The letter I sent to the ED.
Thanks and Regards,
Ganesh.

02/22/06
Dr.V.Gopalakrishnan
To,
New Jersey, USA Executive Director,
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited,
Tiruchirapalli - 600014.

Dear ED,

This is Ganeshkumar batch of ‘92. Writing this letter to convey my heartfelt thank you to both BHEL and the Montfort Brothers for being a part of my entire childhood. I have such fond memories that I don’t think I can capture in a page or for that matter ever tell everything in one letter. My Dad worked for BHEL close to 35 years and my Mom worked in different schools in BHEL Township including RSK as a substitute for two short periods. I am proud to say my entire family had their schooling from KG-I to 12th standard in RSK (one sister Shailaja ’88 batch and one brother Ravishanker ’90 batch). I studied till the 10th grade and moved to BPBHSS to take advantage of that school being run under the State Board.

I think I can bring a unique view as a sportsperson who along with my fellow RSKites brought glory to the school and BHEL. We (K. Saravanan ’91 batch and S. Arvind ’93 batch, I and a few seniors) started a not so popular sport (at least at that time) of Table Tennis to great levels of recognition under the wonderful coaching of Mr. V. Ramasubramanian (BHEL Employee), support of BHEL and Montfort Brothers. In that processes we achieved a number of firsts which we are very proud of and I will talk about it shortly. I think this would give and wonderful example and a reason why these two great institutions should burry their differences and come together so that there can be more such great things, life altering events in impressionable minds of today and tomorrow.

It was 1986 and we were participating in the District level trials to secure a position in the Trichy District Table Tennis Team Sub-Junior group. To everyone’s surprise all the positions 1,2 and 3 were from RSK. We went on to win the Zonal Competition and finished second place in the Inter- Zonal competition and that was the start. Though we represented the district, to us it was Team RSK. Since then RSK made steady progress and in 1987 we won a major trophy in Madras, probably the first time by a school outside of Madras. BHEL recognized this effort, we met the Chief Financial Officer who also accepted our request to buy new Table Tennis Tables, renovate the room and publish an article with our pictures in the BHEL internal magazine. Even today I can recollect those wonderful days and just can’t stop to think how lucky we were to have such a wonderful atmosphere. I can go on with innumerable such events that has made me look at these two institutions as probably the best things that could have happened to my life, but I don’t want to burned your valuable time.

All I request though this letter is to give a chance to the student of today to enjoy the fruit of such wonderful collaboration between two great institutions. Please re-think this entire issue with fresh spirit and let the interest of the students today and tomorrow be the only driving force in your decisions. This is an earnest request from an Alumni sitting far away, enjoying the fruits of the wonderful education that has brought me here, but saddened, disappointed and depressed by the events of recent past and hoping for a miracle to happen. Please give this wonderful collaboration another chance to do wonders that it has done for the past 40 years.

Sincerely,
Ganeshkumar Subramanian
Research Scientist - Bristol Myers Squibb Co.
CC :
The Provincial Superior, Montfort Brothers -
Rev Bro.Dhanaraj,
Provincial Superior,
Montfort Brothers of St.Gabriel,
Villa Montfort,
Prattiyur, Tiruchirappalli - 620009

and

Dr.V.Gopalakrishnan,
The Executive Director,
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited,
Tiruchirapalli - 600014.

25 Feb 2006
Re: Termination of RSK contract
Dear Bro. Dhanaraj and Dr. Gopalakrishnan,
It was with much surprise that I learned about the termination of the contract between BHEL and Montfort Brothers. I have no particular view on whether the result is good or bad, and I am sure that you both have a clearer picture of the situation. However, as an alumnus of RSK (1983 batch), and an educator myself, I was concerned about the cause of this action, and the resulting ill-will between the two sides.

While it may appear that both of you have the rights to decide on the course of action with respect to the contract, truly speaking, man has the right do only what God wants of him. Any other action is bound to bring negative consequences only to himself. Therefore, my concern is not for the future of the school or for the children there, for they will experience exactly what they ought to. It is my concern for both of you that prompted me to write this letter. When God places people in positions of apparent power, He is really only conferring a greater responsibility, which also implies a greater need to be careful in ones action. So I urge both of you to reflect on whether your actions were really in consonance with God’s will, and take remedial actions if they were not.

Even if both of you feel that your actions reflected exactly the will of God, the ill-will between the two groups is clear, and this can certainly not be the will of God. So I urge you to at least meet, forgive each other, and part as friends, even if you decide not to reverse the prior decisions.

I am sure you would have heard from my fellow alumni about their anguish due to the breaking of ties between RSK and Montfort Brothers. I, on the other hand, feel only bliss, since I feel that in writing this letter, I am exactly doing God’s will. I hope, and pray, that you all will be able to feel this way too.
Yours sincerely,

Ashok Srinivasan,
7658 McCure Drive,
Tallahassee FL 32312,
U.S.A.

I have sent the following letters to Dr. V.Gopalakrishnan and Rev Bro Dhanaraj. Let us keep our fingers crossed and hope that the meeting of the alumni with the respective heads brings about a positive result.

Regards
P.Sivakumar (Batch of 1980)

Dr V.Gopalakrishnan
Executive Director, BHEL
Tiruchirapalli 620 014

Dear Dr. Gopalakrishnan,

I have had the privilege of being a student of RSK Higher Secondary School from KG II to Class XII. The values and education imparted by the school have left their indelible mark in facing the challenges of the world. I am deeply indebted to both the BHEL management for having the vision to start a high quality school in the township and to the Montfort brothers for converting the vision into reality. I am sure that many of my fellow alumni share the same passion and feelings for the school.

