Heading to school every first Sunday

Old students of Thiru.Vi.Ka. Higher Secondary School in Shenoy Nagar follow an unshakeable routine. They meet on the school campus every first sunday

Every first Sunday, a small group of 20-30 people gather at the campus of Thiru.Vi.Ka. Higher Secondary School in Shenoy Nagar around 10.30 a.m. They have no fixed agenda. They just shoot the breeze about the good old school days, new ideas to support the school and ways to connect with old classmates. Sometimes new members that join the group are introduced.

They are members of the Thiru-Vi-Ka Higher Secondary School (Chennai) Alumni.

When many educational institutions plan grand alumni meets on national holidays such as Republic Day, Independence Day and May Day, this group makes it a point to meet every first Sunday of the month at a fixed venue and time. The website https://www.thiruvikaalumni.in has this mentioned clearly with a contact number of an alumnus so that any old student could get connected.

“A majority of the members in the alumni group are senior citizens, so this becomes another forum to meet and do something for the benefit of the school,” says S. Adhiappan, former president of the alumni association and retired headmaster of Motilal Fomra Sanatana Dharma Higher Secondary School.

He says even during the pandemic the meetings of the executive committee members of the association happene. “We currently have more than 200 life members across batches, from 1965 onwards,” says Adhiappan.

Established in 1955, Thiru.Vi.Ka. Higher Secondary School caters to the underprivileged section of society and the alumni has been contributing to the school in many ways.

To name a few, the Chemistry lab is being renovated with the funds of the alumni, and before the Board examinations begin, old students take up classes for students. Many students have found mentors in the alumni. The monthly meet-ups serve as a platform to give out financial help to the children of the school. At the September 2024 executive committee meeting, parents of two students were invited to hand out a scholarship amount.