2026-09-26

On September 26, 2026, St. Mary’s UPS Kudamaloor organized the launch and orientation session for "Wings of Awareness," a bird-watching initiative spearheaded by the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES) with backing from the Buimerc India Foundation. The gathering opened with a solemn prayer, after which Headmaster Mr. Manoj Joseph greeted the attendees with a welcome speech. Following the official inauguration by Fr. Bibin, Panchayat Member Mr. James Palathoor delivered a felicitation address praising the effort to cultivate environmental awareness among young minds. Dr. Abraham Samuel, President of TIES, explained the underlying philosophy of the project, detailing how observing local bird species strengthens focus, patience, and ecological sensitivity. Practical guidance on bird identification and ethical field practices was provided by Mr. Sarath Babu, Nature Education Officer and Project Coordinator at TIES, and Ms. Arathi Sasidharan, Project Officer at TIES, demonstrated the use of the CROW App for recording field observations digitally. The event wrapped up with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr. Manoj Kumar, leaving the students inspired to observe and care for the natural world around them.