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Five La Martiniere Girls’ College Students Receive Duke of Edinburgh I...

Five La Martiniere Girls’ College Students Receive Duke of Edinburgh International Gold Award

By Harshitha Polathula

2025-04-14

April 10, 2025 | India International Centre, New Delhi

On a proud and memorable day for La Martiniere Girls’ College, five remarkable students were honoured with the Duke of Edinburgh International Gold Award at a prestigious ceremony held at the India International Centre, New Delhi, on April 10, 2025.

The five Gold Award recipients from La Martiniere Girls' College: Shatakshi Shahi, Shinay Oberoi, Navya Khanna, Fadilah Farhat, and Zulekha Fatima.

The awards were presented by Mr. Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament and Chairman of Jindal Steel & Power Ltd., who applauded the awardees for their dedication to self-development and service.

Each of the five students received the Gold Award Badge and Certificate, a recognition that celebrates commitment to service, skill-building, physical fitness, and adventure — the four key pillars of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

IAYP participants from La Marts during their Adventurous Journey in the Himalayas.

Shatakshi Shahi took on the challenging Ali Bedni Bugyal trek, while Shinay Oberoi, Navya Khanna, Fadilah Farhat, and Zulekha Fatima completed the equally beautiful Dayara Bugyal trek, a high-altitude meadow trek renowned for its vast open landscapes.

Living away from comfort, carrying their own gear, setting up tents, and navigating trails tested the participants while instilling a deeper appreciation for nature.

A Word of Gratitude:

"I want to personally thank the Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning from the bottom of my heart for organising these trekking trips for our college girls that played a vital role in the success of their Award journey" said Ms. Priya Dautlani, IAYP Award Coordinator from La Martiniere Girls' College in Lucknow.

The Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning has been a trusted partner in outdoor learning and the IAYP Adventurous Journey for several schools across India, offering programmes that go beyond adventure, creating space for reflection, personal growth, and meaningful experiences.

A Legacy of Excellence

The Duke of Edinburgh International Award is a globally recognised youth development programme that empowers young people to push their boundaries, build confidence, and make a difference in their communities.

La Martiniere Girls’ College and the Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning take immense pride in the achievement of these five students. Their journey stands as an inspiring example for younger students, showing what’s possible when determination meets opportunity.

Learn More About IAYP with InSOUL

Harshitha Polathula

Content Writer (InSOUL)

About the author

Harshitha curates content for the InSOUL team at Indiahikes.

Before joining Indiahikes, Harshitha worked as a project officer in EU-funded projects in the fields of Education and Social Innovation in Germany. As she worked in a start-up, her core work included everything from writing proposals to managing social impact events.

Harshitha grew up in a valley surrounded by hills and spent a lot of time hiking. This upbringing in the hills has shaped her as a human being. Over the years she has reflected on how spending time outdoors and especially trekking impacts the mind, body and spirit. She wants to share that joy with everyone through her work at Indiahikes. Interestingly, her journey with Indiahikes goes back a long time as she was initially a Green Trails intern in 2018 during her undergrad.

Outside of work, Harshitha loves exploring new cultures through cuisine. She also enjoys reading and baking with friends. Yet spending time outdoors and watching the sunset is her all-time favourite. As she said this, she recalled a line by Jhumpa Lahiri from her book 'Whereabouts' that, "sunset is an everyday miracle that most of us manage to miss."

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