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Heritage Education in India

Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
 


Youngintach Forum
Young Intach News
Heritage Education and Communication Service

News Archives
January to December 2011
 

Teacher Training Workshop held at Mumbai

HECS, INTACH, in collaboration with the INTACH Greater Mumbai Chapter organized a Teacher Training Workshop on17th January 2012. 25 enthusiastic teachers from 16 prestigious schools of Mumbai participated in the workshop. The workshop began with welcome speech by Ms. Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, Vice Chairman, INTACH and Managing Trustee and Honorary Director, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum. There was a presentation by Mr. Vikas Dilawari, Conservation Architect, on local heritage issues and on the architectural conservation of significant heritage buildings and structures of Mumbai. Ms. Purnima Datt, Director, HECS, welcomed the teachers and began the session with presentations on Heritage, Heritage Education and on HECS and its functions. The post lunch session of the workshop started with a walk in Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum. The walk leader, Varsha Reshamwala, Curtorial Associate of the Museum, explained to the teachers about the objects belonging to colonial and contemporary period displayed in the Museum. The Museum contains objects pottery, silver and bronze idols, models of communities came and settled in Bombay, models of boats used in harbour and soldiers of different regiments with their uniforms, models giving glimpse about the village life of Mumbai and also a relief map of Bombay of 1882. The museum displays works of contemporary artists as well. The walk leader concluded the walk in the library which contains books on History of Bombay, Arts, designs and layout of the structures and towns, Photography etc. The workshop concluded with group presentations by teachers followed by the distribution of participation certificates, badges and passports and Hands on Heritage to teachers by Ms. Tasneem Zakaria Mehta.

Tagore at 150, Power of the Pen programme held in Delhi

The Power of the Pen programme was organized by HECS at the INTACH Delhi headquarters on 20th January 2012. The programme comprised an essay competition and a painting competition for students. 24 prestigious schools of Delhi, including some of the leading public and government schools, participated in the event and made it a success. On the occasion, the Chief Guest spoke about the famous works of Tagore as well as his travels across India and the world. He also emphasized on the importance of remembering Tagore and celebrating his genius. The students were encouraged to participate in the competitions by the Chairman of INTACH, Lt. Gen. L.K. Gupta who spoke about the purpose of celebrating Tagore at 150. The pan-India competition is being held in more than 30 states across India.

 

INTACH Mehsana Chapter Organizes Teacher Training Camp

The INTACH Mehsana Chapter organized a Teacher Training Camp in Ahmedabad on 17th December 2011. The Convener of the Mehsana Chapter, Mr. Javahar Mehra spoke about the importance of heritage education and incorporating heritage awareness in the school curriculum. The camp began with a lamp-lighting ceremony with distinguished guests present on the occasion.

 

Teacher Training Workshop, Dharwad

HECS in collaboration with INTACH Dharwad Chapter organized a Teacher Training Workshop on 15th and 16th December 2011 in Dharwad. 48 teachers from 28 schools participated in the workshop. The workshop began with a welcome note by Mr. Bhatt, Convener, INTACH Dharwad Chapter. This was followed by a lamp lighting ceremony which was presided over by the Chief Guest. Ms. Purnima Datt, Director, HECS, then asked all the participants to introduce themselves and speak about their favourite heritage of Dharwad. Then two presentations were made, one on the Heritage of India and the other on the basic principles of introducing heritage education in schools. An ice-breaker game was also introduced to the teachers in the post-lunch session on day one. Day two began with a trip to the Karnatak University Department of History and Archaeology Museum. After the visit, a presentation on the Intangible Heritage of India was made and activities for future were discussed with the teachers. As part of their group work, teachers gave excellent presentations on different aspects of the natural, built, material and living heritage of Dharwad. The workshop ended with the felicitation ceremony in which participation certificates were given away to teachers.

 

Visit of Polish Delegation to INTACH

A Delegation from Poland comprising of eminent art historians, architects and conservators visited INTACH from 5th-12th December 2011. They were taken to different places in the city and meetings were also organized with the ASI and Aga Khan Foundation. The delegation was also taken on a one-day trip to Neemarana. They made presentations on the nature of work carried on by them in the field of conservation and museuology in Krakow, Poland. A trip to Goa and Mumbai was also organized for the delegation.

 

INTACH Teacher Training Workshop, Gurgaon

HECS in collaboration with INTACH Gurgaon Chapter organized a Teacher Training Workshop on 17th and 18th November 2011 at Summer Fields School, Gurgaon. 28 teachers from 14 schools participated in the workshop. The workshop began with a welcome note by Ms. Yasmin Contractor, Principal, Summer Fields School, Gurgaon who thanked all the teachers for being present at the workshop and taking part in it. She also thanked all the principals who had been kind enough to send the teachers for the workshop. This was followed by an introduction to heritage and cultural awareness given by Ms. Purnima Datt, Director, Heritage Education and Communication Service. She spoke about the importance of heritage education and ignorance of heritage awareness among the youth today. The methodology of heritage education was also discussed in a detailed presentation given by her on how to conduct heritage education in schools.

