Sep 19 morning. A small crowd has gathered at Sree Karpagavalli Vidyalaya to celebrate Teachers Day and Founders Day. Several seniors have assembled there too. They are here to participate in the school’s alumni meet.
The event starts off with speeches by the guests. A cultural programme is put up by the primary students of this school.
Later, seniors take the stage. Nostalgia takes over, they talk about the founder of the school, K. V. Dharma Raja Iyer, fondly known as ‘Dhadi Vadiyar’. The humble beginnings of the school in 1926 opposite Chengazhaneer Pillayar Koil Street are discussed.
The chief guest and an alumni, M. Sundararajan, former chairman and managing director, Indian Bank, Chennai talks about how emphasis was laid on multiplication tables and handwriting in those days. He talks about the time when they would stop over at Rayar’s Mess for breakfast before coming to school on Saturday mornings. “The school would start at 7.30 a.m. on that day”, he says.
Another senior S. G. Balakrishnan, who passed out in 1955, talked about the prize he got at a drama competition then. He also proudly displays the certificate which he has carefully preserved all these years.
After a few more trips down memory lane, the attendees dispersed with a smile on their faces and a promise to meet more often.
Tri-Festival Function organisec by Sree Karpagavalli Vidyalaya on its Founders Day the 19th September, 2018 was very well covered including the cultural show presented by the students of that School and the memors expressed by the old students of that school. Congrats.
Secretary/Correspondetn, Sree Karpagavalli Vidyalaya, Mylapore, Chennai-4.