Bhubaneswar: Sainik School Bhubaneswar welcomed ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’-‘Vijay Mashaal’ on 01 Nov 2021. The ‘Swarnim Vijay Mashaal’, one of the four which was lit at the National War Memorial to celebrate the ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’, commemorating 50 years of India’s victory against Pakistan in the 1971 war, was received by Group Captain S Dominic Rayan, Principal, Sainik School Bhubaneswar at the Martyrs’ Memorial on 01 Nov 2021.
The victory flame was displayed at the sanctum sanctorum wherein a wreath laying ceremony was organised and homage was paid to the brave and valiant soldiers of the Armed Forces who laid down their lives while protecting our motherland and helping our neighbour nation Bangladesh in its freedom.
The Vijay Mashaal was then taken to the School campus by the Principal in an open gypsy. Cadets and staff members of the School formed a human chain enroute and chanted slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram while welcoming and seeing off the Victory Flame. The Vijay Mashaal was also displayed at Vivekananda Hall wherein cadets of Classes from IX to XII including the newly admitted girls presented a short cultural programme with patriotic outlook.
Satyabrata Sahu, IAS, Principal Secretary of School and Mass Education and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Departments, Govt of Odisha graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The Chief Guest in his address lauded the pivotal role of the Armed Forces in national security and nation building and exhorted that the slogan of ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ given by the former Prime Minister Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri will always be significant and felt that the countrymen should always respect and honour the soldiers and the farmers for their selfless role in wellbeing of the society.
The Chief Guest also welcomed the first batch of girl cadets admitted in the School and wished them a bright future. The Chief Guest advised the cadets to be focussed on their aim and work hard to achieve it. He urged that they should make optimum use of the time and the facilities available to them. He reiterated that they should inculcate the qualities of honesty, sincerity and discipline and be responsible in their actions to become worthy citizens to make their parents, the state and the country proud.
The Principal Secretary explained about the positives initiatives taken by the state government to bring the Sainik School education within the reach of the common and urged the people of Odisha to make use of the educational facilities available in the two Sainik Schools in the state. He assured the school administration to extend all possible support of the state government to ensure smooth and efficient functioning of the Sainik Schools in Odisha.
The Principal welcomed the Chief Guest, guests of honour and dignitaries invited for the event and conveyed that it was an honour for the School to organise such an event of national significance.
Air Marshal JN Burma, PVSM AVSM VSM (Retd) also addressed the gathering on role of the Armed Forces both in war, peace and international relations. Air Commodore TK Rath, VSM (Retd); Brigadier LC Patnaik (Retd); Air Commodore Arabinda Mohanty, VSM (Retd); Shri Amitav Swain; Commodore Somen Banerjee, DDG NCC; Captain (Indian Navy) Subhash Chandra Das, Deputy Naval Officer In-Charge (Odisha); Group Captain Sachin Gupta, Fighter Pilot, Group Commander, NCC Group Headquarters, Berhampur; Colonel Rajinish Kapoor, Group Commander, NCC Group Headquarters, Cuttack; Wing Commander Shyam Sundar Commanding Officer, 9 Airmen Selection Centre, Bhubaneswar; Wing Commander Bishnu Dutta SK Jenamani, Fighter Pilot, Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry), Shri K Srinivasan, Regional Officer, CBSE, Bhubaneswar; Shri Soumen Ghosh, Project Coordinator, Regional Science Centre and Professor Gowramma IP from the RIE and Lieutenant Commander Chinmoy Behura graced the occasion.
The event coincided with welcoming of the first batch of 10 girl cadets of Class VI inducted into the School this year. The girl cadets interacted with the media and appeared to be very confident. They expressed their joy in taking admission in the School and all of them wanted to pursue a career in the Armed Forces.
Commander Pritika Sharma, Administrative Officer and Commander Usha Sangwan, Vice Principal, the two women officers in the School have organised resource management and ensured successful conduct of the event with patriotic fervour.
