Workshops titled ‘Messages from Darjeeling: Culture, Heritage, and the Shape of Stories to Come’ were conducted with active initiative of Dr. Kanta Kochhar, a Fulbright-Nehru Senior Scholar (2017-2018), at Salesian College Sonada from 5th March to 8th March, 2018 for the outgoing third year students. The collaborative effort of Fr. Dr. George Thadathil, Principal, Salesian College Sonada, and Dr. Glenn Shive, Director, American Centre, Hong Kong, brought the expertise of Dr. Kanta Kochhar to the Salesian Fraternity. Dr. Kanta Kochhar, an Indian-American dance artist and scholar with a Ph. D in Performance Studies from New York University focuses her collaborative endeavours on building cross-cultural networks and new forms of dance laboratories.
Dr. Kanta Kochhar, a specialist in performing arts, made use of her expertise in engaging students in group activities. For this purpose, third year students were divided into 6 groups based on their total strength. Dr. Kanta Kochhar conducted the first phase of the workshops in 3 sessions of 1 and half hour each for 6 different groups on the first and second days of the workshops. Phase 2 took place alternatively for the 6 groups. The workshop sessions worked upon making students aware of themselves both as individuals and as group members working towards building a future together.
The faculty members of Salesian College Sonada met Dr. Kanta Kochhar on the first and second days of the workshops. First day saw an open discussion with the faculty members on matters concerning the nature, procedure and benefits of Fulbright scholarships. The second day saw the faculty members actively engaged in activity-oriented session which was based on Performance and Pedagogy and Kinesphere- Laban Movement Analysis.
A final show was put up on the last day of the workshops (8.03.2018) which was attended by some of the first and second year students and Fr. Jagjivan Tirkey, Bursar, Salesian College Sonada along with Patrick Johnson and Peter Lepcha- Salesian College Siliguri Campus Co-ordinators. For the final show, the creative artworks prepared by the students during the workshop sessions were displayed. The entire workshop sessions were concluded with brief performances by the third year students.
Dr. Kanta Kochhar also moved down to Salesian College Siliguri Campus on 8th March for two days workshop sessions with some of the third year students.
Simultaneous workshops were organised during the same time slots at different venues for the group of students not engaged in a particular session with Dr. Kanta Kochhar. These life-orientation workshop/ lecture sessions were conducted by the teachers of Salesian College Sonada with special contribution made by Fr. Dr. George Thadathil, Principal, Salesian College Sonada, Fr. John Berger, Counsellor, Salesian College Sonada and Fr. Solomon Rai, Dean of Studies, Salesian College Sonada.