SPHOORTHI THEATRE FOR EDUCATIONAL PUPPETRY AND ART & CRAFT-STEPARC

ANNUAL REPORT

2010-2011

1-8-522/7, ChikkadpallyHyderabad

Andhra PradeshPh: 040- 2761-3699

www.sphoorthitheatre.com

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SPHOORTHI THEATRE FOR EDUCATIONAL PUPPETRY, and ART & CRAFT-STEPARC

Annual Reports 2010-2011

Chapter Page No

1. Vision, Mission & Logo 03

2. Founders 04

3. Members 05

4. Volunteers 06

5. Preface 07

6. The Beginning 08

7. Our Services 09

8. Our Activities for the year 2010-2011 10 - 20

National Domestic Workers Movement-NDWN- 10 Domestic Child Labour Day.

National Domestic Workers Movement – NDWM 11 - 12 Silver Jubilee & Women’s Day celebration

Puppet Play for Treasure House- Children’s Library 13 - 14 Forum for Street Children 15 – 16 Puppet Research Work 17 Puppet Presentation on Environmental issues for 18 - 19

Vandemataram Foundation-Council for Green Revolution

Puppet presentation on Importance of Education for 20Vandemataram Foundation-Vaaradhi Programme

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Vision :

Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational Puppetry and Art & Craft-STEPARC

visualizes use of Applied Puppetry in all spheres of life - Educational, Social,

Psychological and Health through the process of participation that sustains and develops

the utility of this unique folk art form by conserving the rich culture and bio-diversity of

folklore, oral narratives of our country.

Mission :

Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational Puppetry and Art & Craft-STEPARC

determination is to carry out the Applied Puppetry into community as driven force

addressing the issues of Education, Health, Livelihood, Socio-Psychological and

Environment wellbeing, among Students, Youth, Teachers, other organisations working

for various causes and issues of the society. Simultaneously building the capacities of

Students, Youth, Women, and people from different walks of life by imparting training in

Puppetry in the process impacting their behavioral and attitudinal aspects to reinstate the

feeling of towards the issues and reciprocity in handling the issues.

About Sphoorthi Theatre- STEPARC LOGO

Rainbow represents the colour and vibrancy that the organization aspires to

bring about in the Educational domain through the medium of Puppetry. Two

Puppets a Girl and a Boy symbolize the unbiased approach towards Children and

giving equal importance to both. Further it also symbolizes the Heritage of Music /

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Dance. Puppetry being a Visual medium has the ingredients of the rich Dance and

Music as an art form. These inspire us to have Music and art as part of our life.

Founders:

Srinivasan Raghu – President

A Post Graduate in Engineering. Presently working as an Implementation’s Manager at a Leading Software Development Company at Hyderabad. Has a lot of enthusiasm and interest in the knowledge addition through Visual arts for the school going children.

Padmini R – Director

Dynamic woman who is focused in bringing about a radical change in the way the children gain their knowledge. Versatile and energetic, she is the one who organizes & conducts the shows, camps and presentations for STEPARC.

D.B.Patil – Scientist

Post Graduate in Physics and working with Aviation Research Centre. Currently based in New Delhi.

Roopa D.Patil

Post Graduate in Mathematics and is a Teacher based in New Delhi.

Lakshmi Lalitha

Post Graduate in English, Diploma in Early Childhood Education. Presently working as Principal of Euro Kids, Padmaraonagar Branch, Hyderabad.

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Our Members:

T.Rangarajan - Retired Senior Section Officer

S.C Railways Hubli. Expert in Five Indian Languages, Translator, Drama Artists, AIR -Dharwad Artist, Has more than 20 years of experience in Theatre and Radio.

Smt. Kumuda Rangarajan

Home Maker, trained in classical dance and music.

Vijaya Raghavan Rangarajan

M.BA, LL.B , Karnatak University Blue in Cricket, Working in Angola, South Africa.

Seshasayee Rangarajan

Ex Indian Airforce Serviceman, Engineer and presently working with BSNL based at Bangalore. Highly creative, Innovative and self made man.

