By Anu Manocha, anchor & emcee in Delhi
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An annual day anchoring script follows the function's running order: welcome, lamp lighting, the head of the organisation's address, performances, awards or prize distribution, the chief guest's address and the vote of thanks. The anchor links each part in two or three lines and keeps the programme on time. Below are school and corporate versions with sample lines.
What is the running order of an annual day?
School and corporate annual days follow a similar order. Confirm the final list with the organiser a week before.
| Part | School annual day | Corporate annual day |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Welcome by the anchor | Welcome by the anchor |
| Lamp lighting | Chief guest, principal, management | Chief guest, leadership team |
| Invocation | Saraswati vandana or school prayer | Optional: a short prayer or opening video |
| Address | Principal's annual report | MD / CEO's address on the year |
| Performances | Class-wise dances, plays, choir | Team performances, a guest act |
| Awards | Prize distribution: academics, sports, all-rounder | Employee awards, long-service awards, team awards |
| Chief guest | Address to students and parents | Address to the teams |
| Closing | Vote of thanks, national anthem | Vote of thanks, dinner or DJ night |
Sample annual day anchoring lines in English
Good evening to our respected chief guest, our [principal / leadership team], [parents / colleagues] and everyone here. A very warm welcome to the [number] annual day of [school / company name]. Tonight we celebrate a year of hard work, and the people behind it.
We begin by lighting the lamp, a symbol of knowledge and new beginnings. May I request [chief guest], [principal / MD] and [names] to kindly come to the stage.
Every great year has someone steering it. To share the highlights of the year, please welcome [name], [designation].
And now, a performance the [class / team] has been rehearsing for weeks. Please put your hands together for [group] with [item].
It is time to honour those who made this year special. To present the awards for [category], may I invite [presenter]. The first award goes to… [name]!
Our next award is for someone who has been with us for [number] years. Through every change, [he/she] has been a steady hand for the team. Please welcome [name].
We are honoured to have with us [name], [designation]. [One line about their work.] May I request [sir / ma'am] to share a few words with us.
Before we close, I invite [name] to deliver the vote of thanks. [After the thanks:] Thank you all for being with us. [Please stand for the national anthem. / Dinner is served at (place), and the DJ starts in ten minutes.]
Annual day lines in Hindi
आप सभी का हमारे वार्षिकोत्सव में हार्दिक स्वागत है। आज की शाम पूरे साल की मेहनत और लगन का उत्सव है।
ज्ञान और नई शुरुआत के प्रतीक दीप प्रज्वलन के लिए मैं मुख्य अतिथि [नाम] जी से मंच पर आने का अनुरोध करती हूँ।
अब बारी है उन सितारों की, जिन्होंने इस साल अपनी मेहनत से सबका नाम रोशन किया। पुरस्कार देने के लिए मैं [नाम] जी को आमंत्रित करती हूँ।
मेहनत के रंग से सजी ये शाम है,
हर चमकते चेहरे पर आज एक नया नाम है।
Mehnat ke rang se saji ye shaam hai, har chamakte chehre par aaj ek naya naam hai.
How do you keep an annual day on time?
- Get the final list a week before. Performances, award names, designations and the order of speakers.
- Group the awards. Call three or four winners together for one photo instead of one at a time.
- Keep links under 30 seconds. On a long programme, short links save 15–20 minutes.
- Agree a signal with the backstage team. Know which item is ready next, so the stage is never empty.
- Keep two fillers ready. A quiz question for the audience or a short thank-you to the staff.
What should you avoid on an annual day?
- Long speeches between items. The children or teams are the stars, not the anchor.
- Reading award names without checking them first. Spelling and pronunciation must be exactly right.
- Jokes about teachers, managers or departments. Keep humour light and safe for everyone in the room.
For a company annual day or award night, see Anu's work as an annual day and corporate event anchor in Delhi.
Frequently asked questions
How long is an annual day anchoring script?
For a programme of two to three hours, the script is usually five to eight pages, because it carries every performance, award name and designation in order. The anchor's own lines stay short: two or three per item, under 30 seconds each.
What is the difference between a school and a corporate annual day script?
The order is similar, but a school script has the principal's report, a Saraswati vandana or prayer, prize distribution and the national anthem. A corporate script has the leadership address, employee and long-service awards, and usually ends with dinner or a DJ night.
Should the annual day anchor speak in Hindi or English?
Most Delhi schools and companies use English with some Hindi lines, especially for the welcome and the lamp lighting. Government and many school events prefer more Hindi. Ask the organiser, and keep the language the same for every link.
Does Anu anchor annual days and award nights?
Yes. Anu hosts corporate annual days, award nights, conferences and institutional functions across Delhi NCR in English, Hindi and Punjabi. Please share the running order at least 7 days before. Send your date on WhatsApp to check availability.
