Reflecting on My School Days at SVSSS

I am privileged to have completed my entire schooling, from kindergarten to senior secondary, at Shrine Vailankanni Senior Secondary School (SVSSS), spanning from 1978 to 1992. This was an era profoundly different from the one my son experiences today. If my parents contributed to half of who I am, SVSSS was instrumental in shaping the other half. Through this article, I share some incidents from these formative years, hoping they will resonate with both students and teachers, and inspire them to carry forward the legacy of our beloved founders, Mrs & Mr Panicker.

First, the tradition of addressing our correspondent, Mrs Malathy Panicker, as “Aunty” and her daughter, the current correspondent Mrs BKK Pillai, as “Bagula” Aunty, fostered a comforting atmosphere at school. During my junior years, our kindergarten classes were held under a sheet roof on Ramaswamy Street, T. Nagar. From First standard, the classes happened on the Venkatanarayana Road campus, and from the sixth to twelfth standard, the classes were at the current campus on Dandapani Street. For us the kids till 6^th standard, any chance to visit the main campus was a treat – we would be herded in a line by our class teacher. The main campus housed a small cafeteria, a large playground, and most importantly, it was where “Big Aunty” presided. Even from a distance, her presence was magical—she was the comforting, grandmotherly figure under whose shadow we felt safe. As we grew older, being chosen to invite “Aunty” to a student event was a special honour. Before board exams, there would be a long queue to receive her blessings, which always came after a prayer to our school’s guardian, Mother Vailankanni.

On the contrary, being summoned by “Bagula” Aunty was daunting; she was the stern disciplinarian to whom the principal referred us when we were mischievous beyond limits. I recall a specific incident in the 11th grade when I failed an internal test, leading to my father being called to her office. Despite knowing my father well, the publisher of LIFCO Books, she conveyed a stern message about the importance of me shaping up academically and before the board exams the next year, a meeting that remained the only one my father ever had with her regarding my schooling.

My upbringing in a practicing Hindu Vaishnavite family was beautifully complemented by the secular ethos at SVSSS. I can still recite the Hail Mary as fluently as the Kannan songs by Pithukuli Murugadoss, which were played daily – I can still hear the clicks and pops from the Gramophone records. My friends included Muslim boys, and the school provided the perfect platform for us to befriend, play, and discuss freely, fostering a bond that transcended religious and economic differences. The school offered top-notch education at affordable prices, so it was no surprise to see students arriving in luxury cars with chauffeurs and others in public buses.

Though SVSSS was co-educational, in some years my section (classroom) was boys-only. However, we freely interacted with girls during extracurricular activities like drawing, dance (A unknown fact about me, I briefly learned Bharata Natyam when the school offered classes for it), sports, and others. This inclusive approach treated all students equally, a practice not always observed in today’s educational institutions.

Throughout my time at SVSSS, there was an understanding that academic excellence varied among students. As long as I did well in my tests—excelling wasn’t necessary—and avoided trouble, the school environment was supportive and accommodating. I distinctly remember that until the 11th standard, neither the class teachers nor the principal exerted pressure on me to focus solely on academics. This broad-minded approach allowed me to explore a wider range of interests and activities, fostering a well-rounded educational experience.

I frequently received permission slips from the Principal—Mr Manjubaash during the secondary years and Mrs Ammini Mathews in my senior secondary years—to be excused from classes, allowing me to pursue other interests. This approach was a contrast to the more restrictive policies of many contemporary schools, highlighting the school’s commitment to holistic development. In the next section, I want to share some stories with you, that all together made me a serial entrepreneur who ended up running a software company with offices in three countries later in life.

Over the past three decades, I have had the privilege of addressing thousands on international stages, but my inaugural step onto a stage was at SVSSS during a school play in the 8th standard, where I played a minister to Kamsa. It was this formative experience that revealed to me the surprising ease of being onstage compared to the nervous anticipation of waiting in the wings. This early exposure was pivotal, setting the stage for my future public speaking endeavours. Around the same time, I participated in staffing the temporary canteens set up during the annual Panicker’s Volleyball Tournament, where I worked with a sales representative from the FMCG Giant Hindustan Lever. This experience of selling “Lux” soaps inside the school, taught me valuable lessons about business management, including handling cash and managing inventory. In 1991, for the annual school magazine, a few of us were tasked with preparing the Tamil section. Our teacher, Mr Pe Ki Pa, had us interview notable Tamil writers, a challenging yet confidence-building endeavour.

