Jain
9
Mandela House Captain
Chirag Jain
10
Lincoln House Captain
Shivam Pathak
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Tagore House Captain
Ahishek Singh Tomar
12
Gandhi House Vice - Captain
Shaurya Pathak
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Vikramjeet Sokhey
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Lincoln House Vice-Captain
Anuj Rathi
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Tagore House vice-captain
Aditya Rathi
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PYP Student Council 2015 – 16 1
Head Boy
Ishaan Moolchandani
2
Head Girl
Bhumika
3
Sports Captains
Sanidhya Bhootra Aryan Jain
4
Discipline Prefect
Sharanya Garg
5
Gandhi House Captain
Divyansh Bhatt
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Gandhi House Vice -Captain
Krishna Agarwal
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Mandela House Captain
Furkaan Nagori
8
Mandela House Vice -Captain
Aditi Sahu
9
Lincoln House Captain
Kartik Kangia
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Lincoln House Vice -Captain
Manan Premchandani
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Tagore House Captain
Sarthak Rathi
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Tagore House Vice -Captain
Harshita Bhandari
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SPORTS SPLENDOUR Sports, Sports Good for the heart To begin this year, We’ve had a great kick-start! These first two months of the 2015-16 academic year was a huge success in terms of sports. It all began in July when the senior basketball team took part in Late Shrimati Sunita Singh Memorial Tournament in July, which took place at the Basketball Complex, Indore. The Sports Captain of the school, Kalash Kothari of IBDP-2, led the basketball team to two consecutive victories, launching Choithram International into the semi-finals, where unfortunately our senior team lost in a close match with Emerald Heights International School. The team showed admirable coordination and gelled very well as a single unit. “Being my first time on the basketball team representing my school, I found the experience very enjoyable and am excited for further tournaments, so we can prove our mettle”, says Shubham Solanki of IBDP-2. The laurels, however, did not stop there! The next achievement of these two months was the fantastic performance of our athletics team. Prachi Jain, of Year 10, and Bhumika Dikhit and Suryansh Patel, of Year 9, bagged a total of two gold and three silver medals in collaboration in the track and field events at the Indore Corporation Ath-
letics Meet, and are now geared up for the All-India Athletics Meet to be held at Vishakapatnam, later this year. Simultaneously, Kartavya Sharma of Year 8, Shivani Ayyar of Year 10 and Sreevidya Ayyar of Year 12 participated in the District Level Swimming Competition organized by the School Games Federation of India, in Indore. Winning their respective events, they have qualified for the State-Level Competition to be held in Indore in early Spetember. Congratulations to all us all! -SHIVANI AYYAR
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BASTILLE DAY CELEBRATION
On 14 July 2015 the French Language Department of Choithram International, Indore celebrated the Bastille Day as this being the national day of France. The celebration was full of cultural and informative events such as a dramatized quiz, songs, dances, and a fashion show presented by the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme. The PYP students presented the melodious recital of the song ‘Gentille Alouette’ and a lively dance set to the song ‘Un monde parfait’ (A perfect World). The MYP students presented two vibrant dances. The DP students presented a
dramatized quiz based on the famous French personalities in which they enacted four famous French personalities and asked the audience to guess them. Following this was slide show on French culture presented by the students of DP2. Sreevidya Ayyar gave a motivating speech on the importance of French language , the French culture and the necessity of learning French in terms of international relationship and career prospects. Following Sreevidya was Priya Rathi of DP1, she also gave a very informative presentation on French language and culture, supported by an impressive slide show. This was followed by the most awaited
fashion show by the PYP and the MYP students. This show received a huge round of applause.
