ROLL NO: 37 GS STHANU DUTT

Roll No 37 GS Sthanu Dutt belongs to the first batch of cadets of Sainik School Kazhakootam. As a cadet, he won prizes in Light Music Competition and was appointed a House Captain in his senior year. He graduated in Science from MG College, Trivandrum, and left for Mumbai seeking opportunities, where he joined Kores (India) Ltd as a Sales Executive.

After working for more than two years in the company, he along with a relative started a small-scale manufacturing unit for domestic mixer grinders. This became a success in a year's time. He left the business after four years and resumed his sales career with Kores who offered him a position at their Hyderabad office. From then, he remained with Kores till retirement in 2012. While in Hyderabad (1978-85), he turned around a debt-ridden branch of the company to be the best among twenty branches with consistent performance for three years. For this achievement, he was promoted as Asst. Sales Manager and posted to the head-office in Mumbai.

Within three years, he was promoted as Sales Manager, and five years later, he was promoted as General Manager.  In another two years, he was elevated to the post of Vice President (Marketing). In 2002, he became the CEO of Kores (I) Ltd. The company, incorporated in 1936, is among India’s most trusted and respected brands. As a highly diversified business conglomerate, Kores India Ltd. operates across multiple industry verticals. From office products to pharmaceuticals, foundry to engineering infrastructure, and business automation products to textiles, the company is renowned for offerings that deliver high value. Sthanu Dutt retired in 2012. In his professional journey, he kept upgrading his skills to adequately handle higher responsibilities.  He attended courses in Administrative Staff College, Hyderabad; and Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, apart from many in Mumbai.

He now leads a retired life, reading, writing, singing, and doing social charity work. He took up the translation of Aithihyamala, an old popular Malayalam literary work by Kottarathil Sankunni describing the legends and lores of Kerala. He completed two volumes and e-published them under the title “Tales from Maveli's Land".

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2018-19 to Roll no: 37 GS Sthanu Dutt for contributions in the field of Management, attaining the leadership role in one of the prestigious business conglomerates in India, and maintaining his exemplary intellectual pursuits.

ROLL NO: 490 AJIT P MENON

Roll No 490 Ajit P Menon joined the school in 1966. A keen footballer, he passed out from school in 1973. He graduated with a Bachelor in Science degree from University of Calicut, and is a Sloan Fellow with MSc in Management from London Business School with specialisations in Finance and Strategy.

He had a stint of 14 years in banking with American Express Bank as a Relationship Officer, Senior Relationship Officer, Director and Regional Head - Eastern India, and later as Executive Director. In 2001, he founded Marchmont Capital Advisors, a corporate finance business based in Bangalore, advising on mergers & acquisitions, and private equity placements primarily in the technology vertical. He successfully ran the organisation as its CEO till January 2006 when he sold the business to IIFL Group, a listed financial services business. Marchmont has successfully completed transactions in India like the sale of Deccanet Designs to Flextronics, the sale of the digital multimedia technology business of Federal Technologies to Flextronics, the sale of Harrisons Malayalam's Cheruvally Estate, and the sale of a legacy investment stake of Honeywell Europe in Hindustan Sanitaryware, amongst others.

On merger with India Infoline Ltd, he was engaged as President - Investment Banking running an investment banking team involved in the listing of Indian companies through Initial Public Offerings (IPO), fund raising through Qualified Institutional Placements (QIP), Global Depository Receipts (GDR), Private Equity Placements, and Mergers & Acquisitions (both domestic and international). In November 2001, he joined as Group Strategy Director with the Holidaybreak Group London, UK, an education and activity travel group owned by Cox & Kings Limited, with market leading positions in the UK and other major European markets. He is presently its Deputy CEO. Ajit Menon is also currently the Director of four active companies - Hotels London Ltd, Hotelbreak Enterprise UK Ltd, Meininger Hotels Ltd, and Prometheon Holdings (UK) Ltd. The combined cash at bank value for the businesses equals £42.2m and a total current net worth of £102.4m. He has been also actively involved in social causes related to education and mentoring young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2018-19 to Roll no: 490 Ajit P Menon for outstanding achievements in the fields of Finance and Strategy in the international arena.

ROLL NO: 514 C ANANDAKRISHNAN

Roll No 514 C Anandakrishnan joined the School in January 1967.  He excelled in sports, captained the School Football team, and was also a member of the School Basketball team. He was awarded the TD Gopinath Memorial trophy (Footballer of the year) in 1972, and also represented the Kerala State Schools team in Football. He joined the 48th NDA Course in June 1972, where he captained the NDA Football team and was awarded the NDA Blue in Football and Basket Ball. He was commissioned into the 3rd Battalion of the 4th Gorkha Rifles in June 1976. At Defence Services Staff College, he secured the ‘Outstanding’ grading in the post-graduation course. His academic credentials include an MSc, MPhil, PG Diploma in Human Rights Law (National Law School of India University, Bangalore), and PG Diploma in Journalism.

He has held successful Command and Staff positions at all levels, in varied environment and terrain, including Siachen Glacier, high-altitude areas along the China border in Arunachal Pradesh, and the active Line of Control in J&K as well as counter-insurgency operations in the J&K valley, Manipur, and Assam. During a career spanning almost 40 years, he has been a directing staff at IMA and the DSSC, the Director General of Manpower Planning and Personnel Services, and the Deputy Chief of the Indian Army. He was enormously popular with his command and the local population, wherever he served. As the Inspector General, Assam Rifles, he succeeded in bringing down the tempo of terrorist activities in Manipur (2010-11) through emphasis on soldierly conduct, compassion, and treating people with dignity that resulted in building a great rapport with the local population.

During the tenure as the IGAR (South), he was awarded the Ati Vishishta Seva Medal. He took Operational Command of 4 Corps (2012-13), one of the largest formations deployed along the treacherous high altitude areas of Line of Actual Control on the Indo-Chinese border in Arunachal Pradesh. Through efficient management of the large manpower and equipment resources placed under his command and excellent rapport with other agencies operating in the area and the local population, he was successful in command. Simultaneously, on the counter insurgency front in Assam, which was also the responsibility of GOC 4 Corps, near normalcy was achieved for which he was awarded Uttam Yudh Seva Medal. He rose to be the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff and was also awarded the Param Vishishta Seva Medal.

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2018-19 to Roll no: 514 Lt Gen C Anandakrishnan PVSM, UYSM, AVSM for his outstanding military service, achieving the rare honour of rising to the rank of Lt Gen, and becoming the Deputy Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.

ROLL NO: 642 LOUIS GEORGE MEPRATH

Roll No 642 Louis George Meprath joined the school in 1968 in the eighth standard on transfer from Sainik School Goalpara. His passion for basketball was evident right from the school days. Member of the school basketball team, he represented the Trivandrum District team and was appointed as House Captain in his senior year. He passed out of school in 1972 as the Best All Round Cadet. Louis George joined the 48th NDA Course in his first attempt and did exceedingly well in academics as well as sports. He was a Battalion Cadet Captain and passed out third in overall merit winning the Bronze Medal. After his training in the Cadet Ship, he joined INS Shivaji for his post-graduation.

He was the Indian Navy Basketball Captain from 1979 to 1989. He was also a member of the Services Basketball team in the National Championships at Indore in 1980. He continued his association with the Services Team as its Manager for the Nationals conducted in Ludhiana in December 2004, at Pune in December 2005, at Pondicherry in December 2007, and at Delhi in 2010. He is a National ‘A’ Panel Referee of Basketball Federation of India. He is also a National-level Coach and is currently working towards the promotion of Wheelchair Basketball for the differently-abled. Louis George is a recipient of FOC-in-C Commendation in 1989, Chief of the Naval Staff's Commendation in 1994, Distinguished Service Award for Alumni by IIT Mumbai in 2011, and Achiever of the Year Award by OBA Sainik School Kazhakootam in 2015. He is a Bachelor of Science with additional degrees of M Tech, M Phil, PGDHRM, and MIE.

Being an active and passionate member of OBA since 1981, he has never missed a single Old Boys Day. He has been an executive member of the OBA since 1992, Vice President from 1992 to 2000, and President from 2001 to 2009, and also 2011-12. Stellar initiatives of the OBA under his leadership include the Stupa of Remembrance, Clock Tower, and Hut of Remembrance. He was also instrumental in getting individual batches to organise the Old Boys Day in their Silver Jubilee Year of passing out. Enrolling all cadets of the passing out batch as life members was also initiated during his tenure of leadership.

