80 Years of Excellence: DCM Group of Schools celebrates grand valedictory function

Ferozepur, July 4:,2026 Marking the culmination of its year-long celebrations commemorating 80 years of educational excellence, the DCM Group of Schools organised a grand Valedictory Function at the Rai Bahadur Vishnu Bhagwan Auditorium of Dass and Brown World School on Friday. The event, held on the occasion of the 111th Birth Anniversary of the Group’s visionary Founder Late M.R. Dass, witnessed the presence of eminent personalities from the fields of education, administration, politics, industry and public life.
Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora attended the function as the Chief Guest. Among those present were MLA Ranbir Singh Bhullar, MLA Fauja Singh Sarari, DIG Snehdeep Sharma, SSP Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, ADC (Development) Krishan Pal Rajpoot, IAS, Chairman Punjab Agro Shaminder Singh Khinda, Chairman Zila Planning Board Harjinder Singh Ghangha, Chairman of the National Independent Schools Alliance Kulbhushan Sharma and Chairperson of the DCM Group Kanta Gupta. The programme was presided over by renowned educationist and CEO of the DCM Group, Dr. Anirudh Gupta.
The celebrations commenced with an impressive Guard of Honour presented by NCC cadets to the dignitaries. A major highlight of the event was the inauguration of the M.R. Dass Memorial on the occasion of the Founder’s 111th Birth Anniversary. Before the unveiling ceremony, a special prayer service was conducted during which dignitaries, members of the DCM family and guests paid floral tributes to Late M.R. Dass. Cabinet Minister Aman Arora later unveiled a life-size statue of the legendary educationist, marking one of the most emotional moments of the evening. The memorial has been established as a lasting tribute to the Founder’s vision, commitment to education and invaluable contribution to society. Speakers observed that the inspiring life journey and ideals of M.R. Dass would continue to guide and inspire generations to come.
Director Administration of DCM Group Brig. Navdeep Mathur (Rete), formally welcomed the guests. The cultural programme began with a captivating Navdurga Invocation presented by students, setting the tone for an evening celebrating India’s rich cultural heritage. The audience was treated to a series of colourful performances including “From Chalkboards to AI,” “Melodies of the Hills,” a vibrant Haryanvi folk dance and energetic Punjabi Bhangra presentations that received enthusiastic applause.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Anirudh Gupta reflected upon the remarkable journey of the institution and said that when the country was yet to attain Independence and the concept of private schooling was still in its infancy, visionary educationist M.R. Dass founded D.C. Model School in 1946 with the aim of providing transformative education. He said the Founder’s vision extended beyond academics and focused on imparting practical, value-based and life-oriented education that would prepare students to excel in every sphere of life. “The seed of education sown in 1946 has today grown into a mighty banyan tree,” he remarked.
Dr. Gupta said DCM was not merely an educational institution but a strong and compassionate family that had consistently fulfilled its social responsibilities. Recalling several defining moments in the nation’s history, he said the DCM family stood firmly with society during the Partition of 1947, the devastating floods of 1988, the Kargil War, the COVID-19 pandemic and Operation Sindoor. He added that thousands of DCM alumni today occupy prestigious positions in administration, medicine, engineering, defence, business, education and other fields across India and abroad, bringing laurels to their alma mater and the country.
A special segment of the programme was dedicated to honouring Star Alumni families whose three successive generations had received education from DCM institutions. The distinguished alumni were felicitated with commemorative mementoes and certificates in recognition of their enduring association with the institution and their achievements in various fields.
In his address, Chief Guest Aman Arora lauded the contribution of the DCM Group towards education and said that despite being located in a border district, the institution had established a distinct identity for itself at the national level. He described it as a remarkable achievement that a world-class educational institution equipped with modern facilities had been built just a few kilometres from the international border. Appreciating the leadership of Dr. Anirudh Gupta, he said the DCM Group was playing a significant role in preparing students for the future through modern education, skill development, robotics, artificial intelligence and innovation. He also reiterated the Punjab Government’s commitment towards strengthening the education sector and expanding access to modern educational opportunities.
During the ceremony, the Chief Guest also released a special coffee table book chronicling the glorious 80-year journey of the DCM Group. The publication captures the institution’s evolution from its inception to the present day and highlights its milestones, achievements, memorable moments and the success stories of distinguished alumni who have excelled in diverse fields across the globe.
The formal vote of thanks was delivered by the Group’s Chief Operating Officer, Retd. Major General Veer Bhatt, who expressed gratitude to the dignitaries, parents, alumni, teachers and members of the organising committee for contributing to the success of the event. The evening concluded on a celebratory note with vibrant performances by Virasat-e-Punjab, whose energetic Bhangra and folk presentations filled the auditorium with enthusiasm and pride. The programme concluded with the National Anthem.
Among those present on the occasion were Senior Director Academics Dr. Ragini Gupta, Civil Surgeon Dr. Meenakshi Dhingra, Principal Yachna Chawla, Dr. Kamal Bagi, industrialists Raman Garg and Rahul Mittal, Meenakshi Singhal, Lalit Mohan Goyal, Prabha Bhaskar, Dr. Sheel Sethi, Dr. Harsha Bhola, Dr. Sushma Sethi, Dr. Nikhil Gupta, Deputy Principal Manish Banga, Dr. Vikas Arora, Deepak Sharma, Avi Awasthi, Chandermohan Handa, Sunil, Rishi Sharma, Vipul Narang, Dr. Bunny Nanda and several other distinguished guests.