Day two of the workshop began with a walk the American Institute of Indian Studies. Teachers were shown a presentation on the work done by the institute especially in the areas of Haryana and Punjab. This was followed by a tour of the well-maintained archives at the institute. This was followed by a presentation on Gurgaon’s remarkable heritage and the need to preserve and maintain it by Mr. Atul Dev, Convener, INTACH Gurgaon Chapter. The workshop concluded with the felicitation ceremony.
 

INTACH Madurai Chapter facilitates the revival of Carnatic Music

INTACH – Gurgaon Chapter conducted a Heritage Run on Saturday, 26 November 2011 in Leisure Valley, Sector 29, Gurgaon. Over 600 children from 17 leading schools in Gurgaon participated in the Run. The Run was Flagged-off by Dr. Praveen Kumar, IAS, Administrator, HUDA. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Kumar urged the students to maintain discipline of mind as well as actions. He stated that our heritage, in all its manifestations, needs to be preserved and it is up to the coming generations to carry forward this message. He complimented INTACH for organizing this Run to engage students and citizens in preserving India’s multi-faceted heritage.

The INTACH Gurgaon Chapter team, simultaneously, conducted an inter-school creative Banner and Slogan Making Competition. The prize-winning slogans were: First, “Adopt your rich heritage as your child and care for it.” - Blue Bells Public School, Sector 10, Gurgaon. Second, “Music Flows in our Blood, Architecture is in our Heart, Heritage is an incredible art. Preserve it.” - Summer Field School, DLF Phase 1, Gurgaon. Third, “Our Heritage is in our hands so let’s preserve it.” - American Montessori Public School, Gurgaon. The morning took on a festive spirit with the ingenious colourful banners and a pipe band playing in the background.

 

 

INTACH Thanjavur Chapter celebrates World Heritage Week

The INTACH Thanjavur Chapter has organized a Children’s Festival in connection with the Children’s Day and World Heritage Week celebrations from 23.11.11 to 25.11.11 at Sangeetha Mahal, Palace Complex, Thanjavur. The festival comprised of classical music performances by eminent artistes, classical dance performances, folk dance performances, and a quiz competition on the heritage of Thanjavur. The festival also hosted a number of competitions including a photo competition, slogan competition, short film competition, English essay competition, Tamil essay competition, painting competition, etc. Cultural programmes were also organized by school students during the festival. The festival concluded with an award distribution ceremony.

 

INTACH Madurai Chapter facilitates the revival of Carnatic Music

INTACH Madurai Chapter organized a programme to facilitate the revival of Carnatic Music, especially the musical heritage of renowned Carnatic exponent M.S. Subbulakshmi. As a part of the annual festival ‘Madura Geetham’ to commemorate the music of MS on her birthday INTACH, Madurai organized a workshop ‘Build a Rasika’, meaning ‘Build a connoisseur,’ this year. Madura Geetham is a music festival to remember and honor MS Subbulakshmi, held for the fourth consecutive year, marking MS’s 95th birthday this year. Apart from musical tributes and homage to MS, the festival also engaged the younger generation meaningfully with Carnatic music through the workshop.

HECS, INTACH partnered with the European Union for the EU Sanskriti Festival 2011

The EU Cultural Week – this time titled "EU Sanskriti Festival" – is organized biannually by the Member States of the European Union and the EU Delegation in India. This year, the EU Sankriti Festival took place in November 2011 and was one of the most important joint cultural initiatives organized by the European Union in India. It was co-organized by the Polish Embassy, with the support of INTACH, NSD and IIC.

 This year, the festival’s theme was ‘children and youth’ and the programme was packed with dynamic performances and activities for youngsters. There are several district strands to the Festival – performing arts, literature and story–telling and film. The EU Sanskriti Kid’s Mela was organized as part of the cultural gala on 11th November 2011 at the India International Centre, New Delhi with support from INTACH. The festival included a host of fun and educational activities including an art competition, cultural quiz, face painting, and music competition for students. The programme also included an interesting juggler’s workshop for the students. 17 prestigious schools of Delhi participated in the programme and made it a grand success.
 

 
Clean up Drive of Hauz Khas Monument Complex on World Tourism Day

The Heritage Education and Communication Service (HECS) division of INTACH in collaboration with the ASI Delhi Circle organized a clean-up drive of the Hauz Khas monument complex to commemorate World Tourism Day on 27th September 2011. This drive was organized as part of the Adopt a Monument initiative started by INTACH this year. Mr. K.K. Mohammad, Superintending Archaeologist, ASI Delhi Circle, inaugurated the clean-up drive and spoke about the relevance of keeping our monuments clean. He also stressed the need for understanding the history of the city and encouraged the students to participate in such drives in future. Ms. Purnima Datt, Director, HECS, INTACH, encouraged the participating students and thanked them for their presence..