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2018-19 to Roll no: 642 Louis George Meprath for his outstanding contributions to sports as a national-level player, manager, referee, and coach of basketball, as well as his stellar contributions to the Sainik School and OBA.

ROLL NO: 81 PREMCHAND KAINIKKARA (SANU)

Roll No 81 Premchand Kainikkara, or Sanu Kainikkara as he is popularly known, belongs to the 1967 Batch of Sainik School Kazhakootam. As a cadet, he participated in Dramatics and represented the school in Football and Athletics.

He joined the 39 NDA Course as an Air Force Cadet and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on 24 June 1972. He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College and College of Air Warfare. He was a Fighter Pilot, a qualified Instructor, and also the recipient of two Commendations from the IAF Chief of Air Staff. He has flown over 4,000 hours on various fighter aircraft including MiG-21, 23, 25, 27, and 29; besides the Jaguar and Hunter). Sanu Kainikkara holds a Master of Science in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras. After having served with the Indian Air Force for 21 years, he took voluntary retirement as a Wing Commander.

Having left active duty with the Indian Air Force, he worked for four years as the senior analyst of a US Strategy Training Team in the Middle East, specialising in air power strategy, fighter operations, weapons and tactics, before migrating to Australia. He was invited to join as a consultant to the Air Operations Division of Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) of the Australian Defence Organisation. Thereafter, he joined the Australian Public Service. He has taught Aerospace Engineering at the RMIT University, Melbourne; is currently an Adjunct Professor at University of New South Wales; the inaugural Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for Regional Security, Canberra; a Distinguished Fellow at the Curtin University, Perth; and a Distingushed Fellow of the Centre for Air Power Studies, New Delhi. He is also the recipient of the Royal Australian Air Force Chief of Air Force’s Commendation. The University of Adelaide awarded him a PhD in International Politics. He is currently pursuing doctoral studies pertaining to the Law of Armed Conflict and Military Strategy at the ANU.

He has presented papers at a large number of international conferences besides publishing 19 working papers in various international professional journals and 22 books on national security, strategy, air power challenges, and history. He remains in continuous touch with the school and its alumni and is proud of the fact that he is a product of the school.

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2018-19 to Roll No: 81 Premchand Kainikkara for his stellar academic contributions in the field of National Security, Air Power Strategy, and History.

ROLL NO 116 C KRISHNADAS THAMPY

Roll No 116 C Krishnadas Thampy or CKT as he is better known held the appointment of a Junior House Prefect while in School.

Having passed out in 1968, his ardent wish to join the Defence Services remained unfulfilled, despite having passed the PAB Test for the Air Force. After graduation, he was selected as a Management Trainee with MAFCO, a Govt. of Maharashtra undertaking. During this tenure, he joined the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies but soon moved to assignments in Kuwait and Oman. In Oman, he interacted with leading automobile brands like Chrysler Motor Corporation and Mitsubishi Motor Corporation, including visits to their production establishments in the Far East.

He returned to India in 1987 to join DCM Toyota in Delhi and, later moved to Chennai as their Regional Manager. He took up an assignment in Tanzania in the automobile industry and returned to India in 1997 to head an Indo-Japanese joint venture of Itochu Corporation, set up for Honda Cars-India. In 2007, he was invited to the Board of Directors level as Managing Director of Toyota Nigeria Limited, an associate of Toyota Motor Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation. Serving 8 years in the capacity, he turned in an excellent growth, which was recognised with the CEO of the Year Award in 2013.

C.K.Thampy, a staunch Kazhakian, had been active in the OBA affairs during 1991-2000 and was President of OBA during 1994-95. Post 2000, he was active in Delhi and Chennai OBA Chapters. He is the largest individual contributor to the Students Scholarship Fund of the OBA.

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2017-18 to Roll no: 116 Shri C Krishnadas Thampy for his four decades of experience in the senior management of various companies in India, Middle East and Africa, his achievement of becoming Managing Director of Toyota Nigeria Limited and being awarded the CEO of the year in 2013, and his yeoman service and contributions to the growth of the OBA.

ROLL NO 207 M RAJAGOPALAN NAIR

Roll No 207 M Rajagopalan Nair of the 1968 Batch joined the School in 1963. As a cadet, he excelled in academics and extracurricular activities. Having graduated from the Kerala University with distinction, he did the Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing and Sales Management from Somani College of Communication and Management, Mumbai and won the Kulapathi Medal for scoring the highest marks.

He also attended several Management Development Programs offered by the Michigan University, Stanford University, IIMs at Ahmedabad and Calcutta, Administrative Staff College Hyderabad, World Association of Newspapers, and International News Media Association.

Manorama Group of Publications selected him from over 7,000 applicants through a series of tests, interviews and psychological tests. His first posting was as the Circulation Manager of Northern Kerala. He held several senior and prestigious managerial posts and assignments in the Manorama Group.

He is now the Vice President, Circulation of Manorama Group of Publications and bears overall charge of Marketing & Sales of Manorama Daily and 43 other Publications, a position where the Chief General Manager, Senior General Managers, General Managers, Senior Managers of Circulation and the Brand Management Teams report directly to him.

He was awarded the Professional Excellence Award by Jaycees International and was selected as the member of Group Study Exchange Team from India to Australia by Rotary International in 1988. He is also the Chairman of Rotary Alumni of District 3211 and a faculty on Newspaper Management for the Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism offered by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. A member of International News Media Association, he represents Manorama in INMA.

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2017-18 to Roll no: 207 M Rajagopalan Nair for his stellar contributions in the field of Newspaper Management and attaining the leadership role in one of the prestigious and largest news media groups in India.

ROLL NO: 379 DR. MJ ALEXANDER

Roll No 379 MJ Alexander of the 1970 Batch was the School Captain as well as the Captain of the School Basket Ball Team. He was adjudged the All Kerala Best Cadet in NCC. A Gold Medalist in the Pre Degree Examination, he also secured the first Rank for MD in Internal Medicine from Karnataka University in 1981. From 1984, he worked as a Consultant in Gastroenterology and Hepatology for two years in CMC Hospital, Vellore.

Dr. Alexander joined the Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam as a Consultant in Gastroenterology in 1986. He has been instrumental in establishing and developing a fully-fledged Gastroenterology department at RIPAS hospital. He has also been an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Internal Medicine with the University of Queensland, Brisbane and University of Brunei Darussalam since 2001, and a Visiting Consultant Gastroenterologist at Jerudong Park Medical Centre since 2004.

He has initiated many scientific research activities related to Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infections in Brunei and their treatment strategies for the Asia-Pacific region. An invited faculty, moderator and speaker for many international scientific meetings, he has been member of scientific bodies like Asian Pacific Association for the study of Liver, International Association for the Study of Liver, American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American Gastroenterology Association, and Indian Society of Gastroenterology.

For his meritorious services, Dr. Alexander was bestowed with state decorations by His Majesty The Sultan of Brunei: The Most Blessed Order of Setia Negara Brunei - PSB – in 1997, and The Most Honourable Order of The Crown of Brunei – SMB- in 2003, and The Most Distinguished Order of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa – DATO SERI LAILA JASA in 2012 – the highest honour awarded to a foreign national with the title of “Dato”, an equivalent of knighthood.

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2017-18 to Roll no: 379 Dr. MJ Alexander for his stellar contributions in the field of Medicine and having won national and international recognition in his sphere of activity thereby bringing glory to the School.

ROLL NO 381 LT GEN CHACKO THARAKAN AVSM, VSM

Roll No 381 Lt Gen Chacko Tharakan of the 1970 Batch was House Captain and Member of the School Athletics and Basketball Teams. Securing a distinction in the HSC Exams, he was selected to the NDA - ranked 6th in all India order of merit, a School Record that also won him the Kerala Government Trophy.

A topper amongst officers commissioned into Corps of Signals, his qualifications include M Tech from IIT Delhi, MSc Defence Studies from DSSC, M Phil – Defence Management from Army War College, and M Phil – National Security and Strategy from NDC, Delhi with outstanding grades. He has a distinguished operational experience in Op ORCHID (Nagaland, Manipur), Op PAWAN (Sri Lanka), Op RAKSHAK, and Op VIJAY (Rajauri, Poonch).

