Dear Parents,

August was a landmark month for GIIS Nagpur, one that saw the entire school — from our youngest Nursery learners to our Grade 8 students — take part in a wide spread of celebrations, competitions and experiences. The month's biggest moment was India's 80th Independence Day, but it also brought national sporting recognition, cultural celebrations, hands-on learning outside the classroom, and a full calendar of activities for our early years students.

GIIS Nagpur marked India's 80th Independence Day on 15th August with a morning assembly attended by students, staff and invited guests. Chief Guests Ms. Neeta Temurnikar, Mr. Kedar Gokhale and Mr. Arvind Temurnikar were received on campus by the school's student leadership team and escorted to their seats, before Principal Ms. Nidhi Gupta and the school coordinators welcomed them as the assembly began. The programme opened with the unfurling of the National Flag and the National Anthem, followed by a welcome speech, a patriotic song mashup, a Hindi speech on the significance of the day, a skit and a dance performance — each the result of weeks of practice by the students involved. The assembly closed with a vote of thanks and the National Song, sung together by all present. This year's celebration carried added weight, coming eighty years after India's first Independence Day in 1947.

The lead-up to Independence Day was just as festive. On 12th and 13th August, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students joined their mothers for the Sing with Mom activity, filling the campus with patriotic songs that built confidence, teamwork and communication skills alongside the bond with their mothers. This was followed on 14th August by the Ramp Walk with Mom, where students from Nursery to K2, dressed in tricolour attire, walked hand-in-hand with their mothers, celebrating self-expression and togetherness ahead of the big day.

GIIS Nagpur also had the honour of hosting the taluka-level school badminton tournament this August, organised by the District Sports Officer's Office, Nagpur. The three-day event brought together 30 schools and 320 participants competing across the Under-14, Under-17 and Under-19 age groups, in both boys' and girls' categories. Matches were closely fought and well received, with the tournament run smoothly with the support of Principal Ms. Nidhi Gupta, sports teacher Mr. Pratik Bhoyar and Taluka Secretary Mr. Umesh Chaure. All category winners will now advance to represent their schools at the district-level tournament — students and parents can look forward to updates as they progress.

Grades 6 to 8 stepped outside the classroom this month for a field visit to the Zonal Anthropological Museum, turning textbook chapters on human history into a hands-on experience. Students explored exhibits ranging from the origin of the universe and human evolution to Stone Age tools, the Harappan Civilization, and India's traditional communities, before closing the visit with a look at folk paintings and tribal art. The trip gave students a clearer, more grounded understanding of human evolution and Indian cultural history — the kind of learning that stays with them well beyond a textbook.

On 24th August, GIIS Nagpur marked World Sanskrit Day with a spirited celebration during the morning assembly. Observed every year on Shravani Purnima, the day paid tribute to Sage Panini, the grammarian behind the foundations of Sanskrit grammar. Students took the stage with shlokas, subhashitas, short Sanskrit dialogues and dance performances, prepared over weeks with guidance from their teachers. The celebration closed with the message, ‘Learn Sanskrit, preserve Sanskrit, promote Sanskrit’, capturing the spirit of the day.

August also brought a special session for World Photography Day, titled ‘Photography — The Best Way of Storytelling’. The session was conducted by Mr. Anurag Bhattacharya, a commercial photographer and visual storyteller with over 12 years of professional experience across advertising, food, product and wildlife photography. Students were introduced to the core elements of meaningful photography — observation, composition, emotion, perspective and patience — and had the opportunity to ask Mr. Bhattacharya questions about the craft directly. The session gave students a rare, real-world glimpse into a creative career path many hadn't considered before.

Peace Day brought together our Nursery to Grade 2 students for a morning that turned a big idea into something every child could understand. The celebration opened with a quiet moment of reflection and the story of Sadako Sasaki, before moving into handprint doves, finger-painted peace symbols, peace puzzles and a human peace symbol formed by the students together. K2 students performed a peace dance and Grade 2 students sang a peace song, reinforcing the message that peace starts with everyday choices — being kind to a classmate, listening to a friend, or including someone sitting alone.

Health and wellbeing found their place in the calendar too. On 7th August, Nursery and K1 students visited Shusruta Dental Clinic to learn correct brushing techniques, healthy eating habits and the importance of regular dental check-ups. This was followed on 10th August by the iPlay Dental Clinic Activity, where Nursery students enjoyed a storytelling session on healthy teeth, K1 students practised the Brushing the Teeth activity, and K2 students worked through the Take Out the Cavity activity to understand how cavities form. On 11th August, K2 learners visited AP Fitness Gym for a morning of warm-up exercises, stretching and balance activities, getting familiar with gym equipment in a safe, age-appropriate setting.

Later in the month, two celebrations brought lessons in compassion and togetherness. On 25th August, students learned about the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad through stories and discussions centred on love, kindness, compassion, peace and togetherness, marking Eid Milad-un-Nabi. On 27th August, students from Nursery to Grade 2 celebrated Raksha Bandhan in traditional attire, honouring the values of love, care, protection, respect and togetherness that the festival represents.

Environmental responsibility also took centre stage this month with an iCARE activity themed ‘Every Drop Counts’. Rather than lectures, GIIS Nagpur built the session around hands-on tasks: Clean the Ocean had students removing pollutants from a mock ocean, Be a Leak Detective sharpened their observation of water wastage, Saving or Wasting Water asked them to sort responsible use from wasteful habits, and the Water Conservation Collage gave them a creative outlet to express what they had learned. The activity was aligned with the GIIS 9 GEMS framework, touching on Universal Values, Skill Development, Personality Development and Environmental Responsibility — helping young learners build a broader sense of responsibility as global citizens.

The month also had its share of colourful and number-filled fun. Blue Colour Day on 21st August had students sorting blue objects, playing musical chairs and going on a treasure hunt, building colour recognition and coordination along the way. The Math Magic activity closed out the month on 31st August with games, movement and buddy challenges designed to strengthen number recognition, sequencing and skip counting for students from Nursery to Grade 2.

Looking Ahead

As we move into September, we look forward to carrying forward the same spirit of curiosity, achievement and celebration that defined August at GIIS Nagpur. We remain grateful to you, our parents, for being such active partners in every milestone your children achieve with us.

Warm Regards,

Ms. Nidhi Gupta