The 12th convocation of Prerna Girls School on the 8th August, 2014 was a momentous and emotional occasion. It was a tearful goodbye for some of the girls of and for others, who wanted to maintain their ties with their alma mater, it was simply farewell – farewell till they meet again. However, for the principal and staff of Prerna Girls School it was yet another victory, proof of their determination to pursue their mission to educate and empower as many girls as they possibly could with a doggedness seemingly known only to them – even in their limited financial circumstances.
Prerna, meaning ‘inspiration’, lived up to its name yet again. This was apparent when thirteen girls who passed their class 12th NIOS examination from the school were facilitated by Dr Urvashi Sahni who awarded them a scholarship of Rs 5000 each to pursue their graduation in colleges and universities of their choice. In addition, five girls were awarded Rs 20,000 each to pursue their Masters Degree programs by Dr Sahni.

The fact that these girls are pursuing their education is in itself proof enough that Prerna has succeeded in its mission – however, there are miles to go yet and the commitment of the staff shows no signs of weaning. They have years of work already planned out ahead of time.

The convocation ceremony was in itself a heartwarming experience, both for the girls of the school as well as the dignitaries who graced the occasion.

The girls, dressed in the traditional regalia were visibly excited on the occasion, some were gleefully waiting for the moment of truth while some were tearfully preparing to bid goodbye to their alma mater but everyone present there displayed a sense of pride and achievement.

The dignitaries present at the convocation took the trouble of making time for the program despite their busy schedules to support and encourage these girls. These esteemed guests included; Mr. Jayant Krishnan (TCS), and Begum Habibullah, Mr. Atul Kumar (Unicef), Mr. R. K. Mittal (IAS Retd). The sponsors of many of these girls were also represented by Ms Chinar Garg from IIML Bhavishya.

None of this would be possible without teamwork and the selfless financial support of our sponsors, Dr Sahni’s tireless efforts and philanthropy and the seamless dedication of the staff of Prerna – not to mention the hard work put in by the girls – Kudos to one and all!