A member of the Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan, Instructor in Military College of Telecommunication Engineering, and Directing Staff at the DSSC, he superannuated as Director General from Army Headquarters in June 2014. He is a recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, and also the ‘Distinguished Alumni Medallion’ from the IMA.

His contributions to all the Sainik Schools have been outstanding. He initiated the decision to reserve vacancies of Registrars in Sainik Schools for alumni officers. Heading the Committee for Reformation/Modernisation of Sainik Schools, his recommendation in sanctioning Rs 50 Cr to Sainik School Society for Pay and Pension of Staff was approved and implemented. An yearly grant of Rs 2 Cr per School for modernisation of Laboratories, Classrooms, and Computer Laboratories was also sanctioned. He ensured participation of Signals Dispatch Rider (DR) Display Team during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the School, and also instituted a Rolling Trophy in the School for the Best Cadet in Leadership Qualities.

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2017-18 to Roll no: 381, Lt Gen Chacko Tharakan, VSM, AVSM  for his stellar achievements in the profession of arms, his contributions to all the Sainik Schools of the country, and the spirited contribution to his alma mater

ROLL NO 428 Dr B MOHANACHANDRAN

Roll No 428 B Mohanachandran was a studious, well behaved and popular student who participated in all games and sports activities, and also excelled in academics. He was a member of the School Hockey Team. On passing out from the school in 1972, after a brief stint in St. Xavier’s College, Thumba, he se-cured admission for BVSc at Govt Veterinary College, Trichur.

Soon after graduation, he joined the Kerala Govt service and earned a reputation as a sincere and humane veterinary surgeon who specialised in taking care of animals belonging to poor farmers from rural areas. He was an active member of SPCA and made sterling contributions in preventing cruelty towards animals. In all his postings as a Government Veterinary Surgeon, he opted for rural areas and made a mark as a veterinarian who cared for the poor and the needy. His passion for the animals and their welfare is well chronicled in his book ‘Mindapranikalum Njanum’.

Dr. B Mohanachandran is an active member of the School OBA, who in his inimitable style, did yeoman service to the organisation and, thereby to the Alma mater. He served as the Joint Secretary of OBA from 1974 to 1991, Treasurer from 1992 to 1994, EC member from 1996 to 2000, General Secretary from 2000 to 2002 and, finally the President of the OBA from 2012 to 2014.

It is a matter of great pride for our School that Dr. B Mohanachandran was twice nominated to be the member of the Regional Office of the Central Board of Film Certification from 2014 onwards. His reputation and popularity as a passionate veterinary doctor, spread far and wide, not only amongst the Kazhak fraternity but veterinarian community, locals and rural farmers in many parts of Kerala.

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2017-18 to Roll no: 428 Dr. B Mohanachandran for his contributions towards animal care and welfare, social commitment, and yeoman service to the Old Boys Association.

ROLL NO 901 COL KPR HARI VrC

Roll No 901, Col KPR Hari, of the 1978 Batch represented the School in Football, Hockey, Cricket, and Boxing. Graduating from NDA and IMA, he was commissioned into the First Battalion of the Bihar Regiment. An extremely dedicated officer, he soon won over the hearts of his seniors and juniors alike. His sporting skills endeared him to his troops in no time. He did all the mandatory courses with élan and steadily built his career graph. The confidence his seniors and the Indian Army reposed in him can be gauged from his being one of the few officers who had been selected for and participated in two United Nations Peace Keeping Missions, including one as Commanding Officer of his unit.

May 1999 saw mass troop movement into the budding war zone at Mushko, Drass, and Kargil. KPR Hari, then a Major, was part of his battalion, which moved up towards the war zone. On night 6/7 July 1999, Major KPR Hari was tasked to attack “Jubar Top”, an enemy stronghold at the height of 16,800 feet in Batalik Sector. He launched a two-pronged attack. Disregarding his own safety, Maj KPR Hari crawled through the boulders over a stiff cliff and destroyed the enemy Heavy Machine Gun hanger and killed two enemy personnel. The enemy sensing immediate capture withdrew leaving a huge quantity of arms, ammunition, and equipment and the post was captured at 5.00 am without any casualty. Major KPR Hari, along with another officer, kept the momentum of the attack and captured Juber Main by 6.00 pm.

Major KPR Hari displayed unique initiative, bold action, indomitable courage, strong determination and exceptional leadership in capturing Juber Main. For this heroic act, Major KPR Hari was awarded the Vir Chakra.

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2017-18 to Roll No: 901 Col KPR Hari, VC  for his outstanding qualities of leadership and valour in war and bringing honour and glory to the School as the first receipient of Vir Chakra from the School.

ROLL NO 142, DR JACOB EAPEN

Roll No 142, Dr. Jacob Eapen joined the school at the Pangode campus in 1962. Following his MBBS from Trivandrum Medical College, he had an illustrious career for many years and in 1992 he completed a second residency from Stanford University. He was the only Indian selected as one of 40 outstanding Stanford Medical Alumni from among 7000 graduates of the last 60 years to be profiled in a book commemorating 40 years of the Stanford Medical School in Palo Alto. In 1988, Dr Eapen was appointed Health Advisor by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the first Indian to hold that post.  He is one of the first Keralites to receive the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honour Award in 2007, which recognises distinguished Americans and includes past Presidents and Nobel Prize winners. 

In 2007, Dr Eapen was also honoured with the Mother Theresa Award for Humanitarian of the Year by the Friends of the South Asian American Communities. He received the Federation of Malayalee Associations of Americas Achievement Award in recognition of outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of Medicine and Public Health in July 2010. He was the first Indian ever to win a public election in Northern California when elected to the board of a local community hospital in Fremont, California. He was awarded the Spectacular Care Giver of 1999 by Alameda County Health Services. He is also the first Indian to receive the Physician Recognition Award from California Medical board from amongst nearly 100,000 licensed physicians. He had also been appointed as the Health Advisor to the Government of Kerala.

In spite of his busy schedule, he attends a number of OBA meets and was instrumental in starting the American Chapter of OBA. He also worked with the California legislature to release a commendation from the California State Assembly to Sainik School when the OBA USA chapter was floated. He is being awarded the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his numerous achievements in the field of medicine, public health, and his yeoman service to the alumni community.

ROLL NO 15, LT COL A BALASUBRAMANIAN (RETD)

Roll No 15, Lt Col A Balasubramonian (Retd) joined Sainik School at the Pangode campus in 1962 in the first Batch. The eminent Officers and Masters of the newly established public school noticed his leadership potential right from the start and appointed him as the first School Captain of this prestigious institution, an enviable honour for any student. He remained the School Captain for three full years till he joined National Defence Academy in 1965. On being commissioned from Indian Military Academy, he joined the Regiment of Artillery and went on to command a Regiment as a Lt Col.

He upheld high values and ethics at a young age and served as a role model for cadets of the school. He continued to guide and motivate junior Kazhaks to perform their best at NDA. After a glorious period of service in the army, he dedicated himself to guiding candidates in preparation for SSB interviews. Thousands of candidates, who were oblivious to the nuances of SSB interviews, were benefited by his intervention. To his credit, more than 1800 candidates guided by him have been selected as officers in the Armed Forces, many among them from poorer sections of the society. 

A unifying force for the KAZHAK community, he has been deeply involved in bonding Kazhaks at various stations, where he served during his tenure. He is the Founder President of the OBA SSKZM Bangalore Chapter. Today, he continues to be a leading light and think-tank to the KAZHAK fraternity.

He is being awarded the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2016-17 for his exemplary standards of leadership and teamwork that are worthy of emulation, his social responsibility to the cause of training candidates for armed forces careers, and his outstanding commitment towards the welfare of the OBA community.

ROLL NO 210, LT COL K JOSEPH SAMUEL, SM (RETD)

Lt Col K Joseph Samuel, SM (Retd) of 1967 batch, popularly known as Sam, House Captain of a Junior House and an excellent footballer and cricketer, also did exceedingly well in theatre and debates. He was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery and saw action in the Eastern Theatre of the 1971 War. In 1975, he graduated to flying joining the Army Aviation Corps (then known as Air Observation Post or Air OP for short). He was awarded the Sena Medal for gallantry in 1986 for participating in the Siachen Operations.