This year, a girl intern from Ghana Mary gave a fantastic singing performance of the super hit old Bollywood song ‘Ajeeb Dastan he yeh’. This was followed by the dance presentation of the song ‘Dhol Baje’ by the interns. Dr. Surendra Singh Chauhan expressed the vote of thanks. The celebration ended with the entire school proudly singing Jana Gana Mana’, The Indian National Anthem -SUJAY JAIN 12
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UNIVERSITIES FROM TYHE US VISITS CHOITHRAM INTERNATIONAL On the 28th of August, more than 10 US Universities visited our campus to enlighten us about the exciting opportunities to study abroad, at their university. The students of DP-1 and DP-2 had been picked to attend and interact at the seminar since, it is of most need for them. Parents of the students were also invited to the seminar. Among the universities that attended the seminar were:
University of California, Irvine Savannah College of Design, Georgia University of Kentucky Florida Institute of Technology, Miami Foothill+DeAnza College
The seminar started with us understanding the advantages of receiving higher education in the US. We would be introduced to a whole new level and quality of education, one we cannot receive elsewhere. It would also open us to new world of opportunities. The seminar further proceeded by each official from each university giving a brief about their in-
stitution. We could further explore our opportunities by having a one on one conversation with them regarding any queries and doubts we had in mind. Students interested in specific institutions, were given a detailed review of each university, which included the requirements, traditions and student life at the university. This seminar helped a lot of students who had been considering further education in the US. A lot of the students had been considering only the top 10 schools for higher education in the US but after the seminar we were made aware of a lot of other opportunities at affordable cost that offered the same quality and level of education as the other schools. If anything, students had a lot more options and institutions they could apply to. This seminar was very helpful for both parents and students that were considering higher education abroad. -LAVANYA RANGARAJAN
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OLD IS GOLD IBDP-1 celebrated Grandparent’s Day on 24th August, as a CAS Activity, and a great way to start a Monday morning. Our grandparents were invited, and we prepared many things to ensure that they felt special: we had a song, a poem, a dance, a speech and an inspirational discourse. We really understood the importance they hold in our lives, and appreciating the extent of their influence cheered us up as well as them! The best part of the whole event was when the grandparents came up on the stage to dance along with us. And when they shared some motivational, inspiring speechs with us. Their experiences are a huge part of our knowledge wealth: where would we be without them? I’m glad we could do this small gesture for them, and in turn hone on our communication and reflective skills! Everyone had enjoyed the event a lot, as well as my friends and I enjoying the practice sessions and preparations as a team, so, from everyone’s point of view, it was a great success! -PRIYA RATHI
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MUN MADNESS And the day of the Emerald Heights MUN finally arrived! I was hugely excited to be attending my first MUN conference as a double delegation with one of my closest friends. The thought of discussing on such important global issues, in my case being The Rights of Prisoners, with other delegates was exciting. This topic is one I felt strongly about, and I was given an important country delegation, which was even more exciting. There were many delegates, of similar ages, and everyone looked very well prepared. Throughout the day, with the
debate, there were many difficulties my co - delegate and I faced: certain aspects of unavoidable circumstances did taint the experience slightly, but we fought back and gave it our best shot. In the end, our delegation received a verbal mention and this helped me learn that hard work, no matter what difficulties may arise, will eventually lead us all to success! I’m excitedly looking forward to my next MUN. -JANVI KARNAWAT
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AMBY VALLEY IIMUN CHAMPIONSHIP CONFERENCE Yet another conference hosted by IIMUN in Amby Valley at such a stature! Being a part of such a big conference was a great experience for all the students of Choithram International who participated at this scenic gathering. The first day, which was the opening ceremony, turned out to be a very fruitful program for all the delegates as we had Ms. Vidhya Balan, Mrs. Kiran Bedi, Mr. Subhash Chandra Goel and Mr. Ronnie Screwvala as the guest speakers and their inspiring words propelled thousands of delegates to move forward with high hopes. From the next day, we started with our conference and our school delegation was allotted Nepal as the country, while everyone had his or her own committee. This conference has strengthened the beliefs and practices of all those who were a part of it as it was the first ever IIMUN executed in an entire city. This year was as such special as it hosted a huge array of ‘firsts’…for the first time IIMUN hosted a sitting senator and leader of opposition from Pakistan, for the first time for any conference across the country did the Secretory General, Mr. Ban-Ki-Moon, record a video message, for the first time students were mentored by diplomats such as the former Under Secretory General’s of the United Nations, and much more! The debate took place at a very competitive level but CI showed that it was more than capable of keeping up with the dynamic pace. In two of the committees, LEGAL and WHO, our school delegates put in all their efforts and won the verbal mention award. In LEGAL, Khushi Karnawat and Vikramjeet Singh Sokhey were representing Nepal and discussing the topic “Implementation of the responsibility to protect
