Mellow was the day, moist were the eyes, and damp was the air as an emotional farewell was organized on April 11, 2019 by the Student Supreme Council and the Staff Club of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (IES), Kuwait to honor Mr. Suresh V Balakrishnan, the vice principal, middle and senior wings, as a token of reverence and gratitude to his inspiring and fruitful tenure at Bhavans Kuwait and also to congratulate him on his new venture with PIES, Abu Dhabi – a sister concern of Bhavans Kuwait.

Mr. Suresh had been working in Bhavans Kuwait for the last eleven years in various capacities before he received the promotional transfer to PIES, Abu Dhabi.

A special assembly of students of grades 9 to 12 was held in Mr. Suresh’s honor in the morning. The student supreme council hosted the assembly most endearingly. The news of the veteran vice principal’s leave-taking was a bolt from the blue for the senior students and it indeed ruffled their spirts and filled their hearts with blues. However, their sadness paved way for excited clapping when Mr. T. Premkumar, the principal, IES requested the presence of the outgoing vice principal onstage. The school head boy Samuel John poured his heart in the morning assembly.

He mentioned the humble beginning of Mr. Suresh V Balakrishnan in an underprivileged village in India and how he transformed himself into a powerhouse of pedagogy, and top-notch administration through hard work and self-motivation.

A memento was presented to Mr. Suresh as a token of love and indebtedness by the supreme council. Mr. T. Premkumar, the principal also addressed the gathering. He praised Mr. Suresh’s efforts that benefitted the student community abundantly. Mr. Suresh was too choked up to speak at the outset but soon regained his composure. He thanked his dear students for their display of candid love and affection. He emphasized the importance of self-motivation and industriousness in his speech amid thunderous applause.

The staff club of IES hosted a farewell in the leave-taking vice principal’s honor in the school auditorium. The pale lights and the evergreen Bollywood number ‘ Ye dosti’ played in the auditorium created a perfect ambiance with a befitting musical tribute to Mr. Suresh V Balakrishnan, the outgoing vice principal, the middle and the senior wings, whose untiring enthusiasm and deep commitment not only helped the institution grow exponentially but also instilled a sense of dedication in the minds of many pedagogues and pupils.

Mr. Suresh V Balakrishnan was accorded a warm welcome through a standing ovation by the gathering that comprised the teachers of the primary, the middle, and the senior wings of Bhavans Kuwait as he was ushered to the school hall accompanied by the distinguished presence of the chairman, the principal, and the vice principals of Bhavans Kuwait along with Mrs. Rathi Raveendran, the principal, Jack and Jill.

Mr. T. Premkumar, the principal, Bhavans Kuwait in his speech recounted the myriad contributions Mr. Suresh V Balakrishnan had made during his eleven-year long tenure and how he touched the many lives he intended to mold.

The principal was all praise for the perseverance and workaholism of the outgoing vice principal. He added that he was not only an excellent teacher but an able administrator with a ‘go-get’ attitude.

Mrs. Rathi Raveendran, the principal, Jack and Jill, Mangaf also extolled the contributions of Mr. Suresh. V. Balakrishnan in her short but emotionally charged speech.

It was the turn of Mrs. Lalitha Premkumar, the vice-principal, the kindergarten and the primary wings. Mrs. Lalitha Premkumar also recalled many significant moments that spoke highly of the leave-taking vice principal and his inspiring work culture.

She also presented Mr. Suresh V Balakirshnan a painting as a gesture of appreciation to him. She also felicitated the newly-appointed vice principals Mrs. Anselma Tessy (the senior wing) and Mrs. Jaemi Byju (the middle wing) by presenting them beautiful paintings. The new vice principals who assumed office on the same day assured the gathering in their meaningful opening addresses that they would carry forward all the unfinished tasks of the former vice principal with the same vigor and zest as displayed in abundance by their predecessor.

A rain of mementos followed next. Mementos were presented to Mr. Suresh V Balakirshnan by many. Mr. N.K. Ramachandran Menon, the chairman, Bhavans Kuwait also presented Mr. Suresh V Balakrishnan a memento as a gesture of appreciation. He also thanked Mr. Suresh for his profound sense of professionalism.

The address of the outgoing vice principal saw him go through a flurry of overpowering emotions as he reminisced the time, he joined Bhavans Kuwait in the year 2008. He thanked the staff and his superiors for being with him through the thick and thin of his eventful journey in Bhavans Kuwait. While handing over the reins to his successors, he sounded like a proud father after a rewarding sojourn.

He wished Mrs. Anselma Tessy Gonsalves and Mrs. Jaemi Byju, the new vice principals of Bhavans Kuwait the very best in their pursuit of perfection. A short film made by Mr. Sunil, the multimedia maven of Bhavans Kuwait as a tribute to Mr. Suresh V Balakrishnan was played in the auditorium and was well received by the gathering.

The IES Kuwait fraternity thanked Mr. Suresh for his contributions and wished him a blissful journey ahead with plentiful accomplishments and unparalleled success.

Disarming smiles, warm handshakes, photographs, and selfies galore attested the overwhelming love and respect received by a self-made man in the towering temple of learning- Bhavans Kuwait. The emcee for the day was Mrs. Saritha Umesh, the HoD, Chemistry.