After his stint with the Army, Sam took on an entrepreneurial mantle playing an equal role in the formation of Deccan Aviation. Air Deccan went on to become the first budget airline in India – fulfilling the flying dreams of millions of common people. His path-breaking achievements in the field of aviation and entrepreneurship pale in comparison to his ongoing efforts for the cause of underprivileged children. Jeevarathni Foundation – run by Sam and his family – is working to create positive transformation in the lives of less fortunate children.

Jeevarathni’s campus at Nallur, 15 Kms from Sarjapur in Bengaluru, is a remarkable sanctuary of love and compassion. It has six homes, each built to house about 10 children. Each home has a mother-in-charge, who ensures proper nutrition, uniforms, and the general well-being of the children. The children, being educated in government schools, are provided additional inputs by way of computer training, skill development, language coaching, and dance classes. Other initiatives of Jeevarathni Foundation include care for underprivileged girl children, home for specially-abled children, and one for the elderly, spreading environmental awareness, and providing preventive health care in the local communities.

He is awarded the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2016-17 in recognition of his path-breaking achievements in the field of aviation, and his dedication to the service of humanity.

ROLL NO 23, LT GEN ISAAC JOHN KOSHY AVSM, PVSM (RETD)

Roll No. 23, Lt Gen Isaac John Koshy, AVSM, PVSM (Retd) joined the school in 1962. An excellent sportsman, he was adjudged the best all-rounder from his batch. He also won the President’s Award for standing first in order of merit for entry into NDA.

He joined the 33rd NDA Course and later the IMA, from where he was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery. He qualified for the prestigious LGSC and DSSC and also served as an instructor in DSSC Wellington. He commanded two Brigades, one in a counter-insurgency role in Tangmarg, Kashmir, and the other also in Jammu & Kashmir. He was appointed as Deputy Military Secretary in the Army Headquarters, a post reserved for officers with highest integrity and fairness.

As a testimony to his extraordinary professionalism, he was posted again as Additional Military  Secretary in the rank of Major General. He was also Chairman of the Canteen Stores Department, again a responsibility demanding a high sense of commitment and integrity. His appointments as Lt
General included being posted as Director General - Vigilance, Ceremonial and Welfare and also, Director - General Artillery, the highest position in the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.
He has been awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Seva Medal for his distinguished service, in addition to the Chief of Army Staff’s Commendation Card and ADC. Lt Gen IJ Koshy remained the hallmark of leadership, integrity and utmost professionalism during his entire career. He has been a leading light in the Delhi Chapter of OBA, participating in its illustrious growth, and has earned the respect of alumni who have interacted with him.

He is being awarded the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2016-17 for his exemplary standards of leadership and integrity and for being the first alumni to reach the rank of Lt Gen, thereby bringing pride and glory to the School.

ROLL NO 249, LT GEN GOVIND MOHAN NAIR AVSM, PVSM (RETD)

Roll No 249, Lt Gen Govind Mohan Nair AVSM PVSM (Retd) – popularly known as G M Nair - joined the School in 1964. He excelled in Academics and extra-curricular activities and achieved the rare distinction of becoming House Captain when he was in the 10th std. He became the School Captain later and joined the NDA in 1968. He excelled at both NDA and IMA and graduated in the top bracket in order of merit from both institutions. On being commissioned as 2nd Lt, he joined 1/11 Gorkha Rifles in April 1972.

During a span of 39 years and 10 months of service in the Indian Army, he excelled in several positions including commanding an Infantry Division in J&K in OP RAKSHAK. Lt Gen GM Nair has held important Staff and Instructional appointments such as GSO3 of a Brigade, BM of a Brigade, Col GS of a Division, Col MS Foreign Postings and Courses at Army HQ, Instructor at Higher Command Wing of Army War College, Addl Dir Gen CAB at Army HQ, and Military Secretary of the Indian Army. Lt Gen G M Nair has done important professional courses including Defence Staff College Course, Senior Command Course, and Higher Command Course and has the rare distinction of having been selected for NDC and being nominated for US Army War College Course.

For his outstanding services, Lt Gen G M Nair  (Retd) was awarded Sena Medal (Gallantry), Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Seva Medal. During his service in the Indian Army, he has projected and pursued issues concerning problems of funding and administration of Sainik Schools at the highest levels. He has also made a personal contribution of Rs. 5 lakhs to his alma mater towards scholarships for deserving students.

He is being awarded the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2016-17 for his exemplary career achievements and attaining the rank of Lt Gen, thereby bringing pride and glory to Sainik School, Kazhakootam and the Alumni fraternity.

ROLL NO 50, DR GIRIJA SHANKER

Roll No 50, Dr Girija Shanker joined the school in 1962 at its Pangode campus. In 1965, he was selected as House Captain of Shivaji House and, later, became the School Captain in 1966. He represented the school in Athletics and Hockey and was also an active participant in Dramatics and Debating.

While doing his MBBS at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum, he excelled in sports and extra-curricular activities. He was chosen as the best speaker from 1971 to 1973, best allround athlete in 1973, best drama producer, and also awarded the title of Mr Encyclopaedia for General Knowledge for 5 consecutive years. He subsequently did his Residency in Psychiatry from National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore and MRC Psych at the Royal College of Psychiatrist’s Post Graduate Training in Psychiatry, Dublin, Republic of Ireland.

He was the first Psychiatrist in the Sultanate of Brunei and did pioneering work in establishing, modernising and developing psychiatric services for the whole country. His practise of more than two decades and contributions to psychiatry were acknowledged and awarded by the Sultan of Brunei. In 2000, the Royal College of Psychiatrists of the U.K. recognised his pioneering work in Brunei and made him a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK). He is also a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, a rare distinction for any psychiatrist.

He has been actively involved with the OBA activities since 1967. He is also active as a member of the 1966 batch and makes it a point often to visit his alma-mater and motivate the cadets. 

He is being awarded the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2016-17 for his exemplary achievements in school and college, his pioneering work and recognition in the field of Psychiatry and his active contributions for the welfare of the alumni community. 

Roll No 80, Rajeevnath of 1967 batch joined the School in 1962. He exhibited his aptitude for the performing arts at a precocious age. He acted in a number of skits and plays, while simultaneously displaying his flair for direction. An all-round personality, he also excelled in elocution and debates.

After finishing his university course, Rajeevnath ventured into filmmaking with a short film shot on a 16mm camera. He debuted as a director with his feature film Thanal in 1976. The film won him the Kerala State Film Award for Best Director. He thus found himself in the august company of renowned directors like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, G Aravindan, KS Sethumadhavan and MT Vasudevan Nair at a young age of 24. His 1988 film, Kadaltheerathu, based on the short story by OV Vijayan, was selected for Indian Panorama at the International Film Festival of India. The film, produced with
a minuscule budget of Rs. 600,000 was the Indian entry for the Alexandria Film Festival. His 1992 film, Aham was made with Rs. 46 lakhs, despite starring superstar Mohanlal.

His 1999 film, Janani, exploring maternity, was premiered in Oslo, Norway and won him the National Film Award for Best Direction. Thus he joined the ranks of Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Girish Karnad, Shyam Benegal and other eminent directors. In 2008, he teamed up with Mohanlal again for Pakal Nakshatrangal for which Mohanlal received the Kerala Film Critics Award and Mathrubhumi Award for the Best Actor.

He was appointed a member of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation in 1996. Later, he became the Chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and drew accolades for organising the International Film Festival, Kerala (IIFK) in 2015 impeccably. Despite his busy schedule, he has been an active participant in OBA and Chapter activities. 

He is being awarded the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2016-17 for his stellar contributions to Indian Cinema and winning the National Award and State Award for Best Film Director, besides numerous other accomplishments. 

Roll no: 106/1965, Dr. Jacob Mathew PhD

Roll no: 106 Dr Jacob Mathew PhD of 1965 batch, joined Pangode campus of SSKZM in 1962. On completion, he graduated in Chemistry from University of Kerala in 1971. He did his post graduation and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from University of Akron, Ohio, USA. Further, he did Postdoctoral Research studies in the Chemistry departments of Northwestern University, Chicago and Purdue University.

