Hindi Day at SEMS

Inaugural Inter-School Essay Competition

To celebrate Hindi Day, our Snehalaya English Medium School hosted an inter-school essay competition dedicated to the cherished memory of Sri Sadashiv Dattatraya Shukre. This was the first year of this competition, culminating in a ceremony to distribute awards.

A total of 400 students from the city and district participated, showcasing their skills in two categories: students from grades five to seven and grades eight to ten. The topics for the essays were "Mobile World: Advantages and Disadvantages" and "Women’s Safety: Challenges and Solutions."

The competition saw a structured reward system, with the first prize being ₹1000 along with a certificate, the second prize being ₹750, and the third prize ₹500. An encouragement prize of ₹300 was also awarded, along with certificates for the participants. This initiative aimed to enhance students' critical thinking and personal development through essay writing, which is considered a vital tool in shaping educational experiences.

The motivation behind organising this event was rooted in the legacy of the school's honorary director, Rajendra Shukre, whose father, Sadashiv Shukre, served as a Hindi teacher at the Hindu Seva Mandal's Dada Choudhari High School. During his tenure, he made notable contributions to promoting the Hindi language and conducted special sessions for Hindi examinations. The intent of the competition is not only to commemorate Shukre's dedication but also to inspire a love for the Hindi language in the new generation.

For the essay topic "Mobile World: Advantages and Disadvantages," Kalpana Kandke from Hanuman School, Takali Khatgaon, clinched the first position. The second prize was awarded to Hriday Khandelwal from Colonel Parab School, while Aishwarya Gite from Blue Diamond Academy secured the third position. An encouragement award was presented to Zoya Sayyed from Malala Balbhavan.

In the "Women’s Safety: Challenges and Solutions" category, the first prize went to Pranav Ajabe from Sunpharma English Medium School. Shounak Kulkarni from St Vivekanand English School received the second prize and Swastika Nagpure from Seth Nandalal Dhoot English Medium School was awarded third place. Sai Tupe from Snehalaya English Medium School garnered an encouragement prize.

The guest of honor for the event, Kanchan Papdeja from St Vivekanand English School, emphasized the significance of the Hindi language through Hindi literature and couplets by Sant Kabir. In her presidential speech, Mugdha Shukre inspired the students to delve deeper into Hindi literature.

This competition is set to become an annual event, nurturing a love for the Hindi language among students while honoring a legacy that stands the test of time.