Tavish Pahwa achieves a rare national milestone in tennis
Tavish Pahwa of Grade 10, Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad, has emerged as the Singles Champion in the Boys’ U-18 category at the prestigious Fenesta Open National Championship held in New Delhi from 29th September to 4th October 2025.
He also reached the semi-finals in the doubles event, displaying remarkable consistency and skill across formats.
With this latest triumph, Tavish has accomplished an extraordinary feat — winning all National Junior Titles consecutively across four categories:
- U-12 (2022)
- U-14 (2023)
- U-16 (2024)
- U-18 (2025)
A clean sweep of all National Junior Titles over four consecutive years — a testament to his dedication, discipline, and exceptional talent.
Pranit Rastogi Shines Across National and International Chess Arenas
Pranit Rastogi of Grade 3, Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad, continues to shine as one of the region’s most promising young chess talents, displaying exceptional focus, consistency, and competitive spirit across a remarkable series of tournaments.
6 September 2025 – Pacific Chess League, Jasola (Under-8)
Pranit secured First Position, remaining undefeated across all seven rounds. He received a trophy, ₹2,500 cash prize, and gift vouchers worth ₹2,500.
7 September 2025 – Pacific Chess League, Jasola (Under-12)
Competing in a higher age category, he earned Third Prize with a trophy, ₹1,500 cash prize, and ₹1,500 in gift vouchers.
18–30 September 2025 – World Cadet Classical Chess Championship, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Representing India, Pranit improved his FIDE rating by 103 points, defeating five higher-rated players and drawing with two — a mature and steady international performance.
5 October 2025 – C.S. Sharma Memorial (Under-9), The Millennium School, Noida
He clinched First Prize, remaining unbeaten.
26 October 2025 – SRCA Chess Tournament, Noida (Under-8)
Pranit secured Second Position, finishing undefeated.
26 October 2025 – Blitz Chess Tournament (Open Category), Noida
Competing alongside IMs, AGMs, and WFMs, he finished 4th overall, ahead of a Woman FIDE Master.
31 October 2025 – Felicitation, Faridabad
Pranit was honoured by the Senior Citizen Society, Sector 16, for his World Cadet performance and continued achievements.
1 November 2025 – GBN School Chess Tournament, Faridabad
He secured First Position, remaining unbeaten. This marked his 100th chess trophy.
8–16 November 2025 – Commonwealth Chess Championship, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Representing India, Pranit achieved:
• 5th place in Classical
• 4th place in Blitz
29 November 2025 – Open SRCA Chess Tournament, Faridabad
Pranit emerged Champion, undefeated in all five games, qualifying for the Champion Trophy Knockout Open Tournament.
30 November 2025 – Champions Trophy Knockout Finale, Noida
Representing Faridabad, he once again became Champion, remaining undefeated in all five rounds.
30 November 2025 – Under-9 Tournament, Prometheus School, Noida
Representing Shiv Nadar School, he secured Second Position among 90 participants.
30 November 2025 – Blitz Open Chess Tournament, Noida
He further competed in the Blitz Open category later that day.
Across these events, Pranit played 17 games in a single day, demonstrating remarkable stamina and mental resilience.
7 December 2025 – Move N Leap Chess Tournament, Sector 40, Noida
Pranit delivered another strong performance:
• Under-8 Category – First Position, undefeated
• Under-12 Puzzle Championship – Second Position
• Under-12 Category (higher age group) – Second Position
1 February 2026 – CS Memorial Chess Tournament, The Millennium School, Noida
Pranit secured First Position in the Under-9 category, remaining undefeated in all five games.
8 February 2026 – Under-11 Chess Tournament, Faridabad
He achieved First Position, remaining undefeated in all four games.
On the same day, he also competed in the Under-14 category and secured First Position, remaining undefeated in all five games.
14 February 2026 – Study Isle Chess Tournament
Competing in higher age groups, Pranit secured:
• Second Position – Under-12 category
• Third Position – Under-16 category
Pranit’s consistent excellence across age groups, formats, and competitive levels — local, national, and international — reflects his deep commitment to the sport and his steady growth as a young athlete.
We congratulate him on his continued achievements and wish him many more milestones ahead.
Iha Joshi and Kavya Strike Gold at Haryana State SGFI Tennis Championship
Iha Joshi and Kavya, students of Grade 9, Shiv Nadar School Faridabad, clinched the Gold Medal in the Haryana State SGFI Girls Under-17 Tennis Tournament 2025, held at Scholar Global School, Bahadurgarh, from 24th to 26th September 2025.
Representing District Faridabad, the team showcased exceptional skill and teamwork, defeating strong contenders from Bhiwani, Yamunanagar, and Sirsa to secure their place in the finals. In the championship match, they triumphed over Rohtak, with Iha defeating the No. 1 seed from the district.