Smt. Lakshmi Rajgopal

Senior Stenographer State Bank of Mysore, Hubli.

Smt. Padmaja Krishnamachari

Home Maker, and interested in Indian Culture and Tradition with open mind, Hyderabad

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Volunteers

Syed Ankush Pasha- M.A, B.Ed

Syed Ankush Pasha- M.A, B.Ed. Born and Brought in a Husnabad village, Karimnangar

District, Andhra Pradesh. Interested in Political news, and general awareness. Associated

with SPhoorthi Theatre from 2010.

Syed Asmad Pasha-B.Ed, M.A, M.B.A

Syed Asmad Pasha-B.Ed, M.A, M.B.A Born and Brought in a Husnabad village,

Karimnangar District Andhra Pradesh. Interested in reading books, general awareness.

Associated with SPhoorthi Theatre from 2010.

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Preface

Puppetry is an age old performing art of our country is known by different names

in different regions of India. It is popularly known as “Indian Kathputli” world wised. In

southern part of India it is known as “Tolubommalata” “Bommalata”, “Tolpavaikuthu” or

“Pavaikuthu”. This performing and narrative folk art is played using puppets. Puppet is

an object that comes into life with human manipulation. This manipulation of puppets

creates fantasy in life. Puppeteers are puppet manipulators. Puppets can be anything from

simple dolls with movements to stuffed toys or can also be a plain paper to book or any

thing.

Astonishing aspect of Puppetry in India is one can find all forms or types of

Puppets in practice: Glove or Hand Puppets, String Puppets or Marionette, Rod Puppets

and Shadow Puppets.

Puppetry is the only performing arts that incorporate the finest essence of other

performing arts like dance, music, story-telling and one act play and drama. Again this is

the only art that enhances the visual art forms like sketching, drawing and painting.

Further, this is the only performing art wherein the puppeteer transverses the life into

puppets by makes it to reach the audience as the character.

Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational Puppetry and Art & Craft-STEPARC foresees

the utility of Applied Puppetry in multi-directional Development activities in wide

spectrum of society with special areas of emphasis being on Education, Health and

Livelihood based projects.

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The Beginning :

Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational Puppetry and Art & Craft-STEPARC came

into being with the efforts of likeminded and energetic people from different professional

backgrounds with a common aim of promoting knowledge expansion using visual art

medium of Puppetry. However, it was the initiation taken by Padmini and Srinivasan

Raghu to establish it as a voluntary organisation to benefit people from different walks of

life. “Sphoorthi” meaning “Inspiration”- Padmini’s son Master Anirudh was

instrumental for her to start in a story play using hand puppets. An outlook about India’s

rich culture, tradition s and folk arts and folklores would certainly reveal the diminishing

importance given to our own indigenous art forms in our country by our countrymen.

Where as, Westerners have adapted and extended the Application and

Thus, Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational Puppetry and Art & Craft-STEPARC is a

registered body under the Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act 2001 [Reg. No. 419

of 2005]. Appreciating the imperative of making such an effort, Sphoorthi Theatre for

Educational Puppetry, and Art & Craft-STEPARC was established in March 2005 with an

objective to integrate "PUPPETRY IN TO ACADEMICS" mainly for primary, middle

school children and also children with special needs. Then the objective was further

extended to promote General and Social Awareness through “Theme based Puppet

Presentation”. Further it also aims to promote Social consciousness and educational

responsibility among children, teachers and society at large. Again to provide a common

platform to women, children and youth in general to enhance their artistic ability and share

their views and experiences in the field of art and to extend services to organizations who

might feel the need for our services.

The Central office of Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational Puppetry, and Art &

Craft-STEPARC is located at Chikkadpally, Hyderabad. It is governed by the Founder

Members who decide the Bye-Laws and supervise the execution of the programmes by

the organisation. Engaging people or persons with interest is on production base.

