Navayug School - yaadein
Sunehari Yaadein - Students
Dr. Renu Kaul (1980 batch)
Dar Sahib had been diagnosed with throat cancer. My husband who happens to be the Ist Head boy of Navayug (also Dar Sahib's favourite) and I went to see him at Sawan Public School. Outside only Jugnu's mother warned us not to talk to him because of his throat. As soon as Dar Sahib saw us he was so delighted that he couldn't stop himself. Finally, he communicated with us using paper slips. Such was the affection he had for his students. Luv You All!
Devendra Negi (1980 Batch)
On your marks! Get set!! Go!!! And I was naked...
Summer vacations were over, and we, as usual, we're back to school routine. Besides regular studies, all the students were expected to take part in any one or more than one extra-curricular activity in the school, as per our founder principal late Shri Jiwan Nath Dar’s vision of a dynamic education policy, focusing on an all-round development of the child.
We have a compact and learner-friendly ‘L shaped’ swimming pool in school, and that was a rare asset in the sense that only a few schools in Delhi were having such an exclusive facility in their premises. Interclass Swimming Competition was organized and my event was 50-meter Freestyle. I along with my classmates, was busy making myself ready for the event, first taking a freshwater shower bath, which was mandatory, from the hygiene point of view, doing spot running, and stretching to warm-up.
To my shock I found my swimming costume missing in the bag, which I forgot to pack while leaving home for the school! I hesitantly told our sports teacher late Shri O. P. Kakkad about that, and to my surprise, he allowed me by asking in a lighter vein - “ ANDAR KACHHA TO HAI NA!”
There I was standing tall on the starting blocks... sporting a V-shaped elastic brief!! Referee shouted ‘On your marks! Get set!! Go!!! I took a graceful, well-timed long plunge...splash... and within seconds I was naked!!! Due to extreme water friction in opposite direction, my brief slipped down up to my knees. My legwork got hampered and I was far behind others. Luckily I was approximately within 4 feet of deep water, so I stopped, stood straight and hurriedly bent down to get hold of my elastic brief (In the full view of school), pulled it up, fixed it with a tight & small knot, and did a frantic super freestyle to come first in the race! That was 14th July 1976, and I was in class 8.
Ramvriksh Singh (1980 Batch)
Navyug - A School Par Excellence!
February 16, 2018 - Navyug School, Sarojini Nagar came into being, this day, way back in 1973.
Only 90 students, could make it to the school, after a protracted and tough admission process. It was meant for gifted children of the New Delhi Municipality area.
Late. Sh. Jivan Nath Dar, a veteran academician with a vast experience from Doon Public School, to Scindia, Gwalior, from Netarhat, Bihar to Modern Public School, Delhi, and an ex-colleague of the likes of Dr. K.L. Shrimali and Dr. Zakir Hussain, and an ex-teacher to none other than Madhav Rao Scindia, and Rajiv and Sanjay Gandhi, had obliged NDMC and the then LG of Delhi to accept the challenging task of establishing this school- A theme school for the gifted but disadvantaged children in Delhi aged between 10 to 12 years.
In nut-shell Sh. Dar was not a mere (Geography) teacher, but a great nationalist and even a greater teacher.
He knew how to nurture a child's talent. He viewed education as a unique opportunity for the overall balanced growth of a child.
Ours was the second batch to join Navayug.
It was a unique opportunity for us to learn everything that was to come handy in our entire life.
A 72-year-old, frail but physically and mentally fit Sh. Dar would emerge from his residence, that opened in the main corridors of the school building and lead us all to the playfield. He would walk straight, play football with us and call loudly each student by his/her first name. We would have our breakfast and lunch together, in the school dining hall. He and other teachers would occupy their designated seats and tell us how to seek and pass on various items on the table. They taught us the table manners.
He held long assemblies, stretching right up to the lunch sometimes. He wanted us to grasp every bit of knowledge that was available on the earth. He ensured that we developed an appreciation for the diverse culture of our beautiful country. He poured out into our young brains the best of the ideals that he had gathered during his entire teaching career. And so did his teacher colleagues.
We sang songs in all prominent Indian languages. All of us would paint free hand in the drawing class. All of us were made to undergo some or the other vocational training. All of us had to participate in the school parade. Sports were compulsory. We would participate in almost each sporting event held in Delhi. We ran long distances races, swam with the likes of Khajan Singh, Dharmpal Tokas, Raisudding and Edna Adhikari etc, played Nehru Hockey and Subroto Cup, participated in debates, declamation and essay writing competitions.
The school was visited by delegates from different countries, viz. Russia, Afghanistan etc. and we were made to interact with them. We visited kwality icecream, modern bakeries, campa cola etc. which gave us an insight of these facilities. A BSF officer would come to train us in physical exercises.
We had a rich library and all of us were supposed to write a book report on a weekly basis. We inculcated a habit of reading and love for books during our formative days. And a good many of us also developed a flair for writing.
Sh. Dar was chiselling us all into creative personalities that were to take charge of their respective fields in the years to come. He would encourage us to come out with writings, paintings, poems, dramatics, debates etc. on different occasions.
He would ask us to reason out everything that fell in our vicinity. Question thy authority. Raise doubts, make queries. He would tell all his students. Most of us, therefore, grew up to become fearless individuals.
He drew examples from the European History, from ancient India, from the Puranas so as to enlighten our souls.
We probably recited the best of the poems and patriotic songs found those days. We did experience the ill-famed emergency, but for the good only.
We had the most disciplined, dedicated and learned teachers and they instilled all these qualities and all their wisdom in us. We were the purpose of their lives. We received their all-out attention. They were the best teachers that a student can ever dream of.
Hence this deep sense of gratitude!
As we grow old, we feel more and more indebted to the great institution called Navyug, that has carved out our personalities.
Dear Navayugians, where ever you are, please remember the motto the spirit whereof has been imbibed forever in your character-
योगः कर्मसु कौशलम्
Striving for Excellence.
Pursue your choicest of careers, but with perfection!
We sang if you remember-
आमरा चंचल, आमरा ऑद् भुत।
You are a unique breed of human beings, for you are Navayugians- the proud disciples of Late Sh. Jivan Nath Dar and his able teacher colleagues.
Rededicate yourselves to the cause of humanity, as you sang very rightly-
लब पे आती है दुआ बनके तमन्ना मेरी
ज़िन्दग़ी शम्मा की सूरत हो ख़ुदाया मेरी।
Wish you all a very happy, proud and meaningful नवयुग दिवस.
If you would like to share your own Sunehari Yaadein, please mail us at navayugsite@gmail.com