Saeed Haider
Saudi Gazette
DAMMAM — A cultural glimpse of India reflecting unity in diversity was the hallmark of Foundation Day celebrations of International Indian School Dammam (IISD) on Saturday. Tiny tots with their extremely moving dance replete with expressive and emotive hand gestures and graceful body movement aligned to Indian classical rhythms stole the show.
Hemant Kotalwar, charge d’affaires at the Embassy of India in Riyadh, and his wife Seema Kotalwar were the chief guest. Director General of Education in the Eastern Province Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Mudaires was the guest of honor. Chairman of the School Managing Committee Dr. Abdussalam Kanniyan, member of the Indian Schools Higher Board John Thomas, members of the School Managing Committee and senior officials from the Saudi Ministry of Education were also present at the event.
Dr. Mudaires, in his address, said the quality of education at IIS Dammam is praiseworthy and the overall achievements by the school are indeed amazing. He appreciated the efforts of the staff and students behind these accomplishments.
Dr. E. K. Mohammed Shaffe, principal and head of the institution, presented a report on the school which highlighted 33 years of educating the Indian students away from their country in the Eastern Province and extending its facility and resources in the service of the Indian community.
He said IISD has accomplished numerous milestone achievements. The school has attained a unique accomplishment by winning the prestigious ‘CBSE Cluster Championship’ continuously for the sixth time. Presently it is the largest Indian school outside India with over 18,500 students and more than 1,200 faculty and support staff. IISD is acclaimed as the best Indian school in this region and its academic as well as co-curricular achievements are unique. It has become the icon of everything Indian in this part of the Kingdom.
The highlight of the annual day ceremony was the felicitation of the faculty and non academic staff who have completed ten years or more in the school; 44 members of the faculty were honored for their lengthy service this year. Mrs Mehnaz Farid, vice principal – academics who has completed three decades of service, and Ms Elizabeth Mathew, senior librarian who has completed 25 years, were honored at the function.
The other recipients of service awards were Azra Qamar, Shobha Ranjan, Farhana Kanakgeri, K.S. Rafique and R.K.M. Ali on completion of 20 years, and 39 staff members were felicitated for completing a decade. Students too were complimented for their meritorious, co-curricular and sports excellence.
Amidst all these official proceedings, the cultural programs presented by nearly 400 students from various sections and classes not only narrated the story of unique India but also the hospitality of Saudi Arabia which provided them a ‘home away from home’. Some of the programs like -‘Motherhood’ by Kindergarten, ‘Global Diaspora’ by Prep Section, ‘Home Away From Home’ and ‘Celebrating Womanhood’ by boys and girls middle sections, ‘It is Fun to be Fit’ by upper primary boys and the Drama ‘The Apple’ by girls secondary section were appreciated by all as the auditorium repeatedly thunderous applause.
School managing committee Chairman Dr. Abdussalam welcomed the guests and Alamgir Islam, vice principal, proposed the Vote of Thanks.
