Head Light: Ajeet Hain, Abheet Hain

Every year during the third week of December, while the world is busy celebrating Christmas, holidaying and welcoming the New Year, there are around 3000 Ajeets and their families coming together for an annual get together. The get together is an union of three generations of schools boys passed out of "Sainik School Bijapur". The alumni of the school known as Ajeets, a closely knit community, widely spread in India and abroad.

Sainik School Bijapur has produced excellent cadre of men for the Armed forces and also for civilian life. The school commenced on the 16th September, 1963, with an objective of preparing boys to join the National Defence Academy, Pune, there is a good history to its origins as to how Sri. SR Kanthi fought tooth and nail to get the School located at Bijapur.

The alumni has built its networks with humble beginnings of get together arranged by Dr.CS Hunshal at Dharwar, where few Ajeets met, the network today has become an institution with the collective efforts of Mr.GD Kale, D. Vijayakumar from the staff and every Ajeet has put in an active effort to connect and collect, Ramesh Bhat, Maltesh Patil, Ravindranath, Jacob George, Sanjeev Baitmangalkar from Bangalore and many other Ajeets from Hubli, Dharwar, Bijapur, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Davangere, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune and overseas. Today called as "Old Boys Association of Sainik School Bijapur" is an institution in itself supporting the cause of the alma mater and its members. Mr.GD Kale did what classmates.com, schoolmates.com, facebook.com, AT & T, BBC, AIR could have done together for the OBA of SSBJ, his zeal to connect all of the Ajeets has laid a strong foundation for the association. Mr.GD Kale knows most of the boys by their first name, roll number, place they belong to, profession of father mother, and more details than an online form can capture. may god give him all the energy to continue to do what he is doing.

The officials at the school have related excellently well to the association and have welcomed the cause of its existence and the support it can render. Over a period of time the school's infrastructure facilities are now at its best. The teaching staff,non-teaching staff, existing and retired are all part of the network and the Ajeets take pride in inviting them to join the meets and the staff has taken pride in attending, suggesting and guiding the association.

Ajeets are known by their Roll numbers, smaller (lesser) the number indicates an early joinee and increasing (larger) indicates the later entrant. The school has been residential, hence life spent in school is fresh in the minds of the Ajeets and they never tire in speaking about it anytime. The nostalgia is contagious and the memories last for life time. The memories are like old wine getting stronger as they age. Right from the sounds we heard, scenes we saw, moments we spent together, games on the field and off it.

Every meet is a one and half day event, starts with informal meeting in the evening, when most classmates meet, celebrate the togetherness and recall the wonderful days they spent in school, it is also an update on who, what, when changed from the past meeting. The day is fun and entertainment oriented, ends with a cocktail and dinner. The next day morning is the official meeting, where the progress of the association, the contributions of Ajeets and families to the nation are recalled, respects to departed souls and some discussions and resolutions mark the day. The families are engaged in good activities in the meanwhile. The local chapter of the association find their innovative ways each time in managing the function. Before the annual meeting is over, the dates, venue of the next annual meeting is declared. A Souvenir is released and there are few things to take back home as memory. Before we realize the meeting gets over. We look forward to the meeting of the coming year. Those who can not make it to the meeting, their hearts are there, I could write this piece to be there. I will miss this one.

This year the meeting is at PUNE on the 25th and 26th December, 2010.