Monument Mitra Sangeeta Singh addressed a webinar on Strengthening Heritage Roots

"The great need is to provide quality education and value systems that will make students nation builders." - Sangeeta Singh

As an educationalist, how do you believe empowering the students would bring a change towards cultural preservation?

Sangeeta Singh strongly believes that developing respect for traditions amongst the students is the stepping stone in empowering them. People of India are privileged to live in a culturally rich country where thousands of ancient and heritage monuments are protected by the Government. India noted as "Bharat Varsh" should make people reflect the pride. As we travel far into perceiving the conundrum, one will uncover out hundreds of reasons that India holds such magnificent traditions and history, and citizens should appreciate it. One significant point is to hold quality education for the students that they should be mindful of the importance and be the pride of what our ancestors have preserved and handed over to us, and it should be imparted to our next generations.

Why do you believe that youth in our country could have learned a lot more through their school curriculum?

India's civilisation is very vast and vibrant; the education system in India deals with is the absence of essence.  She drew an illustration like a body is partial without the five senses; likewise, education is insufficient without the physical studies and practical reality. Children are forced and overwhelmed by their teachers and parents to achieve good grades that focus shifts on direct learning from books rather than analysing and experiencing the outside world and grasping something rare and exclusive. 

India has lost much history due to invasions, the partition of borders. What legacy of our country has been forgotten, due to the lack of public awareness? 

She replied by explaining heritage in a broader term, as monuments are just a narrow part of it. Every person's routine life amount to have something related that is being followed by the generations, still, in today's age, food, clothing, accessories have been inspired by culture and traditions which is a big part of our legacy.  She farther adds that many plunderers invaded India. They destroyed and looted India in every possible way. She talked about how the Indo- Pak partition destroyed families, their emotions and traditions, but she believes that the 3rd generation of society is reviving history and helping themselves to recognise the lost traditions and culture. Even the NGOs work on preserving this heritage. Public awareness is the biggest challenge. "She told us her real-life experience of how she contributed to conserving her ancestral home in Pakistan. She visited her home in Pakistan that her family had to abandon during the partitions of India and Pakistan in August 1947. It's converted into a school now. It was painful to leave her home behind, but transforming into a school would save some history and memories of the people who lived there.

What are your thoughts on how educational institutions should involve their students in the conservation and safeguarding of Indian heritage?

Schools can play a vital role in leading students about the valuable heritage and culture. The most important task is that school should be engaged in and around the locality of their native place, and indeed organise awareness about the local legacy only thus one can indoctrinate the potential of knowing it. So, schools are the ideal model to endorse the students about the local ancestry.

If schools receive aid to adopt a heritage, what role schools can play to support the cause of Adopt A Heritage initiative?

Ms Sangeeta personally loves the idea of schools adopting the heritage, and she even states Amritsar's Fort, which was taken care by the Army. It helps generate revenue by organising light shows, museum visit attracts the people from all around the world. The same can be applied to the school - government collaborations where the schools become the implementing partner and together preserve the heritage. This union would not only maintain our lost culture but will make students sensitive about the cause and create awareness.

Has students at your institution shown interest in the field of Art, Culture, and Heritage?

Ms Sangeeta has all smiles while she talks about her students. They have extra ordinary students who perform on Heritage, Art and culture in annual thematic function at school and state level. Students participated in plays inspired by history, skits, Kavi Darbaars that bring out the deep-rooted legacy within. The cultural folk dance, music keeps them interested, traditional vibrant dresses make them realise that they are part of something big. These initiatives that school takes, help students to keep HA&C in their mind for a more extended period and bend them towards their culture and tradition. Ms Sangeeta also informed us, DPS Amritsar gives projects to the students on some relevant history or historical place that creates awareness.

If your institution would like to adopt a heritage or nature site around Amritsar, which site would it be and why?

Ms Sangeeta was excited while sharing with us the thought about adopting Maharaja Ranjit Singh Summer Palace. It is a lovely palace she said, and people of Punjab are fascinated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh's heroism. She also brought in the idea of cross-exchange state heritage programs which would allow the students of different states to get acquainted with the heritage of other states. 

The New Education Policy has opened new doors for the young generation. Govt has proposed for students "Out of school experience under the internship program from 6th class onwards. How would schools encourage their students to make the best use of time through an internship program? 

Schools should give liberty for in-depth research and exploring history; schools should consider discussions on further chapters that are not listed in the syllabus but are relevant and necessary to know. CBSE is accountable for the content that they wanted the school students to learn. It had issued New Education Policy in India, but yet there is not so much information about the content that the New policy will offer, but the schools do their best to provide the knowledge of the students by having experienced mentors.

What all community services task your school plans annually for empowering your children to become a responsible citizen?

Ms Sangeeta mentioned, "SEVA program" that has been initiated by the CBSE. Sewa Program presents the school to do SEVA (SERVICE) of the community. She stated that Sewa is an ancient practice by our ancestors and DPS Amritsar has been encouraging students to do SEVA on a community level by creating awareness, cleanliness drives, planting trees and donating books and try to inculcate the students with moral values and help them become incredible human beings. 

How can the Council Of Royal Roots support your institution in the cause of Heritage Conservation?

Ms Sangeeta has been very modest in asking for any help but she believes Council of Royal Roots can serve the community in promoting the historical places that are forgotten in Amritsar and can help in restoring and preserving them. 

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