Dear OS, 

At the outset, I would like to thank you all for your support and good wishes to our school and me. The last few weeks were indeed very challenging for Sanawar and me, and we could not have survived without your support. I will always remain grateful.

We all have gone through a certain amount of ‘bullying’ in various degrees at school, and at times a bit of physical force too, but times have changed, and today not only is it illegal in the country but I dare say not done. It is a tall order to eradicate it from our school; but a beginning has to be made somewhere. ‘Somebody has got to stop the rot and why not you’. This line from our school song has always guided me in life, and kept me going. There is so much of violence and intolerance in society, in our country and the world. You’ll find it on streets as well as in homes. There certainly is a moral decay I see everywhere, and we as an institute should take a lead in it to try and arrest it. “Change and decay in all around I see. Oh Thou! Who changes not, abide with me”.

Academics are the foremost area of our concentration and have been for a while. Our children need to be competitive and though there is a marked improvement in our results in the last couple of years, you will be happy to know, that our class XII Board result improved for the fourth consecutive year. The batch average has crossed 80% for the first time, but there are still miles to go… In our endeavor to make our students world class, we are making efforts to empower them in many ways. The introduction of smart classrooms in partnership with EduComp Solutions Ltd, will make it easier for our teachers to prepare their lessons, eliminate the need for our students to take notes and eventually create virtual classrooms. Emphasis is being put on weaker students by enhancing tutorials and extra classes.

Students Exchange programs are enriching the lives of our students when they travel and live with families of exchange students from other countries.

However, Sanawar is best known for all rounded education and equal importance is being given to extracurricular activities. This shows in our winning tournaments, debates and quiz contests etc. You will be happy to know that even in the middle of the recent crisis at school our children of different age groups lifted trophies in tournaments of squash, basketball and debates held at venues other than school. This shows the spirit of Sanawar. A question of mind over matter and spirit over mind. Yet, I am not blind to some weaknesses in our system and people, and am working aggressively to overcome them.

We as a school are in a transitional mode, still unfolding. My goal for Sanawar remains simple – that is to be the ‘best school of all’. In today’s world there is no place for second or third. You are the best or you are amongst the rest. To reach the top we all will require a collective concerted effort, for which I need your continued help and good wishes.

This is the first time I have ever written to you all via the OS website, and I must admit that it has given me a lot of joy to share some of my thoughts with you all. Do feel free to write to me.

Never Give In

Praveen Vasisht
Headmaster
OS -76