article 2.7 of the UN charter” whereas Sujay Jain in WHO represented Nepal as well and discussed on the topic of Ebola. The 4 days of conference saw 20 speakers all of whom are luminaries in their fields, 4 social events which saw the best of DJ’s and comedians come together, for what, in the opinions of many IIMUN delegates, was the best conference ever experienced. As quoted by Mr. Rishabh Shah, the founder and president of IIMUN, “the YOU(th) are the most powerful, hardworking and intelligent force in the world. When the YOU(th) aspire and set their goal on the stars, they inevitably achieve what they want”. And through this conference all the delegates proved the power of the youth and raised the level of IIMUN, taking it to a completely different level. All the delegates of CI were very enthusiastic and excited for the conference and their excitement could be seen in the awards they got. That was indeed a very proud moment for CI. Amby Valley thus proved to be one of the best experiences, which taught us a lot and helped the students to socialize and get themselves indulged into discussions, which have impacted the entire world. The delegates who didn’t win anything, learnt a lot in terms of improvisation, selfimprovement and criticism and how to build a better personality. So, always dream large and aim for the stars, because no mountain is too high to climb, if you really want to climb it! -BHOOMI SHARMA
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MEMORABLE MOMENTS “Memories like these never fade” was the collective sigh as we, IBDP-2, returned from our CAS Trip, which lasted from the 12th to the 17th of August 2015. Here’s a quick look at the official CAS Report, documenting what all kept us thoroughly engaged! CAS Report: The students of DP-2 recently took a trip to Kambre, Maharashtra as part of their CAS experience in the IB. It was a 5 day trip that included various activities like rafting, hiking etc. The purpose of this trip was to perform activities that would come under all strands of CAS, that is Creativity, Action and Service, through various activities. On the first day the students arrived at the camp and were taken for a hike around the hills and to the lake. They then were presented with a few challenges that needed team work and co-operation to be solved. The next day involved some intense activities. This required the division of the students into two teams. As one team did one activity the other team did the other and after they were done, the teams would change activities. One of the activities was rafting, however the challenge was that the students had to build their own raft using equipment provided by the camp advisors. The equipment included some bamboo logs, floating tubes and rope. After the raft was built the students would then test it out on the lake, however wearing safety gear. This activity challenged the creative minds of the students and also encouraged them to work collectively and collaborate to bring the best outcome possible. The second activity was a Rope Course. This had tires hung down a rope at a height. Students had to cross the course on the tires. This was a very challenging task, physically that required a lot of strength to complete. A lot of the students showed determination and finished this task no matter how long it took. The following evening the students were supposed to go for a night out where they were going to learn how to survive in the wilderness, however heavy rains disrupted the plan. So students decided to stay at camp
and cook their own food using whatever they could get. All the students worked collaboratively and showed a lot of dedication to this task. The next morning students took a hike to a school in the nearby village where they would celebrate Independence Day and also carry out the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan. At this school the students spoke to the 1st and 2nd grade students and the nearby locals to get more insight on how they live their life in the village. They later walked to a nearby waterfall that was a common attraction amongst tourist. However, this attraction had been heavily polluted with plastics, alcohol bottles, food waste etc. The students cleaned the area and disposed off all the waste material. That evening the students returned to camp and proceeded to a nearby Paddy Field. Here they learned how to pluck out the paddy crop and how the ladies on the farm work. The students showed a lot of respect and dedication to the job and helped the ladies finish their job quickly. That night, the students lit lanterns and released them in the air as a sign of peace to commemorate India’s 69th Independence Day. The next morning, students had to vacate the camp and go to Della Adventure Park. Here, they could do any of the activities that they offered which included the Flying Fox, Land Zorbing, Paintball etc. The students relaxed and enjoyed a lot. This CAS trip developed a lot of good qualities in the students, ensuring that they learned and experienced every good part of it. This brought students a lot closer and taught them the importance of discipline, team work, collaboration and learning. The purpose of the CAS trip was fulfilled and was a great experience for everyone involved. -LAVANYA RANGARAJAN 17
