It must have amused the cadets of Sainik School, Kazhakuttam, no end on Saturday to see five three-star rank officers seated in their classroom.
Two Lieutenant Generals and three Air Marshals cheerfully sat down in one of the classrooms for a short photo-op during the 54th reunion of alumni organised by the school and the Old Boys’ Association (OBA). ‘’It’s like an annual pilgrimage to be here,’‘ Lieutenant General M. Unnikrishnan Nair, who is the current National Cybersecurity Coordinator, crystallised the general feeling in a single sentence.
The 54th reunion, sponsored by the 1996 batch was attended by hundreds of former cadets and their families. The presence of the five serving three-star officers who are currently holding top positions in the Army and the Indian Air Force added a high-profile tone to the event.
Apart from Lieutenant General Unnikrishnan Nair, the ‘old boys’ who turned up for a day-long stroll down memory lane included Air Marshal R. Radhish (Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command), Lieutenant General Johnson P. Mathew (Chief of Integrated Defence Staff), Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan, (Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command) and Air Marshal B. Manikantan, (Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command (SAC)). All five are Keralites and were cadets at the Sainik School in the 1980s.
‘In the right direction’
From their days as young cadets, Sainik Schools have changed a lot. Girls also are now admitted, for one. That’s part of how the schools are evolving, Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan said of the development. ‘‘It’s an ongoing process and in the right direction. Sainik Schools were formed to train cadets to join National Defence Academy (NDA). The NDA has opened up for girls. So it’s a natural process,’‘ the Air Marshal said.
Lt. Gen. Johnson P. Mathew says the school taught them the value of integrity and to stand up for what is right. ‘‘We still remember each of our masters here. And more than the academics and the outdoors (activities), what remains at the top of our minds are the values imparted to us by those teachers. Values in terms of integrity, following the right path, and standing up for what you think is right,’‘ he said.
‘Punishment in school’
Were they ever punished in school? ‘‘Punishment was also a part of the learning process,’‘ Air Marshal Radhish remarked with a laugh. Air Marshal Manikantan, who, as AOC-in-C of the Thiruvananthapuram-based Southern Air Command, chairs the Local Board of Administration of the school. He said he was ‘‘very proud’‘ to hold the position.
Every year, the school reunions are sponsored by batches in turns. This year, it was the turn of the 1996 batch. The Sainik School Kazhakuttam OBA is among the oldest and quite well known for the camaraderie and team spirit shown by its members. ‘‘The best thing is the kinship that we have. After getting commissioned, I’ve met people after 30 years. But we meet as if we parted only yesterday,’‘ Lt. Gen. Johnson Mathew said.
Pension, other benefits
The officers also welcomed the memorandum of agreement signed by the Kerala government and the Union government in March this year to prop up the school financially. Under the MoA, pension and retirement benefits of the school employees, and other administrative requirements, will be taken care of by the State. The State would also increase the income-based scholarship to deserving students.
Colonel Dhirendra Kumar, Principal, Sainik School, Kazhakuttam, and other staff welcomed the former cadets and their family members to the reunion. The day’s programmes included a ceremonial wreath laying in the Guards Square, distribution of various awards, and a ‘Guruvandanam’ where retired teachers were honoured.
