A DUAL CELEBRATION & RECEPTION - Opening the West Wing of AlphaMax Academy’s School Facility

A DUAL CELEBRATION & RECEPTION

On Sunday evening, May 6^th, Mrs Kitty Ameerali, the wife of Suriname’s Vice-President, joined the Ambassador of India and his wife, Mrs. K.J.S. Sodhi, along with several members of the international community, and scores of AlphaMax Academy students, parents and friends at the opening of the renovated West Wing of the AlphaMax school facility on Stanvastestraat in Zorg-en-hoop. 

It was a Dual Celebration which also highlighted the Birth Anniversary Celebration of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore – the first non-European to win a Nobel Prize.

First, Mrs. Sodhi, wife of the Ambassador of India, cut the ribbon for the Tagore bust-garlanding ceremony which took place in the garden adjoining the AlphaMax facility.  Ambassador Sodhi, ICC Director Sunil Bhalla, George Ramjiawansingh of ArtVibes, and Emiel Krak and Milton Drepaul of the AlphaMax Academy, subsequently joined Mrs. Sodhi in placing garlands around the impressive 250 kg bronze bust of Tagore which was sculpted in India.

Later that evening, Mrs. Kitty Ameerali cut the ribbon leading to the West Wing of the renovated school facility.  The West Wing was expressly named after Tagore, the international humanist who had devoted  large portion of his adult life to education and teaching.  Tagore was the founder of the world famous Shantiniketan school and the Viswa Bharati University in India.

The ‘dual celebration’ on May 6^th was the AlphaMax Academy’s culmination of a year of activities revolving around India’s poet laureate Tagore in Suriname.

To recap, activities in close collaboration with the Embassy of India and the Indian Cultural Center of Suriname included:

1.  In May 2011:  An art exhibition and cultural evening which included dance and poetry at Fort Zeelandia – co-sponsored by Art-Vibes, ICC and the AlphaMax Academy
2. The Tagore Bust-unveiling ceremony on June 4^th, 2011, where Suriname’s First Lady Ingrid Waldring-Bouterse unveiled the bust with Ambassador K.J.S. Sodhi.  One of the highlights of the Tagore bust-unveiling ceremony was the ICC-sponsored Bihu Dance Troupe which had travelled from Assim, India, to perform.  This was their premiere performance in Paramaribo.
3. Activities also included creative writing and art competitions for students and also adults in Suriname.  The panel of judges included members of the University of Suriname, Schrijvers Groep ‘77, and prominent artists.  The Awards ceremony was held at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname last October.
4. Finally, there were also lectures and video presentations on the life and work of Tagore at various venues.

Rabindranath Tagore was born on May 7th, 1861, and died on August 7th, 1941. The Tagore bust at the AlphaMax Academy is one of a dozen effigies unveiled worldwide to mark the 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations worldwide. Tagore is the author of one of the anthems students and teachers of the AlphaMax community use daily in school assemblies.