THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sainik School, Kazhakkoottam felicitated outstanding cadets and inaugurated several new facilities the other day in connection with ‘Rendezvous,’ the 45th alumni meet organised by the school’s Old Boy’s Association (OBA).
Vishnu Peethambaran, now a lieutenant with the 4 Sikh Light Infantry, and Akash K R, who has gained entry to the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA), were honoured. Vishnu had won the Sword of Honour presented for best overall performance at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) while Akash had stood third in the NDA entrance tests, breaking a 44-year-old Sainik School record in the process.
Prominent among the new facilities inaugurated was ‘Turning Point,’ a memorial to another alumnus the late M P Anil Kumar. After an accident that left him paralysed below the neck, Anil Kumar, a fighter pilot with the Indian Air Force, had transformed himself into an inspirational figure for hundreds of people through the articles he wrote, holding the pen in his mouth. One such piece, titled ‘Airborne to Chairborne’ had even found its way to school textbooks in Maharashtra and Kerala. Incidentally, this piece was originally published in the ‘Express’ in Pune under the title ‘Turning Point.’
‘Turning Point’ at Sainik School is part of a bigger facility, ‘Motivation Hall,’ which is to be named after Colonel N J Nair, an alumnus who died fighting insurgents in the North-East.
An open-air ‘Sunset Point’ near the War Memorial and a renovated staff room also were inaugurated as part of the event. Hundreds of OBA members along with their families attended the meet. Air Vice Marshal I P Vipin, Senior Directing Staff, National Defence College, New Delhi, and an alumnus, was chief guest at the function. He reviewed a guard of honour presented to him by the school’s NCC contingent and laid a wreath at the ‘Stupa of Remembrance.’ Later, he paid floral homage to the school’s martyrs at the ‘Hut of Remembrance.’
Air Vice Marshal Vipin distributed the trophies and prizes sponsored by the OBA to cadets who have excelled in academics and extra-curricular activities. Alumni who achieved honours in their professional field were felicitated. Friendly matches in cricket, volleyball, football, basketball and water polo between old boys and the school teams were also held. This year’s alumni meet was sponsored by the 1989 batch.