Coimbatore :

With vivid memories of their school days three decades ago, 70-odd Class 1972-batch students of Ramanathapuram Corporation Higher Secondary School shared their twists and turns of the life at the alumni meet on Wednesday.

Sri Varahi Manikandan Swamikal, who runs an orphanage at an ashram at Periyanaickenpalayam, minced no words in narrating his story ‘From Manikandan, The Schoolboy, to Manikandan, The Swamikal’.

“After my school days were over, I did three post-graduation courses and an MPhil. Then I turned to spirituality and now I run an orphanage besides doing other charitable activities,” he told his friends who were eager to see him in his new avatar. He was definitely the star of the evening and cynosure of all eyes.

S Pannerselvan, the president of the association, said they were holding the annual alumni meet of the batches between 1972 and 1975 for the second time in a row. “Now most of us have retired and spend days with grandchildren. It is just a great feeling for as to catch a glimpse of our old friends,” he said.

Pannerselvan said the plan of a reunion cropped up after some of them met at a function. “The reunion has also helped to develop the school,” he said. P Ramadoss, the headmaster of the school, said the authorities have improved the standard of the school with the support of the alumni students.

“Until three years ago, this school was among the worst schools in the corporation. Thanks to the support of alumni members, now our school is among the best in the area,” Ramadoss said.

K Devadass, who retired as a deputy collector, attributes his interest in Tamil language stemmed from his education at the school. He said studying in corporation and government schools was in no way a setback. “Almost all of us entered government service, became engineers, teachers and were in no way inferior to anyone. This is an important message we want to convey,” he said.

The old students say they are planning to help the school to get ISO Certification. “We want our school to be placed the best in the state. We hope to deliver this at the earliest,” Pannerselvan said.

Coimbatore: Sri Varahi Manikandan Swamikal who runs an orphanage along with an ashram at Periyanaickenpalayam was on a different routine on Wednesday. He was among the 70 odd alumni who were attending the alumni meet at the Ramanathapuram Corporation Higher Secondary School on Wednesday evening. Like Manikandan who studied in the year 1972 batch at the school many of them had taken interesting turns in their lives.

He says that they planned to start the get-together after some of them met each other at some common functions. “We came together and this has even helped the school in many ways,” he said. P Ramadoss, the current head master of the school says that the support from the various alumni students have helped in improving the standard of the school.

“Before three years his was among the worst school in the corporation,” said Ramadoss. In their endeavours to improve the academic winning percentage and their standards they received the support of the alumni who had passed out in earlier years. Now they are among the best schools in pass percentage.

K Devadass, who retired as a deputy collector attributes his interest in Tamil language stemmed from his education at the school. He says that studying in corporation and government schools have no way affected their quality. “Almost all of us have entered government service, become engineers, teachers and were in no way inferior to anyone. This is an important message we want to convey,” he said.

The old students say that they are planning to help the school to get ISO Certification. “We want our school to be among the best. We hope to deliver this at the earliest,” says Pannerselvan.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / May 03rd, 2013