 Six prestigious schools from Delhi, including The Pinnacle School; Bluebells School International; The Indian School; Greenfields School; St. Mary’s School; and Navyug School Laxmibai Nagar, participated in the drive and 15 students along with two teachers will represented each school. This clean-up drive aimed at inculcating a sense of responsibility among the young students of Delhi for taking care of monuments within their city. The heritage of our city needs all the care and love of the next generation and keeping this in mind the clean-up drive is being organized for young students so that they become aware of their responsibilities at a very young age.
 
 
FILMIT INDIAN 2011 SCHOOL VISITS IN CHENNAI

Director HECS visited the nine schools in Chennai on the programme including Sri Sankara Vidyashramam, Sir Sivaswami Kalalaya, Calibre Academy,Bala Vidya Mandir, Vidya Mandir, Children's Garden,Asan Memorial, Vel's Vidyashramam and Sri Sankara Senior Sec School on 7th and 8th September . All 9 schools were adequately resourced for the project and were acquainted with the themes of the programme for this year.The students were enthusiastic and showed tremendous zeal to continue working on the makig of films on the culture of Chennai..
 
MAHARASHTRA CONVENER’S WORKSHOP FOR HERITAGE EDUCATION IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE

INTACH Aurangabad Chapter in collaboration with HECS, INTACH New Delhi, organized the Maharashtra Convener’s Workshop for Heritage Education in the Local Language on 15th September 2011. The workshop began with a welcome address by Mr. Mukund Bhogale, Convener, INTACH Aurangabad Chapter. He focused on the need for heritage education in schools and stressed on the importance of historic building conservation.

The workshop was attended by 8 chapters from Maharashtra, which included conveners and representatives from the chapters. Ms. Phiroza Tafti, Convener, Dahanu Chapter; Ms. Supriya Goturkar, Coordinator, Pune Chapter; Dr. Chandrashekhar Gupta, Convener, Nagpur Chapter; Mr. Amiteshwar Jha, Representative, Nashik Chapter; Dr. Prabhakar Deo, Convener, Nanded Chapter; Varsha Reshamwala, Curatorial Assistant, Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai; Ammar Mahimwalla, INTACH Mumbai Chapter; Mr. Surendra Singh Gautam, Representative, Chandrapur Chapter, and representatives from INTACH Aurangabad Chapter, were present at the workshop.

The workshop included technical sessions by HECS in which presentations were made by Ms. Purnima Datt on how to conduct a teacher training workshop in the local language. Chapter activities and the publication of Hands on Heritage in Marathi were also discussed during the course of the sessions.
 
GO GREEN PAINTING COMPETITION ORGANIZED BY INTACH GWALIOR CHAPTER

On the occasion of World Environment Day the Gwalior Chapter of INTACH in collaboration with the Indian Youth Climate Network organized a painting competition for spreading the message of environmental awareness. More than 80 students participated in the competition and made it a success. The students were divided into two age groups and selected themes were provided to the students for painting. The Convener of INTACH Gwalior Chapter, Dr. H.B. Maheswari presided over the prize distribution ceremony and handed over prizes to the students.
 
NATIONAL MUSEUM WALK- SESSION WITH PAUL CLIFFORD- 6th AUGUST 2011

On 6th August 2011, as a part of Filmit India programme, Mr. Paul Clifford, the technical Expert from London Museum, took a film making session in the National Museum of Delhi, for Blue Bells International School. The session was attended by 3o heritage club students. The programme started with an outdoor study of the museum, in which he explained to the students the inquiry method to be followed while filming in a museum. This interactive session was followed by a walk in the Ancient India gallery, which was useful for the students to understand the history behind the objects. There was also an object study session. The object, Vasantsena of Kushan Period, was studied thoroughly and students gave their opinions and interpretations of the sculpture.
 
 
Filmit Content and Technical Workshop Hyderabad -1st August 2011

A one day workshop was organized for teachers and students to introduce them to the project, its objectives and to interact with them at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Jubiless Hills . 5 schools participated in the workshop, including Meridian School for Boys and Girls; Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School; Gitanjali Devashala; Jubilee Hills Public School; and Oxford Grammar School. The workshop included a content session and a technical session. The resource persons were Paul Clifford and Purnima Datt.The programme was launched by Ms Anuradha Reddy, Convenor Hyderabad INTACH.
Filmit Content and Technical Workshop, Kolkata- 9th August 2011

The Filmit India Workshop was held in Kolkata on 9th August 2011. 6 schools participated in the workshop, including Birla High School; Lakshmipat Singhania Academy; Loreto Day School, Sealdah; Modern High School for Girls; Delhi Public School, Megacity; and the Heritage School. The workshop included a content session and a technical session.
Filmit Content and Technical Workshop Goa -28th July 2011

A one day workshop was organized for teachers and students to introduce them to the project, its objectives and to interact with them at Sunaparantha Centre for the Arts, Altinho.

The themes and content of the films were agreed upon by the teachers. The resource persons were Paul Clifford and Purnima Datt. The programme was launched by Ms Fatima Gracias Co Convenor Goa, INTACH ..