He is an accomplished leader in Process Development Chemistry – experienced in transferring chemical processes from the lab to metric ton production of complex pharmaceuticals and APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients), developing alternate environmentally friendly reaction pathways, process discovery and process development for economical production of drugs. Adept in Multi-step synthesis of novel drugs for the treatment of viral diseases, CNS (Central Nervous Systems) disorders, and anti-tumor antibiotics, he has been involved in synthesis and development of cost-effective processes of several experimental drug candidates for clinical studies for pharma sector clients.

He has conducted 98 experiments in support of two level statistical factorial studies to improve and validate the chemical process development of a novel nucleoside anti-viral drug. Also, among his contributions are designing and synthesizing novel thiazolidinones for screening as low pH corrosion inhibitors—two of which proved highly successful in field trials earning him a US patent. Recipient of the Mallinckrodt CEO Extraordinary Performance award in 1996 and Mallinckrodt Patent recognition awards in 1993 and 1994, he received the Green Chemistry Award from Innocentive, LLC in July 2010.

A Member of Royal Society of Chemistry and American Chemical Society, he is advisor/consultant of several pharmaceutical Companies, author of 17 publications including "Chemistry of Antibiotics" (International Edition). He is credited with 14 patents to his name. Chief among his contributions to SSKZM are the motivational talks delivered to cadets and for clarifying various aspects of Chemistry in the recent years.

He is being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of exceptional achievements in the field of science, earning numerous awards in addition to authoring path-breaking publications and being credited with several patents for his innovative work.

Roll no: 158/1965 Babu Gireesh K

Roll no: 158 Babu Gireesh of 1965 batch, joined Pangode campus of SSKZM in 1962. A brilliant student at school he was keen on being efficient, maximizing the rewards while minimizing the efforts.

He joined IIT Madras for his B Tech to be the first alumni of SSKZM to join an IIT after which he decided to study Industrial Engineering at National Institute of Training in Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Bombay. At NITIE, as a summer project, he demonstrated the use of computer in a bridge construction (Panvel Bridge in Mumbai) to manage its planning and execution, a first in civil construction in India. Soon after NITIE, he joined Larsen and Toubro as managment trainee for a year and then ICICI in their investment banking division, to provide finance for industrial development in various parts of India. Keltron was one of his projects in Kerala besides few others.

Two years into ICICI, he decided to go to Syracuse for his MBA which was a two year course, but he finished in a year, with advanced standings and through waiver exams. He won the best thesis award for his computer simulation model to predict foreign exchange rates between countries. After MBA, he moved to Boston to work as IT Manager for VISA, the credit card company and here he got interested in fault tolerant systems in banking, a new field those days. He then decided to pursue a Masters course at Massachusetts Institute of Technology( MIT), to learn more about computers and their applications.

In 1980, he started a consultancy service offering advice on developing operating systems, computer languages and data bases. Over a period of 25 years, he worked with IBM, Walmart, TJ Max and dozen other companies advising them how to use computers to streamline their operations to increase productivity and to improve profits. He was associated with Marvin Minsky, the father of Artificial Intelligence in designing a database for “thinking machines” so that the “machine” learns through mistakes and tries to avoid them in future. He also worked on designing Very Large Data Bases, over a terabyte of a data, with its own query language, for American Express. It was a big achievement in the 90s, but very common these days. It was a sort of predecessor to Big Data.

Another of his project was to set a computer system for the White Head Institute at MIT for David Baltimore, Nobel prize winner in Medicine in 74. The project was unique since the design called for optimum use of computing power to manage their complicated genetic applications. Those days computing power was restricted and processes had to be synchronized to get the maximum output, which was a challenge. In the eighties, he also designed a comprehensive system to manage various administrative functions of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts when Michal Dukakis, the Democratic Presidential nominee in 1988, was the Governor and John Kerry, now the Secretary of State, was the Lt Governor.

Since 2007, he is retired and pursues his hobbies which include flying, sailing, travel, hand gliding, hiking and camping. He holds a private flying license and whenever he gets a chance he sails in Boston harbor. He has travelled to over 50 countries, hiked to Mt Everest Base camp and camped in Amazon river basin. Currently, he is working on a curriculum for students of Computer science in a Mongolian University.

He values his association with the school over his professional achievements and so inspite of his busy schedule he keeps in regular touch with the School. The Capt K Govindan Kutty Menon Roll No 151 Memorial Endowment for the highest rank holder in the Entrance Examination and who joins the Indian Naval Academy in the first Chance has been instituted by him to honour the memory of his classmate from the Merchant Marine who passed away in 2002. To honour the memory of another illustrious alumni, Col NJ Nair, Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra he institiuted a Trophy and Endowment in his name for the best all round cadet of each year. He also instituted the Lt Col BK Somaiah Memorial Trophy and Award for the most promising Cadet of the year to honour our first Principal. Another of his trophies is to be presented to the winner in the inter House Aquatic competition.

He believes in sharing his fortune with less fortunate ones. In the nineties, he set up an endowment to finance poor students in Kerala. So far, over 100 school and college students, including 3 students attending professional colleges and one IIT, have benefitted from the fund. His dream is to see “a Kazak on top of Mt Everest”. 

He is being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his impressive academic achievements, professional excellence in the field of Computer Science and contribution to the School and to the society.

Roll no: 167/1966, PC Thomas

Roll no: 167 PC Thomas of 1966 batch, joined Pangode campus of SSKZM in 1962. At school, he was proficient in Malayalam language, and proved his mettle as an excellent orator and singer. He participated in dramatics and featured in many a stellar role in student plays. After passing out, he did his Bachelors in Science, followed by a Degree in Law.

Keeping up the political tradition of his father, late PT Chacko, P.C. Thomas joined politics and was elected six times consecutively as a Member of the Lok Sabha, representing the Muvattupuzha constituency in Kerala for 20 years from 1989 to 2009 i.e. the 9th to 14th Lok Sabha. He is also the first parliamentarian to be elected from the National Democratic Alliance in Kerala. At the pinnacle of his political career, he also served as Union Minister of State for Law and Justice in the AB Vajpayee Government.

During his glittering political career, he visited SSKZM several times, both as an MP and as a a Central Minister and motivated students through his talks. He has also extended timely assistance to SSKZM to solve several issues using his contacts and influence.

He is being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his distinguished political service, his yeoman contributions to SSKZM and bringing glory to the school fraternity by being the first alumnus to become a Union Minister of State.

Roll no: 38/1965 Lt Gen SP Sreekumar, PVSM, AVSM (Retd)

Roll no: 38 Lt Gen SP Sreekumar, PVSM, AVSM (Retd) of 1965 batch, joined Pangode campus of SSKZM in 1962. A stylish Cricket player and a left handed batsman, he also excelled in Football and Athletics, and was the House Captain of Nehru House. He joined the 33rd NDA Course and continued to excel in sports there as well being the Football Captain of the NDA Team. He also played Cricket for the Academy and played with renowned players like ML Jaisimha, MAK Pataudi, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Beg.

A Squadron Cadet Captain in NDA, SP Sreekumar was a Senior Under Officer in IMA as well. Commissioned into the Signal Corps, he participated in the Bangladesh operations of 1971. He had two tenures as Brigade Major, which is rare for an officer from any Corps – one of them during Operation Meghdooth in Siachen Sector. He served as an Instructor in Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Military College of Telecommunication Engineering and Armoured Corps Centre & School. As a Colonel, he was posted as U6(Chief Signal Officer) in United Nations Operations in Somalia, where he had the challenging responsiblity of providing internal and external communications. He was Director, Military Operations in Army Headquarters, an appointment reserved for people with the highest tactical acumen.

As a Brigadier, he held important appointments as Deputy Military Secretary and Sub Area Commander. As a Major General, despite being from the Corps of Signals, he was posted as Major General-in-charge, Administration in a Corps. He was also Chief Signal officer of a Corps and a Command in Jammu & Kashmir. He finally reached the position of Signal Officer-in-Chief of the Indian Army, which is the senior most position that an officer from the Corps of Signals can reach. He is the recipient of Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card.

To mention some of the contributions to his alma mater, he has instituted a Trophy for the best Student in SSKZM and was instrumental in establishing the Computer Lab while he was Signal Officer-in-Chief. He also inaugurated the bust of Captain R Harshan, AC in the campus and it was due to his efforts that the Chief of Army Staff visited SSKZM for inaugurating the Bust of Col NJ Nair, AC, KC.

He is being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his impressive service record and bringing glory to SSKZM by being one of the first alumni to reach the rank of Lt General.

