Ambedkar Jayanti Celebration in India

“I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality and fraternity.” – These are the famous words of the father of the world’s longest constitution, the chief architect of ‘the soul of the state’, the legendary politician who tried to turn the Wheel of the Law towards social justice for all. Yes, he is non other than our beloved Chairman of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.

Born on 14^th April, 1891, Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar’s efforts to eradicate the social evils like untouchablity and caste restrictions were remarkable. A victim of caste discrimination, the leader, throughout his life, fought for the rights of the dalits and other socially backward classes. His father served in the Indian Army at Mhow cantonment.  His parents hailed from the Hindu Mahar caste, which was viewed as “untouchable” by the upper class. Due to this, Ambedkar had to face several discriminations from every corners of the society. The discrimination and humiliation haunted him even at the Army school, run by British government. But the discrimination and the harsh treatment could neither stop him from proceeding towards his motive, nor could it break his willpower and determination to overcome all obstacles on his path.

Despite all problems, he became one of the first Dalit (untouchables) to obtain a college education in India. He entered Elphinstone College and obtained a scholarship of twenty five rupees a month from Gayakward ruler of Baroda, Sahyaji Rao III for higher studies in the U.S.A. By 1912, he obtained his degree in economics and political science and prepared to take up employment with the Baroda state government. In 1935, Ambedkar was appointed Principal of the Government Law College for two years. He became the 1st Law Minister of India and soon the Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee as well. For his contributions, he was awarded with the greatest honour of the country, the ‘Bharat Ratna’. He was not just a good politician, but also an eminent Indian jurist, a great philosopher, an exceptional anthropologist, an expert historian, a terrific orator, a brilliant economist, a skilful teacher, an accomplished editor, a prolific writer, as well as an outstanding revolutionary leader. It is in his memory that we proud Indians celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti each year on the 14^th of April with great vigour and enthusiasm. On Ambedkar Jayanti, various Dalit organizations carry out huge processions in the memory of ‘Baba Saheb’. The Prime Minister, the President and other high citizens offer wreath to the statue of B.R Ambedkar at New Delhi. Dalit Melas are held in various parts of the country to pay homage to this great personality. Today, many public institutions are named in his honor, such as the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University in Hyderabad, B.R. Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur etc.

In his remembrance, on the anniversary of his birth and death and on Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din, 14th October at Nagpur, at least half a million people gather at his memorial in Mumbai to pay tribute to him. His message to his followers was “Educate!!!, Organize!!!, Agitate!!!”

   By: Jijnasa, X D

JUST ONE OF US

They point at him and giggle as they stare,

Until it becomes far too much for him to bear.

They laugh and they tease and they call him insane,

Without realizing the extent of his pain.

 

He’s also a human, with thoughts like us,

Although he may sometimes shout and fuss.

He may not always understand how we feel,

But he has a different side to him – yet unrevealed.

 

So what if his brain is a little bit different?

So what if it sometimes doesn’t comprehend the messages it is being sent?

It is still a brain, quite similar to ours,

With similar functions and similar powers.

 

He might have problems with communication,

And do odd things for recreation.

He might not like if someone goes near him,

He might have troubles expressing his feelings.

 

He might not be able to make many friends,

But that is the very thing we need to try to mend.

He might appear passive or without emotion,

But I promise he can still be a lot of fun.

 

He may seem odd or a tiny bit strange,

But the truth is that he isn’t at all deranged.

When you really look at it, he isn’t all that different,

He’s normal in his own way, is what I meant.

 

He eats, he sleeps, he wakes up at dawn,

He plays, he studies, and when he’s tired, he yawns.

Even though he’s not your definition of ‘cool’,

Nobody said bullying him was a rule.

 

If you look past his differences and accept him for him,

He’ll adore you for you, and maybe even sing.

If you’re willing to try to accept the person he is,

You’ll end up becoming a wonderful friend of his.

 

If you let him be just the way he is,

And still not feel awkward or pissed,

You’ll realize that just because you did so,

You found out he’s one of the best people you know.

 

Help him live along with his autism, not in spite of it,

Help him gain knowledge and sarcastic wit.

Treat him like normal and not a special case,

Treat him like a friend, and you’ll be amazed.

 

It doesn’t matter if he shows his feelings or conceals them,

If he’s comfortable in social situations or doesn’t want to have many friends.