7 schools participated in the workshop, including Mary Immaculate Girls’ High School; Regina Mundi School; Lourdes Convent High School; Don Bosco High School; Sharada Mandir School; Mushtifund Middle School (Mala); and People’s High School. The workshop included a content session and a technical session.
Filmit India Technical Workshop 2011, Delhii

The Filmit India Technical Workshop was held on 4th August 2011 at INTACH. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Paul Clifford (Technical Expert) from the Helen Hamlyn Trust and the Museum of London. Mr. Clifford is an expert in digital learning. He spoke to the students and teachers about the use of digital film-making software. His session also included some useful tips about using the camera, selecting the content of the films, and shooting the film. The workshop was a success as 19 prestigious schools of Delhi including Modern School Barakhamba, Springdales School Pusa Road, Springdales School Dhaula Kuan, St. Columba’s, Sanskriti School, Bluebells International, Navyug School Lodi Road, Summerfields School, The Shri Ram School, The Pinnacle School, The Indian School, St. Mary’s, The Banyan Tree School, Tagore International Vasant Vihar, V.V.D.A.V, Army Public School Shankar Vihar, RPVV, Nigam Pratibha Vidyalaya, and Manavsthali School participated in the event.
Orientation programme for students of District Institute of Education and Trainingg

The District Institute of Education and Training organized an orientation workshop for its students on 26th July 2011. Experts from HECS, INTACH, we invited to give a presentation as part of the orientation programme. Ms. Purnima Datt, Director, HECS, addressed a group of 300 students and spoke to them about the importance of heritage awareness and education as well as the importance of conducting and participating in heritage walks. She also elaborated on the importance of heritage conservation and the role of heritage and cultural preservation. The role of teachers in incorporating heritage in the curriculum was also discussed as part of the presentation. Ms. Moby Sara Zachariah, Programme Coordinator, HECS, spoke about the importance of participating in heritage walks. On 28th and 29th July heritage walks were conducted at Lodi Gardens and the National Museum for 300 students from the institute.
Filmit Content Workshop 2011

The Filmit Content Workshop was held on 20th July 2011 at INTACH. The workshop aimed at sensitizing young students about the importance of making films on Indian culture and heritage. The welcome address was given by Ms. Purnima Datt, Director, HECS, who spoke about the importance of capturing the wonders of India through the lens. She also made a presentation on the Filmit programme and its salient features. She spoke about the importance of conserving Indian heritage and culture through a very colourful and informative presentation. This was followed by Mr. Faisal Alkazi’s (eminent theatre personality and film expert) workshop which was specially designed to introduce students to the concept of film making. He spoke to the students about the importance of making short films. He elaborated upon various techniques of film-making including the different shots which should be taken in order to make the film more appealing. In the post-tea session he interacted with the students and teachers and asked them interesting questions. The workshop was a success as 18 prestigious schools of Delhi including Modern School Barakhamba, Springdales School Pusa Road, Springdales School Dhaula Kuan, St. Columba’s, Sanskriti School, Bluebells International, Navyug School Lodi Road, Summerfields School, The Shri Ram School, The Pinnacle School, The Indian School, St. Mary’s, The Banyan Tree School, Tagore International Vasant Vihar, V.V.D.A.V, Army Public School Shankar Vihar, Nigam Pratibha Vidyalaya, Manavsthali School participated in the event.
Gujarat Convener's Workshop for Heritage Education in the Local Language

INTACH Mehsana Chapter in collaboration with HECS, INTACH, New Delhi, organized a one-day workshop on 11th July 2011 for the Gujarat Conveners. The purpose of the workshop was to train the conveners to conduct Teacher Training Workshops in the local language, that is, Gujarati. The workshop began with a lamp-lighting ceremony in which conveners from different regions of the state including Mr. Sodhsal Singh Dev Dhrangadhara, INTACH Jhalawad Chapter; Ms. Rukmani Devi, Rajpipla Chapter; Air Cmde Suren Tyagi, INTACH Jamnagar Chapter; Mr. Vijay Ranchan, Ahmedabad Chapter; and representatives from the Surat Municipal Corporation.

Ms. Purnima Datt, Director, HECS; Mr. Javahar Mehta, Convener INTACH Mehsana; Mr. Samveg Lalbhai, State Convener, Gujarat; and Dr. C.T. Mishra, Member Secretary, INTACH; gave the welcome address. The workshop was also attended by distinguished members of the civil society and the media. Two presentations were made by HECS. Translation of the Hands on Heritage book into Gujarati was also discussed..
Teacher Training Workshop, Rajpipla

HECS in collaboration with INTACH Rajpipla Chapter organized a Teacher Training Workshop on 29th and 30th June 2011 at Rajvant Palace, Rajpipla. 39 teachers from 26 schools participated in the workshop. The workshop began with a lamp lighting by Ms. Rukmani Devi, Convener, Rajpipla Chapter; Mr. Javahar Mehta, Convener, Mehsana Chapter; Ms. Purnima Datt, Director, HECS; and other eminent dignitaries from Rajpipla. Mr Mehta then welcomed the guests, members, and teachers who were present at the occasion. He stressed the importance of INTACH as a movement to make people aware of the importance of India’s heritage. He also spoke about the importance of translating the Hands on Heritage book into Gujarati and how this would benefit the local cause. District Education Officer, Mr. D.B. Patel spoke about interpreting the present by having knowledge of the past. He spoke about the importance of preserving our ancient heritage.

