Garhwal Post Bureau
Mussoorie, 4 Nov: St. George’s College, Mussoorie, celebrated its Annual Day on 3 November with great enthusiasm, splendour and festive spirit. Manorite Dr Sharad Singh Negi, former Director General of Forests and Special Secretary, Government of India, was the Chief Guest.
The programme commenced with a prayer offered by Meher Walia, followed by Ashima Bhatt introducing and welcoming the Chief Guest. Dr Negi was formally welcomed with the presentation of a potted plant.
Deepali Ballabh, School Cultural Coordinator, delivered the formal welcome address, extending a warm welcome to the visiting Brothers of the Patrician Community, dignitaries, special guests, parents, staff members and students from neighbouring schools.
The occasion also provided an opportunity to recognise and appreciate the dedication and achievements of the teaching fraternity. Thirteen teachers were felicitated for maintaining 100% attendance during the Academic Session 2026–2027. They were Mark Gonsalves, Meher Walia, Bhavnesh Negi, Anand Thapa, Jaskaran Singh, Manoj Kumar, Sushant Ale, Richard Joseph, Meena Thakur, Vikrant Sharma, Sister Catherine, Sister Theresita and Velangnee Gonsalves.
Eight teachers were also felicitated for their outstanding contribution to academic excellence, as their students secured centum in their respective subjects in the Academic Session 2025–2026. They were Geetika Khanna, Rishi Bangwal, Madhu Kala, Mamta Gupta, Biju Alexander, Juliana D’Souza, Arvind Panwar and Vincent Joseph.
In a gesture of compassion and solidarity, the school presented its contribution towards the Nepal Relief Fund for Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary High School, Bhotekshi, Nepal, extending financial support in the aftermath of the devastating floods that affected the region.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Sharad Singh Negi, congratulated the Management, staff and students on their brilliant performance in the Board examinations. Fondly recalling his association with the institution, he remarked that whatever he had achieved in life was largely due to the values he had imbibed during his years at St. George’s College. Emphasising the importance of perseverance and dedication, he stated that hard work was the only key to success and that there were no shortcuts to achieving one’s goals. He encouraged the students to work diligently and remain committed to their aspirations.
The highlight of the evening was the spectacular musical presentation of ‘A Christmas Carol’, based on the timeless literary classic by Charles Dickens. Featuring an ensemble of 460 students comprising actors, choir members, chorus singers and dance groups, the production was a magnificent display of talent, creativity, teamwork and artistic excellence. The presentation was highly appreciated by the audience.
The principal characters in the musical were portrayed by Shubhashish Gupta as Ebenezer Scrooge, Krishna Bhatt as Fred, Audvik Lodha as Jacob Marley, Samrat Jaiswal as Tiny Tim, Sean Samson Mani as Bob Cratchit, Abeer Aggarwal as Mrs Cratchit, KC Pradhyumna Reddy as Mr Fezziwig, Rajveer Singh as Young Scrooge, Agastya Raghav as Belle, Aksharam Tandon as the Spirit of Christmas Past, Veer Pratap Saini as the Spirit of Christmas Present, Yuvraj Yadav as the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come, Arnav Singh Minya as Old Joe, Daksh Sharma as Janet, Samarth Goyal as Caroline and Advik Upadhyay as Thomas.
As a token of appreciation and gratitude, a memento was presented to the Chief Guest. Proposing the Vote of Thanks, Principal Brother Jeyaseelan S. emphasised the importance of teamwork, collective effort and the spirit of togetherness in making the Annual Day a grand success. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Chief Guest, the Management, staff, students, parents and visiting schools for their invaluable contributions and support.
Appreciating the students for their confidence, enthusiasm and outstanding performances, he highlighted how such occasions foster teamwork, self-belief and create cherished memories. He also acknowledged the unwavering support and presence of parents, describing it as one of the greatest gifts they could give their children. Concluding his address, he encouraged students to enjoy their Diwali break responsibly while preparing diligently for their forthcoming examinations. He further urged the entire St. George’s College community to continue working together to transform ideas into meaningful achievements.
The evening concluded on a spectacular note with a dazzling fireworks display.
The successful organisation of Annual Day 2026 was made possible under the able guidance and leadership of Brother Jeyaseelan S. (Principal), Brother Britto (Superior and Sports Secretary), Brother Sylvanus Kerketta (Vice-Principal), Deepali Ballabh (Cultural Coordinator), Mark Gonsalves (Senior School Coordinator), Arvind Panwar (Middle School Coordinator), Veronica Menezes (Junior School Coordinator), the Faculty of the English Department, Bhavnesh Negi (PRO), Praveen Gusain (Estate Manager), along with the dedicated efforts of all departments, staff members and students of St. George’s College, Mussoorie.