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Our Services:

Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational Puppetry and Art &Craft-STEPARC gives

Puppet presentations in the form of Puppet shows in Schools Colleges, Voluntary

Organisations or NGOs working with Women and Child, Domestic Workers, Children,

Education, Environment and Social issues of concern. Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational

puppetry and Art & Craft-STEPARC also conducts workshop for children, women during

summer vacation. For School Teachers - STEPARC offers tailor made teacher's training

courses that aids classroom teaching. These include storytelling with puppets training for

nursery and Pre-primary and Primary school teachers, teaching science and Humanities in

the Middle schools and High Schools using puppets. Teachers are given training in

puppet making, script writing and presentation technique particularly focusing on

imparting information and knowledge. These courses are conducted both in individual

schools and at STEPARC office.

Nevertheless, Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational Puppetry and Art & Craft-STEPARC is

also renders service in association with other voluntary organizations and NGOs in and

around Hyderabad.

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ACTIVITIES FOR THE

YEAR 2010-2011

National Domestic Workers

Movement-NDWN- Domestic

Child Labour Day - February

13, 2010

Feb 17 is observed as Domestic

Child Labour Day. National

Domestic Workers Movement

NDWM Hyderabad division organized one day camp and FEAST for Domestic Child

Labourer’s at Bal Bhavan, Public Garden Nampally on Feb13,2010.

Dr. (Sr) Jeanne Devos Founder of NDWM was the Chief Guest. NDWN runs school in

slum areas for children’s of domestic workers and for the children who have been

exposed as child labour. The play was about “Importance Schooling & Education”,

“Right to Education”, and “Voice against Child Labour”. The play also highlighted the

exploitation, abuses and harassment by the employers towards children working as

domestic child.

“Mother asking her Child to

work as domestic helper to earn

money for the family”

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National Domestic Workers

Movement-NDWM Silver Jubilee &

Women’s Day celebration March 6,

2010

National Domestic Workers Movement-

NDWM, Hyderabad is a branch of

NDWM India, an NGO working towards

“Rights of Domestic Workers and

Domestic Child Labour”. On

the occasion of international NDWN

Silver Jubilee & Women's Day Celebration on March 6, 2010 at Ravindra Bharathi,

Hyderabad in the presence of Chief Guests Sri Manikya Varaprasad Reddy Minister for

School Education , Sri R.Venkat Reddy Minister for Labour & Employment. Guests of

Honour Mrs. Christine Lazares MLA, Sri Srineevasalu IAS Commissioner of Labour,

and special invitees and guests. For this, four Domestic workers were imparted three days

training from March 3-5, 2010 in concept of Puppet play, Scripting, dialogue writing,

dialogue delivery and manipulation of Puppets. The whole concept was on the

Strengthening union of Domestic workers. The play also stressed upon the abuses and

exploitation (verbal/physical and sexual) faced by the domestic workers at work place,

and need for welfare board schemes and Social Security along with paid holidays on

Sundays and festival days.

“Rights of Domestic Workers and Domestic Child Labour” & “Domestic Workers

Union”

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“Rights of Domestic Workers and Domestic Child Labour” “Domestic Workers Union”

“Rights of Domestic Workers and Domestic Child Labour” “Domestic Workers Union”

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Puppet Play for Treasure

House- Children’s Library-

April 17, 2010

On April17,2010, Sphoorthi

Theatre for Educational

Puppetry presented a puppet

Play for Treasure House, Jubilee

Hills. Treasure House is a

Library and Activity center for

children below 14years.