What matters is that we understand who he really is,

Beneath the layers of nervousness and discomfort of his.

 

We need to accept him as one of us,

Not as anything even remotely less.

Let’s tell him our jokes and make him our friend,

And allow him to leave when he wants something to end.

 

Let’s understand his unease and why he feels bad,

Let’s make him happy when he’s feeling sad.

Let’s give him his space when he asks for some,

Let’s also let him know that with us, he has a home.

 

Don’t force him for anything, don’t give subtle hints,

Just let him love you and let yourself love him.

After all, if you simply spend some time to understand,

You will definitely be very, very, very glad.

 

He’s a lot like us, you see

Not quite that different from you and me.

He’s a good friend and talented too,

Not quite that different from me and you.

By: Ananya Mahapatra, IX_G

You say I am “Abnormal”

Leaves dropped when they were speaking,

They say that I am sick,

But how can they know,

When I find myself totally fit;

 

You say I am “abnormal”

And everything about me needs special attention,

Didn’t you just check out my beautiful paintings

That the walls of my room adorn?

 

I might be different,

And sometimes write my letters and numbers backwards too,

But I cannot help it,

What my brain forces me to do;

 

You may not understand me,

And the world I live in,

I try hard to interpret its beauty,

But they all seem to go in vain;

 

I also have feelings,

And get hurt easily,

Being oblivious to others, and getting the same in return,

Isn’t exactly a new thing for me;

The other day,

Daddy took me to the park,

And the kids out there stayed away from me,

I witnessed all the people stare so long at us,

That it set my head to spin;

 

I might not walk properly or

At times sit straight,

I’m just too tired to correct them, trying hard to belong here, and

Make everything perfect;

 

I don’t speak much,

You see, I’m quite shy,

Be with and try to understand me for some time,

I’m sure you’ll enjoy your day;

 

They say I’m sick,

And that I’ll remain like this forever,

Be it then, Mommy,

All I wanted to tell you and Daddy is that,

My love for you will cease never!

   By: Mitali Madhusmita, XII-L

Rain Man – World Autism Awareness Day

World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated every year on 2^nd April, when various organisations come together to spread awareness about ‘Autism’, a condition that has left millions of individuals around the globe cut off from society’s embrace.

“Autism – a condition in which the person is LOCKED in his / her own private world.”

These words brilliantly summarise the condition’s symptoms & its effects. A person who suffers from Autism does not live in the same plane of existence as those of others & perceives their surroundings differently. Since what we perceive is what makes our world, autistic people live in a world that is entirely their own. Even though we cannot comprehend or visualise the world they live in, it is a magnificent world, full of mystery wonder & brilliant accidents that light up their lives.

Autistic children mostly have extremely delayed speech, or in some cases, no speech at all. The symptoms can be behavioural, developmental, muscular, & cognitive & speech related. Apart from delayed speech autistic children interact & behave differently. They DO NOT make eye contact, nor do they play with other children. There are delays in the development of cognitive abilities & their motor skills. They also face a lot of trouble communicating with others. As a result, these children often find it extremely difficult to adjust themselves to society & find themselves at a loss when facing a new environment. Due to these factors, they face bullying at school, are made fun of by their peers & are shunned by their extended family. Even their parent have to cope with a lot stress while dealing with the problems of raising an autistic child, struggling with both criticisms from the less enlightened members of society, as well as with financial shortcomings, as treatment for Autism are not cheap & does not come easy as it can only be treated by specialized therapies.

However there is a silver lining. Such individuals are often blessed with sheer brilliance. They are extremely intelligent & have a phenomenal memory. They may not be able to put two sentences together, but they’ll juggle complex mathematical problems with ease & be able to commit to memory an entire telephone directory.

Till late very little was known about Autism, but today it is known to the general population. Autism’s rise to fame started with the movie ‘RAINMAN; starring Dustin Hoffman as Raymond, an Autistic individual & Tom Cruise as his brother.

Doctor: Ray, can we try something?

Raymond: Yeah.

Doctor: Do you know how much 312 x 123 is?

Raymond: [saying digit after digit] 3-8-3-7-6.

Doctor: [amazed] He’s right.

Charlie: What?

Doctor: He’s right!

Charlie: He’s right?

Doctor: Yeah.

[The calculator shows 38376]

Doctor: Ray… How much is 4343 x 1234?

