THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Some of the finest and most poignant moments of the Indian armed forces are set to come alive at Sainik School, Kazhakkoottam as part of a project designed to celebrate the school’s heroes.
The school is dedicating a ‘hall of fame’ to alumni who have made outstanding contributions, often at the cost of their lives, to their respective service and the nation. The idea, school authorities said, is to perpetuate the memory of the heroes and to motivate cadets. Informally called the ‘motivational hall,’ the block is to be named after old boy Colonel N J Nair of the 16 Maratha Light Infantry who died fighting insurgents in Nagaland.
‘’The hall will showcase the achievements of the Sainik School. There will be medals, trophies and write-ups on famous alumni with their roll numbers on display. Going through the exhibits, a visitor will get a full picture of the school,’’ said officiating principal of the school Lieutenant Colonel P G Suresh Kumar. ‘’The construction of the building, using MPLADS funds, is over. We hope to have the facility ready in five to six months,’’ said Suresh Kumar, who is himself an alumnus of the school.
Established in the 1960s to produce officer material for the armed forces, the Sainik School Kazhakkoottam boasts a glittering array of heroes.
The man after whom the hall is to be named is himself a recipient of both the Kirti Chakra and the Ashoka Chakra (Posthumous), medals awarded for outstanding instances of bravery. Col N J Nair lost his life in Nagaland warding off an ambush by insurgents on his army convoy in 1993. He was successful in driving away the hundred or so attackers, but succumbed to his injuries.
Other alumni who will find a place in this unique hall include Second Lieutenant Radha Mohan Naresh, Flying Officer M P Anil Kumar and Capt R Harshan. Naresh was killed in action in the 1971 Indo-Pak War. He was only 21 at the time. Naresh is also the Sainik School’s first martyr. Harshan, a Special Forces officer, is another old boy the Sainik School remembers with intense pride and sorrow. He died fighting terrorists in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, in March 2007. He was awarded the Ashoka Chakra posthumously.
‘’What we want is something that will leave an impact for the next 20 years,’’ Lt Col Suresh Kumar said of the project. The school expects to have a small section on M P Anil Kumar ready ahead of an Old Boy’s get-together planned for June 28.
Confined to a wheelchair after a road accident, the fighter pilot from Chirayinkeezhu had become an inspirational figure for many through his thought-provoking articles. Anil Kumar died in May this year, and the special equipment that he used to communicate with the world, including his computer, are going on display at his alma mater.