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Akshaya P
6C

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INDEX

 Vande Bharatham Team ----------------- 4
 Namaste DFL ----------------- 7
 Margadarshana ----------------- 9
 Hitopadesha - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12
 Bharatiya Bhavishyavani - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16
 Vidyarthi Vibhag - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 20
 Acharyamrutham - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 37
 Poshak Prakashan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
 Kannada Sampada - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 54
 Madhur Bhaasha - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 65
 Bhaashapaakasudha - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 72
 Rangshaala - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 80
 Chitra Sankalana - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 88
 Masti Moments - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 93
 Kriya Sheela Shaale - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 97
 Pragathi-Puraskaar - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 118
 DFL in Media - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 127

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Vande Bharatham Team

Dr. Sujatha Girish Mrs. Sunitha Girish Mrs. Hema Jayram

Mrs. Rekha

Mrs. Veena Mrs. Vijaya Gowri
Mrs. Sumalatha
Mrs. Ratna Mrs. Dhanashree
Mrs. Sanjana
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Vande Bharatham Team

Mr. Ganesh Bhat

Mrs. Meenakshi Mr. Hanumanthraya

Mrs. Shwetha Kabra

Mrs. Varsha Mrs. Kusuma

Mrs. Geetha

Mrs. Ramya Rao Mr. Rudramuni Math

Mr. Murali Manohar Kumar

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Vande Bharatham - Student Editors

Shreya C S Likitha P S Tanisha
10 C 10 B 10 A

Aditya S Chirag L
9A 9B

Mithun B Mir Zayyan Ghazi Veda C Nair
8A 8B 7A

Shaarav Raksha R
7B 6C

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Namaste DFL

Mrs Vandana Singh

7

Namaste DFL

Dear Readers
When we visualize our literary creation as a collection of written or illustrated expressions, we
feel, as editors, we must have those magic wands that simply transcribe thoughts into text and
publish. Flipping through the pages of our ‘Reflections’, we hope that as readers you experi-
ence and enjoy those captured thoughts and expressions on interesting topics. Our editorial
board, comprising a set of like-minded thinkers, is bringing out this edition for all of you to
rewind and unwind mindfully.
Our edition of 2021-22 is designed with a theme to match ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the
celebration of India’s glorious 75 years as an independent nation; her past, present and the
indomitable future! While the names of our sections have a desi flavour in them, our collec-
tion of works encompasses a spectrum of diverse global topics to suit all age groups. We are
indebted to all the contributors for mailing us their beautiful creations and interpretations.
We have brought out an interesting ‘Slam Section’ for the outgoing Grade 10 batch to pen
their best moments @DFL. Then, there are excerpts of the rendezvous between our student
editors and the student council members.
Stepping into the second year of pandemic hasn’t deterred the team from bringing out this
interesting reading material. It is in fact, a super-creative DFL production! We are grateful to
the school management for the constant backing and to our principal for her timely inputs and
insights.
Team Reflections takes a bow for its remarkable journey of 2021- 22.
Jai Hind!

Mrs Hema Jayaram
Chief Editor

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Margadarshana

Sakshi A Malligere
9B

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‘Mental Health’ is the New Wealth.

“Mental health…is not a destination but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going.”
- Noam Shpancer

Dear readers, times are constantly chang- Dr. Sujatha Girish
ing leading to mental disturbances and Principal
true to the above quote, mental health is a
process, a combination of many factors.
During the pandemic times, we have wit-
nessed a sea change in all aspects of life
including the education field. The transi-
tion from offline to online classes, online
to hybrid classes and back to offline clas-
ses following the Covid 19 protocols has
been quite challenging for not only the
children but also for their parents and the
guardians. The teachers and the school
management are facing a multitude of
challenges.

The lockdown has adversely impacted all of us. While the children feel they are being caged,
the parents feel the children are unmanageable. With every wave of COVID 19, newer issues
are surfacing leading to a lot of uncertainty which in turn are also leading to mental health is-
sues.
Today, people from all walks of life are experiencing problems in their lives due to anxiety,
stress, depression, etc. due to COVID 19 along with many other causes. The reasons are count-
less. Depending on the age and the stage of the life of people, they suffer emotionally due to
different circumstances. According to research, poor mental health can lead to physical health
issues. Hence, focusing on mental health is the need of the hour. No wealth can match the
sound mental health of a person and no treasure can buy happiness.

Some problems are beyond our control. But there are many which can be controlled, and solu-
tions can be found for them, which can address the mental health issues to a great extent.
I personally opine that the modern-day lifestyle needs to be revisited. The olden days’ lifestyle
was much healthier and stress-free. People had more time to engage themselves in the activi-
ties which made them happy and kept them healthy. The human relationships were stronger;
the family bonding was better. People had more real friends, unlike the present days’ numer-
ous virtual friends with unknown faces.

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Life was much simpler and simple things made people happy. Today, in the name of progress, life
has become quite complicated, and people are never satisfied. Then, wants were limited and today
the sky is the limit when it comes to wants. The world is racing towards a materialistic monster.
High ambitions, cut-throat competition, unrealistic goals are ruining the lives of millions. Happi-
ness has become an expensive, unaffordable commodity rather than a state of mind.

It is time for all of us to pause and ponder. Onus is on us to teach our children to be happy so that
they can maintain sound mental health. We need to consciously try towards building of emotional
quotient of the children today so that tomorrow’s society is built by emotionally healthy people.
Let us train our children to find a silver lining behind every dark cloud. It is important to make
our children accept failures as a part of growing up. It is essential to talk to our future genera-
tion about the mental health and the significance of leading a joyous life.

Simple practices towards mental health are interwoven in the fabric of our country’s culture and
traditions. These aspects automatically and effortlessly ensured the emotional and mental
well-being of the people and the society at large. Eating meals together, playing folk games,
celebration of festivals together which is almost throughout the year, visiting relatives and friends
and inviting them over as guests, praying together as a family, family outings, listening to good
music and reading good literature, etc. were a few of such simple but significant and healthy
practices which are becoming obsolete these days.

Yoga, meditation, Pranayama, walking, etc. were a part of the daily routine. Healthy eating was a
way of life. Oil baths were weekly affairs at homes and there was no need to go to Ayurveda
massage centers for the same. These practices certainly added to a healthy lifestyle and helped
people in keeping their mind and body healthy. They served as destressing strategies and reduced
anger and anxiety. No one had to teach the children to be happy; they were always happy. It came
to children naturally. And so, they were blessed abundantly with the wealth of mental happi-
ness.
Can we give the gift of ‘mental health, the new wealth’ to our children?

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Hitopadesha

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Learning - an Endless and a Hopeful Journey

Education is a shared commitment between dedicated teachers, motivated students and enthusi-
astic parents with very ambitious expectations from their wards. The parent - teacher trust and
mutual understanding is the real secret to a child's optimum development. A well- balanced
blend of educational methods at home and school will automatically mould a child's learning
process. Thus, a good parent - teacher relationship will automatically lead to a child's robust and
positive learning experience.

Teachers and parents, provide a vital
support system, which goes a long way in
building, nurturing and shaping the very
fabric of the child. Both have to strive to-
wards achieving the same goal to see a
significant growth in the child's overall
development.

Mrs Madhuri Chengappa
Secretary, DESA

The pandemic in its own way has now made us realise the importance of sharing our
responsibilities to tide over the challenges of life. It's been a roller coaster ride but it is one
filled with resilience that has helped us to bounce back to normalcy. 

I am always reminded of the resolve and resilience of the people of Japan. Despite utter de-
struction all around them after the bombings, the ill effects of which still linger in our minds,
they have chosen not to be characterized by these destructions be it the bombings, earthquakes
or the tsunamis; they have always bounced back with resilience, reconciliation and hope.

Those are the great lessons to imbibe from. We should never give up hope. Instead, we should
collectively join hands in helping each other overcome all adversities and move on. 

We at DFL, have always been highly motivated and look forward to serving you all at all times.
Together we shall overcome!

