MUSCAT: Indian School Muscat (ISM) accorded a warm welcome to His Excellency Shri Prashant Pise, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman, during his maiden official visit to the school following his recent appointment. The visit highlighted ISM’s academic excellence, technological innovation, and holistic student development.

The Ambassador arrived at 8:30 a.m. and was received with a traditional welcome before being escorted to the New Multipurpose Hall by the school band. He was accompanied by Mr. Syed Ahmad Salman, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Indian Schools in Oman; Mr. Damodar Katti, Director-in-Charge of ISM; Dr. Kiran G.R., President of the ISM School Management Committee; Principal Mr. Rakesh Joshi; and other Board, Management Committee, and school leaders from across Oman.

The programme opened with the National Anthems of Oman and India, followed by a potted-plant welcome from ISM student leaders, reflecting the school’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

In his welcome address, Dr. Kiran G.R. President of Indian School Muscat, Management Committee, thanked His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik for his visionary leadership and support to the Indian community in Oman, and highlighted His Excellency’s distinguished diplomatic career across Tunisia, Iraq, Cairo, Tripoli, Tokyo, Mauritius, and London, alongside ISM’s achievements in academics, innovation, and culture.

A fusion dance performance preceded an address by Mr. Syed Ahmad Salman, Chairman, Board of Directors, Indian Schools in Oman, who spoke of the collective responsibility to build future-ready learning environments. A specially curated video traced ISM’s five-decade journey into a leading regional institution.

Addressing the gathering, H.E. Shri Prashant Pise commended the school for upholding high academic standards while preserving Indian values in a changing global landscape. He invited students to ask questions on academic preparation and career aspirations, urging them to pursue their goals with confidence and a global outlook.

A key highlight was the formal launch of ISM’s redesigned official website by the Ambassador, alongside the Board of Directors and School Management Committee. Built to international standards, the platform showcases the school’s 50-year legacy, administrative structure, facilities, and alumni testimonials.

As a token of appreciation, Class XII student Teesta Alice Varghese presented the Ambassador with hand-painted artwork. The programme concluded with a choir performance and a vote of thanks by Principal, Mr. Rakesh Joshi.

His Excellency then toured the D-Block campus, visiting newly digitised senior classrooms equipped with interactive boards. He then inaugurated two upgraded Primary Computer Laboratories in B-Block, featuring next-generation desktops, high-speed connectivity, and coding software, followed by the AI and Innovation Hub in A-Block featuring advanced robotics kits, 3D printing, augmented and virtual reality technologies, interactive panels, and AI learning resources designed to foster creativity, critical thinking, and innovation.

The visit concluded at the Jibroo Campus, where the Ambassador inaugurated a new artificial-grass playground for kindergarten and primary students, and toured the renovated IT laboratory and modernised classrooms, interacting with young learners and appreciating the faculty’s dedication.

The visit reflected ISM’s continued investment in educational excellence and digital transformation, reaffirming the strong partnership between the Embassy of India, the school management, and the wider Indian community in Oman.