BENGALURU: This year’s Republic Day was special for 20 officers from Indian Armed Forces as they were back in college after several years. Organised by the alumni association of Christ deemed-to-be-University, it was a celebration of their 50th anniversary along with 71st Republic Day.
"The feeling of coming back to college after around 40 years is quite nostalgic. College life is a major phase in moulding your future. Extracurricular activities and principles like discipline and a sense of duty that I learned in college helped me a lot. I think every Army official present here would say so. Those times, I used to be a part of a lot of sports activities," said Brigadier BG Jagadish.
Group Captain Mohanachandran Panickar, who is from the batch of 1973 – one of the initial batches of the college – added that the one thing that he misses about his college life is the carefree and fun days on campus.
Among the alumni from the batch of 1973, there were recipients of Vishisht Seva Medal, brigadiers, colonels, lieutenant colonels, wing commanders, squadron leaders and captains. “When I saw the notice about the event, I didn’t think too much. I came here even without giving prior notice to event organisers,” said Captain Randhir, who is an alumnus of the 2010 batch.
Jugnu Oberoi, president of Christ Alumni Association, said it was a difficult task to find and invite these officials. "Many of them are still working on borders and are posted in different nooks and corners of the country. We could only get 20 out of them. On our invitation, many joined us two days prior to the actual ceremony, visited the campus and current students. We feel immensely proud to have them here and honour them," Oberoi said. Anupama Nair, the only woman serving officer present at the event, said,
"I have completed 14 years of service, where I served in both counterintelligence areas in Jammu and Kashmir and thick jungles of the North East. My college life groomed me for where I’m standing today in my professional and personal life."
Another serviceman, Colonel Basu, said, “We are students first, professionals next.” The event also paid tribute to and honoured the family of martyr Major Sylvester Rajesh Ratnam, student of 1994 BA batch.