The Hindu : An occasion to cherish

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

An occasion to cherish

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM May. 17. The Alumni Senior Citizens' Forum at the Government Model School was a joyous occasion for 93-year-old M. J. John, former military engineer, when he learnt that he was the senior most member.

The nonagenarian met many who were his juniors in the school during his days in this prestigious institution. I have nothing except blessings for the new generation, said M. J. John, when asked about his message for the new generation.

An array of noted personalities from various walks of life including former chief engineers, heads of various departments and teachers were seen at the venue.

The forum, which was formed this year, would aim at providing assistance for the welfare activities in the school, said P. K. Titus, secretary of the forum. Mr. Titus is a student of the 1946 SSLC batch.

``As the first step, we will donate books to the school library and assist the day-to-day activities of the school. Regular meeting of the alumni would also be held.'' he said.

Though several personalities such as the former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Venkitaramanan, the vice-chairman of the World Bank, Vinod Thomas, the former Minister, S. Krishna Kumar, and the former Chief Secretary, S. Padmakumar, as well as several ICS holders, were all students here, most of them could not attend the meeting due to various reasons. However, Mr. Titus expressed the hope that more former students would attend the alumni meets to be held in the coming months.

The prayer, `Daivame kaithozhaam...' evoked in the senior students memories of their school days. Some were seen humming the lines of this prayer.

It is high time that the people of Marad sit together and sing this prayer, remarked D. Babu Paul, former Ombudsman, who inaugurated the meeting. He said that he had heard a lot about the famous Model High School, where his parents had studied for their Teachers' Training course in the training college situated in the school building. "Yet another connection with the school is that I had appeared for the M.A. examination of the Madras University at the Model High school as it was the examination centre," he added.

Mr. Babu Paul said that the greatest compliment that the students can give their alma mater was to form an alumni association and do something for the welfare of the school, which according to him, had looked after the students just like a mother caring for her children. He also urged the senior citizens to act as a mature think tank for the new generation students of the school.

The vice-president of the association, S. Sankaran Nair, the president, Navakumar, and the headmaster of the school, Ramanathan Achari, also attended the meeting.

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An occasion to cherish