Notre Dame Inter School Platinum Jubilee Cultural Fest

September 9th to 11th, 2024

Sophia High School, Bengaluru hosted the Notre Dame Inter School Platinum Jubilee Cultural Festival between September 9th to September 11th, 2024, to commemorate the 75 years of the Sisters of Notre Dame in India. Sisters of Notre Dame, Bengaluru, is the administrative centre of Our Lady of the Visitation Province founded in 2004. The fest commenced with an ice-breaking session on 9th September 2024. At 6:00 p.m. Sisters, led by Provincial Superior Sr. Chetana, along with Principals of all Notre Dame schools of the Visitation Province, teachers and participants, gathered around the Stone Stage.

The participating schools were:
Notre Dame School, Mysore
Notre Dame School, Vettikuzhy
Notre Dame School, Idichakkaplamoodu
Notre Dame School, Vasai
Notre Dame Academy, Choodasandra
Notre Dame School, Theegarajupally
Notre Dame School, Deogarh
Notre Dame School, Pochampally
Notre Dame Academy, Solapur
Holy Spirit School, Mukka
Assisi School, Warangal
Sophia Opportunity School, Bengaluru
Sophia High School, Bengaluru
The atmosphere was charged with excitement as students and teachers came together for this Platinum Jubilee Meet. This session was followed by a rehearsal for the opening ceremony scheduled for 10th September. The opening ceremony began with a procession led by the school band and cadets of the NCC, guiding the dignitaries and participants into the auditorium that wore a festive look.

A lamp-lighting ceremony and prayer were followed by a scintillating performance from the students of Mater and a musical enactment by Duchesne and Sophia Opportunity School, highlighting the history of the Sisters of Notre Dame in India.

Each school brought 12 students from grades 8 to 12 to present a 12 to 15 minutes performance. The day also included felicitation ceremonies for key Notre Dame leaders.

The Notre Dame meet was a grand celebration, showcasing the contribution of the Sisters of Notre Dame to education in India while integrating the cultural heritage of the regions where they have established their schools.

Dr. Archana Surana, Founding Member and Chief Mentor of Surana Educational Institutions (SEI) Bengaluru, was the Chief Guest. She, along with friend and well wisher Mr. Nagarajan, Sr. Mary Chetana, Sr. Manisha, Education Coordinator of the Visitation Province and Sr. Priscilla Secretary of the school and superior of the convent, graced the occasion.

Dr. Archana spoke about the holistic education imparted by Sophia High School which has stood her daughter in good stead and now helps her successfully run one of the prominent pharmaceutical companies in India. She praised the Notre Dame community for their commitment to quality education and social impact.

Sr. Chetana, in her address, highlighted the Notre Dame educational principles:

Education; the Centrality of a Good and Provident God; the Human Dignity of Each Person as an Image of God; the Notre Dame Educator as a Gospel Witness; and an Integrated Education for Transformation. She emphasised how these principles empower and enrich students, fostering both academic and spiritual growth. On the morning of 11 September, students went on an outing to popular sites in Bengaluru, including Cubbon Park, Namma Bengaluru Aquarium, Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park and Vidhana Soudha. The outing provided a chance for students to bond before the final day's events.

The concluding ceremony in the evening saw dignitaries Dr. B. Ramana Rao, renowned cardiologist in the city of Bangalore and his wife Mrs. Hema Ramana Rao in attendance.

Sr. Mary Manisha led a prayer of gratitude and Dr. Rao was honoured for his humanitarian work. In his address, Dr. Ramana Rao emphasised the importance of integrating education with service, acknowledging how Sophia instils this value in her students. He recalled how the Sisters of Notre Dame have dedicated their missionary lives to the service of mankind. Each school received a memento and students were given trophies. The event ended with freestyle dancing, a group photo with special Notre Dame T-shirts and a vote of thanks to conclude the Platinum Jubilee celebration.