SPORTS -- 2 ::

ST JUDE’S CREATES HAT-TRICK AT TN REGIONAL ATHLETIC

BY P S SUNDAR

The athletes of St Jude’s Public School and Junior College, Kotagiri, have returned from Tuticorin with bagful of credits from Tamil Nadu Regional Athletic Meet of Association of Schools for Indian School Certificate (ASISC) making them eligible to go for Nationals.

 “Our 19 boys and 16 girls have been selected to represent Tamil Nadu in 53 events at Nationals to be held at Ahmadabad in November.  Our school created hat-trick emerging as Regional Champion for the third consecutive year.  This year, we stood first among the 37 schools fielding 560 athletes”, St Jude’s Chairman P P Dhanarajan told me after complimenting the coach and athletes.

“Our school bagged 32 Gold, 31 silver and 13 bronze medals.  Our senior boys, junior boys and senior girls annexed Divisional Championship.  Our students M Surekha (senior girls category) and B Mourish (junior boys) were crowned individual championship”, Principal D Saro said.

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)

HAPPENING - 9::

STUDENTS VOW TO SPREAD GREEN MESSAGE

BY P S SUNDAR

 All the 1,825 students of St Antony’s Higher Secondary School, Coonoor, have vowed to sensitise the society towards eco-friendly sustainability as part of events to mark the school’s ongoing 150 year celebrations.

“This is commendable as it leaves a lasting impact on the society.  The students have pledged to contribute their might to eco-friendliness themselves and to create constant awareness as they grow up.   As an old student of this school, I am proud to see a useful meaning being attached to the 150 gear celebrations”, District Educational Officer N Lingaraj told me.  

“We have adopted the theme, ‘Go Green – Go Clean’ and are spreading message through four life-mentoring features – yoga, karate, Silambam and gymnastics”, St Antony’s Headmaster Bro Arul said.

The outgoing students of XII standard carried placards committing themselves to eco-friendliness all through their life.

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)

SPORTS - 1::

GYMNASTICS, KARATE, YOGA AND SILAMBAM MADE ANTONY’S 150 SPORTS DAY SPECIAL

BY P S SUNDAR

The 150^th Annual Sports Day of St Antony’s Higher Secondary School, Coonoor, held on Aug 7, 2015, gave life to four life-mentoring sport-forms – gymnastics, karate, yoga and Silambam, thanks to the determination of Headmaster and Correspondent Bro Arul to introduce them to the youth.

District Educational Officer N Lingaraj, an old student of the school, hoisted the National Flag and declared open the Sports Meet.  

Along with him, S Shyamala, co-ordinator of Think Tank Management Resources Group, let fly the colourful balloons while, I as Guest of Honour, let fly dove to mark the symbol of peaceful sports.

Lingaraj accepted salute of those who staged an impressive March Past.  Athletes’ of the school who had excelled in district, state and national sports brought in and lit Olympic Torch with motorcycle riders escorting them.  

Athletes of all the four Houses – Antony, Gabriel, Montfort and Loyola – took oath to compete with pure sportsmanship.

The events began with Montfort drill and there were several field competitive items for the kids, juniors, seniors and super seniors.

To energise old students, there were 400 metres running for those below 30 years and walking for those older than 30.

Students of Gabriel House exhibited their talent in Gymnastics and came out with human pyramids.

Students of Montfort House thrilled the audience with their Karate performance which included tube light smashing and brick breaking.   “We have engaged a professional karate master to train them.  We will have regular karate classes soon”, Bro Arul told me.

Students of Loyola House demonstrated various Asanas as part of Yoga.  “We engaged Yoga teachers from the ’Art of Living’ institution to train our children.  We are working on making yoga a regular part of physical and mental training.  I am myself performing yoga daily”, Bro Arul told me.   The Masters of Ceremony explained each Asana.

Students of Antony House gave a scintillating performance of Silambam, the martial sport of Tamils.   Events like jumping through fire circle, spitting fire and fire-based display of Antony’s drew prolonged applause.   “We trained them on this art-form because it is a traditional sport existing only during village festivals”, Bro Arul told me.

A drill on the theme “Go Green; Go Clean” urges all to remain eco-sensitive.  The mass drill was attractive for unison, colour and variety.   The formation of students to hail the 150^th year was captivating.