The National Cadet Corps (NCC) at SVSSS, managed under the Tamil Nadu Signal Company of the Indian Army was a unique feature not commonly found in private schools in those days. Mr. Anees Ahmed who ran the school’s unit was a discerning teacher who recognized and nurtured potential in every student. He was particularly instrumental in identifying leadership qualities within me, preparing me over months for the significant role of Troop Sergeant Major, which I achieved in 1988. This role is a source of pride that I still cherish and display in my office.

The NCC provided not only military-style training but also life skills critical during adolescence. The camps, including one at V Chettiyar HSS School in Tiruvottriyur and a two-week Shivaji Trail Trek in Pune, were transformative. For a 14-year-old who had never spent a night away from the comforts of home, sleeping in open tents in the forests near Pune and using pit latrines were life-changing experiences. Moreover, interacting and working with students from North India who spoke neither Tamil nor English broadened my cultural horizons and taught me adaptability. These experiences were foundational, helping an introvert like me step out of my comfort zone and grow into a confident individual ready to face the world.

The caliber of educators at SVSSS was exceptional, contributing significantly to our personal and academic development. I remember one of our physics teachers Prof Narayanan, was a direct student of Nobel Laureate Sir C V Raman. He always wanted us to focus on doing practical experiments, and his lessons inspired not just an understanding of scientific theories but a deep-seated respect for the investigative spirit of science.

For Tamil, Mr Pe Ki Pa (Mr Pe Ki Prabhakaran) was not only a teacher but a mentor who instilled in me a profound appreciation for Tamil literature. Despite his strong affiliations with the Dravidian movement, he maintained a neutral stance in the classroom, focusing instead on enriching our understanding and critical thinking. He taught us to recognize and analyze differing ideologies, a skill that proved invaluable in my later work with policymakers on Tamil language computing initiatives. His influence in the classroom was transformative too, leading me from just scraping by in Tamil to excelling with over 85% in board exams and eventually authoring a well-received Tamil book on technology, “Nutpam.”

Our chemistry teacher, Ms G Indira, was instrumental in transforming my academic trajectory. Initially, I struggled with chemistry, failing multiple internal tests during the 11th, which was a significant concern. However, Ms Indira’s dedication to teaching and her ability to explain complex concepts with exceptional clarity made a profound impact in me. Her teaching was so effective that, by the time of my board exams, I was not only confident in chemistry but also managed to score an impressive 95%. During the exams, I could almost hear her guiding voice, methodically breaking down each problem. She was such a great teacher and she really cared about each student, including me. That’s why I did so much better thanks to her.

There were many other remarkable educators and experiences at SVSSS that merit recognition, and each played a vital role in shaping the students we became. While it is impossible to do justice to all their contributions in this single article, my sincere thanks go out to each and every one of them for their dedication and impact.

As we look forward to the future milestones of our beloved school, I remain hopeful that the almighty continues to bless this great institution. It is my earnest wish to remain healthy and blessed with the opportunity to pen another article for the centenary celebration of SVSSS, celebrating a century of educational excellence and community impact.

The above article was written by T N C Venkatarangan, CEO of Little Feet Services Pvt Ltd and Microsoft Regional Director (Honorary). It was published in the Shrine Vailankanni Senior Secondary School’s Diamond Jubilee yearbook, released on 14th August 2024.

Yearbook 2024

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References

1. Down the Memory Lane: High School Prizes published in 2009
2. Met my Tamil teacher Mr Pe Ki Prabhakaran
3. Interviews for our School journal for SAARC Women Children year – 1991
4. 70th Birthday of my alma mater’s correspondent
5. Remembering my days with NCC