One emerges as a star not on winning an event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years spent preparing for it. The results itself are merely the manifestation of a spirit to succeed. To celebrate this quest for excellence, and felicitate those who shone, the Palanpur Samaj Kendra organized the ‘Rising Stars’ function at the Indian Merchant’s Chambers on February 22, 2009.

It started off with a cultural programme, including three beautiful dances by Aakanksha, Aishwarya and Sweni. The crowd cheered as the felicitation ceremony was kick started by the comperes Rushabh Mehta, Spruha Mehta, Sahil Kothari and Rachita Doshi. The achievers ranged from students successful at the SSC and ICSE levels to those who had cleared their MCom and BDS. Among the noable achievers was Mitesh Shah who has qualified as a Chartered Accountant, Apeksha Mehta and Ekta Jogani who successfully completed their BDS, Shefali Parikh who scored an amazing 99% in her MHCET and Alay Mehta with an astounding 99.99 percentile in his CAT.

In the sports category there were state and national level achievers, Adesh and Yash Bhansali in squash, Vitraag Mehta in table tennis and Kushal Mehta in roller skating.

Some of the students took the opportunity to voice their views on a variety of relevant topics. Adesh Shah spoke on 'Navigating Business in Times of Recession’, where he outlined some of the steps that entrepreneurs should take during a down turn, stressing that one should focus on the factors one can control rather than get swayed by the external environment.  No one can easily forget 26/11, as was clear when Rushabh Mehta spoke on ‘One Youth, One India’, an initiative launched by him and other students of Cathedral School, which aims at spreading the message “Be the Change” and encouraging the youth to actively change themselves, rather than merely criticize the government and the authorities. Spruha Mehta related her experiences with the ‘Seeds of Peace’ initiative that encourages peace around the world and her conviction that no matter how frail the relationship between India and Pakistan is on the political front, and what the media makes out the “conflict” to be, on an individual level, there was absolutely no bitterness. Shefali Parikh spoke inspiringly about being focused and stretching one’s capabilities to achieve higher goals.

 

The Chief Guest at the function was Mr. Prakash Shah, a distinguished Indian diplomat who served the Indian government as Ambassador to Switzerland and Japan, and Under Secretary to the United Nations, where he was later a Special Advisor to the Secretary General. The Chief Invitee, Dr. Ajay Kothari is a well known US based aerospace engineer and researcher. In 2007 he was given the Pride of India award by the Non-Resident Institute, Washington DC. Their achievements provided inspiration to the new generation of Palanpuri youth.

Report by Vibha Kothari

Complete list of all those felicitated for their achievements

SPORTS

Adesh Paras Bhansali - Squash
Kushal Mayank Mehta - Skating
Vitraag Asim Mehta - Chess
Yash Paras Bhansali - Squash

ACADEMICS

Post Graduate
Chirag Bharat Mehta  - MCom
Shveni Jaimin Jhaveri - MCom
Mitesh Prakash Shah – CA
Alay Amit Mehta - CAT

Bachelors
Apeksha Pradeep Mehta – BDS
Ami Mayur Kothari – BTech
Ekta Vipin Jogani – BDS
Shimoni Samir Shah – BMS
Adesh Pankaj Shah – BCom
Mitul Deepak Shah – BCom
Nimit Sunil Shah – BCom
Rashi Rajesh Mehta – BCom
Rushabh Parag Mehta – BCom

Std 12 – HSC
Aishwarya Rajiv Bhansali
Jay Nilesh Bhansali
Naitik Deepak Shah
Niralee Nimish Choksi
Pooja Sangam Kothari
Priyank Navneet Kothari
Rishit Kaushal Mehta
Shefali Pradeep Parikh

Std 12 – ISC
Sanil Shekhar Shah
Simoni Sanjay Bhansali

Std 10 - IB
Mihika Nilesh Kothari

Std 10 - ICSE
Aashal Chetan Mehta
Aayush Samir Mehta
Akash Prakash Shah
Alisha Anish Modi
Amrita Rajiv Mehta
Ananya Nikunj Mehta
Chaitali Rajeev Mehta
Konal Sandeep Shah
Meet Virat Choksi
Moksha Rajesh Shah
Nilay Tushar Doshi
Nilomi Nishit Modi
Pooja Munjal Kothari
Pooja Samir Shah
Priyanka Munjal Kothari
Rachita Miten Doshi
Rashil Devang Bhansali
Sanah Sushil Jhaveri
Rushabh Ashish Mehta
Shanay Ravin Kothari
Tulsi Rashesh Bhansali
Vidhi Paresh Mehta

Std 10 - IGCSE
Diya Russell Mehta
Karan Hitesh Parikh
Maniti Nikunj Modi
Samarth Sachin Mehta

Std 10 - SSC
Spruha Satish Mehta
Aakanksha Minesh Kothari
Harsh Jayesh Shah
Nishank Navneet Kothari
Raj Nishit Shah
Preksha Ajay Zaveri
Sahil Viren Kothari
Shikha Nimish Bhansali
Sveni Samir Mehta