Muscat: Indian School Muscat (ISM) celebrated academic excellence at its highly anticipated Annual Academic Merit Award ceremony, recognising the achievements of outstanding students and members of the staff on 8th August, 2024 in the school’s multipurpose hall.
ISM annually bestows its prestigious Academic Merit Awards on students of Classes V to XII, honouring their commitment and perseverance in reaching the pinnacle of academic achievement in their renowned institution.
The ceremony was graced by the presence of numerous eminent dignitaries, led by the Chief Guest Prof. Mohamed Al Ismaily, Founder Chairman and Dean, Oman Dental College; the Guest of Honour, Dr. Sivakumar Manickam, Chairman, Board of Directors, Indian Schools Oman; Special Guest, Jaypal Manik Dethe, Second Secretary of the Embassy of India to the Sultanate of Oman, Distinguished members of the Board of Directors and the School Management Committee, the Principal, Rakesh Joshi, Senior Vice Principal Administration, Vice-Principals, Assistant Vice-Principals of various sections, Heads of Departments, faculty members, proud parents and the student body witnessed the grand ceremony.
National Anthems of Oman and India marked the commencement of the ceremony followed by a soulful rendition of the invocation song by the school choir, setting a reverent tone for the evening.
The head boy, Nihal Bhat, initiated the ceremony with a cordial welcome to the attendees.
A staggering number of 409 students (148 students from the Middle Section & 261 students from the Senior Section) and 87 teachers walked pompously down the aisle with awards and merit certificates under various categories such as Chairman’s Award, President’s Award, Principal’s Honours Award, Subject Toppers’ Award, and Merit Awards. 56 teachers were felicitated for 100% attendance and 31 teachers were honored for motivating the students to achieve centums in various subjects in the CBSE Board Exams 2023-24.
Vidhya Vishnu who had been honoured with the prestigious School Level Award for Excellence in Teaching for the academic year 2022-2023 conferred by the Board of Directors, Indian Schools Oman was also felicitated on this occasion.
The awards and merit certificates were bestowed on the meritorious academic achievers by the Chief Guest, the Guest of Honour, the Second Secretary of the Embassy of India, members of the Board of Directors, members of the School Management Committee, and the Principal of the school.
The Chief Guest, in his congratulatory address, spoke about the transformative power of education. He urged the students to always strive for excellence as excellence is a continuous journey. He concluded his speech with a quote from Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” The guest of honour, during his speech complimented the awardees and stated that their achievements are a testament to their hard work, resilience and the spirit of excellence. He reminded them that anything can be achieved through determination and hard work.
The audience was enraptured by the musical rendition of the Senior Section Choir and breathtaking dance sequences where each movement was a sublime articulation of grace and rhythm. Marking ISM’s Golden Jubilee, a promo video was released, capturing the essence of ISM @ 50 and its ongoing mission to inspire and educate young minds for a brighter future.
The award ceremony concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks by the Head Girl, Gayathri Amar Kumar, expressing gratitude to the students, parents and teachers, for their unwavering support in making the event a grand success.
The ceremony not only served as a platform to honour the students’ accomplishments but also as an encouragement for them to keep aiming for the highest standards of excellence.
Indian School Muscat continues to prioritise empowering its students, guiding them to harness their potential and emerge as visionary leaders and innovators. The ceremony marked a milestone moment for the awardees and their proud parents, who supported them every step of the way.