It was an emotional homecoming for the chief of world's fourth largest air force as air chief marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik spent a day at his alma mater, the Sainik School here, mingling with students and teachers.
"Today, I touched the feet of Ghatge sir, our physical training instructor and he said "you naughty boy." I must have been one," Naik quipped, addressing a meeting of the alumni association over the weekend.
The Air chief recalled the contribution of the school's first principal 94-year-old Lt Col Yograj Puri and his wife, calling them the finest educationists one can ever have. "Whatever I am today is because of them. They always treated students like family with all their love, affection and care. Mrs Puri was like a mother to us," he said.
The Air Chief Marshal, who was accompanied by his wife and Air Force Wives' Welfare Association President Madhubaala Naik, went round the school's 125-acre premises, reliving the days spent there.
Did he dream of becoming the Air Force Chief while he was in school, is a query by a former student. Pat came the reply, "Yes, I did." And how was it to have the President fly the Sukhoi, the most modern aircraft in IAF fleet? "It was a matter of pride for all of us," he replied.
A distinguished fighter pilot, Naik took over as chief of Indian Air Force seven months ago. Born in Nagpur, Naik was commissioned into the IAF on June 21, 1969 as a fighter pilot. He has over 3,000 hours of combat aircraft flying hours under his belt and also participated in the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
On the financial difficulties being faced by the school, which was inaugurated by the then defence minister VK Krishna Menon on June 23,1961, the IAF chief said the government should pitch in, adding he would take up the matter with Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.
Over a 1,000 of the school's alumni joined armed forces as officers and some have laid down lives for the country. President Pratibha Patil is expected to attend the concluding part of the year-long Golden Jubilee celebrations of the school, which commences on June 23 next year.
Sainik School, Satara is the first school among the 21 Sainik Schools existing in India. These schools have been set up with the aim of providing quality public school education to children who come from a financially weaker section of the society.
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