Roll no: 6/1965, Lt Gen Thomas Mathew, PVSM, AVSM (Retd)

Roll no: 6 Lt Gen Thomas Mathew, PVSM, AVSM (Retd) of 1965 batch, joined Pangode campus of SSKZM in 1962. An excellent sportsman, he represented the school in Cricket and Football and was the House Captain of Veluthampy House. He joined Golf Squadron in the 33rd NDA Course and continued to excel in sports there as well, earning the coveted Academy Blue in Tennis and Cricket.

A Divisional Cadet Captain in NDA, Thomas Mathew was a Battalion Cadet Adjutant in IMA. Commissioned into 2nd Battalion of the Rajput Regiment, he participated in the Bangladesh Operations of 1971. One can find mention of his name in the book 'Courage and Conviction', written by Gen VK Singh. He also gained valuable exposure in Counter Insurgency Operations during his tenures in Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram and Punjab. Commanding his own Battalion is a dream of all Infantry Officers which came true in the case of Thomas Mathew when he commanded 2 RAJPUT in Jammu and Kashmir. Having commanded a Mountain Brigade in the Eastern Sector, he was selected to serve as Military Attache’ to France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands for three years.

He commanded a Division which was part of the Strike Corps during Operation Parakram, an offensive exercise in the Western Sector. He was also chosen as General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area which gave him the honour of commanding the Republic Parade twice. He commanded a Corps in the Eastern Sector after which he served as the Adjutant General of the Indian Army, a very important appointment and the highest position that an army officer from the school had reached at that time. He was also member of the Governing Council of Indian Golf Union, the apex body of amateur golf in India.

During his distinguished service, he was awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Seva Medal. After retirement from the Army, he was the Administrative Member of the Kochi Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal with the status of a High Court Judge.

He is being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for bringing glory to SSKZM in different stages of his impressive career and attaining the rank of Lt General and being the Adjutant General of Indian Army

Roll no: 61/1966 Dr U Sarat Chandran IAS (Retd)

Roll no: 61 Dr U Sarat Chandran IAS (Retd) of 1966 batch, joined Pangode campus of SSKZM in 1962. He holds an MA in Development Economics, Macro,Development, and Quantitative Techniques from Williams College, Massachusetts, United States. He also holds a doctorate – PhD in Economics from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, United States.

He is the first SSKZM alumnus to become an IAS officer (1974 batch) and joined the Orissa Cadre. During his career he held several senior positions in Government of India as well as Government of Orissa. He worked as Joint Secretary, Department of Economic affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India; Principal Secretary, Finance Department, Government of Orissa; Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Orissa.

He was also the first Indian to be selected as Secretary General of the Colombo Plan, an inter-governmental organization with 26 member countries established in 1950 to strengthen economic and social development of member countries in the Asia-Pacific region, headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He also worked as Advisor with the Independent Evaluation Office of the International Monetary Fund, Washington DC, which is responsible for conducting evaluations of IMF policies and activities.

He is being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his distinguished civil service, his yeoman contributions to reputed international bodies and bringing glory to the school fraternity by being the first alumnus to join the Indian Administrative Service.

Roll no: 64/1966, TK Chandramohanan

Roll no: 64 TK Chandramohanan of 1966 batch, joined class VII at Pangode campus of SSKZM in 1962. A friendly person by nature, he excelled in academics and also took keen interest in organising social and cultural programmes. While in school he held the appointment of Lance Corporal and was also awarded Merit Certificates in General Knowledge, Social Studies and Malayalam. Having passed out in 1966 he graduated with flying colours and was first rank holder in Kerala University and a University Record holder in Economics. He also won prizes in Quiz, Essay, Elocution and Debate Competitions at University and State levels.

OBA, founded in 1969 by Mr N Balakrishnan Nair as Master-in-charge, had students still in colleges and NDA as its members. While the late Mr PC Satish Chandran was its first Secretary, the Principal of the school was the ex-officio President. Chandramohanan was active in the OBA since its inception and contributed in its growth by holding different positions in the Executive Committee. He was the first Old Boy President of OBA since the Principal, Sainik School held the position ex-officio until then. He was Auditor for three years from 1978 to 1981, Secretary for 10 years from 1982 to 1992, President for 3 years from 1992 to 1995 and a Batch Representative for many years including during the current period. This record of continuous service to the OBA is unique only to TK Chandramohanan.

He took initiative to arrange a meeting place for Old Boys - known as the Kazaks Club - and was its Founder President. Besides forming the Trivandrum chapter of Old Boys, he has attended OBA programmes in various parts of India, the GCC Countries, UK and USA. He organised the first meeting of the alumni in USA to form the US Chapter of OBA. He initiated the process to form the UK Chapter. He continues to be an Executive Committee Member representing six batches and maintains links with old Masters and students.

He is being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his love for the alma mater and continuous and exceptional service to the OBA for over 46 years

Major General KS Venugopal, VSM (413/72)

Roll No 413 KS Venugopal of the 1972 Batch was an all-rounder in school and excelled in games, theatre, and music. He participated in debate, storytelling, recitation, and excelled in all of them. He joined NDA in the 49th Course and passed out in December 1976.

Commissioned into the 14th Battalion of the JAT Regiment, he was an outstanding officer who was professionally sound and exceedingly popular with his men. Nominated to the coveted Defence Services Staff College and Higher Command Courses, his staff appointments included General Staff Officer Grade 3 and Brigade Major of Infantry Brigades, Colonel Administration of an Infantry Division — wherein he displayed excellent administrative skills in Operation Parakram — and Major General Logistics of HQ Southern Command. He commanded his battalion in Joshimath and the Kashmir valley. His outstanding command of an Infantry Brigade in J&K earned him the Vishisht Seva Medal. As General Officer Commanding of Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area, he gave special attention to the School and the Bangalore Chapter of OBA.

Major General KS Venugopal brought glory to SSKZM through his selfless and distinguished service over 38 years. A people’s General, the unique quality he displayed over the years in NDA, IMA, and his entire service has been his remarkable love for the alma mater. He took a special interest in supporting cadets and old boys and helped improve the infrastructure of the school. Regularly attending the Old Boys Day every year, he took on the mantle of heading the Bangalore Chapter of OBA, one of the best-managed Chapters, and conducts regular meetings to provide a platform for the alumni to interact socially and professionally. 

CITATION

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2019-20 to Roll no: 413 Maj Gen KS Venugopal, VSM for his outstanding military service, and his yeoman contributions to the community of Old Boys and the School.

Alex Pothen (500/73)

Roll No 500 Alex Pothen of the 1973  Batch was ranked first every year during his school years. Ranked eighth in the All-India Higher Secondary Examination, he joined IIT Delhi as a National Science Talent Scholar for the Integrated Master’s degree program in chemistry, and was awarded the Director’s Silver Medal for graduating first in 1978. He joined Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, to work with the Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, Prof. Roald Hoffman. However, he realised his interests were in computer science, and was awarded his PhD in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science in 1984. His PhD thesis was adjudged the best thesis in the Alston S. Householder prize competition.

After holding appointments at Penn State University, the University of Waterloo (Canada), Old Dominion University, and ICASE (a research institute at NASA), he has been a professor at Purdue University since 2008, one of the top ten universities in engineering in the U.S. His research group in computational science and engineering is ranked among the top five, and the computer science department is ranked eleventh in the U.S. He has published more than 110 research papers and cited more than 6000 times. His work led to a new research area called Combinatorial Scientific Computing. One of his papers on spectral graph partitioning has been cited more than 2000 times, and underlies the basis for the search engine used by Google.

He has served as the Director of the CSCAPES Institute, a pioneering research centre to enable the solution of grand challenge problems in science and engineering; and also the Computing Research Institute at Purdue, which explored the use of supercomputers to solve compute-intensive problems in science. He is an editor of the flagship journal in computer science — the Journal of the Association for Computing Machinery, and computational mathematics — the SIAM Review. Alex was named a Fellow of the SIAM, the highest professional recognition, for “advances in combinatorial algorithms for scientific applications, and for leadership in founding the combinatorial scientific computing community”.

CITATION

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2019-20 to Roll no: 500 Alex Pothen for his outstanding contributions in the field of Computer Science, and his inspiring leadership in the fields of academics and research.

