Airports Authority of India organizes Inter-School Hindi Debate

New Delhi: As part of its ongoing celebrations towards 150th Birth Anniversary of Father of the Nation – Mahatma Gandhi, the Airports Authority of India today organized an Inter-School Hindi Debate Competition at its Corporate Head Quarters, Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi. 

   

Students between 9th to 12th standards from over 15 prominent schools (Public as well as Government) from South Delhi including Delhi Public School (R. K. Puram), The Mother’s International, Delhi Police Public School, Tagore International School, Banyan Tree School, Laxman Public School, Holy Child Auxilium, Navyug Sr. Sec. Schools (Sarojini Nagar and LodhiRoad) and Kendriya Vidyalayas (JNU and INA Colony) participated in the Inter-School Hindi Debate Competition speaking ‘for’ and ‘against’ the topic, “Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in 21st Century.”

Sh. Laxmi Dass, noted Gandhian and Former Chairman, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC); Ms. Shashwati Jhalani, Former-Librarian, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti and Sh. Ajit Dubey, former ED (Finance), AAI judged the participants of the Debate Competition.

While welcoming the participants and accompanying teachers from various schools, Sh. Anuj Aggarwal, Chairman, AAI said that in today’s volatile times it is pertinent that a significant topic like ‘Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in 21st Century’ was being discussed among young school students who will be India’s future leaders.

 

All the students passionately presented their respective motions and fervently invoked Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Nehru, Einstein and other world leaders while deliberating about the relevance and the significant role Gandhi played in shaping India and Indian psyche.

Bhavy Gupta of Delhi Public School, RK Puram won the First Prize while Ananya Tyagi of Delhi Police Public School stood Second in the Debate Competition. Krisha Suri of Laxman Public School took away the Third Prize. Two Appreciation Awards were given to Khyati Sharma of Banyan Tree School, Lodhi Road and Suhani Sinha of Tagore International School.

 

Sh. Laxmi Dass, one of the judges of the competition, applauded the school students and encouraged them to delve deeper while studying the Gandhian ways of life. He mentioned that Gandhian philosophies are very much relevant in today’s times and exhorted students to make their own judgement about it after duly reading about the leader who was also a mass mobiliser during India’s freedom struggle.

Ms. Shashwati Jhalani, who was associated with Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti for over three decades, spoke about external values of life that the Mahatma taught through example. She asked the school students to know more about the leader before accepting or rejecting his philosophies. She spoke about Gandhiji’s seminal work Hind Swaraj as well.

While giving prizes to the winners, Ms. Rubina Ali, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation said, “It was a pleasure interacting with school students today. Nice initiative by AAI. It is a big learning and a good opportunity to be present among noted Gandhian Sh. Laxmi Dassji and Ms. Shashwati Jhalani.”