Former J&K CM reflects on nostalgia, rejoices old days with batch mates

SRINAGAR: Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, took a break from his busy schedule following the state elections to participate in the 177th Founders Day of Lawrence School, Sanawar. An alumnus of the 1981-89 batch, Abdullah was not only the Head Boy but also the captain of Vindhya House.
Expressing his nostalgia, Abdullah marveled at the significant changes in the school’s infrastructure. “We used to practice football on this ground, where I marched with my classmates. Our knees would get bruised during practice. Today, the same ground has been transformed into an astroturf and serves as a central venue for activities,” he shared.
When asked about the recent state elections, he remarked that candidates contest elections primarily to win. “Every party claims victory, but the final results on October 8 will provide a clearer picture,” he noted.
The highlight of the third and final day of Founders Day was the school band and parade, featuring an Old Sanwarian celebrity march past. The event was presided over by Kiran Tandon Nadar, an alumnus from the 1966 batch, who is also the Chairperson of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Arts and a Trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation. The program was attended by the school headmaster, Himmat Singh Dhillon, along with notable alumni including Olympian Shiva Keshavan, Bollywood director Apoorva Lakhia, actor Iqbal Khan, director Iqbal Rizvi, corporate entrepreneur Vivek Mehra, and local MLA Vinod Sultanpuri.
During the event, Kiran Tandon Nadar inaugurated a new girls’ dormitory, constructed at a cost of Rs 15 crore. The OS Lifetime Achievers Award was presented to Siddharth Kak, the presenter of DD’s Surabhi show, golf coach Jaskirat Grewal, and posthumously to film critic Aruna Vasudev. Outstanding students were also honored for their academic excellence during the award distribution ceremony.

KR Desk