A word from a flooded school

Bijay Sankar Bora in Guwahati

A primary school in Dhubri (western Assam bordering Bangladesh) was flooded on Aug 15. Tazin Sikdar, the headmaster of Nashkara Lower Primary School, and his colleagues were unsure if students would be able to come for the I-Day celebrations within the school compound. 

“I have never have seen the school compound under waist-deep water. But I was determined to hoist the Tricolour at the usual place,” Sikdar said over phone from Dhubri. He along with three other teachers reached the school by 7am. They stood with a group of about 15 students just outside the flooded campus. The problem they faced was how to celebrate the day in the downpour.

“I made up my mind to hoist the flag at the usual place inside the flooded school compound. Two of the Class 3 students, Jiarul Ali Khan and Haidor Ali Khan who know swimming, came forward to accompany us inside the school. The rest joined us from outside the school.  They hoisted the flag, sang Jana Gana Mana and Vande Mataram. 

“The rest of the students sang to our tune from the road just outside the school,” says Sikdar.

Joydev Roy, a teacher, clicked the pictures and his colleague, Mizanur Rahman uploaded them on his Facebook page. This went viral in no time. “I have been flooded with hundreds of calls,” says Sikdar. “Getting accolades for a simple function was not my intention,” he said.