Earlier in the tournament, Iha Joshi (Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad) and Anandita Upadhyay (DPS Sector 19, Faridabad) represented the district as playing members.
With this victory, Iha now advances to represent Haryana State at the National SGFI Tournament, scheduled to be held at Mayo College, Ajmer.
Ruhaan Taneja Shines in Back-to-Back Chess Tournaments
Ruhaan Taneja of Grade 3, Shiv Nadar School Faridabad, showcased exceptional skill and focus in two recent inter-school chess tournaments.
At the Inter-Campus Chess Tournament held at Shiv Nadar School, Noida on 12th September 2025, Ruhaan clinched 1st place, competing among 24 participants from the Noida, Faridabad, and Gurgaon campuses.
Continuing his winning streak, Ruhaan also participated in the 1st Chakravyuh Chess Championship on 11th October 2025, where he secured the 3rd position in the Under-9 Boys category, earning both a trophy and a certificate among 51 participants.
Adding to his growing list of inspiring experiences, Ruhaan recently had the opportunity to attend the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa. There, he met renowned Indian chess grandmasters Mr. D. Gukesh and Mr. R. Praggnanandhaa.
This encounter has further strengthened Ruhaan’s passion for chess, motivating him to continue honing his game and aiming higher in upcoming tournaments.
Jayansh Dhingra Shines at the SGFI Haryana State Chess Championship
Jayansh Dhingra of Grade 7 at Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad, played a pivotal role in helping the Faridabad U-14 team clinch the SGFI Haryana State Chess Championship title.
Demonstrating remarkable focus and composure, Jayansh won all five of his matches, maintaining an unbeaten record throughout the tournament. His stellar performance contributed 5 crucial game points, propelling the Faridabad team to victory with a total of 15 game points.
The SGFI (School Games Federation of India) Haryana State-level Chess Championship brought together top young chess talents from across the state, with each team comprising four players. Jayansh’s consistency and strategic depth stood out as defining factors in his team’s championship triumph.
Avni Sethi’s Paper Published on One Young India
Avni Sethi, a Grade 11 IBDP student of Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad, has had her insightful paper titled “International Monetary Fund: Helping Nations Recover or Regress” published on the One Young India platform.
Through her article, Avni critically examines the role of the IMF in shaping global economies — exploring whether its interventions truly aid recovery or inadvertently deepen disparities. Her analysis reflects the depth of inquiry and global awareness nurtured within our IBDP programme.
Read her full article here:
International Monetary Fund: Helping Nations Recover or Regress
Hitejas Vijval Excels at the National Stage — Selected for the Asian Cadet Cup and Khelo India Youth Games
Hitejas Vijval, Grade 11, Shiv Nadar School Faridabad, has once again brought great pride to the school with his exceptional performance at the Cadet National Championship 2025.
For the third consecutive year, Hitejas has secured a medal at the national level — this time clinching the Bronze Medal, a remarkable feat that reflects his dedication, composure, and mastery of high-difficulty techniques. His performance drew praise from coaches, dignitaries, and representatives from the Sports Authority of India (SAI), who personally met him after his bout to commend his skill and record his details for future reference.
His outstanding show at the Nationals has earned him selection for the ‘Asian Cadet Cup’, an international tournament that will see him represent India on a larger stage.
Continuing his winning streak, Hitejas also bagged top honours at two other major events — the CBSE National Tournament 2025 held in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, where he won the Silver Medal, and the Khel Mahakumbh 2025 in Panipat, Haryana, where he clinched the Bronze Medal. These achievements mark his fourth national-level medal, underscoring his consistency and excellence across competitions.
Dominating several of his bouts with emphatic 5–0 victories, Hitejas has now earned an All India Rank of 8, after narrowly missing the top eight earlier by a single point. His relentless drive and sportsmanship have also qualified him for the prestigious ‘Khelo India Youth Games’, where he will compete against athletes from across the nation, including senior categories.
Hitejas embodies the spirit of perseverance, skill, and discipline — continuing to inspire his peers and make the Shiv Nadar School Faridabad community proud.
Rising Star on the Tennis Court - Mysha Prabhakar
Mysha Prabhakar of Grade 5 Shiv Nadar School Faridabad won the Runner-Up Trophy in her very first tournament — the PadMaya Open Tennis Tournament – Season 5, held at KR Mangalam World School held in August.
She remained undefeated until the finals, where she faced the same opponent she had overcome in the earlier rounds. Competing among 20+ players in one of the toughest district-level tournaments, Mysha’s exceptional performance marks an inspiring start to her sporting journey.
From the Principal's Desk
When we closed school in March, we had a reasonable belief, like many others that we will return to our physical building in June sometime. That has not happened but what has happened is a tremendous amount of upskilling and relearning by all educators in the system.