“Cleaver Crow”, “Speedy-The Spider”, “Beet the Root” and “My Book”

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“My Book”

“Mallu, Malli and Mali”-Anchor Puppets

“Speedy the Spider”

Forum for Street Children on August

15, 2010

Sphoorthi Theatre presented on “Values are basis for Life" “ Importance of Frienship”,

and “Four Blind men and an

Elephant” for Forum for Street

Children, near Bible house,

Secunderabad on the occasion of

Independence Day celebration on

August 15, 2011

“Values are Basis of Life”

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“Values are basis of Life”

“Importance of Friendship”

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“Four Blind Men & an Elephant”

Puppetry Research Work:

The year 2010 was devoted to under take experimental research work of Teaching

with Puppets and application of puppetry. During the year 2010 not much of

presentations made expect few with a purpose of taking up a research study related to

Educational Puppetry. The related study literatures “Puppets with Reasons-Part-I” and

“Puppets with Reasons-Part-II” are published in Teachers Dot Com Teaching

Transactions-TTT is a monthly School Magazine in English and Tamil Volume-I Issue-2

& 3 in January and February 2011. Similarly, “Puppets: A good Language Teacher-Part-

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I” is published in Volume-I March 2011

issue. These issues are available in print and

as e-journal.

One of the research papers on “Puppetry: A

Child’s Play than a Serious Art Form” was

presented at International Theatre

Conference on “ Body, Space and

Technology in Performance at Trissur,

Kerala, India on January 15 & 16, 2010. The

conference was organized by Centre for

Performance research and Cultural Studies in South Asia & Association for Asian

Performance. The research paper is also published in Artistic Narration-A Journal for

Visual & Performing Art-ISSN: 0976-7444, Vol-3- February 2012. Published by Journal

Anu Books, Meerut. In brief the findings of the empirical presentation made highlights

Building healthy relationship about the nearing 70% from the universe collected were in

unhealthy interpersonal among peer groups, siblings, parents, relatives and other

members of the society. 6-8 % revealed emotional insecurity expressed by parents. 4-5%

also expressed problems like irrational fear, suicidal tendency, strees, and emotional

disturbance and so on.

Copies of the articles are available in the website: www.sphoorthitheatre.com/

News & Events section.

Puppet Presentation on Environmental issues for Vamdemataram Foundation-

Council for Green Revolution: - April -October 2010

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Vandemataram Foundation an NGO in association with Council for Green

Revolution is working towards strengthening government schools in rural backward areas

of Mahaboobnagar and Warangal Districts of Andhra Pradesh. They in turn are

associated with Council for Green Revolution and undertake plantation and awareness

related to environment conservation. The plays were held in Zilla Parishad High Schools-

ZPHS Girls Amangal Mandal, Amangal, Zilla Parishad High School-ZPHS Girls High

School, Veldanda, Veldanda Mandal, Zilla Parishad High School- ZPHS Tandra,

Veldanda Mandal, Zilla Parishad High School - ZPHS Polkampally, Onguru Mandal and

Zilla PARISHAD High School-ZPHS Gudur Village Ranga Reddy District from April -

October 2010.

Zilla Parishad High School- ZPHS Tandra, Veldanda Mandal, Mahaboobnagar Distict

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Zilla Parishad

High School-

ZPHS Tandra,

Veldanda Mandal,

Mahaboobnagar

Distict Andhra

Pradesh

*** Trolley Auto was the stage for puppet presentation.

Zilla Parishad High School-ZPHS Gudur Village Ranga Reddy District. Andhra

Pradesh.

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Puppet presentation on Importance of

Education for Vandemataram

Foundation-Vaaradhi Programme:

January-February 2011

Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational

Puppetry and Art & Craft-STEPARC

rendered service related to Puppet

Presentation for Vandemataram

Foundation, Hyderabad.

Vandemataram Foundation an NGO working towards strengthening government schools

in rural backward areas of Mahaboobnagar and Warangal Districts of Andhra Pradesh.

“Vaaradhi –A bridge between Urban and Rural Students” Student Exchange Programme

was organized at Kotra Zilla Parishad High School, Kotra Village, Veldanda Mandal on

January 28, 2011 and Konapur Upper Primary School, Konapur Village Amanagal

Mandal on February 2, 2011, Mahaboobnagar District Hyderabad. The role puppet play

was to build in awareness on “Community Responsibility” and “Community Ownership”

to owning the government schools, its functions, progress and also strengthening it and at

the same time highlighting the “Simplicity of village life” and “Roles of Farmer in Nation

building”.

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