Staff Reporter
Diwali is a festival that excites children since it is a good reason for wearing new dress, have sumptuous food, visit friends and invite them home and spread laughter.
It is also an occasion to recall the achievements of the year, especially of children, who bring pride and joy to parents, siblings, relatives, peers and friends.
Dr Anil Ranchord (Intervention Cardiologist at Wakefield Heart Centre, Newtown, Wellington and Consultant Cardiologist at Wellington Hospital and Clinical Senior Lecturer at Wellington School of Medicine) and his wife Shilpa will recall with pleasure an event held on August 18, 2017 at the Wellington Indian Association at which their nine-year old daughter Ashreya was felicitated by Indian High Commissioner Sanjiv Kohli.
India at 70
Ashreya won a prize in the Poster Competition conducted by the Indian High Commission as a part of the 70th Anniversary of India’s Independence.
The Year 5 Brooklyn Primary School student won the prize for her painting connecting India and Motherhood.
The Poster Competition, called, ‘India@ 70 Competitions’ required children between 8 and 12 years of age to paint ‘My Idea of India,’ encouraging them to give vent to their creativity and ability to connect with India.
Ashreya drew a mother to represent Mother India.
“I drew a mum to represent Mother India. I also did it because my mother comes from India. In the painting, the Mother is shown holding the Indian Flag in the shape of the Earth just like a mother holding a baby and India is the baby. On the green part, I showed all the farming land and the white portion represents different religions and how they live together. The Orange portion represents how India is not only rich in its culture and heritage but also is technologically advanced,” Ashreya said.
Parents’ aspirations
The Ranchords hope that their second daughter Samyra will also excel in her field of activity soon.
This was the second major recognition for Ashreya.
Last year, she won the first prize in the ‘Meridian Energy Wind Turbine Competition.’
We had quoted Dr Anil Ranchord (Indian Newslink, May 1, 2016) as saying that the Wind Turbine had opened at Brooklyn in Wellington last year.
“It is capable of powering about 500 homes. Meridian Energy organised a competition for children of Wellington schools to design futuristic invention that could create a better energy future over the next 20 years. Ashreya designed ‘Energy Floor,’ a novel concept that stores the energy generated by children jumping and running on a playground with special sensors in the floor. She hopes that it could power her school and local houses and reduce the production of greenhouse gases,” he said.
Time Capsule
All competition entries have been inserted into a time capsule, to be opened in 2035.
Shilpa Ranchord, a teacher by profession, shares the pride of raising a talented child with her family and the community.
Meridian Energy project manager Craig Brown described the concept propounded by Ashreya as ‘incredible.’
“It was exactly what every parent has been wanting to know; if their children bouncing could create energy to store and use. Having the children at the opening was fantastic. They all had really broad and different ideas, and a lot of them were very enthusiastic about the turbine,” she said.
*
Photo Caption:
- India’s High Commissioner to New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli with Ashreya
- The Prize-winning Painting by Ashreya
- Words of Dedication
