This day that year
June 18 , '03
Even when my innocence was in its infancy , and my thoughts yet to be conceived, i was recruited into this historical institution, admitted would be quite an understatement .I was radiating excitium from every square inch of my body and all enthralled , for this was the first time I was confronted to a world where all the pampered babies had their day out. Newbies with more enthusiasm than ability.
Prologue -
Two of my dad's college friends had had their sons admitted into Sainik schools (Bijapur & Satara ) , with me being the only pony in his stable he had all his eyes set on me , he played the – ONE HORSE ,ONE COURSE trick , and pledged an untold oath of inducting me in any of the two schools , you see men will be men , always have an ego to match .
One fine day he handed over to me the Sainik school prospectus ,and asked me to give a look at it , this was a mouse-trap which I was unaware of .The cover-page of the prospectus startled me , which had a collage of photos of students Horse riding , swimming , debating , hurdling , and even dancing .There was not a single evidence of students studying ,I was genuinely perplexed and this is where my dad laid his plot , he convinced me that if I study well for my entrance and make my inroads into this institution I would never ever have to study for the rest of my life !!!. The offer was so enticing that I had to fall for it and I gave in. Now when I look back , I wonder as to where the heck was my thinking cap , or did I ever had it at the first place ?? With the preparations about to start my dad aptly forecast-ed that the ICC WORLD CUP ’03 would clash with my entrance examinations , and hence we had our foot on the gas from the day one and we were marginally ahead of the speedometer well before our journey had begun .He roped in all the Upkar’s study material for the exam from the city’s renowned bookstalls.Early June that year I was informed that I was shortlisted to both the Navodaya and SSS , and my entire family unanimously voted the later over Navodaya .Hence there was no room for ambiguity.So on the scheduled day we were in the school verandah at about 8 in the morning , and I had a peek into the school routine , there were hundreds of students chanting something in Sanskrit and the only thing which was comprehensible to my tiny little brain was the line PRABHODIKAAM –PRABHODIKAAM-PRABHIKAAM, which later turned out to be the school prayer . From the entrance results to the INDIAN team reaching the WC Finals I was kinda romancing with my lady luck , and then she blowed me another kiss of benediction & love , I was allotted 4647 as my School number. Till date I wonder as to what all PnC may have got into the no. allotting system , The no. now predominantly appears in my every highly-confidential passwords.10 years and on , Still the aura of redolence haunts me whenever I visit the verandah , the MI room ,where we in our undies were hip hopping for our Medicals , The Nikhal tailor ,The shopping complex ,The Shreeman hotel , The big and palatial houses & the thought as to why those were named after the heroes from altogether a different background, The first one-on-one meeting with matron ( N Y VITEKAR ) , And above all the gloomy eyes of my parents .Biding me farewell , My dad played his last card , he called me and whispered something in my ears in Kannada , I quote “Today is the first day of the rest of your life ”
Two of my dad's college friends had had their sons admitted into Sainik schools (Bijapur & Satara ) , with me being the only pony in his stable he had all his eyes set on me , he played the – ONE HORSE ,ONE COURSE trick , and pledged an untold oath of inducting me in any of the two schools , you see men will be men , always have an ego to match .
One fine day he handed over to me the Sainik school prospectus ,and asked me to give a look at it , this was a mouse-trap which I was unaware of .The cover-page of the prospectus startled me , which had a collage of photos of students Horse riding , swimming , debating , hurdling , and even dancing .There was not a single evidence of students studying ,I was genuinely perplexed and this is where my dad laid his plot , he convinced me that if I study well for my entrance and make my inroads into this institution I would never ever have to study for the rest of my life !!!. The offer was so enticing that I had to fall for it and I gave in. Now when I look back , I wonder as to where the heck was my thinking cap , or did I ever had it at the first place ?? With the preparations about to start my dad aptly forecast-ed that the ICC WORLD CUP ’03 would clash with my entrance examinations , and hence we had our foot on the gas from the day one and we were marginally ahead of the speedometer well before our journey had begun .He roped in all the Upkar’s study material for the exam from the city’s renowned bookstalls.Early June that year I was informed that I was shortlisted to both the Navodaya and SSS , and my entire family unanimously voted the later over Navodaya .Hence there was no room for ambiguity.So on the scheduled day we were in the school verandah at about 8 in the morning , and I had a peek into the school routine , there were hundreds of students chanting something in Sanskrit and the only thing which was comprehensible to my tiny little brain was the line PRABHODIKAAM –PRABHODIKAAM-PRABHIKAAM, which later turned out to be the school prayer . From the entrance results to the INDIAN team reaching the WC Finals I was kinda romancing with my lady luck , and then she blowed me another kiss of benediction & love , I was allotted 4647 as my School number. Till date I wonder as to what all PnC may have got into the no. allotting system , The no. now predominantly appears in my every highly-confidential passwords.10 years and on , Still the aura of redolence haunts me whenever I visit the verandah , the MI room ,where we in our undies were hip hopping for our Medicals , The Nikhal tailor ,The shopping complex ,The Shreeman hotel , The big and palatial houses & the thought as to why those were named after the heroes from altogether a different background, The first one-on-one meeting with matron ( N Y VITEKAR ) , And above all the gloomy eyes of my parents .Biding me farewell , My dad played his last card , he called me and whispered something in my ears in Kannada , I quote “Today is the first day of the rest of your life ”
