Graduation Celebration, 2023
The Graduation Celebration for Grade 12 students of NPS International was held on Saturday, 21st January 2023. 28 students from the graduating class received mementos from the school and were officially declared graduands of the school. The Chief Guest for the day was Professor Madhavan Mukund, Director of the Chennai Mathematical Institute. The event was also graced by the presence of NPS Founder Chairman Dr K P Gopalkrishna and NPS Administrator Mrs Lalitha Das.
The doors to the auditorium were opened at 6:00 PM. While the parents of the graduating students took their seats, they were treated to a video presentation of various moments shared by their children over the years. Over 780 photographs were curated and artfully set to background music, beautifully capturing moments from classrooms, field trips, stage presentations and more.
The Chief Guest and dignitaries arrived at 6:30 p.m., marking the official start of the function. The Student Procession, set to Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1, was led by Grade 12 Class teacher Mrs. Nalini and followed by Mrs. Indumathy. The 28 students made their grand entrance into the auditorium and took their seats.
To set the evening off to an auspicious start, the proceedings were begun with the lighting of the lamp and an invocation seeking the blessings of the almighty. The dignitaries lit the lamp and young students presented a hymn praising Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles.
The opening remarks were made by Principal of NPS International Chennai, Ms. Sudha Balan, along with a special video message from Vice-Chairperson Dr. Bindu Hari and words of encouragement sent by Dean Dr. Santamma Gopalkrishna. Ms. Balan welcomed the Chief Guest, dignitaries and parents, and congratulated the graduating class on their achievements while wishing them the best for their future.
The Convocation Address by the Chief Guest was much appreciated by the audience. Professor Madhavan Mukund encouraged students to plan for the future but to keep an open mind to where fate and circumstances might lead them, sharing personal anecdotes of his own journey towards academia. This was followed by the presentation of mementos to the first nine students of the graduating class. While each student walked on stage to receive their memento, a brief message talking about their character, passions and future plans was read.
The Founder Chairman then addressed the gathering, sharing his wisdom of over six decades. He encouraged students to work hard to follow their dreams, and hoped that at least some of them would become teachers in the future. Dr. K. P. Gopalkrishna then handed over mementos to the next ten graduating students.
The third and final set of nine studemts received their mementos from Administrator Lalthia Das. Between each set of presentations, stanzas from the Guru Ashtakam written by Adi Shankaracharya, were sung melodiously by teachers of NPSI Chennai. Once all students had received their mementos, Ms. Sudha Balan made the formal declaration, proclaiming the Batch of 2022-23 as Graduands. The students ceremoniously moved the tassels on their graduation caps from the right to the left to mark this moment. The School Prefect, Navitha Manivannan, then led the class in the School Pledge, solemnly promising to uphold the ideals of NPS International, Chennai and to nurture the values of honesty, integrity and respect.
This was followed by reminiscences shared by students and parents of the time spent at NPS International. Mahathi Ramnarayan and Adithya Kashiram of Grade 12 gave heartfelt and charming speeches recollecting the times spent through the years. Dr. Poorna Christopher and Mr. Raj. B. Devanand, parents of Pravin and Tia respectively, also shared their own experiences, thanking the school and Principal for all their hard work and dedication.
The students then performed the candle ceremony, where each of them was handed a lit candle as a symbol of knowledge and hope. Students walked onto the stage accompanied by teachers singing Guru Padukabhyam. The students held the lit candles in the darkened auditorium and performed the school hymn, capturing the true spirit of the school.
The Vote of Thanks was presented by Neeraj Parasanna of Grade 12, which brough the festivities to an end. The programme was concluded with the National Anthem before the guests made their way to the dining area to enjoy a sumptuous dinner with their families. Students enjoyed taking commemorative photographs within the decorative arch, making the evening truly memorable for themselves and their families.