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The Experience: It all began a month ago, when my CAS coordinator told me about the CAS trip we were to be going on. As soon as the news spread among the remainder of my classmates, the sense of excitement was tangible in the air. Being in the very last year of our school life, it was quite certain that this was to be the last time all of us would go together on a trip, So, we were determined to make it a magical experience to ensure that, if ever in the future we were to think of it, it would cause a smile to erupt on our faces. The level of excitement was increasing day by day, and, on Wednesday the 12th of August, when we realized finally that the day was finally upon us, when we could see that big bus standing right in front of us, ready to take us to the time of our lives, we were jumping with joy. We were determined to make this trip unforgettable. We set off with so many positive expectations, so many positive feelings, so many positive emotions, and just one daunting truth: that this was the last time we would be with this set of amazing friends. Considering the fact that we all share a bond and are like sisters and brothers from other mothers, this thought fuelled us to strengthen this friendship, and to let each activity cultivate these relationships. Hey, let’s not get too emotional just yet: there’s more. When we finally arrived at our destination, the only thing, which came to my mind, was “this couldn’t have been better”. The place was out of the reach of those city lights, pollution or any sort of human exploitation. The place was lying under the belly of Mother Nature and, with charming weather; this trip was bound to be magical. The best part of the place was absence of any kind of any cellular network, which made sure that everyone put away their cell phones and reconnected with their immediate environment. On top of this, we were to live in tents, which, trust me, was an experience, which I can never forget. Let me not go into the details of the place and the activities, which Lavanya covered before, and let me also not point out all the struggles we cheerfully worked at together, because if I start that, I’ll probably overwrite this entire magazine! However there is one thing, which I can’t strive to not include, as, for me, it was the crux of the entire trip and in fact, our very class! To all the teachers, we may look naughty and irresponsible, I myself describe each of us in the same manner, but yet, on this trip, I realized that we all possess a strong streak of responsibility too. Not just certain individuals, but the class as a whole. When we went, on the third day, to a waterfall, which was a rather foully polluted tourist attraction, which cluttered the serenity of the area, we took the initiative to clean the place. And yes, we successfully did it: every single child of my class made his or her contribution. We helped each
other, standing side by side, giving a helping hand to anyone who might need help, keeping a careful watch on our friends and enjoying the satisfaction one gets from being responsible and working for a better good. To reward ourselves for this endeavor, we decided to have fun in the waterfall and take a shower right underneath that waterfall. That particular moment, each one of us was reveling in the feeling of enjoying with an open heart, an open mind and an open soul. In Kambre, we forgot about our assignments and life back home, and were there just to live freely and savour each minute. Before I or anyone else could imagine, we were at the end of trip. It was a trip where friends grew closer, we shaped a lifelong bond, which I am certain is stronger than any other bond which we study in chemistry. Each and every moment of this trip will be remembered from bathing in the river to playing charades all afternoon, from playing ‘Antakshari’ at 2 .am to clicking at least 3GB worth of selfies. Honestly, I have never taken so many photos in my entire life! But it was worth it, as I captured each and every moment of this time together.
I know we all have a lot of life left to live, but I can’t imagine the rest of my life without these people, and whenever I think about how fast time is going by, I feel a small tear squeezing out my eyes. To compensate for the fact that I won’t have each and every one of them for the rest of my life, I have this one wherein I seized and savored as much friendship as people do in a lifetime. Each moment of this trip will go into our hall of memories for evermore, along with the rather painful paintballing bruises, which will ensure I don’t forget this trip, at least for the next couple of months!
-KANISHK CHAMADIA 18
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CHILDREN TODAY, LEADERS TOMORROW... …An apt slogan strewn across the board of the Sangam School
artistic trophy. They came out with decidedly bad headaches,
of Excellence, as we walked into this school situated in Bhil-
but smiling all the same! With that, Day 1 was wrapped up, and
wara, anticipating a hectic couple of days at the Sangam Fest 2015. This literary, cultural and sports festival was to host nine
ended on an exciting note: the Social Dance, which definitely blared out loud and clear how, despite everything, how we
events over the span of two days, including Fibans Basketball
were all true Indians at heart, with a love for Indian dancing.
