Not a letter to the Chief Minister of Odisha
Tired of the incumbent and perhaps bored by the humdrum of life,
They voted them to power in the hope of freedom from political strife!
Little did they know they had nothing new to show or offer,
Bereft of the exchequer for too long it was time to fill their coffer!
Prosperity through projects of education & development was their guise,
In reality, undoing development at the expense of education in disguise!
Honorable CM,
Jai Shree Ram!
I hope you are doing well.
I know you must be busy, working on myriad projects to fulfill your electoral promises. I would have said I had high hopes for you, but — sigh.
Let me get straight to the meat, without the courtesy of introducing myself — why would you care anyway?
This is neither an impassioned plea nor a rant from a disgruntled citizen. This is a clarion call to the thousands of students who have graduated from my alma mater (Sainik School Bhubaneswar) — students I swear are more patriotic and nationalistic (the good part) than all of your political brethren. I say this to make a point, not necessarily to demean you.
I hope that through facts and figures, and their conduct, they will bring some much-needed common sense — something that seems to be lacking at the moment. Not through violent agitation, hubris, or bad-mouthing, but through reasoned discourse and action.
Yesterday, I received a WhatsApp message from a junior at my school that left me agitated for the rest of the day:
“Good morning, Sir.
Are you aware that the Odisha Government is trying to relocate our alma mater somewhere else from the location?”
It felt as though a bullet had struck my chest. I recalled a similar proposal that was put forward a decade ago under the guise of “better utilization” of the primary land.
That was a disheartening and misinformed statement made by a public servant. Who gets to define what constitutes “better utilization” of the land or what qualifies as “primary” land? And to suggest relocating a 60-year-old educational institution — one that has produced countless stalwarts who have contributed immensely to the protection and nurturance of the idea of India — is, to say the least, deeply disappointing.
There is no better use of the land than educating young minds who will go on to become model citizens of India and the world — those who will live and die for the cause of the nation.
I watched a video in which an honorable political leader spoke on the school’s behalf, primarily focusing on its military contribution. While I respect the politician’s concern for my school, I would argue that assessing Sainik School’s achievements solely through the prism of national security and the armed forces is a travesty of its true contribution. This, perhaps, is the reason the government thought of creating more such schools across India.
Just take a cursory glance around you, and you will see doctors, bureaucrats, police officers, civil servants, tech employees, bankers, entrepreneurs, scientists, professors, and even politicians that have come from my school. While this may be true of some other notable schools, what makes my school special is its ethos — deeply instilled patriotism, discipline, and a sense of camaraderie.
Allow me to share an example that might help make my point:
In an era where migrating to greener pastures in the West has never been easier, I saw many of my skilled and learned schoolmates return to their motherland to reunite with their families and contribute to the progress of the state after spending considerable years abroad. Many chose to stay in India and not migrate, despite possessing skills that the West seeks. I am not discounting the contribution of NRIs, as their numbers will likely rise even further in the coming years, with barriers becoming lower. But I am sure you will agree that India will fare better in nurturing talent domestically. I trust that the people from my school can make such an emotional decision with clarity.
The structures on that piece of “primary land,” as you would call it, are not just bricks and mortar. Those walls tell countless stories. The floors still exude the scent of our perseverance. The roads continue to echo the vibrations of our marching footsteps. The dormitories reverberate with the laughter of our younger years. Through them, we continue our tale of friendship and uphold tradition. They motivate us to do well for each other and the world around us. If you relocate the school, you will bury our past and kill our future.
The school is a part of the city’s heritage.
Here’s a list of actions we could take that would serve both the public good and align with your political goals:
- Increase the intake of students through subsidies — especially underprivileged and talented girls from across the state.
- Plant as many trees as possible on campus to help make Bhubaneswar a greener city and contribute to a lower carbon footprint. The view from the skies would be a sight to behold.
- While the school’s motto is to produce potential cadets for the NDA, a world of opportunities awaits the many students who may not make it to the armed forces. Notable alumni can contribute immensely in this regard.
- The NGO arm of the alumni should focus on larger projects that serve the public good and publish its efforts transparently. Not all alumni contributions need to go directly toward the school’s development.
If you still intend to go ahead with the plan, I would like to bring to your attention the vast expanse of land occupied by other institutions such as Utkal University, the Institute of Physics, and various other state and central institutes. What about the land occupied by MLAs and bureaucrats in their quarters in the prime location of the city? I’m sure they would be willing to forgo these properties and move to high-rise apartments for the “better utilization” of the land.
In my formative years, I looked up to the scion of your party, Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Through him, I developed a deep admiration for your party. I now realize I was naive and misinformed, much like the bureaucrat who thought relocating my school was a good idea. I hope you will restore my faith in the party.
If you think that a nobody like me can’t stand in the way of your political goals, I want to remind you that there are thousands like me — patriotic citizens who, as I’ve mentioned before, are more committed to the nation than you and your kind. What your people are proposing is, quite frankly, anti-national.
Love my school. Nurture my school. Embrace it with open arms. We swear to love the state back a thousandfold. We will continue to play an integral role in the development of the state — today, tomorrow, and for eons to come.
Jai Jagannath! Jai Hind!