80th Independence Day Celebration at The School of Raya

There was a particular kind of joy in the air at Raya this Independence Day—a jubilant, unmistakably patriotic celebration that brought students, parents and educators together as one community. Dressed in the colours of the tricolour, families gathered not simply to mark a national occasion, but to celebrate belonging through music, movement, shared traditions and the infectious energy of being together.

Yet beneath the colour and celebration ran a thoughtful question: Whose World Is It? The theme invited our young Rayots to look beyond the familiar rituals of Independence Day and consider the freedom they have inherited, the world they inhabit today, and the world they will one day shape. The World Pledge on Civic Social Responsibility and the launch of Telos and the Aapun Assam Flood Initiative gave this idea a tangible expression, placing young people not merely as observers of the world, but as participants in it.

And then, there was the sheer pleasure of celebration. The PYP 5 choir and community sing-along brought the audience together, while classical and folk performances, including Dolu Kunitha, filled the morning with colour and rhythm. 

Student-led stalls, a live student jamming session and the easy buzz of families coming together made the campus feel alive. It was a morning of pride, joy and togetherness—a celebration that reminded us that the spirit of a nation lives not only in its history, but in the communities we create and the future we choose to shape together.

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