Raymond: [saying digit after digit] 5-3-5-9-2-6-2

Charlie: He’s a genius…

Doctor: Right.

Charlie: He’s a genius!

Doctor: Ray! Do you know how much a square root of 2130 is?

Raymond: 4-6 point 1-5-1-9-2-3-0-4.

[The calculator shows 46.15192304]

Raymond: 2-3-0-4.

Charlie: That’s amazing! He is amazing! He should work for NASA or something like that.

Doctor: [walking to Raymond] If you had a dollar… and you spent 50 cents, how much money would you have left?

Raymond: About 70…

Doctor: 70 cents?

Raymond: 70 cents.

To bring ‘World Autism Awareness Day’ into effect, a resolution was passed by the United Nations General Assembly on November 1^st, 2007. It was proposed by the United Nations representative from Qatar, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, Consort of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, & supported by all member states. Since then, every year 2^nd April is observed as World Autism Awareness Day. On this day various NGOs all around the globe come together to spread awareness about Autism & to raise money for research & support activities. Various conferences are held where the leading experts discuss & build upon their knowledge on the various facets of Autism. Walks are also organised in cities around the globe.

Of many such NGOs, ‘Autism Speaks’ happens to be the largest of all, spearheading research & development of support circles for the families of Autistic individuals. Autism Speaks has also undertaken various initiatives. Light It Up Blue is one of the largest initiatives posed by Autism Speaks. Also, The Power of One March is The National Autism Awareness March, & is a unique night-time march in Washington, D.C.

When it comes to India, there are millions of Autistic children in the country. Sadly though, most states are ill-equipped to deal with them. There are no specialized centres for education nor are there any therapists to help them adjust themselves into society. However, certain cities such as Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Mumbai & other metropolitan cities have such centres. Still, it is quite obvious that it will not be enough for the millions of others who still languish in the darkness, unloved & alone. Keeping this mind, India needs to work towards developing more of such centres & sensitize people to the situation of autistic individuals.

The society as a whole can benefit a lot from the phenomenal abilities of such kids. We’ll be surprised to know, that some of the most brilliant experts in the field of information technology are autistic. Just imagine to what heights the combined brilliance of millions of such individuals could take us to. And now, let us comeback to where it all began. It all began, with the Rain Man.
Charlie: Who took this picture?

Raymond: D-A-D.

Charlie: And you lived with us?

Raymond: Yeah, 10962 Beach crest Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Charlie: When did you leave?

Raymond: January 12, 1965. Very snowy that day. 7.2 inches of snow that day.

Charlie: Just after Mom died.

Raymond: Yeah Mom died January 5, 1965.

Charlie: You remember that day. Was I there? Where was I?

Raymond: You were in the window. You waved to me, “Bye bye Rain Man”, “Bye bye.”

Hats off to Rainmen all around the world.

   By: Arjun Roy XII-G

World Autism Awareness Day – April 2, 2016

Autism is a physical-mental disorder arising out of poor development of brain and nervous system in some children. It leads to retarded growth of children – both physical and mental. Children suffering from Autism called Autistic Children are characterized by poor communication skills i.e. inability to communicate with others in a normal manner. They also suffer from cognitive deficiency i.e. inability to learn properly as per their age profile. Autistic Children have poor attention spam i.e. they cannot focus their attention on a topic for long durations and hence have poor learning ability as compared to normal children. The cause of this disease is not entirely understood but is generally believed to be related to genetic disorders.

Children suffering from Autism have special needs. They need proper care and attention to be able to lead a normal life like other children of their age group. As we know, the environment of a school determines the extent to which children are able to learn in a group. It is the responsibility of the school, to recognize the different needs of Autistic Children and provide an environment in which such children do not feel left out. Activities can be planned in a manner which takes care of Autistic Children.

Special classes can also be held to teach communication skills to children. Modern teaching aids – using audio visual media can help Autistic Children to learn lessons at par with normal children. Teachers have to be sympathetic and also patient towards them. More than the teachers and teaching aids the other colleague children play a greater role. It is the responsibility of the other children to behave properly with autistic children and to not make fun of them.

We should not ignore or taunt such children or refuse to be friends with them. We should have empathy towards such children and try to help them communicate with others. We should know that with proper care and teaching only can such children lead a normal life as they grow up.