"Whoever teaches learns in the act of teaching and whoever learns teaches in the act of
learning." - Paulo Freire

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A Life on Our Planet– a Must Watch

David Attenborough’s latest nature documentary on Netflix may be his greatest yet. Apparently
stung by criticism about the false impressions his documentaries have provided on the state of our
natural world, Attenborough has produced a witness statement outlining the changes to the envi-
ronment over his 94-year existence and solutions to the biodiversity crisis he has lived through.
At last, Attenborough clearly illustrates the devastating impact humanity has had on our planet.

Attenborough has lived through the initiation of
the crisis; when he was a small boy exploring the
extinct species found in quarries in 1937, 66% of
the planet was wilderness. This was a world of sta-
bility – humanity’s Garden of Eden – that led to
the Agricultural Revolution and our ability to
expand our populations and distribution.
In Attenborough’s words, “Our home was not lim-
itless. We are ultimately bound by and defined by
the resources on this planet.”

Mr A P Chinnappa
CEO, DESA

When Attenborough showed the world how similar we are to some of our closest relatives
mountain gorillas—in his Life on Earth series in 1978, wilderness had dropped to 55% of the
planet. His interactions with the habituated troop of a species with only 300 individuals re-
maining remain unforgettable. But to Attenborough, he was reliving the same phenomena he
had observed as a child in the fossils he found at his local quarry: extinction, during his very
lifetime.
By the time Attenborough had reached his 50s, the human population had doubled from its
size when he was born. Our predators were eliminated, our diseases cured or treated.

“There was nothing to stop us, unless we stopped ourselves,” he says in the new documentary
and sadly, we have not. Vast swathes of forest have been cleared, waters polluted, species
driven extinct. Even our oceans are wrought having been treated as humanity’s toilet bowl for
the past millennia, 90% of fish are gone and corals are being bleached white. By 1997, only
46% of the planet’s wilderness remained. 70% of the birds on the planet are domestic – we’ve
“replaced the wild with the tame” as he says.

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Our past impacts on the species we share this planet with are reprehensible, and the future on
this trajectory will be bleak. 
However, this future does not need to eventuate. We can avert this disaster if we want to, and
Attenborough implores us to. There are solutions – whaling almost sent the great whales extinct,
but its cessation after society changed its perspective to this being unacceptable has led to one of
the planet’s greatest wildlife recoveries. Mountain gorilla numbers now exceed 1,000 individuals
thanks to concerted conservation efforts. We urgently need society (and the politicians we elect)
to recognize the broader destruction of our natural world by a thousand cuts, and refuse to accept
this any longer.
There are solutions to avoid this. Education leads to increased wealth and reduced birth rates; a
solution to humanity’s overpopulation problem. We waste the majority of stuff we consume, be
it food, electricity, or space. So, Attenborough implores us to reduce waste if we do nothing
else.

Nationalism must end; we need to recognize that we are all inhabitants of this planet and
humanity will be devastated unless we address climate change and the biodiversity crisis. Anoth-
er potential solution is to get the generations communicating. Old people are much better than
young people at recognising the loss of biodiversity the world has seen over the past few dec-
ades, so communication between the generations could reinforce the impact of this intergenera-
tional inequity.
Finally, Attenborough urges us to listen to experts. Scientists may have been illustrating the
problems for several decades, but politicians have preferred to play the short game and ignore
the evidence. Walking through the ruins of a school evacuated after the Chernobyl nuclear
reactor meltdown (perhaps the most devastating environmental impact on the planet), Attenbor-
ough illustrates that all is not lost – nature can bounce back if we give it a chance. The removal
of people from this area has seen forest take over the town, and rare wildlife has returned. Nature
is resilient, if humanity’s foot is removed from its throat.
So who should watch A Life on our Planet? This is a fundamentally important documentary by a
man trusted around the world. So ideally, this documentary should be seen by everyone, but the
brevity of the biodiversity crisis, the potential impacts and the solutions would be educational to
politicians worldwide. While some countries recognize the crisis we are facing, others prefer
short-term profit over long-term calamity. The great man has spoken. It is time for us to change
our ways.

Source: Newcastle.edu.au

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Bharatiya Bhavishyavani

Preksha Mahesh
9A

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India 2030,
My Country My Vision

Come 2030, India will have strived to make it to the top three global Mrs Hema Jayaram
‘sustainable’ economies. In a paradoxical manner, Faculty
 India will have generated more employment and green space while

generating less carbon!
 She will have brought in a massive developmental change while

contributing least to the climate change.
 She will have ushered in radical reforms while retaining her rich culture.
 She will have taken long forward strides in technology and space and a

backward leap to revive her heritage.
India will have made an IMPACT while keeping her democracy and
demography INTACT! That is India for me and for the world to reckon with!

Mrs Ratna. S India is in line with meeting most of her millennium development goals. I
Faculty visualise India to have-

 A high and sustainable pace of economic growth that can prevent large
scale environmental degradation and natural resource depletion.

 Digital India led by youth with innumerable start-ups, generating
employment to millions and promoting entrepreneurial spirit.

 A pollution free, self sufficient healthy India with distress-free
healthcare and wellness system for all.

 Effective implementation of NEP 2020 which would have a steep rise in
the gross enrolment ratio by providing high quality education to all,
enhancing effective education through inclusion and equity, building
character and creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped
with the key 21st century skills.

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India, undoubtedly, will continue her march ahead in the field of economic Mrs Veena V
development, technological advancement and ecological enhancement. Faculty

The icing on the cake would, however, be her citizens, progressive in
thought and positive in action.
My India will have:
 children who are not afraid to do different things or to do things differ-

ently.
 parents who do not see children as extension of themselves or embodi-

ment of their unfulfilled dreams.
 women who do not have to be ‘the natural choice’ to give up their jobs

to fulfil family commitments.
 men who are open minded to accepting their spouses as their managers

at the workplace.
These attitudinal changes which have an impact at the individual level

would make India ‘a country of choice’ for all her people.

“ಇತರರ ಸೇವೆಯಲ್ಲ ೇ ಬದುಕು ಸವೆಸಿದವರೂ, ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಧನ್ಯ ರು.”
- ಶ್ರ ೇ ಸ್ವಾ ಮಿ ವಿವೇಕಾನಂದ.

