Sainik School, Kazhakootam

Coordinates: 08°34′56″N 76°52′22″E / 8.58222°N 76.87278°E / 8.58222; 76.87278

Sainik School, Kazhakootam
The School Crest
Location
Kazhakootam
India
Information
Type Public school
Run by the government of India
Motto Gyan, Anushasan, Sahayog
(Knowledge, Discipline, Co-operation)
Established 1962
Founder V.K. Krishna Menon
Principal Col. V.K.S. Rawat[1]
Grades Classes VI - XII
Gender Boys
Age 10 to 18
Campus size 225-acre (0.91 km2)
Colour(s)

Red, Navy blue, and Sky blue

            
Affiliation Ministry of Defence (India)
Pupils AKA Kazhaks
Website https://www.sainikschooltvm.nic.in/

Sainik School Kazhakootam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, is a residential school for boys under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, located approximately 18 km away from Thiruvananthapuram city beside National Highway 66.

The concept of Sainik Schools originated in the mind of late V.K. Krishna Menon, who was India's first Defence Minister from 1957 to 1962. The objective was to set up schools run on military lines, in each state of India, which would facilitate the grooming of bright young boys for intake into the National Defence Academy, thus, rectifying the regional and class imbalance in the officer cadre of the Indian Military. The high levels of physical and intellectual training and the state-of-the-art infrastructure help in moulding the young cadets physically and mentally, in turn transforming them into young men worthy of induction into the officer cadre of the Indian Armed Forces, or capable of excelling in their chosen civilian fields[2].

Location

Academic Block of Sainik School, Kazhakootam, captured on Old Boys Reunion Day, 2010.

The then Chief Minister of Kerala, late Pattom Thanu Pillai, chose Kazhakootam to be the location for Sainik School in the early 1960s, and an area of 300 acres (1.2 km2) of undulating terrain was acquired on a hillock near Kazhakootam, close to National Highway 66 and about 18km away from Thiruvananthapuram. The present land area of Sainik School campus is about 225 acres (0.91 km2). The campus is nestled between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, and serves as the ideal location for an institution of its nature[3].

Inception

Sainik School Kazhakootam started functioning in the barracks lent by the Indian Army at the army camp at Pangode, Thiruvananthapuram, on 20 January, 1962. The initial intake was to classes V, VI, VII, and, VIII, and the strength at inception was 120. This increased to 132 six months later, when admission to class XI was opened. The founder principal, headmaster, and registrar were Lt. Col. B.K. Somaiah, Sqn. Ldr. Babu Lal, and Capt. T.V.S. Nair, respectively.

The foundation stone of the new campus at Kazhakootam was laid by the then Defence Minister of India, V.K. Krishnamenon on 5 February, 1962. Prof. J.C. Alexander, a professor at the College of Engineering Trivandrum, designed the academic block, the 11 dormitories, and other associated infrastructure. The school shifted to the new campus in 1964.[4]

School crest, motto, and flag

The Sainik School, Kazhakootam flag

The Red, Navy blue, and Sky blue stripes in the school crest are symbolic of the three arms of the Indian Defence Services. The letter S, for Sainik School, stands above the three stripes, and a steel gray band, with the word Kazhakootam inscribed in it, is present below the stripes. Below the main crest is a fluttering ribbon, carrying the School Motto: Gyaan, Anushasan, Sahyog, signifying three of the most valuable qualities expected of a Sainik School Cadet, namely, knowledge, discipline, and esprit-de-corps[5].

The flag, again, has horizontal stripes of the three School Colours, with the school crest at the centre.

School songs and prayer

The English, Hindi, and Malayalam school songs, and the Sanskrit prayer are sang in morning assemblies and on special occasions and functions. The English school song was composed by Mrs. Myrtle Jacob, a founding member of the English department of the school. Sam'gacchadhvam', the school Sanskrit prayer, is a verse taken from the Rigveda[6].

The English School Song
Fill your hearts with gay sunshine

Sing till the hills resound

Cast all cares away, let us hail

With loyal hearts that never fail

Then sing of all the happy hours

Carefree days of ours,

Spent within our alma mater

The school of our boyhood days


To the fields, to the trees,

To the homes that have given us all we have

To the books, to the rules

To the games that are moulding and training us

To the seas, to the skies,

To the men who are guarding our frontiers;

To the young, to the wise,

To the leaders of men and their destinies.


Then toast to our dear land

United may we stand

Rise to drink the toast once again,

Merrily for Auld Lang Syne,

Then cheers to Sainik School,

Cheers to the days ahead

Pray that God may ever bless us

And keep us always strong and true.

(Composed by Mrs. Myrtle Jacob, Ex-Teacher, English Dept., SSKZM.)[7]

Administration

Sainik School, Kazhakootam, like the other Sainik Schools, is governed by Sainik Schools Society, which is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Sainik School, Lucknow, which is governed by the UP state government, is an exception. The society is heade by the board of governers, with the Union Defence Minister at the helm. The chief Ministers or Education Ministers are part of the councils of Sainik Schools in their respective states. Further, a senior defence officer chairs a local board of administration. The Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command, is in charge of Sainik School, Kazhakootam[8]. The principal, who is the academic and administrative head of the institute, is appointed on deputation, and will be of a rank of Colonel or its equivalent from the Indian Navy, or the India Air Force. Vice Principal and Administrative Officer, who are again military officers of or equivalent to the ranks of Lt. Col. or Major, look after the academic and the administrative affairs respectively[9][10].

