Dreams are those which don’t let you sleep, said A P J Abdul Kalam, whose birth anniversary (Oct 15) is now celebrated as Students’ Day.
His books, his words, his chats with the young lot ‘ignited’ many minds, and urged them to develop ‘wings of fire’. He nudged them to embark on roads not so commonly travelled.
Here, TNIE takes stock of some such minds who, dared to dream, and to pave their own way...
Steering his destiny
It was only last year that Aldrin Antony took up sailing as a sport. But even in this short span, the youngster, who hails from Kochi, has demonstrated incredible progress that has left even his coaches stunned.
Aldrin, who is now doing open schooling, was inspired by his uncle Naik Manu Francis, an Army sailor.
The 14-year-old NCC cadet’s skills were on display aplenty in the recently concluded National Ranking Regatta organised by the Corps of Engineers Sailing Club in collaboration with the National Optimist Association of India at Pawna Dam near Pune.
“Aldrin finished second in the boys category, and third overall,” says his coach Naib Subudar Nithin M K. “His performance was nothing short of stellar. To have achieved this feat after taking up the sport only a year ago is indeed noteworthy.”
Speaking about the win, Aldrin tells TNIE, “The win was a product of my training, and in paying attention to the elements on the day of the race. Really thrilled I was able to give it my best. My next aim is to race on international platforms.”
The fact that he bested even sailors in his category who’ve had regular training abroad has caught the eye of the larger sailing community in the country. The former national coach Hon Lt P Madhu hailed the youngster as “one to watch keenly as sailing enters a golden era in India.”
Aldrin is currently undergoing advanced training in sailing at the Army Boys Sports Company in Bengaluru, a joint venture with the Sports Authority of India that selects and trains young talents for future international competitions.
-Ronnie Kuriakose
Just for kicks
Mother of three and Krav Maga ace Tesney Varghese struggles to recall all her children’s recent achievements. “Which one is the latest?” she asks her husband, Rajan Varghese, a veteran trainer in multiple martial arts in Kochi.
Their three children — Seles (20), Rowan (17), and Varghese (13) — began their training in jujutsu when each turned three.
Seles, a BBA student at Rajagiri College, won a bronze medal in the senior 56kg self-defence category at last year’s World Combat Jujitsu Championship held in Poland. Rowan won silver in full-contact junior girls jujutsu. Meanwhile, the youngest Varghese won silver in self-defence and bronze in full-contact fight in the junior boys category. Varghese also won two medals at the recent World Cup Combat Jujitsu in Kazakhstan.
Well, these are just the recent ones. The overall list is quite long.
The trio is now training under their dad-coach for the next national and world championships. “The selection for the nationals will be held next week. We are optimistic, and the training is in full swing,” says Seles.
Notably, she is also the youngest international referee in Kurash and serves as the general secretary of the Combat Jujitsu Association of Kerala. She also coaches her siblings and other players at her parents’ Krav Maga Self-Defence School.
The trio says they are “proud to represent India on international stages”. “Winning medals is a bonus,” says Rowan.
- Krishna P S
Warrior spirit
‘It is my life,” beams Gopika S Mohan, when asked about Kalaripayattu.
It all started when Agasthyam Kalari organised a camp at her school some years ago. “I was in Class 5 then. I don’t know how, but the session hooked me in. I soon joined their regular classes,” says the Plus-Two student at Government HSS in Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram.
Now, Gopika not only trains but also teaches at the very same centre. And she is among the top picks for competitions. “Her winning spree started when she was in Class 5 or 6, when she went for the state sub-junior level competition. She passed that and went on to win at the nationals,” recalls her mother Sajitha.
Gopika’s recent victory was at the Khelo India competitions held in Haryana, where she fought with ‘vaalu’ (sword) and paricha (shield) to bag the first prize. “I won in the ‘chuvadu’ (steps) round too, but my first choice is always the sword and shield,” says Gopika.
“I believe I was among the first among girls at Agasthyam to excel with the sword.”
Gopika says Kalari has boosted her confidence. “It’s not just about physical duels. I now have the core strength to take on emotional challenges too. That grit is what Kalari instils in people,” she says. “My dream is to join the Indian Armed Forces. And Kalari will be a constant companion for life.”
-aparna nair
An old Teen-tech gang
In 2019, Pangode, a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, was laid-back. Technology was only just trickling in. Yet, a group of middle-school students from Krishnavilasom UP School were captivated by a visiting tech team that came to train them. Inspired, they put together a start-up called Grolius, a twist on “Grow like us”.
Twelve students were part of the team, led by Haleela Fathima, the teen CEO. The firm offered a platform for students to get coached in technology and to develop their own ventures.
As years passed, the teen team split, with many pursuing higher studies. However, four members — Yasir M, Adil M, Mahadev R and M Siyad — kept Grolius alive.
And the venture has now grown into a community supporting 5,000 children in the field of futuristic technology. The four have also diversified into their own verticals within the Grolius ecosystem — Yasir into assisting content creators, Mahadev into home automation, Adil into an AI-driven fashion platform, and Siyad into other technological applications.
All four, now 19, are training in different capacities as well. “Three have enrolled in IIT Jodhpur’s AI and ML programme, and I am training with ContentHQ, a UAE-based forum where content platforms such as Facebook and TikTok directly mentor creators. I am also pursuing a BA in psychology,” says Yasir, who has three books to his credit.
He adds that their old CEO, Haleela, who is doing a B.Tech course now, will rejoin the Grolius mission. “We will take this as far forward as we can,” says Yasir. “We are guiding several students to become technologically sound, and to understand the start-up culture. To become future-ready.”
- Aparna Nair
The mountain boy
It was the snow, perhaps the ambience, or maybe the freedom amidst the mountains. His first trip to the Himalayas, at the age of nine, stirred something deep in Mahadevan Randeep.
The Thiruvananthapuram native had accompanied his father, Randeep, an engineer and avid trekker. The mountains called to the father-son duo so strongly that their lives began to change. Mahadevan’s father set up a cafe with his friends at Sari in Uttarakhand.
Mahadevan followed the trail a couple of years later. “I didn’t want to be confined within the walls of classrooms. I wanted to be in the midst of the Himalayas. My parents obviously were against the idea, as I was just completing my high school,” says Mahadevan,“They finally yielded. I assured them that I would continue my studies through the National Institute of Open Schooling.”
After moving to Uttarakhand, Mahadevan took up adventure seriously — both as a passion and as a profession. “I enjoyed taking guests from the café on treks like the Tunganath-Chandrataal trail. I loved being in the mountains, away from the rat race, yet finding life blooming with the meaning I was seeking,” says the 20-year-old, who is now pursuing a B.Com through IGNOU.
“I visit my mother twice a year. Otherwise, I am at home — the mountains. Besides carrying on formal education, I have done multiple courses at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. I want to go for higher studies in adventure sports, probably explore more in rock climbing, rappelling, etc. That’s my calling, and I am fortunate I could realise it at such a young age.”
- Aparna Nair