ದೆೇಶದ ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬರೂ ನಾಡಿಗಾಗಿ, ದೆೇಶ ಸೆೇವೆಗಾಗಿ ಸದಾ ಸಿದರಧ ಿರಬೆೇಕು. ನಾವೆಲ್ರಲ ೂ ಎಲ್ಲಯಲ ೊೇ ಹೊೇಗಿ ಸೆೇವೆ ಮಾಡುವ
ಬ್ದಲ್ಲಗೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಸಮಾಜದೊಳಗೆ ಅಂದರೆ ನಮ್ಮಮಳಗಿರುವ ಸಮ್ಸೆೆಗಳನುು ಸರಿಪ್ಡಿಸುವ ಧೆೆೇಯವನುು ಹೊಂದಬೆೇಕು. ಇತಿೇತ ಚಿನ
ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಲ ಸಮಾಜದಲ್ಲಲ ಅನೆೇಕ ರಿೇತಿಯ ಸಮ್ಸೆೆಗಳನುು ಅದರಲ್ೂಲ ವಿದಾೆವಂತ ಯುವಕರಲ್ಲಲ ಕಾಣುತೆೇತ ವೆ. ಉದಾಹರಣೆಗೆ
ಸೊೇಮಾರಿಗಳಾಗಿರುವುದು, ಕೆಟ್ಟ ಚಟ್ಗಳಿಗೆ ಬ್ಲ್ಲಯಾಗಿರುವುದು, ಗುರು ಹಿರಿಯರಲ್ಲಲ ಗೌರವವನುು ತೊೇರಿಸದಿರುವುದು,ತಮ್ಮ
ಕೆಲ್ಸಗಳಲ್ಲಲ ಆಸಕ್ತತ ಇಲ್ಲದಿರುವುದು ಹಿೇಗೆ ಹಲ್ವಾರು. ಹಾಗಾಗಿ ನಾವೆಲ್ಲರೂ ನಮ್ಮ–ನಮ್ಮ ಸಮಾಜದ ಯುವಕರಲ್ಲಲ ಮ್ತುತ
ಮ್ಕಕಳಲ್ಲಲ ಮೌಲ್ೆಗಳನುು ಬೆಳೆಸುವ, ಅವರಿಂದ ಪ್ರಿಸರ ಸೆುೇಹಿ ಕಾಯಯಗಳನುು ಮಾಡುವ ಉದಾ: ಗಿಡ-ಮ್ರಗಳನುು ಬೆಳೆಸುವ,
ಅಲ್ಲದೆೇ ಸಮಾಜೊೇಪ್ಯೊೇಗಿ ಕಾಯಯಗಳತತ ಒಲ್ವು ಮ್ೂಡಿಸುವ ಪ್ರಯತುವನುು ಮಾಡಬೆೇಕು. ಅಲ್ದಲ ೆೇ ಹೆಚುು ಹೆಚ್ಾುಗಿ ನಮ್ಮ
ದೆೇಶಕಾಕಗಿ ತಮ್ಮ ಪ್ಾರಣ ತಾೆಗ ಮಾಡಿದ ಎಲೆ ಮ್ರೆ ಕಾಯಿಯಂತೆ ತಾರೆಗಳಾದ ಮ್ಹನೇಯರ ಜೇವನ ಚರಿತೆರಗಳನುು
ಓದುವಂತಹ ಅಥವಾ ಕೆೇಳುವಂತಹ ಕಾಯಯವನುು ಕಾಯಯರೂಪ್ಕೆಕ ತರಬೆೇಕು. ಇಂದಿನ ಮ್ಕಕಳೆೇ ನಾಳಿನ ಪ್ರಜೆಗಳು
ಆಗಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ಾಾಭಿಮಾನ ಸದಾ ತಮ್ಮ ಮ್ನಸಿಿನಲ್ಲಲ ಬೆಳಗುವಂತಹ ಕಾಯಯಗಳನುು ಸಮಾಜದಲ್ಲಲ ಒಗಗಟ್ಾಟಗಿ
ಮಾಡಬೆೇಕು. ಇಂತಹ ಕಾಯಯಕರಮ್ಗಳನುು ನಷ್ಪಕ್ಷಪ್ಾತದಿಂದ ಸಕ್ತರಯವಾಗಿ ರಾಜಕ್ತೇಯ ನಾಯಕರು ಸಹ ಮಾಡಿಸಬೆೇಕು.
ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬರ ವಿಚ್ಾರಗಳು ದೆೇಶದ ಅಭಿವೃದಿಯಿ ತತ ಸಾಗುತಿರತ ಬೆೇಕು.

ನಮ್ಮಮಲ್ರಲ ಧೆೆೇಯ ಒಂದೆೇ ರಾಷ್ಾ ಸೆೇವೆ ಎಂಬ್ುದನುು ನಾವು ಮ್ರೆಯದೆ ಹೊೇದಾಗ
ಎಲ್ಲಲ ಅಗತೆವಿದೆಯೊೇ ಅಲ್ಲಲ ನಮ್ಮ ಸೆೇವೆಯನುು ಮಾಡಲ್ು ಸದಾ ಸಿದಿರಿದಾಿಗ ನಮ್ಮ
ಮಾತೃಭೂಮಿ, ಭಾರತ ದೆೇಶದ ಹೆಸರು ಇಡಿೇ ವಿಶವದಲ್ಲಲ ರಾರಾಜಸುತದತ ೆ. ನನು ದೆೇಶ
೨೦೩೦ರಲ್ಲಲ ಯುವಕರಲ್ಲಲ ನವ ಉತಾಿಹ ಹಾಗೂ ನವ ಚ್ೆೇತನದಿಂದ ದೆೇಶಭಕ್ತ,ತ
ರಾಷ್ಾಸೆೇವೆ ಎಂಬ್ ಘನ ಮೌಲ್ೆಗಳಿಂದ ರಾರಾಜಸಬೆೇಕು ಎಂಬ್ುದು ನನು ಆಶಯ.

Mrs Susheela
Faculty

18

India 2030,
My Country My Vision

India in 2030 will have its higher education system developed. It will have
its NEP successfully implemented and the youth will not think about going
to foreign countries to get higher education. Its laws will be strict and no one
can escape them.

Tanisha R
10 A

India in 2030, according to me would have cars hovering on magnetic fields. NO
poverty for it would have unearthed tons of gold, printed currency and used them
for development of the poor. We would have learnt to live with the virus the world
is talking about. We would in all be a better country, Jai Hind.
Jai Bharat !

Shaarav V G
7B

India is a unique country. I believe that India in 2030 will be absolutely
stunning! Technology would be wider and easily accessible. We will have
lesser people below poverty line than ever !

Raksha R
6C

19

Vidyarthi Vibhag

Rithul
1A

20

When Young Editors Meet School Leaders…

Some say leaders are born while others argue that leaders are made. Leadership has always been an
interesting topic to ponder on, perceive and express. Here is a glimpse of an interesting conversation
between the student editors of Reflections and the representatives of the student council.

Aditya [ Student Editor] and Aniruda [Head Boy, DFL]
Aditya: What does leadership mean to you?
Aniruda: Leadership according to me is an art. It is the ability to encourage, motivate and influ-
ence others. Not only is leadership the ability to motivate, organize and delegate work by lev-
eraging the strength of individuals, it is also the ability to use empathetic skills and a positive
attitude to guide and influence others while reaching a shared goal through adaptability and
effective decision-making. Leadership is a quality that I aspire to have.
Aditya : Can you name one leader who has inspired you the most? Why?
Aniruda : A leader who has inspired me most is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. It was truly
his ability to put together the right set of characteristics and talents, that helped him to connect
with the masses meaningfully. He genuinely cared about the people and communicated clearly
and honestly. He was aware of the larger context of situations and fostered relationships with
others which determined his leadership capacity.

21

Chirag [ Student Editor] and Mythri [ Head Girl, DFL]

Chirag: What according to you, can make leadership more meaningful?

Mythri: Presence of empathy in a leader is one of the most important qualities that makes leadership
effective. He/ She should understand the team members and their ideals and not be authoritative in a
negative way. The leader should not be egoistic and feel that he/she is on a higher pedestal and the
other members are inferior. Once the leader is open to new ideas and a collective sense of passion is
developed, the leadership becomes effective. He/ She should be flexible and provide room for cor-
recting mistakes and learning from failures. Therefore, empathy, flexibility and absence of ego
makes leadership more meaningful and the leader along with the team reaches the goal.

Chirag: “If you FAIL, never give up because FAIL means First Attempt in Learning. End is not
END. In fact, END means Effort Never Dies. If you get NO as an answer, Remember NO means
Next Opportunity.”
These words were quoted by a great leader, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
Do you believe that the quality of ‘not giving up’ is important for a leader?

Mythri : Yes, a leader should never give up whenever he/she fails because a leader leads by exam-
ple. If a leader accepts defeat, then his team will also possess the same mindset. A true leader makes
corrections and necessary changes in planning and execution and instils a sense of hope in his team
to try once again. So, a leader should never give up during hard situations, try multiple times and
achieve the goal.

Shreya C S [ Student Editor] and Vedhika [Sports Captain, DFL]

Shreya: What do you prefer the most, individual or team sports?

Vedhika: I prefer team sports over individual sports.

Shreya: Why do you prefer that?

Vedhika: Well, if you see, both forms of sports have equal positive points in their own fields,
both enrich your sportsmanship. But I prefer team sports more because playing sports in a team
gives you varied experiences. Apart from confidence it also gives you an opportunity to gain
team spirit and it teaches how to respect the other person’s opinions while honing your social
skills.

Likhitha [ Student Editor] and Gowtham [ Sports Captain, DFL] Student Reporter
Likhitha P S
Likhitha: How has sports helped you in your leadership skills?
(CCA Captain)
Gowtham: Playing games is one of my hobbies. Communicating well and
building on the team spirit have helped me in enhancing my leadership
skills. I believe that my first step as a leader gives my teammates the
confidence in me.

Likhitha: Do you think team members should have fear for a
leader?

Gowtham: Definitely not! If the teammates cooperate and support the
team in winning then there is no need to have fear for the leader.

22

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

I feel the breeze upon my brow, stained with despise,
the ground hard below my feet, embellished with blood.

I hear the remorseless giggles and the terrified cries.
Years ago, this was where thousands perished,
but I now see everything beneath my eyes.

