Jegan Matha Matriculation School strode past a world record on Tuesday when 520 out of its 620 students presented themselves in the attire of the Mahatma featuring the trademark spectacles, staff and dhoti, to celebrate Gandhi Jayanthi. And 58 among them even had their heads tonsured for the occasion.
Every year, the school has been celebrating the day with a theme. Buoyed by the cent per cent results achieved by its first batch of class X students in its fifth year of existence, the institution thought it fit to celebrate the occasion with a world record to boost the confidence of students and orient them to their inherent potential. Only by inculcating good qualities along with education can students be transformed into responsible citizens, Ref. Fr. R. Sahayaraj, School Correspondent, explained.
Voice of nationalism
The air reverberated with patriotism when the entire group burst into Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite song Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram. Students were told about the global following for Gandhi’s policy of Ahimsa to win Indian independence from the British, right from late Martin Luther Junior of USA to the present leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi.
The students, who enhanced their awareness about the life and sacrifices of Mahatma Gandhi over the last four months, impressed the public as well during the celebration by going in a procession along the Sathanoor Road, singing the song all along.
In the presence of Rev. Fr. John Roncalli Osm, Vice Provincial of the Order of Servant of Mary, Rev. Fr. Sahayaraj joined Principal Rev. Fr. Chinnappan, to receive the world record certificates from Jaswanth Sai, Indian Coordination, Elite World Records (UK) Private Limited; Simon Gerrard, Adjudicator, Asian Records Academy, Singapore; K Vasudevan, India Records Academy, Mumbai; and Raj Krishna, Manager, Tamilan Book of Records, Chennai.
Students were also awarded certificates.
Inspector of Matriculation Schools P. Mathivanan and Regional Passport Officer K. Balamurugan lauded the initiative in their speech.
Said Fr. Sahayaraj: “As a follow up, we plan to give Gandhi’s ‘My Experiment with Truth’, to all students and teach the same as non detail.”
