Coming home: Sainik School hosts alumni reunion

Sainik School, Kapurthala, held a grand alumni reunion, hosting former students from across the globe. The event was graced by Vice Admiral Lochan Singh Pathania, Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India, as the chief guest and Harbans Singh Virk as the guest of honour.

Vice Admiral Pathania, an illustrious alumnus, delivered a heartfelt address, recounting his transformative journey at the school. “I owe my success to Sainik School, Kapurthala. It instilled in me the courage to overcome my fears, work in teams and build my character,” he said. Reflecting on his time as a cadet, he credited hostel life with shaping his leadership skills and resilience. Encouraging students to aim for the National Defence Academy (NDA), he stressed the values of discipline, patriotism and adaptability.

The event witnessed several notable contributions and recognitions. The Golden Jubilee batch pledged Rs 10 lakh towards school development, while the Silver Jubilee batch honoured Hostel Superintendent Devender Singh for his dedicated service.

The Old Boys’ Association (OBA) celebrated the school band’s top position in the IPSC competition by presenting mementos to Band IC RS Rana and Band Master Surjit Kumar. Notably, former student Gurnoor Singh Bath was awarded Rs 10,000 for his outstanding NDA merit selection, while Cadet Ranbir Singh (Class XII) and Girl Cadet Khushpreet Kaur (Class IX) received cash awards as Best Cadets.

Earlier, Vice Admiral Pathania paid floral tributes at the ‘SAIKAP Memorial’ to honour the school’s martyrs. He was welcomed with a ceremonial Guard of Honour by NCC cadets and a captivating performance by the school band. At the school auditorium, Principal Group Captain Madhu Sengar presented an academic report.

The gathering brought together distinguished alumni, including Lieutenant General (Retd) Gurdeep Singh, DIG Rajpal Singh Sandhu, Air Marshal (Retd) NJS Dhillon and several others from diverse fields.