The joy, the laughter, the mirth, ah, what a bliss to see!
The girl in red feeds her brother, asking him not to run,
the husband tells something lovely to his wife on his knee,
humming to herself is an expectant mother waiting to be one,

but no one knows, all this joy will soon be done.
‘Fire’ yells Dyer, and turns their happiness very dire.
Bullets soar into the air, pierce through their flesh and bones,
splashes their blood onto the ground, fulfilling his desire.
They cry, they beg, but the firing drowns their moans.
They shoot these innocents ruthlessly, just to save their thrones.
The girl frantically looks for her brother long lost to death.
The wife, shivering wildly, yearns to touch her husband.
The mother, unwillingly being pushed to her last breath,
cries profusely for her unborn child, desperate to hold its hand.
But despite this agony their stories and lives have been pushed to history's depth.

Aaryan Kumar
10 C

23

Something To Remember Friendship

Sometimes the world may stand against you, Pain is a well that goes steeper and steeper,
If you’re doing the right thing, you should The harder they push, you go deeper and deep-
just stand tall, er,
The people may just seem to hate you, There’ll come a moment when you’re struck by
But that should not lead to your downfall. darkness
And I’ll be your light no matter what happens.
If you’re not able to find a way,
Then create your own path, Cause friends are meant to stay together,
And there will surely be a day, And I’ll be there forever and ever,
When you’ll win someone’s heart. When your wings are broken with grief and pain,
I’ll give you mine so you can fly again.
Never lose hope,
Just give it a try, Depression’s like quick-sand, it pulls you in slow-
Like a little bird, ly,
Trying to fly. You won’t notice it, until you’ve sunk wholly,
I’ll be the strongest rope you can hold,
Every rose comes with a thorn, I’ll be the warm fire when you feel cold.
Find your joy by admiring its petals,
If you don’t have something don’t mourn, The only thing I would like to say
Life’s precious, live it like a filled kettle. Is please never ever go away,
And if we’re apart, with you my heart will stay,
Be happy with what you have, And wherever you go this is what it will say:
Strive hard for what you want,
The problems may come like a strong wave, Friends are meant to stay together,
Never ever think that you can’t. And I’ll be there forever and ever,
When your wings are broken with grief and pain,
I’ll give you mine so you can fly again.

Anwithaa R
10 A

24

Daffodils Foundation for Learning: A Paradise

When I started schooling, little did I know that my journey would be a fun filled and a
memorable one. It would be right for me to say that our school is unique in everything.
We had many platforms to express ourselves like the circle time sessions and interactive
guest lectures. All those sessions were fun and I learnt a lot. Our school believes in the
upliftment of the society. In this context, DFL started a program named “Joy of Sharing”
which was a noble idea. We organized many stalls in the food court, games counter, art
and craft section and a counter for collecting clothes, books and toys in good condition.
The entire proceeds were donated to an orphanage. My friend and I always volunteered
for the food court, prepared delicious things to eat and felt contented in contributing to the
society.

Our principal and teachers always encouraged us and were ready to help us. They cele-
brated when we achieved, corrected us when we faltered and most importantly taught us
to keep going and to never give up. This brings me to the next part which is ‘life skills.’
DFL gives equal importance to academics as well as life skills which we need to inculcate
to face the outside world. I learnt about time management, money management, adapting
to changes and the list goes on. Every quote discussed at the end of every class instilled
positivity, confidence and belief in me.
One of the most important and successful events conducted in the history of DFL was
‘Inspirit’ - the first annual day of our school. We, as students, enjoyed every practice and
rehearsal session as we had pleasure in doing them. I was privileged to be the narrator and
I experienced a lot of emotions as I stood under the spotlights of the stage and spoke in
front of a large audience. Truly it was a novel and an exciting experience.
Though the pandemic hit the world and there was a shift from normal school to e-learning,
I never felt a learning gap as we continued learning online. All teachers put commendable
efforts in this transition from offline to online learning. We never stopped celebrating any
event due the shift. Instead, we managed to conduct the events online by uploading videos
on YouTube successfully.

25

Finally, as a student of grade ten, I would put forth that every moment lived in these ten
years is unforgettable and I thank every Daffodilian for playing a role in this beautiful jour-
ney. I will also take with me, the motto of our school quoted by Late Shri P K Bheemaiah,
our beloved founder “Do Well All You Do”.

Mythri Shankar
10 C

No Discrimination in the Nation

A person saw,

The Rule of law
He began to read
In a perfect speed.
No discrimination

In the Nation
On the basis of
Birth place or,
Gender, Caste and Race,
In a smooth pace.
No discrimination
In the Nation!

Samanvitha Kashyap  
7B

26

The Girl and her Bag

It was autumn and the roads were covered with a carpet of leaves. I went to buy some snacks in a
store. I was about to leave but I saw a girl putting something in her bag. I decided to wait a little
longer and see what she would do. She held in her little hands a box of pastry and some candles
and tried stuffing it in her bag. She was about to leave the store but the shopkeeper stopped her.
He soon got to know that she was stealing after he snatched the bag and inspected. By that time I
had realized what was happening. I approached the shopkeeper and paid for the things the girl
had. The girl, now with a smile on her face rushed out of the store. I had seen a little statue of a
mother and a child fall out of her bag.

Sleepless Night

It was another sleepless night. Preksha Mahesh
Sleep and me were having a fight. 9A
Through the windows I could see
The nightjars fly free
The chirp of the crickets kept me company
It almost sounded like a symphony
How pretty the sky looked,
With the tree branches straight and crooked
It felt like a dream
Blue and black was the theme.
It was cold and I was wrapped in a blanket
I made no sound, nor did my anklet.
My eyelids were closing,
And I started dozing.
I needed no lullaby or story
Nature was enough to engulf me with its glory.

27

Teachers ( Our Digi Patriots )

Teachers are our digi warriors They are Examples of Moral Values
and help the children break their barriers. and Disciples of Life Skills.
They always show patience They make our mind free from negative thoughts
which helps us to do many creations. and give us positive vibes.
They shower us with kindness Teaching is an inspiration for them.
and we blossom with brightness. But for us, they are an inspiration.

They find our hidden talents They personify us with different qualities

and make us understand our real abilities. and we give our best abilities.

They take only our good qualities They are very thoughtful

and make us good personalities. and make us mindful.

They showcase their new features Our Digi Patriots, they are, in this modern world

and we can become new creatures. making our lives bloom in a garden World.

R.Bhargavi
XB

Abhinav Chakravarthy
5A

28

The Lost City of Scarville

What a winter morning it was! I (Roger), was just sitting on a squeaky chair seeing the
deserted snowy road, feeling irked. All of a sudden I got a call from my friend, Harry. We
talked a lot and at the end of the call he proposed a trip to Venice, I thought it would be mind-
refreshing so I agreed. He called Sam and Rhea to come to this trip. Rhea actually rejected to
come to this trip after she heard that many people disappeared from Scarville. I don’t believe
in this stuff so I convinced her to come to this trip and that these things were all nonsense. So
we packed our bags and we left to Venice. The trip was very fantastic with many trees and
forests, rivers, churches. I was enjoying a lot but something in my mind says that there is
something bad going to happen. We were very tired, so we stayed in a hotel in Scarville built
in 1960’s called the St.Marys mansion. So that night went there. In the night when we were
sleeping there was a loud scream of a boy screaming only to find Sam missing. We went
down immediately. The hotel receptionist was also not there! We felt little scared. When we
went down we found his band which I had given him this year. We called the police but the
telephone was not working. We cried for help but not a soul responded to us. Then I thought
if it was the disappearing of people. I noticed a small note in a paper “IF YOU DARE TO
ESCAPE, YOU WILL BE KILLED!” my legs started to shiver in trouble. Then a shadow
casted down the wall and someone hit me on my head. And when I opened my eyes I was in a
dark spooky room with 2 other people who were also unconscious and who I don’t know. But
I somehow recognized them because when we came to that hotel there were posters of miss-
ing people on the walls. Then I understood that now I am among the missing people. Then I
woke them up, they seem to be terrified about where they were. I simmered them down and I
told that my name is Roger and when I looked around I saw that we were in a dark cave sur-
rounded by bats. I walked forward to look for my friends. After walking for a mile we
reached the entrance where we were shocked to see dark purple sky with full of monster
looking flying creatures. We were terrified and I knew that it is not our Earth. Suddenly we
heard an Echoing sound from the other side of the dirty looking road as if it was an aban-
doned city. We rushed towards the sound and we found a tall man with a blonde hair who is
sitting beneath the tree. His name was Benjamin Franklin and he was a detective who was al-
so lost like me. We walked for a long time asking him how he came and what this strange and
unknown world is. He in a bold voice said “Hundreds of years ago, when the Britishers were
ruling the Venice, they prisoned many people and kept them in the central jail of Scarville
where they were ill-treated and many were killed!!!And the scary souls of dead prisoners cre-
ated a world like hell for REVENGE! And this city is called the LOST CITY OF
SCARVILLE!!

