At Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, inclusion is not a theme confined to a day—it is a lived value expressed through action, art, and advocacy. This belief came alive through two landmark events in 2025—NINAAD 7.0 and Prismatic 2025—each distinct in form yet united by a shared commitment to empathy, dignity, and social transformation.

The seventh edition of the school’s annual cultural festival, NINAAD 7.0, celebrated the beauty of imperfections while standing in solidarity with acid attack survivors. Organised by Team Awaam, the school’s theatre society, in collaboration with We Care, the event raised funds to support the post-care treatment and rehabilitation of survivors. Students took ownership of the cause, engaging deeply with the realities faced by survivors, challenging stereotypes, and sensitising the larger community through dialogue and performance.

The evening commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and the introduction of the ‘Flawless Flaws’ campaign. Inspiring addresses by Mukul Verma, Director, Acid Survivors & Women Welfare Foundation (ASWWF), and Shaheen Malik, Founder and Director, Brave Souls Foundation—an acid attack survivor and human rights activist—set a powerful tone. Performances by students, teachers, and parents resonated with courage and compassion, culminating in an electrifying bhangra finale that transformed the event into a celebration of resilience and hope.

Earlier in the year, on 24–25 April 2025, the school hosted Prismatic 2025, a two-day inclusivity fest that transformed art into advocacy. Conducted in collaboration with Holistic Art under Sansaptak, Prismatic brought together 110 students from multiple schools, alongside educators, artists, and policymakers, to reimagine inclusion as a shared responsibility. Like a prism refracting light into countless hues, the festival celebrated diversity as strength.

Through mime, street theatre, storytelling, and dance, students and performers challenged perceptions surrounding individuals with intellectual and physical challenges. Workshops, interactive sessions, and showcases ran parallel to performances, with student-led teams Saksham and Awaam ensuring that creativity and conviction went hand in hand. Eminent dignitaries emphasised the urgent need to sensitise youth towards Children with Special Needs (CWSN) and to create equitable opportunities across academics, arts, and sports.

At the heart of Prismatic lies DISHA, Project Saksham’s flagship initiative in partnership with Special Olympics Bharat. Over seven years, DISHA has evolved into a global platform amplifying the voices and talents of CWSN. Prismatic 2025 traced this journey while inviting participation in DISHA 8.0, reaffirming that representation and opportunity must always walk together. The festival concluded with a moving behind-the-scenes film, capturing moments of preparation, passion, and partnership, and reminding all that inclusion thrives as much in the process as in the performance.

Together, NINAAD 7.0 and Prismatic 2025 stand as powerful reflections of Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar’s ethos: that empathy fuels change, art can challenge injustice, and students, when empowered, become architects of a more inclusive world. From raising voices for acid attack survivors at NINAAD 7.0 to celebrating diversity and ability at Prismatic 2025, the school reaffirmed that inclusion is not an initiative—it is a movement shaped by empathy, action, and youth-led change.

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