Day two of the workshop began with a walk to a numerous places of historical importance including palaces which were formerly owned by the royal family and are now government colleges. Teachers were also taken to some landmark temples of the town. The workshop ended with a certificate distribution ceremony by the Convener and the Maharaja of Rajpipla..
Adopt a Monument Workshop Delhi

INTACH organized a one-day workshop on 15th April 2011 for teachers to train schools to work on Adopting a Monument in their locality. This workshop was also held to commemorate World Heritage Day (18th April 2011). The workshop was targeted at training teachers from the middle and senior sections from various schools in Delhi NCR. While addressing the audience, Prof. A.G.K. Menon, Convener, Delhi Chapter, INTACH, stressed on the importance of heritage and its gaining prominence as a much more aware subject. The session was also addressed by a panel of expert speakers from ASI, DDA, and MCD. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was represented by Mr. A.K. Sinha, Director (CEP and NCF), ASI. The presentation focused on the role of the authorities in general and ASI in particular in helping the schools to select a monument for adoption. This was followed by a presentation made by Dr. V.K Bugga, Chief Town Planner Municipal Corporation of Delhi. He spoke about the role of MCD in maintenance and management of monuments in Delhi.

The presentation made by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) focused on the DDA’s endeavours towards protection of heritage. Ms. Manisha Gupta spoke about the need to protect Delhi’s built heritage. A presentation was also made by Mr. Ajay Kumar, Senior Manager Projects, Delhi Chapter. His presentation focused on the need for public-private partnerships with regard to management of heritage. Ms. Purnima Datt, Director HECS, INTACH in her presentation focused on the definition of heritage and heritage education. It also focused on the objectives behind publishing the book ‘Adopt a Monument.’ The worksheets and suggested activity plans which have been given in the book were also shown to the teachers as a way of orienting them towards using the book in the school..
INTACH Releases Hands on Heritage in Six Regional Languages

The Hands on Heritage book, which is a handbook on cultural education, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, was translated in six regional languages—Tamil, Malyalam, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati, and Marathi. This handbook, suited for the needs of the middle school students, is a repository of activities, worksheets, facts, and relevant information about natural, built, and living heritage. The intention behind translating the book was to reach out to more schools across India and spread heritage awareness.

The translated versions were launched on 18th April 2011 to commemorate World Heritage Day in a programme organized by INTACH. The books were launched by Mr. Jawahar Sircar, Secretary, Ministry of Culture in the presence of eminent educationist and the former Vice Chancellor of Delhi University, Prof. Deepak Nayar, INTACH Chairman Lt. Gen (Retd.) L.K. Gupta, and INTACH Member Secretary Ms. C.T. Misra.
Training session with teachers from Army Public School Shankar Vihar

A training session was organized by HECS for the teachers of the Army Public School, Shankar Vihar. 40 teachers participated in the training. The session began with an introduction of teachers. They were then shown the INTACH film. This was followed by two technical presentations, one on Indian heritage and the various aspects of Indian culture and heritage and the other one on the meaning of heritage education and the various facets of teaching heritage in schools. Different models, programmes, and styles of teaching heritage were explained to the teachers. The teachers were then taken to the conservation labs and different techniques were explained to them in brief. This programme ended with a walk at the Lodi Gardens for the teachers. They were shown all the structures within the garden and were also given worksheets..
 
   
Heritage Walks conducted by HECS and Delhi Chapter at the Mehrauli Archaelogical Park

Heritage Walks were conducted by Heritage Education and Communication Service in collaboration with the Delhi Chapter through the month of April at the Mehrauli Archeological Park. Students from five schools in Delhi participated in the walks conducted on a weekly basis. The participating schools were Bluebells School International, Somerville, St. Mary’s Safdargjung Enclave, The Pinnacle School, and Sarvodaya School Mehrauli. Students were shown all the structures within the archaeological park and were provided relevant information about the historical significance of all of them. Worksheets, designed specifically for the benefit of the students and for enhancing their understanding, were also handed out to them.
Intach Dehradun Chapter- Activities of 201000

The Dehradun Chapter has been actively organizing events and activities for promotion of conservation practices and initiating a mindset towards preservation of our precious heritage. The activities have enabled INTACH to gain a foothold in the region and would translate into long and short-term benefits for the status of heritage in the state of Uttarakhand.

The Chapter organized a Heritage Walk for students of all schools of Dehradun. More than 30 schools participated in the event. The walk was held at the verdant campus of the Forest Research Institute. In the month of January, Jaswant Modern Sr. Sec. School became the venue for a Teacher’s Training Workshop conducted by INTACH Dehradun Chapter and HECS. The purpose of the Workshop was training teachers to incorporate heritage in the curriculum and building a network of Heritage Clubs in schools.

