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
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
Shishir Sandipan
Regional Director – North
Alliance Insurance Brokers
Alumnus – Sainik School Tilaiya
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
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
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.