The Shiv Nadar School leadership has met more frequently than ever before to take stock of the situation and strengthen our collective vision to ensure that the Standard and Quality of Shiv Nadar School Education will remain uncompromised.
This one hiccup year in the legacy of our school, is just that, a hiccup.
I promise you that we are here to re imagine school education, even before Covid-19, and build tenacious, robust children, with lifelong learning skills, adaptability, emotional resilience and a combativeness that will stand the test of time.
To find the synergy between technology, curriculum and pedagogy has been our key area of focus in these past weeks. Much of the training has centred around striking that harmony in teaching online.
As we progress ahead, I would like you to notice the connected learning thread that we weave across different subjects so our children can make real time connections, make meaning of the body of knowledge and process concepts, experiences, online discussions and more.
Our People, Our Strength
Turbulent times test the bedrock of relationships. I would like to share with you that in our institution each one works doggedly with an unflinching assurance that their jobs are safe.
No one has been dismissed or sent away on half salary, leave without pay and such like, which is the trend of the times at present. We are flowing against the tide because to flow with it, is radically against our values and ethics.
On Another Note
The entire Faridabad team raised money to provide dry rations to our 130 strong support staff, the bhaiyyas, didis, conductors, guards, janitors and more. I attach a few pictures in case you missed seeing them. We plan to support them for the next 3 months, each one of those families and then see how to raise more money to take it till the end of the year for sure.
We are the World
I hope you enjoyed the symphony of over a 100 children, teachers and parents singing the iconic song together. In case you haven't heard this in house production of Faridabad School, its time you did. It will fill you up with surging optimism and love.
Hiring for Talent
I have inducted more than 20 teachers in the Faridabad team, in the recent weeks, all talented, competent and aligned to our philosophy. This trend to hire is clearly different, you would agree. But we believe that great teachers make great learners. And we will make no compromise to continue to provide the cutting edge education to our children in these unprecedented times.
Technology
The Institution has made massive investment in upgrading the technological frontiers of the school. Veracross, is one example of the same. This deep and incredible learning Management System is now embedded across grades 1 to 10. It will soon be populated in Early Years too. The pathway to understand and use it will be steady and staggered and we will keep you informed of the continued progress and availability of new functions.
Webinar on Mental Health and Wellbeing of Parents
We launched our first in the series of the said webinar on Thursday,4th June. Parents of grades 7 to 10 were the invitees and we addressed several questions on how to cope with the stress, children's whimsical behaviour, family and work pressures and such like. The panellists comprised, Manisha Massey, our senior school counsellor, Mamta Sharma, our parent and certified psychologist, and myself.
Or next is in the series is round the bend and we will let you know of the date and the year group. Our plan is to cover all age groups and offer this opportunity to all parents.
Assessments in Middle School
We conducted our first marked assessments with the novel use of technology for grades 6 to 10 before the summer break. The children did us proud. I believe when we assume the best intentions of people they rise to their best. Our children conducted themselves with honesty and sincerity to do the tests remotely. My gratitude to all the parents too who were our co invigilators in this process.
My Conversations with You
I have met almost 500 parents in the last 2 weeks. It was wonderful for me to see you and converse with you. I do hope that you felt equally good to connect and hear what we are doing and thinking. I certainly will meet all our parents in the days to come. It is my fortune to see the tremendous attendance for our conversations. Let’s keep it going.
Online Classes Resume Today (15h June)
As we stand at the intersection of uncertainty and strong resolve, we are luminously clear that a shut school building will not shut out the learning of our children. If anything, it will only incrementally raise it to adapt to phenomenal change, increase the reservoir of empathy and compassion in their hearts and embrace reimagined processes, skills and knowledge.
Enjoy the Experience. Feel free to connect with me to share your thoughts.
Stay Safe Stay healthy and Stay Indoors as we fight this together.
Best Regards
Anju Wal
Principal
Shiv Nadar School
Faridabad
Silver Fiesta - 2020
Films depict raw emotions and often show our daily lives, through a cinematic lens. Movies have helped us all escape from our daily lives when we need to and thus films are an indispensable part of our lives.
Three students of our school, Arshia Jaitli, Arnav Sachdeva and Rehat Kaur participated in GD Goenka World School's ‘Silver Fiesta - 2020’, a film critiquing competition, a way to look at movies with one’s own perspective.The event was held on 30th May 2020. The motive was not to criticize, but to understand better the perspective of filmmakers and film critics and develop a sense of direction towards the art of movie-making.Keeping in mind the lockdown and online format, the event attracted 8 schools. 9 teams including the host school team enthusiastically participated in the event. The judges appreciated the hard work of the teams and based on the set criteria declared the winners. Our students did us proud by bagging the third position in the competition. Our Principal, Mrs Anju Wal, met the children virtually and congratulated the students. She also had a coversation about their experience and learnings from the competition.