World Heritage Day was marked by the inauguration of Heritage Clubs in Jaswant Modern Sr. Sec. School, Welham Boys' School, Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Whizzkid International School. Heritage Day for students of Jaswant Modern School was commemorated at the picturesque and spiritually uplifting premises of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Old Mussoorie Road (straight ahead of Diversion).

The Mahasu Devta Temple falls in the Jaunsar-Bawar Tribal Region of Uttarakhand. This is an ancient site of tremendous architectural and historical significance on the banks of the River Tons. On the basis of a request made to INTACH by the Secretary, Mahasu Devta Temple Committee, a team of architects from the AH Division visited the site at Hanol and prepared an Inspection Report. The report noted the various aspects of architectural heritage in the site and necessary efforts to conserve the site. It also noted that while the ASI protects the shrine itself, the precincts are fast becoming a victim of encroachment and unplanned development. 
 
 
Heritage Walk At Lodi Gardenss

HECS organized Heritage Walks at Lodi Gardens through the month of April. Heritage Club schools from all over Delhi participated in the walks. The purpose of the walk was to spread the message of preservation, conservation, and love for India’s built heritage. All the structures within the precincts of the gardens were shown to the students including Muhammad Shah’s Tomb, Bada Gumbad Complex, Sheesh Gumbad, Sikander Lodi’s Tomb, and the Mughal-time bridge Athpula. Schools which participated in the walks include Bal Bharati Public School, Bluebells School International, St. Columba’s, Gyan Bharati. Fr. Agnel’s, Navyug School Lodi Road, DPS Mathura Road, and Salwan Public School Mayur Vihar. 
 
 
Heritage Walks At The National Museumm

HECS conducted Heritage Walks through the month of April at the National Museum, New Delhi. The walks were primarily conducted to provide valuable information about the objects kept in the museum and to encourage students to visit the museum regularly so as to understand the true meaning of preserving national treasures such as those kept in the museum. The main focus was on three important galleries - Harappan, Miniature Paitings, and Arms and Armoury. The galleries were selected keeping in mind the interests of the students as well as the school curriculum. The schools that visited the museum included St. Mary’s Safdurjung Enclave, The Pinnacle School, St. Columba’s, DPS Sector 45 Gurgaon, The Indian School, Army Public School Shankar Vihar, VVDAV, and The Banyan Tree. The walks will be conducted till 10th May and will resume after the summer vacations.
 
       
DPS Sector 45, Gurgaon, visits Devi Art Gallery

INTACH had organized an art exhibition-'Vernacular in the Contemporary' part II on 13th April '11 and 26th April '11. The students had an enriching experience when they saw the work of various artists displayed in the form of paintings and sculptures.
 
Shriram Aravali School visits Devi Art Gallery

The Shriram Aravali School visited the Devi Art Gallery to be part of the present exhibition- Vernacular, in the Contemporary. Schools have been visiting the gallery to view the exhibition regularly.

Fox History Felicitation Programme Organized by Chapters

South Zone

The Chennai Chapter organized the felicitation ceremony on 31st February 2011. Mr. Mohankannan, a well known social worker and educationist, was the chief guest.

The East Godavari Chapter organized the felicitation ceremony on 2nd February 2011 for 126 students. Shri G. Srinivas IPS Supdt. of Police was the Chief Guest. The highlight of the function was the police band and a demonstration of police drills and hurdles also enhanced the programme.

The Vishakapatnam Chapter was held on 11th February at the VUDA Childrens’ Theatre.500 students from 17 schools were therefore the ceremony. Ms Indrani Jaggarau an eminent educationist presided over the ceremony.

 
Vishakapatnam   Trivandrum

West Zone

The Shekhawati Chapter organized the felicitation ceremony on 10th February 2011. Mr. Mohan Goenka,who has played a major role in the restoration of havelis in Shekhawati. was the Chief Guest and special guests were Mr.Arvind Pareek and Mr Madhu Khemani.114 students participated from 9 schools

The Jodhpur Chapter organized a felicitation ceremony on 3rd March 2011. The Chief Guest was the Rajasthan State Convenor Shri Gaj Singh who encouraged the students to care for their city’s heritage. He gave his blessings to all the students for taking part in this programme.
The Udaipur Chapter held its felicitation end February 2011.This was held in the City Palace complex

The Chandrapur Chapter organized the felicitation ceremony on 3rd and 15th February 2011. The chief guest was Dr. Manoj Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Chandrapur. The Dahanu Chapter held the award ceremony on 26th March 2011. Ms. Dolly B. Irani was the chief guest.

The Pune Chapter conducted the felicitation ceremony on 16th February . Ms. Madhavi Kapur, educationist and Mr. Deepak Dalal, author of children's books were the chief guests to give away the certificates and awards.

The Aurangabad Chapter organized the ceremony on 3rd March. Mr. Jayantrao Deshpande, President, Heritage Committee and Dr. Morwanchihar, a Historian were the chief guests.