S Siddharth
7B

29

The Weird Siblings Our Saviour

When I was five I was lonely, Oh dear Nature
but when I was six, I turned sisterly. Our mighty God,
That sure was an exciting moment You are a warrior
but soon it turned into a torment. without any barrier.
Till he turned one he was like my little toy, Oh dear Nature,
but after that he just started to annoy. For sure, you are our saviour!

We fight. Oh the entire world of trees,
We shout. You keep us moving with your breeze.
We argue. Though you are uprooted
We scream, never did you show us hatred?
But not to forget, we never are extreme. Oh dear Nature you are our saviour!

As I said we are like enemies, Oh the mighty clouds of white,
but sure to say we also are the best of besties. You always have a secret of height.
Though he and me fight all day long, Though you are formed with ocean's salt water,
but on one bed dear we snuggle along. You pour us rain which is much sweeter.
In the middle of the night he calls my name, And I’m pretty sure you show no pain when you
That’s when I think he has a nightmare. give us rain.
I console him and put him to sleep again, Oh dear Nature you are our saviour!
And I do that with utmost care.
Right in the morning our fight starts again! Oh giant red ball of fire, O Sun,
And goes on and on You’re the one who lights the moon.
And that’s a shame. You show your might by shining bright
But not to forget Even though the mountains hide your light.
We love one another, Thank you for what you do
And that we boldly claim together. Your presence we need, it’s true!
Though we regret having each other, Oh dear Nature you are our saviour!
There are lot of things we do together.

We play!
We learn!
We read!
We write!
And yes… though we fight from earth to sky,
My brother is always my sweetie pie!!

Raksha R
6C

30

Lockdown Hobbies

During the lockdown, many people took up new hobbies to fill their time. I also discovered one
of my hobbies to fill my time. I started cooking and found a passion for cooking and trying out
new recipes.
I discovered that a little creativity and love make the food delicious. The first time I picked up
the roller pin was my first step to discover cooking. At the beginning, I was for sure, a little
nervous thinking how my first masterpiece would come out. To utter surprise, my first dish
turned out very good! I must tell you; my first dish was not Maggi; it was a recipe with freshly
made Paneer. Throughout the experience of cooking, I learnt a lot of values such as patience,
creativity, mindfulness and satisfaction of completing a task. It also gave me happiness for ena-
bling me to spend my time in learning something new. So, this was my new hobby; A fun and
delightful one for sure.
When life brings you down, your hobbies bring you up. So, have hobbies.

Likhitha P S Beauty
10 B
Beauty can be anything,
It can be a kitten, Shravani A
6B
Or a beautiful mitten
Beauty can be seen, 31
It can be pretty flowers
Or a white-white dove
Beauty can be heard,
In a cuckoo bird chirping
Or a river flowing
Beauty can be everything
Don’t judge anything
By speech or look
Beauty can be our feelings
For our country, our people
Beauty lies in our heart
And love for our nation!

Parents to Friends

While our figures of authority are friendly,

Theirs were assertive.

While we reflect our love through hugs (friendly action),
They exhibited theirs through respect.
While we demand things,

They requested.

While we contend,

their minds were blankwithout a word (thought) against them.

Is this transformation Corrupted Democracy
Of bond of love good or bad?

Chirag L Democracy exists in every sphere,
9B including in Constitution and books.
When is it a reality?
It can never be a reality until the word
“Corruption”
exists in this sphere.
Voices that fight against it
are never heard.
If we have ears, it is our duty to react
By opposing and eliminating “Corruption”.
When our land is free of Corruption,
Our dreams become a reality,
Our nation transforms
From ‘developing’ to ‘developed’.

Happy Teacher’s Day 2021 Prateek P Awari
6A
Teaching is Spreading Light,
To the ignorant mind and giving it 'might'.
A teacher is a reflection of Goddess Saraswathi,
Who imbibes kindness & knowledge with Bhakti.
Making us literate is not the only goal,
But grooms us into human as a whole.
You love to dance, sing and join me in sports,
And look at me beyond the yearly reports.
Lucky I have teachers like you, when I need,
True, “ACHARYA DEVO BHAVA” indeed.

32

My Lovely Day... Today I Have an Exam
Everyday...

Ring ring ring Today I have an exam
Alarm bell sing I see two of them that are mam and Sam.
I will not concentrate anywhere at test
Wash your self But I will try my best.
Eat idly a half When I saw my marks
I was happy and hugged my snappy!
Ready and run I got out of out
School is fun What I was proud about.
I got a gift from my parents
Write and read There we go it’s some parrots.
Never be sad My parents said congratulations!
The same repeated the parrots.
Play and dance
Take every chance

Obey your teacher
Harm not a creature

Fun with friends
Thus a day ends

Back to home sweet Daksha Shree Prathap
Pa and Ma to greet 5A
This is my life
Not any strife Cutie Suprabham Rai
4C
Aadya P Awari I have a cat, she is very fat,
2B She sits on the mat and eats a rat;
She has three kittens,
By which I am smitten;
I call her Cutie,
Others call her Sweety;
She is such a beauty,
But also very naughty;
I always want her near,
Because she is my dear.

33

Bullying the Bully Aaryavardan
3A
Once upon a time, there was a bully named Bod. One day, Bod went
to his friend’s compound and started playing with his friend Bond
who said, “I bought a new ball yesterday. Shall we play with it?”
Bod said, “Sure.” When Bond brought the ball, Bod snatched the
ball from him, saying, “I want to play with it first.” He kicked the
ball to the compound wall. Do you know what happened to Bod?
The ball bounced back to Bod’s face! He fell down. But the ball did-
n’t stop. It kept bouncing back to Bod’s face each time he got up!
Bond was drinking water and when he came back he fell down and
started laughing loudly. Bod turned to see who was laughing and the
ball hit his head this time. Bond said, “Ha..ha..ha..ha.. It was a
bouncy ball I tell you. Ha..ha..ha..ha..ha.. I forgot to tell you.” Then
he caught the ball and kept it in his house. Then Bod said, “Phew! If
it was a hard ball I would have injured myself.” So saying, he
stopped bullying everyone.

My Hobbies , My Aims

My name is Krupal. My hobbies are playing chess and solving Rubik’s cube (3x3 and 2x2).
I enjoy solving chess puzzles in quick time and will be eagerly waiting for chess tournaments and
want to play against tough players.
I have participated in internal KSC tournaments and secured 1st place multiple times.
I am also participating in state level and other tournaments but not been able to finish in top place. I
feel bad when I lose the game but try to play well in the next game.
My aim is to become the Grandmaster in chess and also represent India in international chess
tournaments. Magnus Carlsen is my role model and I follow Indian players like Vishwanathan
Anand and Nihal Sarin.
I love solving Rubik’s cube in less than a minute. I have also participated in an event which has
created a world record for the maximum number of people solving the Rubik’s cube .

34

Sia and the Elephant N A Karthik
3A
Sia is a young girl who loved animals. Her favourite animal was
the Elephant. Sia felt very disturbed when she heard the news that
many elephants were killed every year. She told her mother that
she would like to save elephants. Next day, she participated in the
painting competition in the school. The winning painting was to
be published as a poster all over the country. Sia drew the paint-
ing of a mother elephant with big tears in eyes and its baby ele-
phant next to it. The poster said, ‘Why do you want to kill me?
Who would take care of my baby when I am gone?’ She won the
competition for making the best poster. Very soon her poster was
in every book shop. Young girls and boys who bought the poster
too were helping to save the elephants. This shows that a young
girl of nine years old could help to make changes that were im-
portant.