The XII standard students did a ‘farewell march-past’ as this was their last sports day in the school.  “Some of them have spent close to 14 years in this school”, Bro Arul told me.   The students carried placards on ‘Go Green; Go Clean’ theme.

Collectively, all the 1825 students of the school participated in one way or the other.

Prizes were distributed to winners.    Individual championship was bagged by Dinesh Kumar (junior), Pradeep Julien (senior), Anish Richard (super senior) while ‘Antony House’ was crowned the overall champion.

 

When I was asked to deliver ‘Guest of Honour’ address, besides appreciating all on the excellent sports day presentation, I urged the students to maintain heavenly health with clean habits and grow-up with a mindset to donate blood, organs and even the body to the needy.  “A person can donate such parts to give life to 50 persons”, I noted.

“I am very happy that you sensitised the students on such donation.  We encourage students to maintain sound physical health through regular exercises and games.  We advise them to be physically active and grow up realising the need to save lives through blood, organ and cadaver donation”, Lingaraj told me.

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmailcom) 

HAPPENING -- 8 ::

ST JUDE'S LEO CLUB TO FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION 

BY P S SUNDAR

The installation of office bearers of two Leo Clubs – St Jude’s Public School and Junior College (SJPS) as also Riverside Public School (RSPS) – conducted by Lions Club of Kotagiri at St Jude’s auditorium in West Brooke on Aug 3, 2015, was a feast to the eyes and trigger to the mind as there were many lessons for the elders to learn.

Conducted totally by the students who are members of Leo Club of St Jude’s, under guidance of Leo Club Adviser Samjith Dhanarajan, the entire event proved professional precision in public presentations.

Following Lions Prayer (Yalini, RSPS), Flag Salutation (Vishnu Priya, SJPS) and Leo Pledge (Akshara RSPS), silence was observed for world peace and the soul of Dr Abdul Kalam to rest in peace.

Rajeshkumar, SJPS Leo President welcomed.

Secretaries Tharini Suresh (RSPS) and Nandhini Meenakhsi (SJPS) presented their Annual Report highlighting the plethora of activities the members of their respective clubs (don’t forget, they are still students) had done in the last 12 months.   The fiscal equivalent of the projects, the physical effort spent, the mind-trigger utilised – all were enormous ..

... so much so, the Chief Guest, Past District Governor S Nagin commented that most clubs in 50 years had not done what these two clubs had done so far.

Awards were distributed and the Chief Guest was introduced by Mathew Kuruvilla, President of RSPS Leo Club.

Nagin spoke at great length on life-impacting aspects and then installed the office bearers of Leo Clubs for 2015-16::  DIvji Adon Samjith, Sachin Surya and Tanya Susan Mathew as President, Treasurer and Secretary of Leo Club of SJPS and Sanjay Varadhan, Sanmathi and Yalini as President, Treasurer and Secretary of Leo Club of RSPS.

The new Presidents accepted the office and the new Secretaries listed their projects proposed for the ensuing year.

Lions District Co-ordinator M Bhojarajan led others in felicitating the new office-bearers. 

In my felicitation on their specific request, besides wishing all success, I said that I would like to be present one year after to compliment them on the achievement of these ambitious projects now listed.  

The SJPS Leo Secretary proposed a vote of thanks.

The very impressive part was SJPS Leo members making students, teachers, parents, members of Lions Club of Kotagiri and visitors take a pledge holding their right hand to their heart that they will not give or accept bribe.

“This is to mark the launch of our fight against corruption and uphold the advice of former President Abdul Kalam to students to trigger anti-corruption movement in their homes”, Leo Club President Divji Adon Samjith told me.

“We have created a power-point presentation on the evils of corruption which we will screen in at least two schools or colleges every month”, he said.

“Our projects for the ensuing year include teaching villagers on first-aid usage, separating household wastes into bio-degradable and non-degradable, cleaning bus stands, helping students for higher education, enriching street children with food and clothes and helping old age homes”, Secretary Tanya Susan Mathew said.

“Our focus is on developing Nilgiris into a totally plastic-free district”, said Yalini, Secretary, RSPS Leo Club.

P P DHANARAJAN 

St Jude’s Chairman P P Dhanarajan, Principal Saro and Riverside Principal Rao Hemalatha, among others, gave guidelines to the students on projects.

D SARO

(response can also be sent to : pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com). 

