Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu:

Shuvatara School organised its 14th annual prize distribution day at Royal Nepal Academy, Kamaladi on March 21. The programme was marked by honouring the 10 most influential women in Nepal -- Usha Nepal, Sailaja Acharya, Dr Arzu Deuba, Sangina Baidhya, Manjushree Thapa, Sapana Malla Pradhan, Rani Gurung Kakshapati, Rama Singh, Ambika Shrestha and Anuradha Koirala — declared by The Boss on International Women’s Day 2004. Shalini Wadhwa, CEO and managing editor of The Boss magazine was also honoured. Chief guest Dr Mohan Man Saiju felicitated them saying, “It is proud to know that they are Nepali women.”The programme was well-managed and it was good to see that some parents were volunteering. The MCs were renowned RJ Chirag Bangdel and one of the teachers of Shuvatara.

Rani Gurung Kakshapati, the founder principal of the school stated, “Shuvatara has been a pioneer school in delivering quality, child-centric, comprehensive education. I am privileged and happy to lead such a school with such teachers, students, parents and friends.” She also emphasised on the need for women’s education saying they should be equally educated.

Entertainment comprised songs, dance and short plays performed by the students. These enlightened on the culture of our country conveying a special message of ‘Universal Brotherhood and Unity’. Some students from the Shringheri Primary School, Sisneri, sister school of Shuvatara in Lamatar, also participated.

Rama Singh thought the programme was “simply marvellous”. Sapana Malla Pradhan said: “I was supposed to fly Bangkok today but I cancelled it because I was so touched by the wordings in the invitation Shuvatara had sent. The honour encourages me to fight against women discrimination.” In the latter part of the programme general proficiency and highest smiley holder awards was distributed to each class followed by the awards for the honorary mention, honours roll, scholarship for the year and the awards for the flying juniors. The children were also awarded shields for the best bulletin board, inter-house co-curricular competition and inter-house sports.

Sashriya Singh, a Shuvatara student awarded with honours roll for the academic year, said: “ I feel proud to be a student of Shuvatara. The teachers are always co-operative and helpful.”