Chennai :
It’s 1:30 pm. There is a flurry of activity at the Corporation Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Saidapet. As we enter the administrative cabin, head master Lyla greets us and enthusiastically says, ‘Let me call her!’ She sends news of our arrival to Sivakami, the Class 8 student who has been selected the second time for an educational trip — this time to Germany. She looks like any teenager would, but as we chat, we discover that the little girl’s ambitions and goals are deeper than what meets the eye.
This is the second time 13-year-old Sivakami has emerged the winner in the Elocution competition, ‘Wings to Fly’, organised by Rotary Club of Madras East. Reminiscing her first international educational trip to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, Sivakami says it was a life-changing experience. “I was surprised when I won last year. I was in awe of their culture, especially the respect they give to every language. I like how they don’t mix languages. For instance, Tamil and Malay aren’t mixed with English, unlike our ‘Tanglish’ here… I wish we could learn to speak that way too! Also, the place is extremely clean; why can’t we maintain our place like that?” she says.
This year, the final competition, conducted by the club along with Goethe Institut and Greater Chennai Corporation, was themed ‘Embrace Our Rivers’. Sivakami said she felt a strong urge to protect and preserve the water bodies. “It was my father who wrote the draft of the speech for me…but the topic was extremely relatable. and I was able to add several anecdotes,” she shares.
Excited and curious about her trip to Germany in July, she says, “I have heard that the water bodies there are maintained with utmost care. I want to see how they do it. I also want to observe and analyse the public contribution towards conservation and preservation.” To her, this will be the biggest take away from the trip. “Once I am back, I will lend a hand to preserve our rivers!” she smiles.
Crediting her parents, teachers, and friends for her success, she says that she has been lucky to have their constant support. “Even if I miss classes for competitions, my teachers don’t discourage me. They say that this is the time for me to achieve. My parents also push me to give my best. My friends have been extremely patient when I rehearse my speech with them a number of times. They don’t get bored, but keep giving suggestions,” she beams.
Apart from elocution, music, writing and storytelling are Sivakami’s other interests. “I enjoy singing and I love storytelling. I come up with my own stories and improvise according to the expectations of my audience,” says the NCC junior leader. A n all-rounder, the 13-year-old wants to serve the society and lead it to a ‘better future’.
So, how does she aim to do that? “I want to become the Chief Minister! That’s my ambition. I’ve always wanted to lead people and bring about a change. I believe that success comes when you observe and listen to things around you. This way, you understand a lot and direct your followers in the right path. As CM, my focus will be on providing quality education and improving the sanitary standards in villages. I would also arrange for counselling and make people realise these are important causes,” she says.
Talking more about her other goals, she says that if not CM, she would become a doctor. “I want to serve the society. I want to spread awareness about diseases through proper counselling so that the people don’t panic,” she smiles.
As she leaves for her class, she adds, “I think dreaming of serving the place where I was born isn’t a big thing. In fact, I feel it is our duty to do so.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Roshne B / Express News Service / February 20th, 2017