Chennai: Smart classrooms, science laboratories, and a 200-seater dining hall were inaugurated on Saturday at the Guild of Service General Cariappa Higher Secondary School, one of the oldest educational institutions in the city. Spread over 45,350 square feet at Vadapalani, the renovated campus can accommodate up to 1,000 students. It now features standard-sized courts for basketball, volleyball, throwball, kabaddi, and kho-kho.
Inauguration Ceremony
Air Marshal K C Cariappa (retired), the son of Field Marshal K M Cariappa—after whom the school is named—inaugurated the building along with his wife Meena Cariappa. Addressing the gathering, K C Cariappa, who was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and the Vayu Sena Medal for outstanding service and gallantry, recalled his father's values. He quoted his father saying, "If you are given a job, do it well without wondering if someone's looking or not."
Donor Contributions
Senior advocate Arvind Datar, one of the top donors for the renovation, expressed his honor in contributing to a school named after Cariappa. Retired bureaucrat K S Sripathi praised the Guild of Service and the school for their societal service, noting that the enhanced facilities would ensure students from all backgrounds could access quality school education.
School History and Mission
Founded in 1956 and inaugurated by former President of India, Rajendra Prasad, the school offers vocational education to students from economically disadvantaged sections. Initially catering to children from the Seva Samajam Boys Home, it later grew into a higher secondary school affiliated with the state board. The school currently has 400 students and about 50 teaching and non-teaching staff.
The renovation marks a significant upgrade, providing modern learning environments and sports infrastructure to support holistic development.