“When we heal the Earth, We heal Ourselves.” - David Orr
We learn from this story that even if we change our thinking and
decide not to do anything which harms our environment, it can
bring about a great change.

Liya and the Giant Monster

Once upon a time, there lived a girl named Liya. One day while playing in the garden with her
friends, she saw a giant monster. The monster went to kill Liya and her friends but Liya knew
that she could fight with the monster.So, she beat and beat and beat the monster until the monster
died.

Moral: Believe in yourself to succeed

Aanya Pratik Rajpura
1A

35

My Doggie Vedaansh Sai
3C
My little doggie
is very very naughty
He has a tiny tail
Which he wags without fail.

He has two big ears,
And always quick to hear
His friend is Joe
Who is so lovely
They come together to play
To chase all the mice away!

My Kite Nature

My kite! My kite! Everything is nature,
Flies up in the air! God gave us this feature.
My kite! My kite! Birds fly in the sky,
We bought in the fair And mountains are so high.
My kite! My kite! Trees are green,
Has different colours And water is so clean.
My kite! My kite! We are not kind to it,
Lands in grass with different flowers We are only harming it.
My kite! My kite!
I keep it on a chair,
So that it won’t tear.
My kite is white,
In sun it looks bright,
It flies high when the wind is right,
I know it’s weight,
My kite! My kite!
So you know its height?

Aryavardhan Raju Eshanka J N
3A 3A

36

Acharyamrutam

Chinmayi. S
9B

37

True Education

Why do we go to school? The answer is to get educated.
What is true education? What is the aim of education?
Education in a general sense, plays a very important role in shaping our future and ensuring
that we lead comfortable lives financially, but true education is much more than that. It drives
us towards the love of truth. It gives us a just sense of duty. It shows us a great purpose of life.
It teaches us not to love good just because it benefits us but to love good for the sake of good.

The aim of true education is character building which happens, not instantly, but only when
consciously focused on right thinking and right action at all times. True education will take us
far away from being selfish and inspire us to always work towards the betterment of everyone.
It takes us towards what is right and not who is right. It gives us the ability to make impartial
judgement. The output of true education is a balanced personality wherein the intelligence,
emotions and spiritual values are well developed. The real knowledge gives us a lot a confi-
dence and helps us to lead our next generation on the right path.

When everyone aims at true education, there is nothing but peace in the world. The ultimate
truth prevails in every being. Everyone will stand together to face any challenge keeping aside
their personal interests.

Mathematics and its Beauty!

God is everywhere. The next thing that is everywhere is Mathematics. Mathematics is in every
object we notice around. It is in nature, on every leaf and in every flower. It is in every object
we create, right from a small bolt to a tall building. Mathematics plays a key role in art,
engineering, Chemistry, Physics, poetry or music.
Mathematics is based on knowledge and so convinces everyone easily. Mathematical beauty is
usually appreciated indirectly through reasoning, intelligence and intuition.
The most common sources of beauty in mathematics are patterns, structures and symmetry.
The interconnection drawn between the ideas in mathematics makes it more appealing.
Mathematical ideas are abstract and can be seen with the eyes of the mind. It depends on how
one perceives an idea. Numbers are the best examples.
The art of practising mathematics involves creativity, originality, profound ideas, imagination,
insight, concentration and hard work. It fills us with a great sense of achievement and wonder
but as we logically ponder over it, we can understand the outcomes.

Mrs Prathibha V Rao
HOD- Mathematics & Social Science

38

Turning the pages...
Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen

Reading needs to become a part of our lifestyle. Books give us an escape route from our mundane
life. They open doors to a magical, beautiful world where we get a glimpse into various cultures,
peoples, history, cuisines and so on. The world can be a bit of a mystery shrouded under the
unknown. Reading books can unveil this and pave the path towards the knowledge.
When I read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, I became fascinated by the life and the
lifestyle of the people of that era. The social milieu of the early 19 century depicted in this novel
opened my eyes to the society that was unfamiliar yet familiar, where I could draw some parallels
with our own.

The characters are woven together to create a beautiful fabric Mrs Sunitha Girish
that can stand the test of time. The characters may well be set in HoD, Department of English
the early 19th century social environment, but transport them to
the present and they still stay relevant. This is a testimony to the
sheer brilliance of the writer who portrays an amazing depth of
human study in the portrait of her characters. Humour is an inte-
gral part of this novel: the arterial line. The humorous approach
allows the writer to gently poke fun at some of the norms and the
social conventions observed by the society of her times.
It is, according to me, a novel that surpasses any other of the
same genre.

Midnight’s Children

Salman Rushdie

This story highlights the children who were born at that particular stroke of midnight, thus

beginning their lives together with the State, their exchange of places, their connection through

telepathy, their existence through their magical powers.

The events, characters, their special powers, their funny looks, the plot-every single detail of the

story is connected and is glorious. Each moment is a celebration.

It is a perfect example of how literature transcends reality and stays true to facts, both at the same

time. It is deeply connected to its roots in post-colonial India, and yet universal in its idea of

humanity. The story compares the lives of the children with the Indian

Independence.

It paves the way for the readers to delve into ‘self’ and reflect on

who they are, what they are and most importantly, what they are

meant to be.

The best part about this story that has stayed with me is the way the

children are connected with each other, their funny looks and their

power. This book has left an indelible mark as one of the best that I

have read.

Mrs Monalisa V
Faculty

39

Turning the Pages...

Harry Potter

J K Rowling

A book is considered to be a man’s best friend. It has the ability to move people across the
world without requiring them to leave their homes. It is a means to acquire a vast understanding
about this beautiful and astonishing world. Just as every gene of an organism is unique, so also
every genre of the book. When an individual reads a book, there is a lot of thinking that
happens on the perspective, relatability, uniqueness of the topic, creativity of the author, etc.

I love reading books for many reasons—vocabulary improvisation, using of time in a
productive way, gaining knowledge, to mention a few. Most importantly, reading books is fun!
I would like to mention one series of books which is very close to my heart. It is one of the first
novels I read and the reason I decided to read it is special too. It is one of the bestselling novels
in the world and has gained the attention of people of all the age groups. The book I am all ex-
cited to write about is ‘Harry Potter’. It is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the Brit-
ish Author JK Rowling, namely, Sorcerer’s Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban,
Goblet of Fire, Order of Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows.

I have two reasons to read this series. First, the story behind JK Rowling and her struggle as a
female novelist in this era and secondly, the popularity the novels gained with the passing of
time. Joanne Kathleen Rowling struggled to release her first book as it was rejected by count-
less publishers to an extent where she had to hide her real name and go with a pen name that
sounded more like a man. It was her optimistic approach and hard work that made her success-
ful and this is definitely a lesson we all can learn. Then, of course, the novels are very interest-
ing and fun to read as every chapter is filled with mysteries. I found the wordplay and the orga-
nized way of putting ideas across very fascinating. Without much complexity, anybody can read
and understand them. This definitely stands as one of my favourites till date.

Mrs Dhanashri S
Faculty

40

Turning the Pages...

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen

I met her for the first time when I was a student of Literature at Maharani’s Arts College for
Women, Mysore. My English lecturer did the introductions and then there was no turning
back. She’s been with me through the decades and I have never stopped admiring her wit and
boldness. A perfect blend of beauty and brains. That’s Elizabeth Bennett, my all-time
favourite protagonist from Jane Austen’s 19th century novel, Pride and Prejudice.

This book brings to the fore, the social fabric of those times, woven into the intricacies of
human behaviour which is the primary reason for the book remaining popular to this day.
Mr Bingley, the friendly, cheerful, rich and eligible bachelor being attracted to Jane, the good
-natured, simple and sensible eldest daughter of the Bennets is one part of the story but the
more interesting and exciting part is the series of unintended meetings and the apparent dis-
like between Mr Darcy, the very wealthy and very proud gentleman and our lady, Elizabeth.
The play of words, the sarcasm, the underlying admiration for each other are brought out so
subtly and so beautifully that their novelty has never waned. The language is classic,
unadulterated and aristocratic with absolutely no room for present day slangs. The dialogues
can never be reproduced or reported without losing their charm. Reading it yourself is the
only way to appreciate and cherish this book fully.

