Sister Nivedita Girls School Celebrates Annual Day
The Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Sister Nivedita Girls School celebrated its annual day with soul-stirring speeches, cultural gems, and a reminder of its rich legacy founded by Ma Sarada and Sister Nivedita.
On a rather balmy Saturday morning, as the city of Kolkata shuffled about its business with the usual cacophony of honking horns and chaiwallahs, a little corner of Baghbazar stood bathed in quiet splendour and reflection. The occasion? The annual celebration of Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Sister Nivedita Girls School—a school that’s not just a school, mind you, but a hallowed institution stitched together with the blessings of Ma Sarada, the resolute vision of Swami Vivekananda, and the indomitable sacrifice of Sister Nivedita herself. Quite the power trio, if ever there was one.
Presiding over the festivities was Professor Dr Mukul Bhattacharya, Vice Chancellor of the West Bengal University of Health Sciences and a man of medicine with a philosophical bent. “It is the students,” he declared, “who must carry forward this flame of brilliance.” Stirring stuff. One half expected a celestial trumpet to sound in agreement.
Dr Bhattacharya also had a few words for the assembled guardians, gently nudging them to look beyond exam scores and tuition fees. “The world’s turning faster than a weathervane in a storm,” he said (well, he didn’t say it exactly like that, but we’re translating for effect), “and it’s imperative to instil in every child not just values, but the ability to discern right from wrong, to be self-reliant, and—most crucially—to nurture love in the heart.” A proper three-course moral meal, if you ask us.
Also gracing the occasion was Dr Swati Bhattacharya, Dean of the National Medical College, along with Pravrajika Somprana, Assistant Secretary of the school—both as dignified as they were quietly proud.
Now, before you start imagining this was all speeches and ceremonial garlands, allow us to stop you right there. The students—clever clogs that they are—had quite the line-up. From Vedic mantras that would put a priest to shame, to a spellbinding dance-drama on the life of Pravrajika Shraddhaprana (the third president of the Sri Sarada Math and Ramakrishna Sarada Mission), they showed off their talents with the grace of seasoned performers and the mischief of those who’ve been practising in secret just to surprise everyone.
There was even a delightful staging of Tagore’s Tasher Desh—that surrealist, satirical piece that can befuddle even the most literate among us—and Tushar Konya (The Snow Maiden), which added a flurry of frosty elegance to the warm afternoon. It was less of a school function and more of a cultural smorgasbord with a spiritual cherry on top.
And a little trip down history lane was in order too. Established originally on 13th November 1898 by none other than Ma Sarada, in the presence of Swami Vivekananda and Swami Brahmananda, the school had to shut down within a few months due to a classic old villain—financial hardship. But like a plucky heroine in a Victorian novel, it sprang back to life in 1902 and has been going strong ever since.
Today, it boasts an impressive roll of 1,063 students across primary, secondary, higher secondary, and arts departments, with the higher secondary wing having opened only recently in 2023. In other words, it’s as alive and kicking as ever.
So, what’s the takeaway from this grand do, you ask? That institutions built on ideals don’t crumble with time—they grow, adapt, and, dare we say it, flourish. All it takes is a bit of divine blessing, a smattering of steely resolve, and a whole lot of selfless love. And perhaps the occasional dance number.
In an age of instant noodles and even more instant gratification, Sister Nivedita Balika Vidyalaya reminds us that the slow-cooked dish of value-based education still fills the soul—and the stage—with light.
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