I was deeply pained and shocked to hear that the Montfort Brothers will be handing over the management of the school at the end of this academic year. As I have been out of Trichy for the past 23 years, I do not understand the reasons for this extreme step but I hope that the problems could be solved through mutual discussions to the satisfaction of both parties.

I request you initiate the necessary steps to resolve the contentious issues and preserve the legacy of our wonderful institution.

Regards
P.Sivakumar

Rev Bro Dhanaraj
Provincial Superior – Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel
Villa Montfort
Prattiyur
Tiruchirapalli 620 009

Dear Rev Bro Dhanaraj,

I have had the privilege of being a student of RSK Higher Secondary School from KG II to Class XII. The values and education imparted by the school have left their indelible mark in facing the challenges of the world. I am deeply indebted to both the BHEL management for having the vision to start a high quality school in the township and to the Montfort brothers for converting the vision into reality. I am sure that many of my fellow alumni share the same passion and feelings for the school.

I was deeply pained and shocked to hear that you will be handing over the management of the school at the end of this academic year. As I have been out of Trichy for the past 23 years, I do not understand the reasons for this extreme step but I hope that the problems could be solved through mutual discussions to the satisfaction of both parties.

I request you initiate the necessary steps to resolve the contentious issues and preserve the legacy of our wonderful institution.

Regards
P.Sivakumar

Hi All,
The letter I sent to the ED and the Superior...
Thanks and Regards,
Vijay

To
Rev Bro.Dhanaraj,
Provincial Superior,
Montfort Brothers of St.Gabriel,
Villa Montfort,
Prattiyur,
Tiruchirapalli – 620 009

Dr V Gopalakrishnan,
The Executive Director,
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited,
Tiruchirapalli – 620 014

Sub: The recent issue on the BHEL-Montfort Brothers Contract at RSK.
Dear Reverend Brother/Dr Gopalakrishnan,
I am Vijay, from the Class of 96. I have also been (and still am) an active member of the alumni organisation of RSK. More important, I am a proud RSKite…

I am sure by this time I have taken away whatever interest you had in reading this letter. But before you resign this to the waste, I plead that you read on… It might not make an impression, but please do.

In my work, I come across a number of people, most importantly, graduates fresh out of College. In all my encounters, students from RSK stand apart. Be it in technical excellence, in confidence, in being able to speak out… We all need to admit that RSK is in a class of its own.

What I am today is largely because of the fact that two great forces came together over 40 years back. BHEL and the Montfort Brothers. If there was one great decision that they made, it was the fact that the two forged an alliance that was just great. The alliance was a legacy that great men bequeathed to generations to follow.

I do not want to go into singing praise of this association, for it is a path well trodden in the past. To this day, ex-RSKites stand apart in any corner of the Globe.

I also understand that when such mountains get together, there do arise problems. I am sure this association also has problems, which have now come to this situation. I do not have the experience, the right or the position to advise, but I can request. On behalf of all the alumni, I have a request to make – Could the problem we have at the moment between the two giants be looked beyond? Could we look at how the World leaders in the past have looked beyond small differences for the larger good cause and gone on to leave behind rich legacies? The Germans united, the USA and Russia stand together, the Vietnams… India and Pakistan… In the midst of all these success stories from the past, can we do something?

For thousands of alumni, RSK is in our blood. And the RSK we all know is the one made strong by the forces of both BHEL and the Montfort Brothers. We all admit that RSK (or any school by any other name) run by just one or the other of the two would only be what all other such buildings are – a School. RSK was more like home to us… our soul. RSK made us… It takes an RSKite to know the pain in this parting. And we feel the pain now.

Hence, from the bottom of my heart, I request that the two of you, who wield the power to shape the future of a grand institution, to please reconsider your decisions. I am sure this might have been given a lot of thought, and was not a decision that you made on impulse. Maybe you did have reasons. But, I appeal to you… could you please reconsider, taking into consideration the wishes of thousands of alumni, thousands of parents, thousands of students, and the millions of well-wishers?

There might have been mistakes on both the sides. But, can we bury the bad past and learn on those experiences, compromise and get together for a larger good cause? The world may not reckon us with the Germans getting together, or the Indians talking with the Pakistanis. But, it would surely go a long way in ensuring the bright futures of a million students who would be passing out of the gates of the Institution, boldly singing, “And walk in footsteps left behind, by Bharat’s heroes bold…” You were our heroes… And we want you to continue to be so…

It is time for the Montfort Brothers to put to practise all those lessons you taught us in Moral Science – to forget the difficult things and march ahead with the goal in mind! And it is also time for the BHEL Management to carry on giving unhindered support to the most important factor that would result in promising talent flowing into the industry – providing children the right education base.

This is my humble appeal for the future of my alma mater.

Yours truly,
Vijay Premkumar (Class of 96, RSK)

Respected Sirs,

Whether the great leaders are born or made, I do not know for sure and the world still debates on this. But what I am sure is that great institution is not made in a day, it needs visionary and great leaders to carry out this vision and make it a reality. This I am sure not because of my knowledge nor wisdom, but by my association with the greatest institute, named RSKrishnan Higher Secondary School, Trichy. I am proud to say that I have been a student from KG 1 till Std XII (within campus) and still continue to be one ( outside campus).

To Rev.Bro. Dhanraj & Dr.V.Gopalakrishnan
Respected Sirs,

This is about RSK.

Spare a thought –