Jane Austen’s specialty, of course, is that there is not one scene in this novel, or in fact, in
any of her novels, where she captures the interaction amongst ‘only men’. She confesses that
imagining and interpreting conversations which she cannot relate to as a woman would dilute
the authenticity of her work. What a thought!

A word of caution: today’s fast paced readers may find the novel slow-moving, but everyone
to his/her preference!

Mrs Veena V
Faculty

41

How Technology is Shaping the Future of Education

Technology has become a part and parcel of our lives. It has entered our classrooms and
become an integral part of our education system. It helps make the process of learning more
interesting and interactive.

The future of education and its success will not be entirely based on technology, but on how
educators can utilize tech to their advantage in the classroom. What support might teachers
need to do this effectively?

When it comes to implementing new technology, the school needs to ensure that teachers
have all the training and support they need to succeed and help students.

To that end, teachers are encouraged to sign up for short online courses, or e-modules, that
are hosted by CBSE, and focus on cybersecurity and digital citizenship. Educators also
benefit by learning difference between a personal account and a professional one, and the
parameters of social media — a point that is also emphasized with students, as well

Classrooms 2.0

In a survey of 1,400 educators, the majority of them say that they believe that classrooms of
the future will be centred around self-paced and personalized learning.

This student-centric approach would allow children to choose their own pace and learning
objectives based on individual interests—all of which could be guided by artificial intelli-
gence, chatbots, and video-based learning.

New technologies like AI, machine learning, and educational software aren't just changing
the field for students, they're shaking up the role of educators, creating philosophical shifts
in approaches to teaching, and remodelling the classroom.

“It’s not about having a kid stare at a screen for six hours a day,” Brian Greenberg said.
“The real story for the future of education will centre around how educators structure and
run their classrooms.”

Source:
https://givingcompass.org/
https://www.businessinsider.in/
WWW.EDUMANTRA.NET

Mr Rudramuni
IT Support

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ICT @ DFL

“It’s not that we use technology, we live technology.“ - Godfrey Reggio

Technology has changed our day-to-day lives. The world is now closer and better connected.
Technology has undoubtedly improved the quality of life and brought about changes in various
fields. Education is one such field where technology has brought about a revolution.
In DFL, equal importance was given to technology-based learning during offline classes also.

Information and Communication When ICT is integrated into
Technology ICT is an essential and lessons, students become
a widespread means to perform more engaged in their work.
meaningful teaching and learning
process in the educational system.

The key role of ICT is to enhance subject learning and skills Mrs Geetha Shivakumar
acquisition and hence it fosters collaboration as children Faculty
work collectively. It also enhances communication skills as
they discuss and learn together. So, learning becomes more
fun and enjoyable.

Speak Your Mind

 Online teaching tools has proved to be a blessing in disguise during the pandemic.
 Flipgrid is one such ICT tool which is used by most of the teachers, the platform on which

the students voice their opinion and respect the diverse voices of others too.
 Flipgrid is a video discussion tool designed with the might of Microsoft to work specifically

for teachers and students in a digital classroom. It allows the students to speak to the group
but without the same fear that might constrict responses in a real-world situation. Students
can re-record responses, removing the pressure of answering on the spot in the class. Of
course, it's also a great tool for use when learning remotely.

 The idea behind this education tool is to use a video
to create an open platform for discussion and learn-
ing. It shows that it doesn't require a physical class-
room to get everyone involved. That makes Flipgrid
an ideal remote learning tool as well as a powerful
homework-based application for students to use
with each other.

Mrs Parinita S Nadgauda

Faculty

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Online Platforms

 Today, there are several online platforms such as Google Classroom, Zoom, Microsoft
Teams, etc. which are developed to meet our daily requirements. MS Teams is one of the
most popular applications which is used widely by educators. We have also used it exten-
sively.

 Nearpod has helped us make any lesson interactive in the virtual classroom. The concept is
simple. A teacher can create interactive presentations that can contain quizzes, polls, videos,
collaborate boards, etc.

 Pear Deck Slides has helped us engage every student in every seat and give formative assess-
ments, no matter what grade or subject we teach. Pear Deck supports an interactive and com-
munity-focused classroom that helps students build confidence and comprehension.

 Breakout rooms feature on Teams has made it possible for us to create sub-meetings within
our Teams meeting for smaller groups of participants to collaborate and have group discus-
sions.

 Mentimeter is an interactive presentation tool that helps us to engage students and enables
every voice in the classroom to be heard. We use it to gauge student comprehension, test
knowledge retention or as a fun way to break up learning.

 Other than the above-mentioned Applications, Quizzes, Mrs Vanajakshi
Kahoot and Live Worksheets applications are also inter- Faculty
esting to explore and use.

The virtual world is both exciting and challenging. For an
enthusiastic learner- be it a teacher or a student, the op-
portunities out there are never-ending.

Gamification

Gamification in learning or in education is a strategy for incorporation of gaming into an
educational environment. It helps to:
 strengthen the motivation to learn
 encourage active learning
 increase the attention span of students
 reduce student stress.
We have used certain strategies in our gamification such as follows:

* At the end of each class we assign ‘Quizziz’ to understand if the student has under-
stood the topic completely or not.

* Use team building games like Padlet to study together before a test.
Gamification allows students to modify their learning environment and make their choices.
Gamification also allows them to control their thinking and how they can modify and demon-
strate their learning in creative ways.

Mrs Shilpa Bramhananda
Faculty

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Padlet As a Learning Tool

 Padlet has been a great digital tool that has helped the students in the virtual classroom. It
gives students and teachers an easy way to share ideas on a single Padlet board where every-
one can see what others think. This is an excellent platform for brainstorming on a topic or
an idea where the board is shared, and students post their ideas and comments.

 The tool has greatly helped in monitoring and helping the students learn the different types
of keys on the keyboard for Grades 1 and 2. This particular concept requires the learning-by
-doing methodology where students need to use the keys to understand their functions. The
students type their name and then type a certain set of words and sentences to practise the
use of the keys and post it on the Padlet. The teacher will be able to see the work of each
and every child and understand how much that particular student has understood.

 Padlet allows you to insert ideas anonymously or with your
name. This way students who are shy or afraid of asking
questions can still ask questions anonymously. Padlet is user
friendly, has attractive templates and very importantly, is
easy to use. Students have really enjoyed and learnt using this
application.

Online Education – A Blessing in Disguise Mrs Sanjana Ponnamma
Faculty

 With educational institutes closed due to the COVID-19 pan- Mrs Ramya K
demic, online education is a blessing in disguise. With the inte- Faculty
gration of technology, it has helped teachers and learners im-
mensely without letting learning take a back seat. MS Teams has
gained immense popularity in recent times. It has not only
helped to conduct online classes smoothly but also to have inter-
active sessions like orientation programmes and parent-teacher
meetings. The teachers find it convenient to attend virtual train-
ing sessions and workshops which in turn helps them to grow
professionally.

In a Nutshell…

ICT has played a major role in bridging the gap between offline and online mode of learning.
Though the children have missed school, they have never missed classes, be it academic or
cocurricular. Through the virtual mode they have attended their yoga sessions, art & craft peri-
ods and the CCA events. In fact, the virtual atmosphere has allowed the students to be their
‘self’ and participate in the various intra school and interschool CCA events with confidence.
Parents are the audience and witness the spectrum of talents the students exhibit.

Virtual assessments using ICT tools have paved the way to assess
the students in their critical thinking, analysing and logical think-
ing skills and not just their writing skills.
Technology is no more just a tool now but a way of life. The
more we explore, the more we learn and the more we stay con-
nected virtually and real time. Happy Learning!!!!!

Mrs Triveni
Faculty

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A Child’s First Lab- The Kitchen

If there is a place at home where there is no dearth of colours, Mrs Triveni
experiments, flavours and variations, it is our kitchen. I am sure Faculty
you will agree with me if I call the kitchen as the most colourful
place. When different ingredients are brought together to make a
dish, it is amazing to see the change in the colour and reaction.
Each ingredient’s effect on a recipe kindles curiosity in our
minds to know the reason for the change and in turn makes for
an experiential learning of different aspects of Science thus
bringing it closer to home and heart!

