Odisha is all set to get a second sainik school at Goshala near Sambalpur, home secretary M S Padhi said here on Friday.
“The state government has decided to start the second sainik school. The process is on track,” Padhi told reporters.
Principal of Sainik School Bhubaneswar, Capt K S Noor said the government has already identified 100 acres of land for the proposed school. “The Sainik School Board is in the process of signing an agreement with the Odisha government for the school,” Noor said. “The state government would provide the land and Rs 70 crore for infrastructure. We are hopeful the school will be functional in two years’ time,” he added.
Padhi, who is also the vice president of Old Boys’ Association of Sainik School Bhubaneswar, and principal Noor were talking to the media ahead of the school’s golden jubilee celebration.
As part of the celebration, Marshal Arjan Singh will address the cadets and the old boys on December 25. A mini marathon is scheduled to be held on December 18, in which 2,000 school and college students are expected to participate. The theme of the marathon is ‘Join armed forces, serve the motherland’, said Old Boys’ Association president Pritish Basa.
Akash Ganga – the team of Indian Air Force, Dare Devil Team of Indian Army and the Navy Band are expected to perform during the celebration. The Old Boys’ Association has also planned a cultural show on December 24 and 25 to mark the occasion. A statute of Biju Patnaik, the founder of the school, will be unveiled on December 24, Basa said.
Sainik School Bhubaneswar was set up in February, 1962. It temporarily functioned from Blind School, Bhubaneswar and was finally shifted to the present sprawling campus in August, 1963. During the last 50 years, the school has churned out over 600 officers for Indian defence forces.