Competitions, The Yoodlie Yo Ho Song & Band Competition and,
Then began Day 2, with the scrabble competition: I managed to
the pinnacle of the event, The Grayscale Dance Competition. As a team of ten enthusiastic participants, who as a whole entered
bag first place in this “Word Virus” Game, and Nirja Sharma came in a superb second: another pat on the back! It was final-
every single competition on offer, we were in for a two days of
ly time, after the afternoon meal, to begin the two most await-
unsurpassable fun!
ed events: the Song & Band Competition and the Dance Spec-
The first event was the Fibans Basketball, which was conducted by randomly choosing teams, mixing players from each of the thirteen schools, and conducting randomized matches. With players in the teams, which ended up coming first, second and third, we patted ourselves on the back as we soared through this first test of our abilities. The next event was the photog-
raphy competition: talking about the grassroots of India, which
tacular! In the Yoodlie Yo Ho, our team did immensely well, shining out as they blasted out their original R.D. Burman remix. The dance was equally fun, as we tore up the stage with various dance styles: it was amusing, energetic and definitely memorable! The other teams were equally splendid, and we had as much fun screaming for the other teams, as we did sing-
ing and dancing ourselves!
was the given theme, the various interpretations were hilarious,
Finally, the event came to an end, wrapped up with a bang as
and Janmajay Tiwari (Year 10) and Yashodhan Jain (Year 10) had an amusing time deciphering what they were supposed to
school’s came up to give their reflections on the event, and the host school, also declared the winner of the event, showcased a
capture! Simultaneously, four participants: Nirja Sharma, Sanya
rather unique dance. Our school came in a fantastic fifth, but
Badole, Virti Gandhi and I, took part in a script writing competi-
more than the position and the laurels, we made great friends.
tion wherein we had to talk about relationship conflicts in the Indian context. The stereotypical mother-in-law controversies,
If there is one thing my team and I learnt at the Sangam Fest, it was hospitality: honestly, I have never seen a group of chil-
along with racial and gender discrimination playing roles in rela-
dren with such incessant patience and pleasing natures. That,
tionships, were explored by us: touchy stuff!
plus the hostel mates we made and the fun teachers at the
The next competition was trophy designing: Disha Kukreja and Sanya Badole had a tough time trying to figure out how the
fest, made it a trip for the albums!
-SREEVIDYA AYYAR
theme of cars and girl children could be amalgamated into an
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MISSILE MAN OF INDIA “THE MISSILE MAN” DISAPPEARS BEYOND THE BLUE EXPANSE UNTO A VAST HEAVEN
Born to a humble boat-owner and a home-maker mother in Rameswaram in 1931, Dr. Kalam has had a versatile career spanning space technology & defence research, culminating in the highest civilian award of India, the prestigious Bharat Ratna and the highest office of the country- The President of India. Besides being a great scientist, Dr. Kalam was also an excellent manager, a great visionary, a remarkable leader, and above all, an inspiration to every Indian and many more across the world. He represents the true spirit of achievement- the unconquerable might of hard work and determination against all odds. A multifaceted individual who was an embodiment of sharp technological acumen, ethical value system, a social outlook, staunch nationalism and a warm demeanor that could connect with tiny trot s of kindergarten as well as learned scholars of the older generation with equal ease. His contributions to rocket technology in India and the weaponization of strategic missile systems invoke great awe and admiration for this great personality. Dr. Kalam was certainly one authentic and genuine gentleman who meant what he said and he always kept his promise. A favourite with children, especially for his books and speeches, he collapsed during a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong.
Reflection: Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam's sudden passing away has left a void and a deep sense of irreparable loss in each and every one of us. For those of us who care for excellence in an allpervasive life and in the enlightening world of Indian scientific thought, his was a life committed to perseverance, sharply focused on achieving the loftiest of aims and objectives. He gave required impetus to the Indian missile program at a crucial and critical juncture in its nascent years in the early seventies. Our overall defenses and strategic needs have been ably met and our defenses systems have been fortified because of his foresight. APJ was not only a scientist but also a visionary whose ability to foresee the exigent demands on the youth of the future generations of India was simply amazing.