 
Pune   Shekhawati

Central Zone

The Gwalior Chapter held its felicitation on the 5th February and the students were commended by the Governing Council member Ms Kamakshi Maheshwari.

The Shivpuri Chapter organized the felicitation ceremony on 16th January .Ms Geeta Diwan the Principal Happy Day School and Ms Kamakshi Maheshwari distributed the awards.

The Jabalpur Chapter organized the ceremony in the local Arya Samaj Dayanand Sabha ghar on 15th February and the Chief Guest was Dr D.K. Khare, The Joint Director Education (M.P.).

 
Gwalior   Jabalpur

East Zone

The Sikkim Chapter organized a felicitation ceremony on 16th March 2011. The felicitation programme was held at the famous Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok .The Chief Guest was Mr R.T. Lepcha, Additional Secretary, Department of Culture and Heritage, Government of Sikkim. It was also attended by 150 students.

The Bhubaneshwar Chapter of INTACH organized the felicitation ceremony on 31st January 2011. The chief guest on the occasion was Padmabibhusana Dr. Mahapatra I.A.S (Rtd). The felicitation by the Kolkata Chapter was held on 12th February at the Modern High School for Girls.

 
Gangtokk   Kolkata

North Zone

The Rohilkhand Chapter organized the felicitation Programme on 17th January to felicitate two regional winners. The Block in charge Archana Gangwar presided over the event.

The Mathura Chapter organized an award ceremony function on 2nd February. Mr. Pradeep Mathura, MLA, was the chief guest.

HECS in Delhi also organized the felicitation ceremony for national finalists, regional finalists and student representative from participated schools on 18th January . Delhi Chapter Convener A.G.K Menon was the Chief Guest.

 
Rohilkhanddd   Mathura
World Heritage Day 2011 Celebrations Organized By INTACH East Godavari Chapter

Our Chapter celebrated the World Heritage Day by conducting Essay Writing Competition on “Natural Heritage –Preservation & Conservation –with special reference to East Godavari District”, for Students of 8th.,9th.& 10th Classes in local Schools where more than 300 students participated. The first 3 Prize Winners from each School –more than 30 in all, were taken to the Korangi Mangroves and were explained about the role of the APForest Department in protecting the Mangroves which occupy a vast area of more than 200 acres of marshy land. Members of the INTACH Chapter, some Teachers, and some parents also accompanied the Students. One of our Senior Members, who is a retired Scientist from Central Fisheries Deparment, explained in detail regarding the importance of Mangroves and their chemistry. The Chief Patron of the INTACH East Godavari Chapter, Shri M.Ravichandra, I.A.S., Collector & District Magistrate appreciated the efforts of the members in creating awareness amongst the students regarding the protection of Natural Heritage, which is abundant in the District. The Chapter Convener, Smt. L.Sesha Kumari explained to the students about the World Heritage Day being celebrated every year on 18th April as approved at the 22nd UNESCO General Conference in 1983 and the Theme for 2011 being: The Cultural Heritage of Water....

 All the Prize Winners were congratulated and special Prizes were given to the Students with Best Essays. The Forest Dept officials explained the details of the conservation and propagation methods being undertaken by them. Sri Y.S.Harischandra Rao, Co-Convener thanked the management of Little Woods School for providing the transport facility to take the students and the members to Koringa and other members who provided refreshments to all the participants.

East Godavari Chapter Organizes Essay Writing Competitionn

The INTACH East Godavari Chapter conducted an Essay Writing Competition for the students of 8th, 9th, and 10th classes of 30 schools on "Natural Heritage - Conservation & Preservation - with special reference to East Godavari District". The response was very good with more than 100 essays from each school. The best 3 from each school were informed that they would be taken to the Koringa Mangroves, which is about 20 km from Kakinada on 18th April 2011, that is, on World Heritage Day. Some of the teachers who have attended the workshop on how to start a Heritage Club were also invited to join along with other INTACH members.
Teacher Training Workshop - Jammu

A two day teacher training workshop on Heritage Awareness was held at Jammu on 7th-8th March 2011. The venue for the workshop on the first day was the University of Jammu. On the second day the workshop was conducted in the Mubarak Mandi Restoration Office Complex. 41 teachers from 24 schools participated in the workshop. The two-day workshop also included a heritage walk to the Amar Mahal Museum and the Mubarak Mandi area.

Filmit India Film Festivals Held In Chennai

The Filmit India Film Festival was held in Chennai on 2nd February 2011. The Chief Guest for the event was Mr A.N. Jaganatha Rao a well-known photgrapher and wild-life film maker.
 
Filmit India Film Festivals Held In Kolkata

The Filmit India Film Festival was held in Kolkata on 12th February 2011. The Chief Guest was Mr. S.V. Raman, Cultural Consultant to the Victoria Memorial Hall.
 