World Autism Day is observed on 2nd April every year in order to focus the attention of the people towards the special needs of the children suffering from autism, to remind us about the special needs of such children. On this day all of us, especially school children should take a pledge to help such children to overcome Autism with courage and determination.

  By: Shivangi Sharma, IX-G

Odisha – The State of Wonders

Of all the states in India, our state of Odisha is considered to be one of the most backward ones. All the people up north find our language funny, our food too tasteless, our land too dirty & our people too foolish & traditional. But that’s not the sad part. People tend to make fun of something that they don’t understand. The sad part is, we Odias laugh along with them. We never act defensive or try to improve the opinion of our state, of our beautiful language. Think about it. How many Odias will actually fight for what people think of our state? People from other states will find a way to praise their culture in any way they can. We, on the other hand, are so engrossed in listening to other people criticise our culture that we have forgotten how beautiful it actually is. We have so much to be proud of!

Our majestic Jagannath Temple in Puri is one of the char dhams which every Hindu intends to visit at least once. This architectural wonder from the 11^th century still stands tall at its peak of glory. The Konark Sun Temple built in the 13^th century is one of the most spectacular monuments of religious significance. The Chilika Lake with its impressive dolphins and migratory birds is the largest brackish water lake in the whole of Asia. The beautiful white sand at our beaches with the soothing roar of the ocean close by is an escape to heaven for everyone. The Bhitarkanika National Park is one of the most impressive wildlife sanctuaries of Asia. Our beautiful dance of Odissi is sure to mesmerize anyone’s attention. Our language is one of the classical languages of our country. Even the simple dish of pakhala with its magical sleep-inducing powers is something to be proud of. I could go on & on, but then, the list would never end.

Our humble state has also contributed some of the most remarkable men in our country. Our history is full of great men like Biju Patnaik, Madhusudan Das & many more who have fought to make Odisha recognized as a free state. The intricate skilled carvings & designs on our temples & sculptures are clear evidences of our highly skilled artisans & craftsmen. We have also produced some great writers like Dr. Manoj Das, known all over the nation & beyond for his gripping & touching stories. Nobody can deny the skill of the famous sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik, whose sand masterpieces can be seen everywhere on the beaches of Puri.

Our state is a treasure house of the greatest heritage & personalities in the nation & beyond. And yet, we Odias ignore all of it & continue to dwell upon all the things that are wrong with our state. Of course, everything has its ups & downs. But we have to recognize both the good & the bad things about a place. And if we do find something that we don’t like, it’s our own responsibility to change that. After all, you have to be the change that you want to see in the world.

A lot of people have complaints that our state is too polluted & filthy. Well, sitting at home & complaining about it doesn’t change anything. After all, who has polluted this beautiful place? Who has defaced our historical monuments & littered in our rivers? We ourselves. Instead of criticising others, we have to get out there & take it as our own responsibility to make our state a better place to live in.

Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, also known as the City of Temples, has been selected in the first position to be converted into a smart city under the initiative taken by our most respected Prime Minister. But how do we get smart? Do you think high-tech buildings & free Wi-Fi is smart enough? No. A place can never truly be smart if it doesn’t have smart people. What good is better infrastructure if people are just going to urinate & spit on the walls? What good are green parks if people are going to litter in them? What good are nice roads if women can’t walk on them after sunset without a constant fear in their hearts? While factors like infrastructure & technology are indeed very important for a smart city, I believe that real smartness begins from within ourselves. We have to be smart & make our state smart.

So, on the occasion of Utkal Divas, let’s all take a pledge. A pledge to be proud of what our state is & try our hardest to make it better every day. Let’s all be proud Odias & contribute to the place that has taught us the importance of humility & simplicity. No matter how far you go, home will always be home. Nothing can change that. Let’s not become a tree which grows so tall that it forgets its roots is still planted in the ground. Let’s respect this magnificent place & be proud of the fact that we belong here.

Happy Utkal Divas to each & every one of you & lets be proud of our beautiful state, Odisha.

  By: Auroshree Pani

Foundation Day of SAI International School

“Either be the best or different from the rest”. These words have been embedded in my mind since the day I first set foot in this school and believing in them has really brought out the best in me. I’m here to tell you why SAI International School holds a very special place in my heart. I would not be where I am today without the constant guidance of this school. It has shaped and groomed me and shown me who I really am.