APJ was a scientist whose genius was nurtured and nourished by none other than another legendary Indian scientist Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, father of ISRO – (Indian Space Research Organization). At a very early age in his professional career, APJ envisioned India’s rapid progress in its missile technology program giving it shape and dimension. The firepower of Agni and Prithvi became a reality because of the highly successful and path breaking indigenous technology that was developed and incorporated due to his pioneering efforts accompanied with inextinguishable enthusiasm. The efficacy of Agni and Prithvi is spoken about with great pride and joy today. No matter how many one uses, words are simply inadequate to map the superhuman achievements of APJ whose name today is a byword for success, dedication and hard work. The quality of performance in every task that he took up brought to it a striking quality and made his workmanship reach the zenith of perfection. Meticulous to the smallest detail, APJ never paused to rest until the task that he had undertaken was successfully completed.
His work inspired scores of youngsters tempered with a scientific spirit. He mentored them all equally like a compassionate guru, inculcating on them the undying spirit of enquiry, at the same time impressing upon them the need to develop within themselves the ability to be concentrating focused on their goals while working hard. Born and brought up in humble surroundings, APJ rose to great heights by sheer dint of hard work. Being finally rewarded with the President ship of India, he never rested on his laurels and even post-retirement was busy and active with intensity that made younger people wonder in awe, envy and adoration. Passionately involved in the lives of school-going children nothing gave greater joy and pleasure to APJ than to be interacting with youngsters and to inspire them to dream big. Children, for APJ, were not just children, but minds ready to absorb, assimilated and deliver. He knew that the moment he ignited these minds, they would be ready to fly on wings of fire. Simple in lifestyle, and dignified in demeanor, APJ didn’t let the trappings of power or the pomp of office overwhelm him. As President of India, he was sensitive and sincerely caring. His immediate staff members speak fondly and highly of him even today, as he had endeared himself to them all, by his genial and affable nature. Not at all inclined to wastefulness, APJ did not believe in foreign tours and jaunts, unless they were absolutely necessary.
His writing was wonderfully inspirational as can be seen from the number of books that he wrote with these books even today being in the current bestsellers’ lists. He firmly believed that it is the persistent intensity and selfbelief in dedicated and hard work that in the end bring desired results. Let us salute this beloved son of Mother India who made a gigantic contribution, giving generously, never in pieces, but all of himself in totality to the service of his country. There was no other purpose in his life than to serve India and his fellow citizens, and also, as he wanted it to be said, “I was born to serve the whole world and as a human being to serve humanity.” -SSC TOK - IB TOK FACULTY - CI - INDORE 20
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INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION Mera Bharat Maahan! 15th August 1947 marks the most remarkable day in Indian history. It is the day when the sun rose with a kind heart, spreading her arms across the land with bountiful goodwill, the day the wind was carrying this beautiful smell of freedom and the day Indians across this peninsula were experiencing that unforgettable taste of liberty with their heads held high and a broad smile plastered on their faces. Today on this occasion we here at Choithram celebrate it with full vigour, enthusiasm, and dedication. We try and spread the message of how difficult it was for us to achieve this day and the importance of it in our lives. We did this in 2015 through many traditional and patriotic dances and songs, which helped this year to strengthen the love of OUR citizens towards OUR nation. We, through our different acts, signified that though we were all different in religion and ethnicity, we are capable and willing to come together as one and pledged to never give up and fight to the death for our rights and our country It is this which sets our celebration apart and helps us spread the message of unity in diversity. It was a fight, and that it was we celebrated it as, which eventually resulted in you reading this beautiful article today! Our freedom was not gifted to us; we all struggled and sacrificed day and night for it. 2015, when India celebrates this day with pride and happiness I see the spirit usually seen, fading slightly. I realize that the value of Independence Day is fading, we are forgetting the struggle our ancestors went through and the lack of patriotism in celebrations around the country are sadly evident. I was driving along on the 14th of August and came across many shops selling flags and various other independence day related trinkets. I was shocked and shaken when I saw how these miniature flags and other items are treated: dropping one’s national pride to the ground for the world to step on, leaving even stickers or toys lying around on the roads, is in my opinion an insult to our nation, one of the oldest in the world. I personally also feel that the pride and celebration gets over in one single day and then, there are no responsibilities which are taken up for the country, for the remainder of the year. People start criticizing their nation the next day on every possible criteria, be it education, political affairs, or development, and that pride which we should be priding ourselves on, is missing from our every day lives. This is a sign and a message that we need to come together, not as Muslims, Hindus, or Sikhs but as Indians this year and the years that follow, and prove to the world that we are one. Work together and take India to new heights, and make Mother India admired and respected, more than it already is, across this planet of ours. Jai Hind! -SHLOK KOTHARI
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LYON Most of the people know only Paris, and represent France as Paris. But France is not only Paris. France cannot be represented as Paris only, because France is made of many beautiful city, like Lyon, Toulouse, Nice, Marseille, Bordeaux and many more. As I am « Lyonnaise »* as we call it in French, I’m going to describe you my city : Lyon. This year, Lyon was elected the 30th most pleasant city in the world, and in the standings of Europe, it was 16th. Lyon is a very beautiful and pleasant city, which is the second biggest city of France, placed just after Paris. It is located in the south-east of France, between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is divided into 9 district, and it is the capital of the region of Rhône-Alpes and of the department of Rhône (69)**, where it is located. The mayor of Lyon is Gérard Collombs. Lyon is also known as the capital of gastronomy in France, but as well in the world, since the 20th century.
