HT-PACE And EPCO - Going the Green Way

HT-PACE has been associated with spreading awareness for a cause. After addressing various issues pertaining to education, freedom through education, etc, HT-PACE later decided to venture in its drive to protect greenery. In its pursuit, we managed to associate with EPCO - Environment Planning Coordination Organisation. Sadhna Tiwari, a senior official from EPCO, Bhopal had been forthcoming enough to associate with HT-PACE in its pursuits.

HT PACE along with EPCO, initiated a Inter-School Power Point Presentation Competition for which the topic was Preserving Bhopal - The City of Lakes. An overwhelming response by the students, was applauded among all circles, as it had initiated a Movement. Conservation of lakes and natural resources in Bhopal had been of major concern. The students handled the topic so well, that the suggestions and visuals used by the students for their presentations formed a basis of a Survey.

This competition paved way for an ongoing bond between the EPCO and HT-PACE as both kept moving in one direction. The objective was addressing the concerns arising out of growing industrialization.

The other initiatives undertaken by HT-PACE in this series were an Inter-School Garden Competition and Inter-School Group Discussion Competition. Both competitions had been conceptualised by Alpana Mishra in association with EPCO and Samarthan, an NGO.

The Inter-School Group Discussion Competition had been organised on the topic "Impact of the development projects undertaken under the purview of JNNURM in Bhopal. The youngsters, media and the student community were sensitized through this series of group discussions which had been organised in almost thirty schools across Bhopal. This series culminated into a Talk Show on the same subject, which was presided over by State Minister Jayant Mallaiah.

The Inter School Garden Competition had become an absolute hit as it had revolutionized the often overlooked school gardens. A few months time had been given to the schools to prepare for the same. It was indeed heartening to know that the schools had taken that extra step to beautify their gardens and look into their landscaping. The Competition was also appreciated, as steps had been undertaken to train the gardeners of the schools for the competitions with regard to parameters of the same.

Face to Face with Dr Kiran Bedi

In sync with our philosophy, HT-PACE continued its endeavor of providing class events to the city of Bhopal, which was immensely appreciated by all principals and intelligentsia of the city. One fine afternoon, the new PACE manager Alpana Mishra walked into the office with a great cheer on her face. She was happy!!! We did not know why, but yes, she wanted to share something with all of us. She made an announcement, "We were going to have Ms Kiran Bedi to address our Principals Meet this year". WOW!!! That was the word.

Thanks to our Resident Editor Mr Askari Zaidi, who had initiated a communication with the Supercop! And then he had extended the invitation for the HT-PACE Principals Meet. So there she was. The moment, the news was out, the entire PACE team was on their toes to start the preparations for the Meet.

Myself and my counterpart Anoop Singh sprung into action. The first thing that we needed to do was to prepare a campaign for the Principals Meet publicity. And the task had to be carried out by none other than our official designer Manish Choure. We shared the concept of the Principals Meet with him and informed that we were also having Dr Chakraborty from IIM Kolkata to address the Principals Meet besides Ms Kiran Bedi.

And as usual, our dear friend Manish Choure never let us down and came up with a brilliant campaign highlighting the side portrait of Ms Kiran Bedi and the advt stated:

FACE TO FACE
WITH THE SUPERCOP KIRAN BEDI.

The advertisements won a great applause among the HT readers as well as the school fraternity.

Dr Kiran Bedi was a phenomenon in herself. She had taken the school principals, teachers and the student community by a storm. She had transformed lives through her enigmatic presence. A personal and one-to-one interaction with the school principals had made their dreams come true - to be able to witness a phenomenon.

It was simply unimaginable, that the students come to school on a Sunday. But the school ground of Carmel Convent S S School, BHEL was chockablock with students at 7 am in the morning- with children pouring in from all parts of the city to be able to come face to face with the super cop.

Rest is history!!!