School Assembly News Today (October 29): President Murmu to take sortie in Rafale jet, Cyclone Montha, and more
In today’s school assembly news: Droupadi Murmu, President of India, took an exhilarating sortie in a Rafale fighter jet at the Air Force Station Ambala in Haryana — marking a historic moment. Meanwhile, in India’s east, Cyclone Montha made landfall, triggering evacuations, heavy rains and strong winds across Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring states. These events serve as vivid talking-points for discussions on leadership, national defence and environmental awareness.
President Murmu’s High-Altitude Initiative
President Droupadi Murmu flew a 25- to 30-minute sortie in the Rafale jet on October 29 at the Ambala base.
She covered roughly 200 km at altitudes of about 15,000 ft and speeds up to around 700 km/h.
Notably, this makes her the first Indian President to fly in two different fighter aircraft, having earlier taken a sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI.
For a school assembly, this is a perfect example to talk about national defence, breaking barriers (especially for women leaders), and what it means to lead from the front.
Cyclone Montha Strikes the East Coast
On the same day, Cyclone Montha made landfall near the Andhra coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam with wind speeds of 90-100 km/h and gusting higher.
The storm forced evacuations — in one district alone nearly 6,000 people were moved to safety.
Although weakening now, its remnants continue to bring heavy rain and alerts across Telangana, West Bengal and Jharkhand till the end of October.
In the school context, this can be discussed as a real-time weather event: awareness of natural disasters, safety protocols, community response and climate change connections.
Assembly Theme Ideas & Discussion Points
• “Fly High, Lead Boldly” – using President Murmu’s sortie to inspire leadership, courage, breaking ceilings.
• “Storm Watch: Staying Safe & Responsible” – using Cyclone Montha to drive home the importance of preparedness, helping communities, staying informed.
• Linking Them – How leadership and vigilance matter whether you’re in a cockpit or in your hometown during a storm.
• Questions for students:
• What would you ask if you had the chance to talk with someone flying a fighter jet?
• How can schools help in preparing for weather emergencies?
• Why is it important for leaders (and all of us) to engage with challenges, whether high-speed or high-wind?
