The All India Sainik Schools Alumni Meet
2026 was successfully held in New Delhi, bringing together more than 150
alumni from Sainik Schools across India in a landmark gathering aimed at
strengthening the national brotherhood of the Sainik Schools fraternity and
creating a unified alumni platform for national collaboration.
The initiative traces its origins to 2018,
when the idea of building a national alumni movement was first initiated by Santosh
Kumar, an alumnus of Sainik School Tilaiya (2001–2008 batch).
Santosh Kumar, who currently serves as a Chief Officer in the Merchant Navy,
envisioned bringing together Sainik School alumni from across India on a common
platform to strengthen their collective contribution to the nation.
Taking this vision forward, Kumar Basant Singh,
Founder and CEO of ATIR PoliTech, has played a key role in advancing the
initiative and organizing the All India Sainik Schools Alumni Meet 2026.
Kumar Basant Singh is an entrepreneur building India’s first AI-powered
election management platform, aimed at modernizing campaign management and
political technology in India.
The event was organized under the theme:
“Service Beyond Uniform: Brotherhood, Nation
& Next Generation.”
The gathering reflected the powerful legacy of
Sainik Schools, whose alumni today serve the nation in the Armed Forces,
civil services, administration, politics, entrepreneurship, academia, and
corporate leadership.
Distinguished Chief Guest
The event was graced by Chief Guest Shri
Naresh Gangaram Raval, Former Home Minister and Industries & Mines
Minister, Government of Gujarat, and a proud alumnus of Sainik School
Balachadi.
In his address, Shri Raval spoke about the
lifelong impact of Sainik School education and the strong sense of brotherhood
it creates among alumni.
Recalling an interesting personal anecdote, he
shared that during his time in public life he spent nearly a month working
closely with Narendra Modi, who at the time was associated with political
organisational work. During those discussions, Shri Modi had expressed that he
once wished to study at a Sainik School but could not get the opportunity,
and that he still carried that regret.
Shri Raval remarked that this reflects how fortunate
Sainik School alumni are to have received an education that builds discipline,
leadership, and a distinct identity.
He also shared a memorable story from his
tenure as Industries Minister, when the government was promoting
industrial development by providing subsidies to industries. At that time, when
asked if he wanted any personal benefit in return, he instead requested that television
sets be installed in Sainik School Balachadi, where facilities were very
limited during those years.
Within a short time, colour televisions
were arranged and installed in the school, bringing great happiness to the
cadets. Shri Raval noted that in those days, even basic provisions in Sainik
Schools were limited due to tight budgets, and facilities such as television
were considered a luxury.
Speaking about the early days of alumni
networking, Shri Raval also recalled how the Sainik School
Balachadi Alumni Association was initially built with very modest
resources.
He shared that before the era of mobile
phones, alumni communication relied entirely on postcards and letters,
often sent through postal mail to save even small amounts of money.
“In those days, to communicate with fellow
alumni we used postcards because they were cheaper than envelopes. But slowly,
through dedication and brotherhood, the alumni association grew stronger. Today
it has become a very strong network.”
Concluding his address, Shri Raval
congratulated the organisers of the All India Sainik Schools Alumni
Meet 2026 and expressed his support for the initiative.
“All of you who studied in Sainik Schools are
extremely fortunate. These institutions shape character, discipline, and
leadership. The effort to build a national alumni platform is a very important
step, and I extend my full support and congratulations to the organisers.”
The event proceedings were conducted by Master
of Ceremony Rajesh Griglani, a senior political leader, who
skillfully anchored the programme and guided the audience through the various
sessions of the alumni meet, ensuring the smooth flow of the event.
His presence and engagement added depth to the
discussions and highlighted the growing interest of leaders from public life in
strengthening the Sainik Schools alumni network and its contribution to
nation-building.
Keynote Address
The Keynote Address was delivered by:
Dr. Ashok Dalwai
Former Union Secretary, Government of India,
Chairman – Karnataka State Agriculture Price Commission,
Chairman – Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru,
Alumnus – Sainik School Bijapur.
Dr. Dalwai spoke about the role of Sainik
Schools in shaping disciplined leadership and emphasized the importance of
alumni mentorship for future cadets.
Distinguished Speakers and Alumni Leaders
Several eminent personalities from defence,
administration, medicine, media, and public life addressed the gathering and
shared their experiences.
Prof. (Dr.) Puneet Gupta
Chairman – Oncology Services
Asian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Faridabad
Alumnus – Sainik School Kapurthala
Mr. Ashish Sinha
Secretary – Indian Broadcasting and Digital
Foundation (IBDF)
Secretary General – Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC)
Former Senior Journalist – Times of India, Hindustan Times, Mail Today
Alumnus – Sainik School Tilaiya
Capt. Vinod Kumar Anand
Former Executive Director – Security Services
Coal India Limited
Former Officer – Madras Regiment, Indian Army
Alumnus – Sainik School Kapurthala
Mr. Shishir Sandipan
Regional Director – North
Alliance Insurance Brokers
Alumnus – Sainik School Tilaiya
Mr. Neeraj Kumar, IPS (Retd.)
Former Commissioner of Police, Delhi
Renowned Author – Khaki Files, Dial D for Don, A Cop in
Cricket
Alumnus – First Batch, Sainik School Tilaiya
Mr. Sanjay Kumar
Deputy Inspector General (DIG)
Border Security Force (BSF)
Alumnus – Sainik School Tilaiya
Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd.)
PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM
Former Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel
Indian Air Force Headquarters
Distinguished fighter pilot and defence strategist
Alumnus – Sainik School Kapurthala
Mr. Anurag Pandey, IAS (Retd.)
Former Senior Administrative Officer
Government of Madhya Pradesh
Alumnus – Sainik School Rewa
Messages from National Leaders
Among the distinguished personalities who
conveyed their support and encouragement were:
●
Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh (Retd.),
Governor of Uttarakhand
●
Lt. Gen. K. T. Parnaik (Retd.),
Governor of Arunachal Pradesh
●
General Upendra Dwivedi,
Chief of the Army Staff
●
Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi,
Chief of the Naval Staff
These national leaders conveyed their
appreciation for the initiative of bringing together alumni of Sainik Schools
from across the country and emphasized the important role the Sainik School
ecosystem has played in shaping disciplined leaders for the nation.
They highlighted that the Sainik School system
has produced thousands of officers in the Armed Forces and leaders in
administration, governance, business, science, and public life, and that
strengthening the alumni network would further contribute to nation-building
and leadership development for future generations
Messages
from Distinguished Defence Veterans
The event also received special messages from
eminent alumni and senior defence leaders.
Air
Marshal Suresh Chandra Mukul (Retd.)
PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM
Alumnus – Sainik School Balachadi
In his message, Air Marshal Mukul said it was
his great fortune to have studied at Sainik School Balachadi and
expressed happiness that the All India Sainik Schools Alumni Meet 2026 had
been planned in New Delhi.
He extended his best wishes to the
organisers and participants for the success of the mega event, concluding
his message with warm regards and the traditional aviators’ greeting:
“Happy landings.”
Lt.
Gen. Mandhata Singh (Retd.)
Alumnus – Sainik School Chittorgarh
Lt. Gen. Mandhata Singh congratulated the
organisers, particularly Kumar Basant Singh, for taking the initiative
to bring together alumni from across Sainik Schools on a common national
platform.
In his message he noted that Sainik Schools
have consistently produced disciplined, dedicated, and talented individuals who
have served the nation in diverse fields.
He also emphasized the importance of creating
structured support systems for younger alumni, suggesting that the alumni
network could eventually help facilitate career guidance, employment
opportunities, and professional mentorship, particularly for those who do
not enter the Armed Forces.
Lt. Gen. Singh concluded his message by
expressing confidence that such initiatives would greatly benefit the younger
generation of alumni and wished the event great success and long-term impact.
Recognition
of the Sainik Schools Legacy
The messages from national leaders and defence
veterans highlighted the enduring legacy of Sainik Schools in nurturing
leadership, discipline, and commitment to national service.
Speakers and dignitaries collectively
expressed their hope that initiatives like the All India Sainik Schools
Alumni Meet would strengthen alumni connections, encourage mentorship for
cadets, and build a national platform capable of supporting future generations.
They conveyed their best wishes for the
continued success, growth, and enduring future impact of the Sainik School
alumni fraternity, expressing confidence that the initiative would evolve
into a strong and respected national institution serving both alumni and the
nation.
Importance of Sainik Schools
Speakers emphasized that studying in a
Sainik School is one of the greatest opportunities for young Indians, as
these institutions cultivate discipline, leadership, and national commitment
from an early age.
It was also mentioned that Prime Minister
Shri Narendra Modi has often expressed that he once wished to study at Sainik
School Balachadi, highlighting the prestige and importance of the Sainik
School system.
Today, India has more than 30 Sainik
Schools and over 150,000 alumni serving the nation in the armed forces,
civil services, administration, corporate leadership, science, and entrepreneurship.
Formation of a National Alumni Platform
One of the major highlights of the event was
the presentation of the All India
Sainik Schools Alumni Association (AISSAA).
The proposed platform aims to:
●
Connect alumni across India
●
Create a national alumni directory
●
Launch mentorship programs for cadets
●
Provide career guidance and internships
●
Support defence service preparation
●
Offer scholarships and financial assistance
●
Encourage entrepreneurship and startup
collaboration among alumni.
Organiser’s Statement
Speaking on the occasion, Kumar Basant Singh
said:
“Sainik Schools have produced leaders who have
served the nation with honour and discipline. This alumni meet is the first
step towards building a strong national platform that connects our fraternity
and supports future generations of cadets.”
A Historic Beginning
Participants described the event as a
historic milestone in building a unified national brotherhood of Sainik School
alumni, dedicated to strengthening the legacy of these institutions and
contributing to nation-building.
The organizers expressed their gratitude to
all distinguished guests, alumni leaders, speakers, volunteers, and
participants whose support made the event successful.
Acknowledgement of Volunteers
The organizers extend special thanks to
Prasanna Kumar, alumnus of Sainik School Amaravathinagar (Tamil Nadu), for
developing the official website and providing technical support, along with
dedicated volunteers — Abhishek Tomar, Shrinasi Kulkarni, Nitesh Kumar,
Shreyash Trivedi, Hardik Joshi, Shivram Shashodia, Gautam Kumar, Siddharth K.
Singh, Atul Kumar, Parth Kumar, Shiv Sharan Preet Singh, and Sonal Chahal — who
contributed in various ways to successfully coordinate and manage the event.
“Once a Sainik, Always a Sainik.”
For more details visit :- https://www.aissaa.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/aissaa/