PJ Joseph (550/74)

Roll No 550 PJ Joseph of the 1974 Batch was good in academics and sports during his tenure in school. Excellent in Football, Volleyball, Basketball and Table Tennis, he represented the School in Table Tennis. A prefect of the Ashoka House, he cleared the SSB, but could not join the NDA for medical reasons. A graduate in business management, he joined a postgraduate course in Bank Management. In 1979, he joined the General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC) as a trainee officer, and was assigned to the New India Assurance Company Limited in 1980. 

His appointment as Managing Director of the company’s subsidiary in the West Indies was an important milestone. Though a small but fiercely competitive market, the company grew profitable under his leadership. Transferred to United India Insurance Company as General Manager in 2009, he was responsible for the Health Insurance portfolio, where he had the distinction of implementing the Health Scheme of Tamil Nadu Government, a precursor to the current health scheme implemented by the central government. In 2012, he was appointed the Chairman and Managing Director of Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited, which is India’s and the world’s largest crop insurer. He also worked closely with the Central Government to launch the Prime Minister's Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). In 2016, he was appointed as a full-time member of the board of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, the apex body responsible for the general insurance segment.

He credits his success mainly to the training he received in the school, which unbeknown to him, prepared him for a successful professional journey. Hailing from a rural background, his confidence to take up challenges was ingrained in the 7 1/2 years period in the school. As a gesture of his gratitude, he was instrumental in releasing 20 lakhs from the General Insurance Company for the creation of 10 Smart Classrooms in the school.

CITATION

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2019-20 to Roll no: 550 PJ Joseph for his outstanding achievements in the insurance sector, achieving the highest position in India’s public sector insurance, and his exceptional support towards modernising classroom infrastructure of the school.

CR Sasikumar (551/74)

Roll No 551 CR Sasikumar of the 1974 Batch was a member of the school football and hockey teams. Although he cleared SSB, he could not join NDA for medical reasons. Joining St Thomas College Ranny for graduation, he was elected the General Secretary of the College Union. He  graduated in Economics from Kerala University.

Joining State Bank of India as a Probationary Officer in 1978, his formative years were in the field of Small and Medium Enterprises financing.  After gaining substantial knowledge in Forex business as Business Head SME, Mumbai Circle, the largest circle of SBI, he was selected as the CEO SBI Shanghai in 2007. He took charge of the China Operations of the Bank immediately after the branch was set up. This was the first branch of any Indian commercial bank in China. He became the MD of SBI SG Global Securities in 2012. In 2013, he was appointed Chief General Manager, SBI, Local Head Office, Hyderabad — responsible for the short and medium-term strategy of 1300 branches in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He subsequently became the Deputy Managing Director (Inspection & Management Audit), State Bank of India in 2015.

He was handpicked as the Managing Director, State Bank of Travancore at a crucial juncture which saw the merger of the bank with SBI. A key responsibility was to oversee the buy-in of all the stakeholders for the merger, and ensure a seamless process, which he carried out in an exemplary manner in a state where unions make it tough. Subsequent to the merger, he was re-designated as Deputy Managing Director (Special Projects), State Bank of India, from where he retired in 2017. He is an active member of the OBA with keen interest in his alma mater. For the welfare of the cadets, he donated an ambulance to the school from the CSR funds of SBT in 2017.

CITATION

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2019-20 to Roll no: 551 CR Sasikumar for his extraordinary achievements in the banking sector, for attaining the post of Managing Director of the State Bank of Travancore, and his outstanding support to the OBA and the School.

S Rajoo Krishnan (563/74)

Roll No 563 Rajoo Krishnan of the 1974 Batch was a House Captain in his final year at school. He was proficient in academics, debating, and essay-writing, besides winning prizes in light music. A graduate from Christian College, Chengannur, he went on to attain an MSc and MPhil in Statistics. He is a PhD in Demography with qualifications including a PGDCA and graduation in Law. His doctoral thesis ‘Changing Socioeconomic Profile of the Tribal Population in India 1961 - 1991’ is included in the book ‘Tribal Welfare and Development’ by AN Sharma, a renowned anthropologist.

Joining the State Education Department, he served as faculty of many colleges in Kerala, with his illustrious career culminating as Principal of Government Arts & Science College, Kanjiramkulam, and University College, Trivandrum. An able administrator, he served as Kerala’s Joint Commissioner for Entrance Examinations, Convener of Normalisation Committee, Deputy Director of Collegiate Education, and State Coordinator (College) of the Additional Skills Acquisition Programme. He has served as President of the Kerala Statistical Institute since 2012. He updated and published ‘Keralathile Sarkar Jivanakkarude Sevana Vethana Vyavasthakal’ a reference book for state government employees, authored originally by his father Sreemandiram KP. A renowned career guidance specialist, his expert opinion is sourced by The Hindu, Deccan Chronicle, Media One News Channel, Education World, and Mathrubhumi. He is co-opted by The Hindu and Mathrubhumi Groups, besides educational institutions and agencies for conducting career guidance and competitive exam-related seminars and workshops all over Kerala.

Dr Rajoo Krishnan contributed to the exemplary growth of OBA through his invaluable service as General Secretary from 1994 to 2000 and 2002-2003. He endeared himself to the alumni community with his handwritten communication regarding OBA matters, sent out to thousands of members. His dedication and commitment to the organisation saw the streamlining of numerous OBA procedures, including initiating the organisation of the Old Boys Day by the batch celebrating its silver jubilee. 

CITATION

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam awards the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2019-20 to Roll no: 563 S Rajoo Krishnan for his achievements as an outstanding educationist, his contribution to the youth of Kerala as a dynamic career guidance specialist, and his extraordinary services to the OBA and the School.

ROLL NO 628 SARATH CHAND

 Roll No. 628 Sarath Chand began his education at the Sainik School in 1968. A keen sportsman, he took home the prize for best junior athlete in the State YMCA meet and set new school records in the cross country race, the 5000-meter run, and the long jump. He also served as Vice-Captain of the school. He graduated from NDA in 1978 as the Squadron Cadet Captain (SCC) of KILO Squadron. A Senior Underofficer at the IMA, he was ranked fourth in his batch of over 350 cadets. In June 1979, he was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles.

Throughout his 39-year professional career, he served in every operational theatre, including the Kargil Sector, the Kashmir Valley, the high altitude northern frontiers, and insurgency-affected Assam. He served as the Instructor at the Infantry School's Commando Wing, Colonel Military Secretary at Army Headquarters, and Staff Officer at the United Nations Mission in Somalia. His early command positions included a Rifle Company in the Kargil Sector and as a part of the IPKF in Sri Lanka. As a General Officer, he headed the strategically significant GAJRAJ Corps, which had operational responsibilities along the Northern frontiers and in insurgency-affected Assam. In February 2016, he was named General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC in C) of the Army's South Western Command in Jaipur. As GOC in C, he enhanced the South Western theatre's operational preparedness, with a particular emphasis on weapon, equipment, and ammunition availability. His revolutionary concept of "Satat Milap" for welfare of military veteran care has benefited many throughout Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

As Vice Chief of the Army Staff, he was responsible for assuring the Army's operational effectiveness by directly supervising the Military Operations, Intelligence, and Logistics directorates. He was appointed Honorary ADC to the President of India in April 2018. He is only the second Keralite (and the first from our school) to attain this level in the Army's hierarchy. During his military career, he was decorated nine times, including the "Uttam Yudh Seva Medal”, the "Param Vishisht Seva Medal", "Ati Vishisht Seva Medal", and "Vishisht Seva Medal" for his distinguished operational service and service at the Army Headquarters.

CITATION

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam presents the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2020-21 to Roll no. 628 Lt Gen Sarath Chand, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) for his distinguished service and achieving the rare honour of becoming the Indian Army's Vice Chief of Army Staff.

ROLL NO. 630 PAUL ANTONY

 Roll No. 630 Paul Kattumman (affectionately known as Paul Antony during his scholastic years) enrolled in Sainik School in 1968. He excelled academically and was an avid sportsman. He joined the NDA with a landmark achievement — the first cadet from the school and the state of Kerala to top the All-India merit list for entrance to NDA. While at NDA, the economics lectures sparked his interest to pursue the subject. He left NDA and enrolled at the Calicut University to read economics. Paul joined the Indian Economics Service following graduation, and worked as an economist in the Finance Ministry in New Delhi. He withdrew from the elite service in pursuit of academic research and enrolled in the PhD programme at Cambridge. In 1991, he was given the Trinity College Research Studentship and the Common Wealth Scholarship.

