2023 and all it had to give - Rishona Chopra

2023 has been a fantastic year for me! There were lots of ups and downs and lots of learning to take away!

The start of the year was rather bumpy. It started with annual exams which weren't the best so that was a letdown for me.  But then the fact that I was going to another higher grade made me quite cheerful and excited. I must say, the new semester was a fresh start. It allowed me to improve from my past mistakes and learn from them. 

The first day of school was a new door. It was the day when I met a lot of new people. New students and teachers too. I did have some negative perceptions about a few people but now that I think about it those perceptions have changed drastically. I suppose you can't assume things without knowing someone first!

Then there were exams. I had mathematical formulas, equations and a ton of nervousness rushing through my mind but we did make it through the exams too. 

I can't go on about 2023 without mentioning my journey with My Good School. It was a fantastic year! From Meet and Greets with several authors and entrepreneurs, I not only expanded my collection of books but also expanded my learning by miles. Each Sunday session was valuable and priceless. There was something new to take away each time. 

Another highlight of the year was My Guide Inside. The sessions I did with Ms. Christa Campsall were invaluable and being able to conduct similar sessions with younger grades was the icing on the cake. MGI has been a huge part of 2023 and it's all thanks to the mentors who work hard to give us this meaningful bundle of learning and joy. 

My most trustworthy and silent companion was with me throughout this journey; That companion is a book. Books were a crucial part of 2023. I explored new genres and read some amazing books that are indeed no less than a treasure. I dived into the world of polar bears and dogs and some very touching stories of families. Books just take me to another world and make the year more memorable. 

I wouldn't have made it through the year without my family. They are the ones I do have disagreements with but also the ones most dear to me. I believe sometimes we take the gift of family for granted but it's important to realize that having parents to hold on to is a blessing. It's perhaps the greatest gift in the world and they are what made my year better than ever. 

There were a lot of highlights of 2023 and these are just a few of them. There were a lot of times in the year when my behaviour was rather negative and I will try to improve upon it. Of course, you can't permanently remove negative feelings from your life but it is vital to work towards positivity. 

Rishona Chopra
Grade VII
Gyanshree School

Get to know more about Mr. Shivpreet Singh - Saikiran Sahu

We are delighted to announce that Mr. Shivpreet Singh will join us at My Good School in 2024. We are honoured to have him with us, and we would love to embark on a spiritual journey of finding Oneness together.

Shivpreet Singh is a California entrepreneur, philanthropist, and multimedia artist. He founded the Dhun Anand Foundation, a nonprofit corporation that supports artists serving the planet. He is the founder and CEO of BioRamon Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company involved in discovering and researching oncology medicine. He is also the co-founder of Stonegate Healthcare, an advisory services firm based in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Shivpreet has a bachelor's from UC Berkeley and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Mr Singh pioneered a new genre of Indo-American music that brings together melodic intricacies of Indian classical music, instrumentation and harmonic elements of Western music, contemporary musicians from around the world, as well as the philosophy and poetry of diverse traditions focused on Oneness. Over 25 million minutes of Mr. Shivpreet Singh's videos are viewed annually by audiences worldwide.

Born in Kathmandu, Nepal, in March 1975. He has been trained in Indian classical music since the age of 5. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a major in Biochemistry and a minor in music in 1996. EMI launched Shivpreet's first CD, Ardaas, in the US in 1997, making him the first South Asian musician to land a major record deal. He continues researching Indian Classical Music Ragas and is a famous niche blogger on Ragas. The melodic variant components of his music rely primarily on his significant vast knowledge about conveying specific emotion through melody cascading particular ragas.

His famous projects include the DhunAnand Foundation, Bhagat Sant Namdev, and Guru Nanak. 

Illustration from the website of Shivpreet Singh: https://www.shivpreetsingh.com/.

The toughest challenges humanity faces today include maintaining peace and tackling climate change. This is what we are focused on through Mission #BlueDove and Mission BlueHeart. Artists have the unique ability to change people’s hearts and save our planet by inspiring people to take positive action. 
Shivpreet Singh
AMBASSADOR OF ONENESS, DHUNANAND

To learn more about DhunAnand, check https://dhunanand.org/

Future Generation & The Present - Nishan Karki

 When we talk about the future generation, do we also need to work on the present altogether?

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”                                                      -  Buddha

We spend a lot of time thinking about our future generation. However, we also need to think about and work on our present side by side. Working on present needs is crucial for the betterment of our future generations. The future of our generation depends greatly on our present deeds. Our present paves the way for our future and that of our generation.

To make our generation's future better, we need to tackle the present problems. Our earth is facing many environmental problems such as climate change, increasing global warming, depletion of various resources, pollution, etc. Unless we tackle our present issues, we will not be able to improve the future of our upcoming generations.

For instance, if people are very poor, they will not be able to provide a better lifestyle for future generations. Before thinking about the future, they should work on their present needs. They must at least have the basic means of livelihood. If they remain poor and do not work to improve their present conditions, their future generation will have to suffer. 

Creating a peaceful society is very important for our future generation; Creating a society that values people and their sentiments, fosters the development of a peaceful society. People living in a society must have mutual co-operation, respect sympathy, trust, kindness and compassion for each other.

If our thoughts and actions are positive, our future generation will also be the same. It is important to ensure that our generation thinks positively and does things positively. No one wants their generation to do wrong things. People have a strong faith that their future generation will be a good and peaceful one. We should work to create a clean environment (focusing both on the ecosystem and positive thoughts/ actions) for our future generations.

Nishan Karki Class 10  Pestalozzi Children’s Village Society, India