I am reminded of the first day when had come to school. I was a little girl with no idea about the world, SAI International made me realize, not only how big it is, but also how to thrive in it. It taught me that it is not only talent that is required to get far in life, but also hard work and effort, and that if we put them both to use, the rewards are great. One very important thing that I’ve learnt in school is to value people and the dignity of labour. From my experiences here, I’ve become humbler and, honestly, quite wiser.

One of the best things about this school is it’s uniqueness. Over here, education isn’t the only thing given importance to. This is a school that pays attention to a child’s 360° development, which means a whole lot of extra-curricular activities and most importantly parent involvement. And that doesn’t simply mean regular sports, music and yoga. It includes a whole lot of other amazing things like horse-riding, army obstacles courses, swimming – stuff that I’d have never pictured myself learning. I honestly don’t know where else one could get this kind of opportunity in a school.

The school has helped me become independent and outgoing, thanks to its leadership camps and different clubs activities. The hands-on projects and contests we take part in, really encourage us to be self-dependent and to learn and experiment with things. This is a necessary value that needs to be instilled in children. This school is one of the few places you’ll find self-reliance and honesty to DIY being taught at their best.

A big lesson I’ve learnt from being here, is that no matter how far one may go in life, they should never forget where home is; they should always stay true to their roots. We are taken on so many field trips to places that showcase Odisha’s heritage, and we also witness quite a lot of cultural programs here in the school itself. All this teaches us a lot about the culture and tradition of Odisha. I am not ashamed to say that I am a proud Odia. And for this, I have SAI International to thank.

Even the chidings and scolding I’ve received are valuable to me. This may sound absurd but it’s true. At that moment, I may have felt angered or sad and upset. But when I look back on them now, they have actually helped me out in the long run. And this is why; it’s not only the school system that is brilliant, but the teachers too.

One thing that I have come to deeply respect and admire about my teachers is that they are here, not only to teach us what is written in our books, but to teach us how to become good people in life. They don’t simply care about completing the course, they are also concerned about our wellbeing and growth and they take care of us really well, even if it means sometimes putting themselves in trouble, and due to this, I have to salute them. And don’t you think we should also salute the effort put in by all the aunties and uncles work so hard to make us feel comfortable?

All of us spend hours criticizing the things we dislike about this place, but we never talk about the millions of reasons we have to adore it. Where else would you find a school this big and beautiful? With such respectable and helpful teachers? Which gives off such a friendly and safe environment, where one need not be afraid of being judged for being who one is?

SAI International teaches us how to be a Somebody, with a capital S, in this big, wide world. I’m so proud of the fact that I am a SAIoneer, because the things I’ve seen and done here are absolutely sublime. I don’t think anyone ever takes the time to stop and reflect on what this school has done for them. Although we should. We really should. Because I’m pretty sure I would in no way be who I am right now without the help of this school.

I promise you that none of what I have said is clichéd or repetitive. All this is what I’ve actually gathered from my experience in the school and I cannot express how grateful I am to this institution for giving me so much to hold on to and remember, not only in the near future but for decades to come. I hope everybody else also feels the same attachment to SAI International as I do and will carry similar memories with them, now and later in life.

Thank you SAI International School for just being so wonderful.

  Speech by Ananya Mahapatra, IX-G

WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY

Since 2008, 2^nd of April has been internationally recognised as World Autism Awareness Day. It is hosted by the United Nations along with World Health Organisation and Autism Speaks. They focus on personal efforts for raising awareness and eliminating negative stigma associated around autism. Since the initiation of this day, awareness and research revolving autism has increased.

As someone who lives a privileged life, I often overlook issues that are centred on autism. Neither have I had a lot of interaction with the autistic community. Saying this, I’ve realised how isolated their community is and how we don’t make them feel good enough. Even when we can interact, we feel uncomfortable and moreover, we make them feel uncomfortable. That isn’t their fault, but rather ours because they don’t really understand how to go about things. Autistic children interpret things differently than we do. What maybe ordinary sights, touches, sounds to us may be downright painful for them. Their senses are out of sync. As students, we have to make them feel comfortable in their surroundings, as we all share the same environment.

Autistic children still don’t know what they are capable of and what they are not, just as us. They are not just one thing; autism isn’t who they are, it’s just a part of who they are. Often, we set our expectations for them too low, thinking they aren’t capable of doing this or that, which is wrong. Doing this, even they give up. We aren’t aware of what they’re capable of doing either. We have to encourage them to try new things, but not push them into it either. They are a part of society as well, and can contribute just as much as we can.