He lectured at the Durham University following the award of his PhD. He returned to Cambridge as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Applied Economics. He was elected a Corpus Fellow. Paul is currently a Professor of Economics at Cambridge's Judge Business School. In 2016 and 2020, he was conferred the Cambridge Judge Business School Teaching Award. He is also the Director of Studies for Management Studies and is responsible for supervising the Economics Tripos's Econometrics papers. His significant research contributions span the subjects of Applied Econometrics and Statistics, Industrial Organization, Corporate Performance, System Dynamics, and India and China. He is on the BE Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy's Editorial Board. He has held visiting professorships at universities in Madrid and Paris, as well as being a visiting faculty scholar at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and Statistics Department.

Since the pandemic's outbreak, he has collaborated with Public Health England, East of England, NHS Improvement East of England, and the Ministry of Health, Government of Kerala, providing statistical analyses to support health care policy. He led the Cambridge Covid Tracker project, which gave critical information to the Government of India and state governments, including Kerala. He credits a significant part of his personal motivation and illustrious career to Sainik School, Kazhakootam which he describes as ‘an inspirational springboard for cadets’.

CITATION

 The Old Boys' Association of Sainik School, Kazhakootam presents the late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2020-21 to Roll No. 630 Paul Antony for his outstanding achievements in the field of econometrics and social research on a global scale.

ROLL NO. 645 RAJEEV SADANANDAN

Roll No. 645 Rajeev Sadanandan enrolled in Sainik School in 1969 and passed out in 1975. He was an avid participant in elocution, debate, and sports during his school years. He holds a postgraduate degree in English literature and an M.Phil in applied economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Rajeev had a varied career: he taught English at St Paul's College in Kalamassery, worked as an Administrative Officer for the New India Assurance Company, and served in the Indian Police Service before entering the Indian Administrative Service in the Kerala cadre.

He served as District Collector of Thrissur and Malappuram, when he founded the Kudumbashree women's movement, which evolved to encompass the entire state of Kerala. He formerly served as Chairman of the Kerala State Electricity Board, CEO of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), India's national social health programme, and as a central government official overseeing the rural housing programme, PMJAY, and the National Social Assistance Programme. Rajeev is well-known for his efforts in the health sector. He served as Kerala's Health Secretary for three terms totalling 11 years. He was crucial in establishing Kerala's AIDS Control Program, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme, and the Control of Noncommunicable Diseases Control Programme, all of which have received international recognition. He conceived and led the Aardram Mission, which transformed Primary Health Centres into Family Health Centres, introduced super specialty services in district hospitals, digitised hospital management, made out-patient services more friendly, and ensured capital investments totaling more than INR 3000 crores, all of which contributed to Kerala's health infrastructure being a leader among Indian states. Rajeev was instrumental in the successful control of the Nipah outbreak and is currently advising Kerala's Chief Minister on the COVID 19 pandemic.

Rajeev worked briefly for UNAIDS and has served on a number of technical committees established by UNAIDS and the World Health Organization. He was one of the editors of WHO’s Global Report on Cancer. He has authored over 15 scientific articles in the field of health. Following his stint as Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala, Rajeev Sadanandan is now the CEO of Health System Transformation Platform, a think tank focused on health policy and systems.

CITATION

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam presents the late Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2020-21 to Roll No. 645 Rajeev Sadanandan for his lifetime achievements as a civil service officer in the field of health systems, policy, and financing.

Roll No. 693 Jinan KB enrolled in Sainik School in 1969 and is renowned for his athletic accomplishments, having won multiple awards for short-distance running. He completed Pre-Degree from Sree Krishna College, Guruvayoor, and BE in Mechanical Engineering from Maulana Azad College of Technology, Bhopal in 1984. In 1988, he qualified for the Advanced Entry Programme in Product Design at Ahmedabad's National Institute of Design. Beginning in 1989, he worked with several groups — traditional artisans, rural children, design students, architecture professionals and students, and people with physical disabilities — across India’s rural and urban centres to comprehend creativity, intelligence, and a sense of beauty.

A renowned alternative thinker, educationist, researcher, designer, and an inspiring advocate of the De-Schooling Movement in India, Jinan has spent 40 years living among learning communities of artisans and is tireless in his pursuit of the process that facilitates the creation of knowledge. He believes the current educational paradigm is built on "how to teach” rather than "how we naturally learn", where creativity is an afterthought rather than the guiding concept in the teaching paradigm. He has meticulously documented children's unstructured play to decipher how they simplify the complex world they encounter, and provides solid evidence with over 4000 films and photographs of children engaging in diverse activities. Jinan has spent twenty years researching the formation of artistic sensibility in traditional cultures and how contemporary education undermines these sensibilities. Since 1993, he has lived and worked among the potters of Aruvacode, a village in Malappuram, Kerala. He united a group of villagers who had lost their traditional skills due to the influx of cheap industrial substitutes. Today, Kumbham is celebrated as a rare example of a traditional artisan community rehabilitating itself through the very craft from which it had been estranged. In addition to Jinan’s life-changing work with Kumbham at Aruvacode, he has worked to improve the lives of terracotta workers in Mahuda, Orissa; rural potters in Dastkari Haat, New Delhi; rural potters of Kundapur, Karnataka; basket weavers of Paralakhemundi, Orissa; and numerous other rural initiatives. A visiting faculty at IIITDM Kanchipuram; NID Ahmedabad; Woxsen Design School, Hyderabad; and IICD Jaipur, Jinan is an Adjunct Professor at Industrial Design Centre, IIT Mumbai, and has delivered keynotes and invited talks on topics such as De-Schooling and De-Colonisation in prestigious institutions around the country.

CITATION

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School, Kazhakootam presents the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021-22 to Roll No. 693 Jinan KB for his extraordinary contributions to society as a leading social activist, alternative thinker, educationist, researcher, designer, and an inspiring advocate of the De-schooling Movement in India

Roll No. 734 Cherish Mathson enrolled in Sainik School in 1969, and won multiple awards in English essay writing, debate, and singing competitions. When the Principal requested him to deliver a presentation on "How to Tie a Tie" in front of the entire student body, he did so with such humour and originality that it remains a fond memory to many. A member of the school basketball team, he was the House Captain of Nehru House. He joined the NDA's 56th Course and was named a Junior Under Officer at the IMA. Cherish Mathson was commissioned into the 7th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles.

While a Major, the Brigade Commander recognised his potential and requested his immediate transfer to the HQ as the Logistics Officer before the Brigade's deployment to Somalia for a UN peacekeeping mission. Cherish Mathson organised the movement of over 5,000 troops, equipment, supplies, and over 700 vehicles from various regions of the country to Mogadishu, Somalia. To win over the people’s hearts, he coordinated the local talents with the military band of the Brigade and formed an orchestra, which was a hit with both the locals and the UN peacekeepers. Cherish Mathson served two tours in the Siachen Glacier, in Operation Blue Star, and in Mizoram against the Mizo National Front (MNF). He commanded the 7th Garhwal Rifles on the LOC in J&K during Operation Parakram. As commander of the Trivandrum Brigade, he revamped the services' idea of amphibious operations. He was the Commander of the 54th Infantry Division and Inspector General of the Special Frontier Force. Moreover, he commanded the prestigious XXI Corps.

His staff appointments included Colonel Administration of a Mountain Division, Brigadier Administration of the XII Corps, and Deputy Technical Manager (Land Systems) at Army Headquarters. Cherish Mathson was appointed as a Senior Defence Specialist (Military) to the National Security Council Secretariat and Defense Acquisition Wing (Ministry of Defence). He also served as the Colonel of the Garhwal Rifles Regiment. A recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal, and Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Cherish Mathson attained the rare honour of commanding the South Western Army. Numerous motivational speeches to cadets and initiatives such as the 'Cherish Point' viewing gallery at SSKZM demonstrate his devotion to his alma mater.

CITATION

The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Kazhakootam presents the Late PC Satish Chandran Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021-22 to Roll No. 734 Lt. Gen. Cherish Mathson, PVSM, SM, VSM (Retired) for his distinguished service and for attaining the rare honour of becoming the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army's South Western Command.