Mrs Vandana Singh Science starts at home and more specifically in the kitchen. Home
Faculty is the primary environment where students spend most of their
time, so if we are able to relate the concepts to be taught to the ob-
jects and processes that students see around them at home, that’s
the best way to introduce any concept to them.
Cooking itself is Chemistry. Concepts of melting, freezing, boil-
ing, heating and conversion of one state to another state of matter
can be easily be understood from the kitchen experiences. Exam-
ples of acids, bases, salts and indicators can be picked from the
kitchen. To understand the differences between ionic and covalent
compounds, just knowing the properties of salt and sugar is
enough! Who said Chemistry is difficult?

The familiar saying that ‘Home is the first school of a child’ clearly
implies that home provides all that a child needs to grow, observe
and learn. The laboratory of this school is definitely the kitchen; a
place associated with nutrition, flavours, colours, aromas and many,
many discoveries. It is here that one experiments, experiences, learns
and unlearns. The concepts of proportions, reactions, cause-effect
procedures are all learnt with delight and within available resources.
Yes! Kitchen is rightfully the first lab of a learner.

Mrs Hema Jayaram
Faculty

Mrs Namrata Shukla ‘A child’s first lab is the kitchen’ is as true as ‘a child’s first
Faculty teacher is her/his mother’. In a school there may be a well-
established Science laboratory but during the pandemic when the
teachers and students were not able to conduct experiments in the
lab, the kitchen turned into a true lab. For example, students did
experiments of condensation, acids-bases and use of natural indi-
cators like turmeric, beet root juice, hibiscus flower, crystalliza-
tion of sugar. They also started observing the kitchen utensils and
the science behind them. Kitchen was no more a place to cook
food but became a place to learn!

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The Power of Self-Discipline in Sport

Self-discipline is the ability to do what you know you should do, whether you feel like it or not
and it is also the discipline to stop yourself from doing things you want to do – but shouldn’t.

Have you ever thought about how much self-discipline athletes need to have to succeed? In sports
and life, the ability to accomplish things can attract remarkable opportunities to you. But it all
starts with self-discipline. Self-discipline puts you in the driving seat. It’s what keeps you focused
on your purpose, like a camera lens zooming into a single object. The details and distractions
around it dissipate as you zoom in. From athletic performance to life achievements, accomplish-
ing something important is not easy. But it can be simple. 
No matter what sports you play, whether it is cricket, basketball, volleyball, football or even
gymnastics, you probably realize that discipline is one of the most essential keys to success as an
athlete. One of the primary characteristics of self-discipline is being able to forgo instant or im-
mediate pleasure and gratification to gain something better or a more satisfying result.

The Power of Discipline to Your Success

Discipline in sports provides you with the power to stick to your decision and then follow it
through. You persevere with your actions, behaviour, and thoughts. All these can lead to suc-
cess and improvement and will allow you to achieve your goal in sports. Not only is this
principle or value essential in sports but also in life in general. It gives you the inner strength
and power to overcome laziness and procrastination and be diligent in getting to where you

want. The Role of Discipline in Your Success

At Daffodils Foundation for Learning, Sanjaynagar Bangalore, we believe that participating in
sports early in life also creates a lifelong sense of discipline in children. Coaches, in particular,
play an important role in instilling discipline in young athletes.
Here are some of the benefits athletes can acquire from being disciplined:
Discipline teaches the value of hard work. If Neeraj Chopra didn't have the discipline to devote
his time and effort to master his skills, he might have never won the gold medal for India at the
Olympics. Athletes know that talent without hard work isn't enough to be successful.
Every athlete experiences loss several times in his/her career. It is important for coaches to re-
mind the athletes to discipline themselves by not dwelling on the loss, but instead learning from
it to improve their performance the next time.
Successful athletes know how to set both short-term and long-term goals. Self-discipline teach-
es an athlete how to set goals like how to learn a new skill, how to improve techniques and
focus their efforts on accomplishing these.

How to improve your self confidence

View self-discipline as your friend. Self-discipline will become a punishment if you don’t see it as
a tool to help you get where you want to go. Here are six amazing ways how you can improve your
self-discipline.

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1. GET UNCOMFORTABLE
If you are really cosy, you won’t push yourself. For example, if you come home and curl up
on the couch with your favourite video game, you will find it much harder to motivate your-
self to get up and work on your homework. You will be much more likely to start your home-
work if you go and sit at the dining room table. Don’t allow yourself to get totally comfy un-
til your hard work is finished.

2. INCREASE YOUR PAIN TOLERANCE

When you find you want to give in or quit, make a goal to hold out a little bit longer. If you
want to give in to something you know you should not do, ask if you want to give in because
you want to feel better. Increasing your pain tolerance helps you push that much harder and
to stop choosing comfort over your goals.

3. ELIMINATE YOUR TEMPTATION

If you make a goal not to eat chips and you find yourself really tempted to eat some, have an
alternative snack you really like ready instead. Make a fence around your temptations so that
it requires a lot of effort to break through to your temptation.

4. VISUALIZE THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNDISCIPLINED BEHAVIOUR
When you want to hit snooze instead of getting up to do your workout, picture yourself on
the first day of sports practice. Imagine the feeling you would have been out of breath and
getting dominated the first day because you weren’t in great shape.

5. FINISH STRONG
Don’t quit until you have read the last page, completed the last report or homework problem,
or finish on a make. Cross the finish line every time.

6. PLAN AHEAD
Self-discipline requires a great deal of energy. If you are not used to being self-disciplined
with food and you work really hard to control what you are eating, you may lose self-
discipline in your attitude. You may find yourself angrier. Work to have plans in place to
help you handle the let-down you may have in other areas of self-discipline until your habits
are in place.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you ask any successful athlete about the secret to

success, the first thing that would be mentioned is

say, ‘discipline’. Rightly so! So, when one decides

to join or play any sport, one should come with a

prepared mindset to accommodate discipline in his/

her lives. This is clearly the root of being a success-

ful athlete!

Discipline yourself to make sure the words you Mr Sri Hari Utagi
think and the words you say are full of power. Faculty - Physical Education Department
Remember as you think, so you become.

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Poshak Prakashan

Mrs Uma Magesh S

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Solicitous Shadow

It was a 6km walk on a pleasant Sunday morning and I was excited to get back to my physical
activities post ear surgery. There were a lot of stray dogs around the waiting point, some got
love and some were shooed away. I love dogs but did not want to pat any so had eye
conversation with the lovely dog who sat beside me.

The walk began off main road passing through a small village, farms, deserted land, uphill to
the view point.  As it was only 6km walk there were participants of all age groups, families and
couples. I was walking alone so I tried to match my speed with someone. An old man walking
alone inspired me so I walked behind him.

The view point from where we had to turn back to the starting point was picturesque so most of
them stayed back to take pictures as the walk was not timed. I took a brief look around and
started descending. After a few minutes I realized there was no one ahead or behind. The road
was deserted and with recent day robbery, chain/phone snatching news I was quite scared.
There were lot of dogs and I had heard that dogs sense fear and react or even attack so I tried to
keep myself calm and kept walking.

The sun was behind me so if someone came I could see the shadow and be alert. I saw a
shadow coming, I held my bag tight. The shadow grew bigger... and had four legs.. It was a
dog with a comforting look. It walked beside me at my pace for few minutes then just turned
and walked back once I was near a  couple. It was as if it sensed my fear and did not want to
leave me alone, or just be with me till I felt relieved. I thanked the stranger friend in my heart
for being there for me.. with me..

It is so important to be that solicitous shadow to someone when they need it. Not everyone can
express through words and actions, we should sense the want for a shadow, see if someone
needs a shadow to talk to, to share, a shoulder to lean on, a ear to listen, a touch of assurance, a
comforting smile, a warm hug, a hand on the head, a pat on the back or someone to just be
there.

Let us be that shadow to people around us.

Mrs Sheethal Shirali

Parent of Saanvi Shirali 6A
and Samika Shirali 3C

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