M'luru: ‘The Shepherds' Int'l Academy’ hosts 2023 annual day celebrations, showcasing talents
Mangaluru: The much-anticipated annual day celebrations of 'The Shepherds' International Academy' unfolded with grandeur and enthusiasm, showcasing a myriad of talents and accomplishments of the students. The event, themed "Realms of Children," took place on December 16 at Town Hall, Mangaluru, and commenced with a warm welcome by Ms. Zunaira, setting the stage for a memorable day.
The event showcased a variety of engaging activities and presentations, highlighting the achievements and talents of the students.
The formal proceedings began with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Master Armaan, eloquently translated by Aroosh of Grade 5, setting a spiritual tone for the day. Following this, Lubna Banu, the school's Principal, delivered a warm welcome speech, extending greetings to the chief guest, management, staff, parents, and students.
The distinguished Chief Guest, Dr. Airani Mohammad Khan, a senior professor and chairman of the Department of Electronics, and former Registrar of Mangalore University, captivated the audience with insightful words on parenting, emphasizing the importance of quality time spent by parents with their children. Architect Mohammad Nisaar, the Chairman of the school, felicitated Dr. A.M. Khan for his valuable contribution to the event.
A special moment unfolded as students excelling in academics were recognized and felicitated for their outstanding achievements. Architect Mohammad Nisaar, the chairman, addressing the gathering, expressed gratitude to the school community for their collective efforts in nurturing excellence.
The Annual Report for the academic year 2022-23 was eloquently presented by Qizra Noorain, providing an overview of the school's accomplishments, academic progress, and extracurricular achievements.
Expressing gratitude to all contributors and participants, Neelofer delivered the vote of thanks for the formal event.
The event, a culmination of months of meticulous preparation and dedication, was attended by a vibrant gathering of students, parents, and staff, all contributing to the joyous ambiance of the day.
Amal Fathima, a fifth-grade student, provided a brief insight into the theme, setting the stage for the captivating performances that followed. The program was skillfully hosted by Khadeejah Raba (Mont 3), Sheikh Isa (Mont 3), and Ilan Abbas (Grade 3), with Nafeesa Ayath (Grade 4) joining them in steering the program seamlessly.
The enchanting journey commenced with the youngest performers from Mont1 expressing gratitude through an action song titled 'Pizza in my Pocket.' Mont2 students then painted a 'cotton candy sky' with their innocence, while Mont3 students used a 'Nasheed' to express the kaleidoscope of childhood emotions. The stage came alive with Grade 1 students presenting a Kannada action song 'Dhandikere Muduka' and a skit on the "Excessive Impact of Screen Time."
Grade 2 students conveyed a vital message on environmental conservation through a Hindi group song 'Aao hum sab haath milaye,' followed by Grade 3 students showcasing their musical prowess with the empowering song 'Our Own Superhero.' Grade 4 students presented a captivating Mime on 'Sin Chair,' while Grade 5 students delivered a thought-provoking Hindi skit 'Mansik Vatavran Ki Jagruta,' depicting a child's emotional well-being.
The cultural extravaganza reached its zenith with Maaz Naushad of Grade 5 sharing poignant reflections on Prophet Muhammad's (SAW) behavior with children. The program concluded on a high note with Luqmaan (Grade 3) delivering a heartfelt vote of thanks.
The Annual Day Programme was a testament to the diverse talents nurtured at The Shepherds' International Academy and underscored the collective achievements and high spirits of the academic year. As the curtains fell, the audience departed with indelible memories, a renewed sense of accomplishment, and eager anticipation for the forthcoming year, solidifying the sense of unity and pride within The Shepherds' International Academy community.
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