Infrastructure

The first-ever equestrian club of Kerala has been set up at the school. A riding ring with horses and trainers has been set up.[11]

Houses

Houses are divided into three categories, viz., Senior houses, Junior houses, and Sub-junior houses.

House No.[12] Name Colour
1 Nehru     
2 Prasad     
3 Ashoka     
4 Veluthampi     
5 Shivaji     
6 Vallathol     
7 Cariappa     
8 Rajaji     
9 Tagore     
10 V.K. Krishna Menon (VKKM)     
11 Patel     

Admission

Presently, boys are admitted to class VI and IX only. All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination (AISSEE), which are generally held on the first or second Sunday of January, are followed by personal interviews for the shortlisted candidates. Boys who are not under ten or over eleven years of age as on the first of July of the year of admission are eligible for class VI admission. The respective age limits for class IX are thirteen and fourteen[13].

Written test

For class VI admission, there will be two papers, viz., (i) Mathematical Knowledge Test & Language Ability Test and (ii) Intelligence Test, and the syllabus will be in line with that of class V CBSE syllabus. The test can be taken in English, Hindi, or Malayalam[14]. For class IX admission the papers for written test are (i) Mathematics & Science and (ii) English and Social Studies, equivalent to class VIII CBSE syllabus. The class IX tests can be taken in only in English. Aspirants can appear for the tests at any of the five locations across Kerala (Namely, Sainik School Kazhakootam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, and Palakkad), Kavaratti, and in all other Sainik Schools in India.

Interview and medical test

The written tests will be followed by personal interviews for the selected candidates, held at selected locations in the state. The students who clear this stage appear for a medical test, which is the last stage of the admission procedure.

Notable Alumni

Notable Alumni
Sl No. Name Roll No. Batch Remarks
1 Col. Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair 71 1971 Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra
2 Rajeevnath 80 1967 Malayalam film director[15]
3 2/Lt. Radhamohan Naresh 112 1967 1971 war Martyr[16]
4 P. C. Thomas 167 1966 Ex-Member of Parliament
5 Brigadier G.K.B. Nair 220 1968 Noted for setting up the Indian mission in Afghanistan[17][18]
6 Lt Gen. G.M. Nair 249 1968 Commander-in-Chief of the Kangra-based 9 Corps
7 Maj. G.S. Sateesh Chandran 447 1973 Sena Medal[19] (Posthumous)
8 Rajeev Sadanandan 645 1975 Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Government of Kerala[20]
9 Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P 823 1977 Vice Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
10 Lt Gen. Sarath Chand[21] 628 1979 Former Vice Chief of Army Staff
11 Flying officer M.P. Anil Kumar 1122 1981 Writer and Historian[22][23]
12 Viswamangal Kitsu[24] 1715 1987 Cinematographer[25]
13 Josy Joseph 2136 1991 Investigative journalist and author of Feast of Vultures: The Hidden Business of Democracy in India[26]
14 Madhu Warrier 2438 1994 Malayalam film actor and producer
15 Capt. Radhakrishnan Nair Harshan 2776 1997 Ashoka Chakra (Posthumous)
16 Indrajith Sukumaran 3083 1997 Malayalam film actor
17 Prithviraj Sukumaran 3105 2000 Malayalam film actor

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Principal". Sainik School KZM. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  2. ↑ "Top Schools". Digital Campus.
  3. ↑ "The Sainik School, Kazhakootam". Kazhaks 90. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  4. ↑ "OUR ALMA MATER". OBA SSKZM. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  5. ↑ "School Crest, Motto, and Flag". Sainik School, Kazhakootam. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  6. ↑ "Prayer: Rig Veda Verse". Moved by love. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  7. ↑ "School song". Sainik School, Kazhakootam. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  8. ↑ "Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria on first visit to Sainik school". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  9. ↑ "About". Sainik School Gorakhal. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  10. ↑ "School administration". Sainik School Rewari. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  11. ↑ Archived 2016-03-12 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ "House system 2017-2018". Sainik School Kazhakootam. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  13. ↑ "ALL INDIA SAINIK SCHOOLS ENTRANCE EXAMINATION". Sainik School, Kazhakootam. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  14. ↑ "Sainik School Kazhakootam 2018 Entrance Exam". Win Entrance. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  15. ↑ "T. Rajeevnath". IMDB. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  16. ↑ "Second Lt Radha Mohan Naresh's bust unveiled at the Sainik School Campus". Kazhaks 90. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  17. ↑ "Retired Brig GKB Nair "KGB", passes away". Google+. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  18. ↑ "MI man who set up Kabul mission dies". The Indian Express. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  19. ↑ "Major GS Satish Chandran". Honourpoint. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  20. ↑ "Old boys reunion". Indian Express. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  21. ↑ "Sainik Schools to be more affordable". The Hindu. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  22. ↑ "Inspirational ex-fighter pilot MP Anil Kumar dies". zeenews. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  23. ↑ "The extraordinary life of M.P. Anil Kumar". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  24. ↑ "Viswamangal Kitsu". nettv4u. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  25. ↑ "Viswamangal Kitsu". Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  26. ↑ "A Feast of Vultures". Harper Collins. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
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