Best Heritage Club Award 2010-11111

The Best Heritage Club Award for the year 2010-11 was declared in the month of February. The award this year was shared by two schools–Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School, Hyderabad; and Sri Sankara Vidyashramam Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai. The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School, Hyderabad, was selected as the Best Heritage Club because of their continued dedication to the cause of promoting India’s rich cultural heritage within the school premises and outside it. Their commitment, creativity, and enthusiasm made them the Best Heritage Club of the year. Sri Sankara Vidyashramam Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai, was selected because of the unique initiatives undertaken by the club. This included the promotion of heritage awareness in rural schools and adopting rural schools and opening heritage clubs in them as part of the programme.
 
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School, Hyderabad    
Chopin For Children Held in Chennai

The Chopin Music Festival was held in Chennai on 11th January 2011. Mr. Anil Srinivasan did a wonderful performance and delivered a lecture on the violin and the similarities between Indian and western music. Over 160 students from 11 schools participated in the programme. Refreshments were provided to the participating students.
 
Dehradun Teacher Training Workshop

A two day teacher training workshop on Heritage Awareness was held at Dehradun on 21-22 January 2011. 33 teachers from 17 schools participated in the workshop. The methodology adopted was a practical and interactive one for the participants- slide shows by resource persons, talks, discussions and group activities. The workshop commenced with a welcome note by Mr. Lokesh Ohri, Convener, INTACH Dehradun Chapter. He spoke about how heritage can be introduced in the teaching of social sciences. This was followed by ceremonial lamp lighting ceremony. After this a presentation was given by Dr. D.N. Dimri, Superintendent Archaeologist, ASI Dehradun Circle. He spoke about the archeological heritage of the central Himalayan region. He stressed on the fact that the heritage of the region dates back to pre-historic times, stating that many pre-historic settlements have been discovered in the region. This was followed by an introduction about heritage given by Ms. Purnima Datt. The two-day workshop also included a heritage walk to the Gurudwara of Guru Ram Rai for the participating teachers.
 
Filmit India Film Festival held at Goaa

INTACH HECS in collaboration with the INTACH Goa Chapter organized the Filmit India Film Festival in Panjim, Goa, on 4th February 2011. Six renowned schools which has participated in the programme attended the festival. There were around 10 students and 2 teachers from each school who attended the programme. The Chief Guest for the event was Dr. Isabel Vaz, Director, Masterseed Art Company and Professor of English. The programme was also attended by Ms. Nilima, Programme Coordinator, Suna Paranta Centre for the Arts. Ms. Fatima Gracias, Co-Convener, Goa Chapter, presided over he programme. The schools put up interesting performances including a song performance and poetry recitation. Along with screening the films made by the children, snippets of their experiences while making the films was also depicted. The programme was also attended by eminent journalists and media experts from the city.
 
Filmit Film Festival-Delhi

The Heritage Education and Communication Service (HECS) of INTACH organized the Filmit Film Festival to mark the end of Phase III (2010-11) of the programme. The venue for the event was the India Islamic Cultural Central Centre. Seventeen prestigious schools from Delhi who had participated actively in the programme attended the event. Renowned film and theatre personality, Ms. Sushma Seth and Filmmaker and Conservationist, Mr. Mike Pandey were the Chief Guests for the event. The programme began with a song performance by VVDAV. This was followed by presentations made by student representatives about their Filmit Phase III experience, after which some of the selected films were screened. The presentations continued after this, post which the remaining films were screened for the audience. The programme ended with the announcement of prize winning films which were selected from each participating school. The Chief Guest then shared their thoughts and encouraged the students to follow their dreams. Mike Pandey also gave some technical tips to the students, which was indeed an enriching experience.
Intach ’s Foundation Day

INTACH celebrated its 27th Foundation Day on 27th January 2011. For marking the celebrations a number of interactive programmes were organized for the staff. To begin with a heritage walk to Humayun’s Tomb was undertaken in the morning by the staff. This was followed by the inauguration of an exhibition organized by the Material Heritage division of INTACH entitled “Dwindling Art and Caring Hands”. A talk for all staff members was organized in which the keynote speaker was Laila Tyabji. She spoke about the importance of Indian crafts. This was followed by a book release of Adopt a Monument- the latest publication of HECS as well as the release of the INTACH Corporate Brochure. To make the day more interesting and interactive a children’s programme was also organized whereby all the winners of the Delhi: A Living Heritage Forum shared their thoughts on why it is important to preserve Delhi’s heritage. A song was also performed by the children of VVDAV. The programme ended with an interactive quiz for staff and guests.
Fox Felicitation Of National Winners

INTACH in collaboration with the Fox History Channel organized the felicitation programme for the national winners on 18th January 2011. The five national winners were declared and were given certificates. Raksha Rai, Ayush Ganapathy, Tauseef Ahmed, Rohini Mohan, and Shristi Soni were declared the national winners for their informative and wonderfully written essays. The certificates were given away by Chief Guests Dr. Shobita Punja, Head, National Culture Fund; Prof. A.G.K. Menon, Convener, Delhi Chapter, INTACH, and Ramon Chibb, Senior Vice President-Content, Fox History and Entertainment Channel. Six regional winners were also announced and awarded. The winners spoke about their essays and provided useful insights into the theme chosen by them. This was followed by a media interaction.