LIBRARY -- 1 ::

CHILDREN DELIBERATE ON LIBRARY BOOKS

BY P S SUNDAR

                Children from Kotagiri taluk have shown the way for intellectual interaction by conducting brain-storming sessions through their newly formed “Children Readers’ Forum” of Kotagiri Government Library.

Thirty eight students of Government and aided schools spent two hours from 10.30 am on Sunday in the library deliberating on the contents of the books they had read borrowing from the library.

The entire deliberations were conducted by such student readers.  Student Surya Prakash led the proceedings.   Students Rini, Vasanth, Pooja, Mahalakshmi, Vinothini and Ariyan shared thoughts from the books they had read.

“Some students read as much as 10 books per month.  The subjects they discussed covered a wide gamut – fiction, non-fiction, poems and general knowledge”, Librarian Ravi told me.

Dr Jagadeesh, President of Rotary Club of Kotagiri, spoke to them on personal hygiene.

Raju, Nilgiris district Secretary of Tamil Nadu Science Forum, stressed on conserving water.

A film on APJ Abdul Kalam was screened.

“Such sessions will be conducted on the first Sunday of each month”, Ravi added.

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)

HAPPENING - 7:

BHOJAN SHARES WITH STUDENTS HIS COLLEGE DAYS WITH KALAM

BY P S SUNDAR

The homage paid to former President Abdul Kalam by the nearly 425 students and staff of Gurukulam Matriculation School in Agalar village of Nilgiris was different from others.

“We gave the unique opportunity to our students and staff to listen to first-hand account of Kalam’s student lifestyle through our Academic Adviser M N Bhojan who was Kalam’s classmate at St Joseph’s College, Trichy”, Gurukulam Correspondent N Arjjunan told me.

Bhojan (84) recalled how studious Kalam was taking special interest in science-related subjects.   He detailed Kalam’s secular character determination to overcome the challenges posed by poverty at home.   He also explained the clean habits followed by Kalam and his determination to pass with flying colours.

“Our students took oath in front of Kalam’s photograph and promised Bhojan to live Kalam’s way particularly in respect of simplicity, honesty, hard work and determination to make India a superpower in 2020”, Gurukulam Managing Trustee Vasukie said.

Gurukulam School, is also affiliated to World Institute for Scientific Exploration (WISE), Harvard University Branch, USA. 

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com) 

FOR THE RECORD -- 1 ::

KALAM’S CLASSMATE RECALLS HIS COLLEGE DAYS

BY P S SUNDAR

For M N Bhojan (84), the demise of former President Abdul Kalam is a personal loss of a classmate.

“We studied together two years (1950-52) in Intermediate at St Joseph’s College, Trichy.  Then, Kalam chose two-year BSc Physics while I studied BA Economics.  All four years (1950-54), we stayed in the college’s New Hostel.  I stayed next to his room”, Bhojan told me.

“We were good friends. Both of us hailed from ordinary families and were determined to study well.  Kalam used to have vegetarian food with us. We never smoked.  We used to spend time together discussing many issues of significance.   Kalam had come with me to Thiruvanaikkaval temple.  He used to perform Namaz in the hostel”, Bhojan recalled.

“After college days, I lost touch with him.   I moved over to Nilgiris and worked as teacher.  In 2008, I was Principal of Gurukulam Matriculation School in Agalar village when I heard that Kalam was to visit JSS College of Pharmacy in Ooty.   I wrote to him refreshing our college days and sought appointment.  He was so happy that he asked me to bring my family to meet him”, he said.

“Kalam was very pleased to see us.   When I showed him of our Intermediate course group photo taken in 1951, he took on to himself the task of identifying us and laughed like a child spotting us.  We spoke of our college days, teachers and fellow students.  It was the most memorable re-union I had with him”, Bhojan reminisced.

“When Kalam asked me about Gurukulam School, I told him that our Correspondent Arjjunan had such a great respect for him that he had named a portion of the school as ‘Abdul Kalam block’.   I also told him that we follow Kalam’s ‘one student one tree’ scheme whereby each student is required to plant and nurture one tree in the school campus.   He told me not to give much publicity for him but hailed the tree concept”, Bhojan disclosed.

“Later, Kalam sent to us an official letter from Delhi hailing our tree project which we preserve as treasure”, added Bhojan who is now Academic Adviser to Gurukulam School, which is also affiliated to World Institute for Scientific Exploration (WISE), Harvard University Branch, USA. 

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)