Exclusive Interview with Kumararaja!!

An online interview with former Jeevana School Headboy Shriram Kumararaja

The 2011 batch of Jeevana School had a reunion in the School premises on 18-06-2012, with 25 students attending the meet. Our Exprezzopark team caught up with Kumararaja the mastermind behind the event and the former headboy of the school for a candid online interview.

The following interview was conducted in Gtalk the next day after the Reunion was held in the Jeevana School

Anything has it's first and this is my first attempt as an interviewer, and am really happy that I got to interview my best friend Kumararaja on my first interview.To say about Kumar he is a very friendly and amiable person and he gladly accepted to be interviewed when I requested him for an interview.

Priyadharshan: Hello Kumar

Kumar: Hey man!


That's Kumar!


PD:I would like to know how do you feel organizing the Jeevana reunion? was it a tiring experience?

Kumar: Not at all...Actually I felt really great to do that, many of them asked for a reunion... First of all I didn't even mind about it but at last after the numerous requests, I decided to arrange for a reunion.


A group pic from the reunion

PD: So how much numbers did you expect initially and how much people actually turned up?

Kumar: As many of them had their exams the next day(19-06-2012),I didn't even expect 15 of them to come... But I was so surprised to see 25 people turning up for the event.


This was the place where our gang of boys, used to have lunch....Now all we have is fond memories of this place!

PD: So according to you it was a grand success?

Kumar: yup sure... not actually but a stepping stone and a gala start!


That's the school name board and with the International Tag!

PD: Great to hear that, so when did you actually started to plan for this event? how many months before?

Kumar: Not planned..My friends asked for a get together from the month of January, and my vacations started from 28th of may... After that only I started planning about this[reunion]


These smiles were all possible due to the efforts of Kumar!

PD: Kumar, can you please describe your association with Jeevana? when did you join and about your role of head boy in detail? so that our readers can know more about you and the role

Kumar: I started my schooling at Jeevana ...Unfortunately I went to my native after 1st std...then I came back at 8th standard and completed my schooling in Jeevana.


Kumar striking a pose in the 11th and 12th std building walkway

PD: and from when were you a head boy? and how tough is that role actually?

Kumar: When we entered 12th standard there was a great conflict between us and the heads whether to have the prefect-ship at last we had it ... I was so shocked to hear that I was selected as head boy and My friend David wasn't able to believe that he was vice head boy.. It was really hard in the case of friends . We have to maintain our dignity that's the great thing. But I have to tell sorry for my friends that I have promised them to arrange a tour somewhere. But I wasn't able to :(


Headboy Kumar and the Vice Headboy David

PD: Kumar, so did you find any major difference in the school in the one year, when u went for the reunion?

Kumar: Yes... A new block. Teachers were the same but they were busier... Many teachers left the school. The school has been raised to international standard and the School's website has changed a lot


The reconstructed new library!

PD: Did any of your really close friends missed this event? whom you thought, had they come it would have been even great? on your perspective

Kumar: Yes... Many of my Friends couldn't make it...Special mention to Palaniappan ,Lakshman,Jeffry and Yunnus.


The group with our affable A.K.Srinivasan sir

PD: So then Kumar, you know who is now the head boy? and is he carrying the legacy you left behind?

Kumar: Actually I am so proud... from the senior batch of mine the head boys were selected from my house Shevroys(red) for 4 years continuously ... Now its Akshay kumar A nice guy...Before him it was Subbiah... a very good friend of mine


From left Sethuraman(our own Exprezzopark author),PT Teacher Jerusa Mam, Ashik and Kumar in the school grounds

PD: Really great to hear this...I really wanted to know, what do you think is the reason for the low turnout of the girls for the function, If am precise the count was 3...why is it so? maybe they didn't get to know about this meet?

Kumar: They all know about it.Girls are always minded about studies so they didn't turn back as they had their semester exams the next day. This was the reason for the low turnout.


Extreme left Ashwin(white t-shirt),Jeswin(red collared t-shirt),Sethuraman(red checked shirt),Yours Truly Priyadharshan(white t-shirt) and Vineeth high on emotions, wiping his tears!!

PD: So had it been more a convenient date, the turnout would have been higher?

Kumar: yes sure..After seeing the snaps taken people ask when is the next get together..So am actually planning to have a get together from now on year after year.


from left David,Ashwin,Jeswin,Mukhil Warner,Ton Dall,Ram Prasad,Vigneshwari,Mangayarkarasi

PD: Really good to hear that, so are you planning to hold it every year in school?

Kumar:In school but like conducting events...Outside as alumni meet.


Ashik with the current Jeevanites and in the background Bala Yogesh(Brown Shirt)

PD: So where you studying right now and what course?

Kumar: Am studying B.Tech Engineering at SASTRA University


Kumar sipping his chocolate shake after the reunion in Puppys!

PD: What is your target for the next year reunion?

Kumar: We plan to have it every year in a grand manner . I expect so many to turn back in the coming years


The boys for a group pic in front of the school

PD: You seem to be really willing to put great efforts to make this happen, every year and I really wish that this event happens every year.

Kumar: Yes thanks a lot, really I will not forget 18th of June, 2012..It was an awesome date.Pleased at the end of the day to the core. I am so happy that People responded to my words.


From left Kumar,Ashik and Sethuraman inside the classroom

PD: Coming back to personal perspective, what do you think you would be doing say 10 years from now...your plans,career goals?

Kumar: This is deviating... Had so many goals so far like entering IIT for which I worked to my level But couldn't so I have put my effort now to do a better thing. My main goal is to keep in touch with all my friends till the end of life. Even you :)


Reliving the moments, when we raced against each other in the school grounds, now just striking a pose as we guys were too tired after a long meet!

PD: That's so nice of you Kumar... would you like to specially mention anyone who attended the reunion the other day? one who beat all the odds or came from faraway place just to be part of the event?

Kumar: so many but six
1. Harith kumar all the way from his native near theni
2. Shiva shankar who left the school after 6th
3. Aswin whom we lost contact for more than 6 months
4. Vigneshwaran never minded to attend his exams yesterday
5. Ashik as it was the reopening day for him
6. Finally Manikanda Raja, as he had an major operation recently and I never expected him to come but he made it just too be part of this event


Lunch Time in Bell Jumbo after the meet! Guys were just too hungry at 3.30!

PD: Any thing else would you like to say to the readers or your friends though this interview Kumar?

Kumar:Ya so much, but I don't want to advice or that kind of thing but I would like to say "Being together is always great than being alone but being alone with the thoughts of been together will really pain a lot"


The meet is all over and time to leave! Guys were running high on emotions and also were damn hungry during this snap!

PD: Thanks for the interview to the Exprezzopark blog team Kumar, we wish you all success on your personal front as well as organizing this reunion in the coming years, we thank you once again for spending your valuable time with us

Kumar: Thanks man, really enjoyed the interview and I wish all success for the Exprezzopark blog!


Yours truly Priyadharshan with, Sethuraman and Kumararaja...this shot was taken especially due to my request for our Exprezzopark blog as, we all 3 are authors of Exprezzopark!!

On a personal note: The total interview took place for 1 hour and 25 minutes and I thank personally to Kumar once again and thanks to David for the photo courtesy.

I am in a state of mixed emotions as am happy that I was part of the first edition of the reunion and that I could meet my best friends after 3 long year and am sad that I won't be able to see my best buddies for the next few years as am going to USA for my UG studies!!

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.
C. S. Lewis

Signing off is Priyadharshan!