Historically, Lyon is famous for the invention of cinematography, as it was the first city where the cinema was invented, by the two brothers : Auguste Lumière and Louis Lumière. Cinema was invented in the 19th century, in Lyon. The first public projection was organized on December 12th, 1895. And because the cinema was invented in Lyon, a museum about cinematography is there in Lyon (« Le musée des Frères Lumière ») and a district of Lyon is named as the name of the two brothers, we call it as « le quartier des frères Lumière ».
Lyon is also very famous for one of its festival, which is called the light festival (in French : « La fête des lumières »). Every year, on 8th of December, the festival takes place everywhere in Lyon. This festival was made to express gratitude towards Mary, the mother of Jesus, because she helped the citizens of Lyon to cured and stop the disease called « plague » in English and « peste » in French. This is generally the principal version of the history of this festival, as some people believe in other versions of the story. Now, in the
21h century, this festival generally lasted from 4 to 6 days and it is celebrated only in Lyon. During this festival, all the citizens of Lyon are putting candles on the edges of their windows to illuminate the city. Moreover, some shows made of light and images are projected on the monuments of Lyon and everywhere in all the places of the city. The entire city is decorated with lights and garlands. It is a very beautiful festival, which every year reports many people of many countries of the world.
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Lyon is a city which is very famous for its gastronomy. Lyon is very famous for its various kinds of delicatessen*** (in French : « charcuterie ») and also its wine. Moreover, it is also famous for its restaurants named « bouchons lyonnais », which serve the traditional dishes of Lyon such as sausages, duck, roast pork and some local wines.
Lyon is also famous for the sport, specially football as Lyon has a special football team named « Olympiques Lyonnais », which we call « OL ».
Lyon has many beautiful and famous monuments and places such as « Basilique de Fourvière », « Place des Terreaux », « Musée des beaux arts », « Place Bellecour », « L’Opéra de Lyon », « Le parc de la Tête d’Or » which is the biggest parc of Europe in a city, and many more.
Lyon is a peninsula as it is located between the rivers called the « Rhône » and the « Saône ». These two rivers are crossing each other in a new district of Lyon, where they are making a huge and very modern museum with a very special architecture. This district is new as the museum opened this year, the big mall opened in 2012 and they are remaking completely this new district, located just before « Perrache »****. So, there are too many things to say about Lyon and we could describe this city in each and every details but, I just would like to say that Lyon is a very beautiful city…
* « Lyonnaise » or « Lyonnais » is the word which we use in French to say that a person is born in Lyon. ** We use a different number for every department of France. For example : 69 is the number of the department of Rhône, where Lyon is located. *** Delicatessen is a kind of meat, which is a traditional dish of Lyon. **** Perrache is an area of Lyon.
-EMMA NIVERT 23
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THE END OF ONE JOURNEY… …marks the beginning of a new one. As the IBDP and A-Levels Batch of 2014-15 make their way into the world, they reflect and look back at the good times, the memories, the learning experiences, the fun and the multitude of things they have learnt here at Choithram International. Cheers and best of luck to them all!
