Sainik School, Ghorakhal

Sainik School Ghorakhal
Location
Nainital India
Information
Type	Public school Run by the Ministry Of Defence, India
Motto	Buddhiryasya Balamtasya (One who has got intelligence, he has got power)
Established	21 March 1966
Founder	Wg. Cdr. Jaimal Singh
Principal	Col. Devesh Gaur
Grades	Class 6 - 12
Gender	Boys
Age	10 to 18
Enrollment	525
Campus size	500-acre (2.0 km2)
Campus type	500 acres (2.0 km2)
Colour(s)	Silver and Maroon
Former pupils	Ghorakhalians
Sections	Singh, Kumaon, Kesari, Shiwalik and Garhwal
Website	http://www.ssghorakhal.org

Sainik School, Ghorakhal is a Sainik School (military school) established by the Sainik Schools Society in 1966, at Ghorakhal, near Bhowali in Nainital district, India. The school prepares its students for the officers cadre in the Armed Forces and for other professions.

Background

Sainik School, Ghorakhal is a residential school providing public school education, established on 21 March 1966. The school was established in the Ghorakhal Estate of the Nawab of Rampur, near Bhowali in Nainital District.

Campus

The school is situated at an altitude of about 6,000 feet (1,800 m) above sea level amidst the idyllic surroundings of the Kumaon Hills. It is 4 km from Bhowali and has the temple of Golu Devta. The school is for boys between the age group of 10 to 17 years. The school started with 60 students divided in two houses Singh and Kesari and afterwards Kumaon House,a new house Shiwalik House was built in 2000.Later new house Garhwal was built in 2010. There is also a Junior holding house, a senior holding house and a house for new students.

The first Principal was Wg Cdr. Jaimal Singh, first Registrar was Sqd Ldr. P N Khanna and Head Master Major T C Mehta. Among the first teaching staff were Mr Ramesh Chandra Srivastava teaching History, Mr Vaidya Bhushan Pant teaching English and Table Tennis, Mr Om Parkash Gupta teaching Mathematics, Mr Noor Mohammed teaching NCC/Arts and Craft and fond of hunting in the forest hills around the school. Mr B.C. Pande teaching Hindi and Mr M C Pande teaching English. Mr K S Chhikara was the first Physical Training instructor who with his hard work and earlier career in Indian Navy looked after all the sports and physical activities, on Saturday morning he used to give the moral lecture about the practical and future life of the baby and budding military officers.

Extracurricular activities

Clubs for the students include Radio, Photography, English and Hindi Debating and Gardening.

Admission

Boys are admitted to Class Six only from the age of ten to eleven. An All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination is held annually, usually in February. There is a 25% quota for defence candidates, and 15% and 7.5% respectively to SC and ST candidates. The rest of the boys come from General category. The school terms are from 1 April to 31 March.

Since 1993, a small number of candidates are also admitted in Class IX.

Vacations

Cadets are provided with 70 days official vacations. During winter (mid December to January end), Summer (after the annual function celebration i.e. last may for around 20 days) and Diwali break, for a week.

The ssgk garden

Scholarship

The State Government awards scholarships on merit- cum-means basis. In the case of those getting full scholarship, fees in full, together with clothing and money are paid by the Government. Those getting part scholarships have to pay the balance themselves.

The following types of scholarship schemes are in operation on means-cum-merit basis:

a. Defence Scholarships b. State Scholarships according to the parent’s income

Management

The Sainik Schools are managed by a Society which is registered under the Societies Registration Act (XXI of 1860). A Board of Governors that functions under the Chairmanship of the Defence Minister, is the Chief Executive Body of the Sainik Schools Society. The Board of Governors meets at least once a year. The school has a Local Board of Administration for overseeing the functioning of the school and its finances.

The Chief Minister or the Education Minister of the state are among the members of the Board of Governors. An officer of the Ministry of Defence is nominated to supervise and co-ordinate the functioning of the school and functions as the Honorary Secretary of the Sainik Schools Society. The Honorary Secretary is assisted by officers and staff of the Ministry of Defence. This includes two inspecting officers of the rank of Colonel or equivalent.

At present the Headmaster is Squadron Leader Sreeprakash, a highly qualified and motivated Air force Officer who is the first officer below the Lt Col rank to hold the post.It is said that he runs and trains with the cadets and takes part in all the activities.

Location

The school is 4 km from Bhowali and 16 km from Nainital. Kathgodam is the nearest railhead (terminus), which is 40 km away. The nearest airport is Pant Nagar 70 km away. A direct bus from Delhi to Nainital takes 10 hours. The nearest Railway Station Kathgodam is 36 km from the school. Although the school has a helipad of its own.

Notable Alumni

• Niraj Rawat
• Swapneel Malla
• Prashant Padiyar
• Abhishek Sharma
• Gokul Ganesh
• Kaushal Sharma
• Bikas Shaw
• Rajagopalan Balaji

External links

• Official website