In a public area, such as a playground, autistic children tend to stay away from the other children. It is not that they don’t want to play with the others, but that they don’t know how to start a conversation or join play. Instead of shying away, we should encourage them to join us and encourage the other children to invite them to play along. Avoiding them will only make them feel more isolated and different from us. Have you ever felt left out in a group of friends, or felt lonely because you didn’t have anyone to play with? That’s how they feel all the time.

It is necessary to make our surrounding ‘autism friendly’. According to Wikipedia, Autism friendly means, ‘being aware of social engagement and environmental factors affecting people on the autism spectrum, with modifications to communication methods and physical space to better suit individual’s unique and special needs’. Schools can adopt several measures to make the campus autism friendly. School can stick to simple colour scheme, which prevents triggering sensory overload. A routine should be followed properly, the campus should be quiet and peaceful.

Autistic children take in more sensory information and are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of input. They are also used to a routine, and disturbance of their routine can trigger anxiety and meltdowns. Teachers play a vital role in the success of an autistic child. Teachers should give autistic children extra time to answer, as they process information slower, although they are listening and they will respond.

As students, and future leaders of tomorrow, we have to help autistic children fit in better, and encourage others to accept autism. We must be patient with them and learn to interact with them. Instead of seeing them as a liability, and noticing their limitations we must learn to see their strengths. They rely on us and it is our duty to support and guide them, as that will lead to their success, and their success will mean the success of society. Let’s love them and lead them to a better future.

   By: Diya Dev X-D

Utkal Divas

Utkal Divas, also known as the Odisha Day is celebrated on 1^st of April every year in the memory of the formation of the state Odisha as a separate province. Utkal Divas is celebrated all over Odisha. Big buildings and monuments are decorated on this day. Competitions are arranged by some popular politicians like the fireworks competition. Due to the fireworks, this day is enjoyed more, and the fireworks make the sky look stunning. People feel proud to be a part of Odisha, proud to be an Odia. In schools and colleges this day is celebrated with pride.

In 19 century, the oriya movement took place. But later this movement was separated, Madhusudhan, lead the ‘Union of Oriya Peoples’ Movement’ and Gopabandhu the ‘Gandhian Non-Cooperation Movement’. Youth leader such as Chandhra Sekhar Behera, Niranjan Patnaik along with Gopabandhu who resigned his Deputy Collector’s job to join the freedom movement of Odisha. Even Hare Krushna left his college studies to join the movement and others accepted Gopabandhu’s leadership to fight for freedom. Nilakantha and others joined the Swaraj Party for council entry under the 1919 Government of India Act. Nilakantha, a representative in Central Assembly in 1927, demanded for a separate province for the Odias. One the other hand the Oriya Movement achieved success under the great leaders. Finally on April 1, 1936, Odisha was declared as a separate province which is celebrated as the Utkal Divas.

Some of the famous freedom fighters who were geared up to make Odisha a freedom and separate province were:

 Biju Pattanaik (1916-1997) – He was a trained pilot and the pioneer of industrial revolution in Odisha. He was the head of air transport command during the war (1940-42). He led the underground movement for the freedom of the country along with Jayaprakash Narayan and others. Biju Patnaik piloted the first plane that left Palam Airport at Delhi  at dawn and landed at Srinagar Airport in the early morning. He was a great visionary who worked relentlessly for the upliftment of the people of Odisha.

 Chandra Shekhar Behera (1873-1936) – He was the leading freedoms fighter of Sambalpur. He participated in the non-cooperation movement and consolidated the national freedom movement and merged his activities with Indian national Congress.

Birsa Munda (1875–1900) – He was an Indian tribal freedom fighter and a folk hero. He belonged to the Munda tribe. He spearhead the Millenarian movement that took place in the late 19th century, during the British Raj,  making him an important person in the history of the Indian independence movement. His achievements are even more remarkable for having been accomplished before the age of 25.

 Veer Surendra Sai – He was an Indian freedom fighter who sacrificed his life while  fighting against the British and died in gloom. He protected most parts of Western Odisha region from the British rule.

This year let’s dedicate our independence to the ones forgotten! Jai hind! We all are proud of these great leaders due to whom we are now living in an independent state, and we are proud to be a part of this separate province and proud to be Odias.

   By: DIVYA DASH – IX G