I’ve learnt much more than the plain ol’ books could have ever taught me. Not to forget the friends I made, from laughing
- Siddharth Chopra
to ether to crying together in exams, these priceless moments can't be replaced. - Aayush Somani
“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” - Amrita Dhaliwa
The most important thing though that I learned from IB at Choithram was that when life gives you lemons, make sure that you make one hell of a lemonade for you may never get the opportunity. Due Thursday? Do Thursday. These two years were full of ups and
#ibthuglife #justchiragthings
downs. I have learned many important
- Chirag Hablani
lessons required to face the outside world. - Shubhika Barjatya My journey at Choithram International, in short, has These precious memo-
been no less than a transfor-
I can never forget this place
ries will always be cap-
mation.
because it has given me so
tured in my heart.
- Krishna Naga
- Priyanka Kakwani
much. From inspiring teachers to life long friends. - Disha Kanoongo
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ENTERTAINMENT
In 2012, Finnish Mathematician Arto Inkala claimed this particular puzzle to be the “World’s Hardest Sudoku”, and the British Newspaper, The Telegraph, claimed that on a
difficulty scale with five stars, wherein five stars signifies the hardest puzzle and one star signifying the simplest, this puzzle would “score an eleven. Can you crack this superior Sudoku?
Poem Our precise beauty pricked her finger, FUN FACTS: Half the population of the world earns only 5%
Sleepy she was, the witch did snigger Our beauty maybe should have died As the witch had prophesied.
of the world’s total wealth
There is enough DNA in an average person’s
body to stretch from the sun to Pluto and back. 17 times.
The world’s worst inflation was in Hungary in
June 1946, when the 1931 gold pengo was valued at 130 million trillion-paper pengos.
But she was close to fairies who blessed So she slept, dreamless rest. For years countless; hundred of years Amidst her parents worries and fears,
None of The Beatles Could Read Music!
Till her prince; he came along
The world's most expensive musical instrument,
To his future house, here did he belong!
a Stradivarius violin, was sold in 2011 for US$15.9 million.
2,520 is the smallest number that can be exact-
Kneeling down he kissed her cheek Hoping that she’d wake and speak.
ly divided by all the numbers 1 to 10.
Sleeping beauty lifted her arm Full of beauty and royal charm And her waking words were these: “Just need five more minutes please!”
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UPCOMING EVENTS What do we have to look forward, these next couple of months? Apart from the obvious Dusshera and Janmashtami delights, and Eid of course, here are a few dates for your calendars! 4th September 2015 – Teacher’s Day Celebration
14th September 2015 – Hindi Diwas
7th September 2015 – Inter-house Vocal Competition
9th – 11th October 2015 – Second Chapter of IIMUN Indore 2015
11th October 2015 – International Day of the Girl Child CAS Initiative
26th October 2015 – Commencement of Semester Exams
…and much more still to be decided! Have a great two months! 26
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EDITORIAL MESSAGE Greetings! First of all, we would like to extend our gratitude to Mr. Vasu, Principal at Choithram International, for his support and encouragement of the first edition of this endeavor. Heartfelt thanks must also be extended to all the teachers, especially Mr. Gana Sow who propelled and was the backbone of this idea, and all the students who contributed in some way or the other to this first edition of CIzine. Being IB learners, we recognize that learning is ongoing, and perfection is an ideal at the end of the never ending road we walk on: in this spirit, any points of critique, friendly ideas or perhaps any specific areas of improvement in the form of suggestions would be highly appreciated and warmly welcomed. At the end of the day, CIzine belongs to every child and member of staff here at Choithram International, and so your voice and opinion is held in high esteem by each of us. For any suggestions, comments or ideas please revert your feedback using the Google drive link given below, or feel free to contact us at any convenient time. Lastly, always remember: keep your head held high, and wear the name of Choithram International with pride. CIzine Editorial Team Choithram International
Editorial Team:
Lavanya Rangarajan, DP-2 Ayush Kanthalia, DP-2 Anushka Goyal, DP-2 Nirja Sharma, DP-2 Khushi Karnawat, DP-1 Bhoomi Sharma, DP-2 Deepak Patidar, DP-1 Sreevidya Ayyar, DP-2
Any contribution, feedback, suggestion, ideas for the next edition and willing participation is highly encouraged, much needed and would be simply awesome! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1X0qNFX0L9_3mvjiQrytvbWhIws6adopohWz226r2L0M/viewform? usp=send_form
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