Shillong, Nov 28: Army Public School Shillong, operating under Head Quarters 101 Area, marked a significant milestone as it hosted the Semi-Final round of the Eastern Command “Battle of Minds” – Indian Army Quiz 2023, India’s Biggest Inter School Quiz Competition, commemorating the 25 years of Kargil Victory.
The semi finals took place at the prestigious David Hall and witnessed participation from 12 exceptional school teams who won the quarter finals held earlier in Kolkata and Narangi. The teams displayed exceptional intellect and knowledge throughout the competition. The chief guest for the event was Lt Gen Sanjay Malik, GOC, HQ Area 101 and guest of Honour was Spencer Mervyn Mylliem, IRS, Dy Commissioner (Customs) who is an Alumni of the APS Shillong.
He had this to say “As I witness the brilliant minds in action at the IAQ 2023 semifinals, I am reminded that education is not just about knowledge, it’s the spark that ignites the flames of progress. The enthusiasm and intelligence displayed here today reassure me that our future is indeed in capable hands.”
National English School, Bagulati and GD Goenka Public School, Siligur, the two winners from the Eastern Command finals now qualify for the National Grand Finale to be held in New Delhi on December 3.
All schools which competed in the Eastern Command finals were awarded certificates, cash prizes and electronic tablets for their splendid performance.
‘Battle of Minds – Indian Army Quiz 2023, a national-level quiz competition initiated by the Indian Army, stands as a pioneering effort, being the first of its kind and magnitude in India. Combining online and offline quizzing, the initiative aims to captivate the attention of students across the nation, aged 10 to 16 years, and promote awareness about the pivotal role of the Indian Army in national development and transformational change.
The event was rolled out at a grand launch function at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, on August 16 this year. The inauguration was graced by the Vice-Chief of the Army Staff, President Army Wives Welfare Association, senior officers of the Indian Army, Param Vir Chakra Awardees, senior veterans and one principal from each of the 36 states and UTs of India.
The online registrations for the competition were opened on the same day and closed on September 30. The IA through its ground activation partners had reached out to over 1,50,000 schools across all districts in the country. 32,441 schools from all districts of the country registered for the competition, which is a record. In addition, ground activation partners are physically visiting 50,000 of these schools with pedagogy-based learning on the ethos of Nation building and knowledge sharing. The quiz is being conducted as a combination of online and offline (physical) rounds.
