Summer spark

Summer vacations have always been a time to pause, discover and create new memories. They offer children the freedom to explore new interests, build friendships, and learn beyond the classroom. Today, however, childhood is evolving. With shrinking outdoor spaces, rising temperatures, nuclear families, and an increasing dependence on digital devices, meaningful holiday engagement has become more important than ever.
At Amity, we transformed this challenge into an opportunity through thoughtfully designed summer programmes that encourage children to learn, create, compete, and grow. The Global Times – Making a Newspaper Workshop introduced aspiring journalists to the excitement of a real newsroom, while the Amity Sports Foundation Summer Camp promoted fitness, teamwork, and sportsmanship through activities such as swimming, archery, chess, and more.
Making learning a holistic experience this summer was the Japanese Cultural Immersion Camp. Organised by AERC in  collaboration with the Japan Foundation, the camp offered students a fascinating introduction to Japanese language, traditions, and culture, fostering greater global awareness. Meanwhile, the Amity Institute for Competitive Examinations (AICE) brought together young minds from across India and around the world through its residential Amity National Camp for Mathematics and the Amity International Olympiads. Blending academic rigour with collaboration, these programmes nurtured scientific temperament, critical thinking and strengthened mathematical skills. At Amity, summer is more than a break from school. It is a season of exploration, where every experience has the power to inspire curiosity, nurture talent, and shape tomorrow’s leaders.

 Not just a count

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We recently observed World Population Day on July 11 with discussions, debates, awareness campaigns, and creative competitions, all centred around a pressing question - How much can our planet truly sustain? As Mahatma Gandhi wisely said, "Earth has enough for everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed." This is why the concept of population and demographics must be taught in our classrooms. Population refers to the total number of living beings in a specific area, while demographics examine the characteristics within that population, such as age, income, education, and location. Young people are a powerful force for innovation, creativity, and national progress. It is, therefore, essential that they understand these concepts from an early age. Learning about population and demographics helps children understand their community, nation, and the world through the lens of people and resources. It nurtures critical thinking, empathy, inclusion, and informed decision-making by encouraging them to interpret data, recognise social patterns, and appreciate cultural diversity. They learn to look beyond headlines and analyse real trends such as ageing, migration, and urbanisation. India, with one of the world’s youngest populations, possesses an extraordinary demographic advantage. When our children understand its significance and its impact on the education system, the economy, and the quality of life, they will be better equipped to transform this advantage into meaningful progress and help realise our Founder President’s vision of India as a true knowledge superpower.

 

  

The folktale of a rebel

An Ode To The Artiste Who Put Ganiyari On The Globe

Stuti Kalra, GT Network

On July 5, India lost its glittering gem of art, Teejan Bai, the proponent of Pandavani, an oral folk storytelling tradition of Chhattisgarh. Wielding her signature tamboora, she brought the Mahabharata to life with a powerful voice and fierce expressions. Born into the Pardhi tribal community in Ganiyari village, she shattered patriarchal norms by choosing the energetic, standing Kapalik performance style of Pandvani over the traditional, seated Vedamati style reserved for women. She took the art form to countries as far as England, France, Switzerland, Germany, Turkiye, Tunisia, Cyprus, Romania, and Mauritius. Her cultural impact earned her the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour.
With her, gone is the girl who broke every tradition to pursue her passion; the woman who attained literacy at the age of 36, years after enchanting audiences across the globe with her voice; the artist who pursued and polished her craft every day simply for the love of it. Her mastery transcended the limits of any award, transforming her into a living legend whose art spoke a universal language.
I saw her for the first time at the tender age of 12 during a SPIC MACAY Virasat Series programme at my school, and was immediately enchanted by her towering persona, her colourful tamboora, and the assertive humility in her voice.  Her style of narration brought every scene of the Mahabharata alive before our eyes. I recall one dialogue particularly standing out: Aur gadadhari Bhim ekdum sain fain, sain fain bhaagey Dharamraj Yudhishtir ko bachaane. The way she narrated sain fain, sain fain not only had us children in splits, but also made us feel as though Bhim himself was running across the stage. We simply wanted to keep listening to her stories the whole day, every day. From that first meeting in school to the many performances I attended and the occasions on which I met her, her simplicity, innocence, resilience, and love for life and art always left me inspired and awestruck. Such an internationally renowned personality, yet so deeply and profoundly connected to her roots.
Today, as I pen this tribute, the heart feels heavy, and the mind goes back to imagining that day in 1969 when, in the remote Chattisgarh village of Chandrakhuri, a girl recited the tales of Mahabharata and the time wrote the script of the story of the legend Teejan Bai. That day, Draupadi and Krishna must have smiled and cheered aloud for the brave teenager who unknowingly became a symbol of women’s empowerment, adult literacy, and the revival of a dying folk art form, all at once. Today, the village of Ganiyari must be missing its rebel child, Teejan, because it was she who put both Pandavani and Ganiyari on the globe.

GT mail

 

Dear Editor,

This is in reference to the article ‘The homework thriller’ on

page 12 of the GT edition dated July 6, 2026. Surely, every student faces the tyranny of the forgotten assignment once or twice in their lives. This is, if they haven’t learnt their lesson the first time it happened. The piece perfectly captured the chaotic reality of a student’s life, transforming a mundane, last-minute panic into a high-stakes adventure. The timeline format added an intense cinematic flair that kept me hooked, while the relatable shoutouts to unhelpful AI tools and an ‘FBI agent’ mom brought a wave of humour. The roller coaster of emotions in the article felt like a ride that I would love to enjoy again and again. It is comforting to know that every student shares this exact frantic energy before any 11:59 PM deadline.

Anoushka Arya

AIS Vasundhara 1, XI A