The annual Function of the Delhi Public School, Noida, in its 26th year, was celebrated on Sunday at the Kamani Auditorium.

The highlight of the programme was the dance drama Arjun, based on the life of the hero of the Mahabharata. More than 150 students participated in the ballet, which was conceptualised and choreographed by Prabir Datta, the dance teacher at the school. Sharda Manocha, a senior teacher, wrote the script.

“Prabir conceptualised the entire thing. The students were involved in the sets and prop work as well, though we also hired professionals to work on them,” Rajendra Prasad, of the Art department, said. The colourful ballet depicted various scenes from the Mahabharata highlighting Arjun’s dedication, hard work and thirst for knowledge.

The half-hour long ballet included traditional Indian dance forms as well as western jazz and break-dance pieces. The background score was composed by music teacher J P Sharma. “It’s completely an in- house production,” media coordinator Mukul Saxena said while adding that preparations for the function took two months.

Their hard work was well appreciated by the audience, which clapped and cheered at the end of every scene. “It was a very well executed performance by the children,” Neelu Kulshrestha, a parent, said.

Terming the life of the mythological hero an example for students today, principal Nina Sehgal said in her welcome address that Arjun’s life embodied many of the problems faced by students today. She exalted Arjun as a brilliant student, who developed all his skills and faced several moral and social dilemmas.

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