Last weekend I attended a memorial organised by the management of Springdales School, New Delhi. Even though my wife is an Old Springdalian and I am not, I decided to attend the same. The memorial was of a very special Old Springdalian, its very “first” student. First of all, I was really touched by this gesture of the school to show respect to the person whose parents chose to send him to a school which at that time had just started, and that too not out of compulsion but out of choice and confidence on the founder of the school, Mrs. Rajni Kumar.
Mrs. Kumar spoke so beautifully on the journey of Mr. Niranjan Ajwani from being a child who walked into this new school as a child to becoming a member on board of this prestigious institution. He was then chosen to be the OSA (Old Springdalian Association) President Emeritus. Her speech came from the heart and you could visualise her journey from being a teacher / principal to becoming an aunty to Mr. Ajwani. You could see her hold back her tears while she spoke from her heart on the loss of Mr. Ajwani.
I was also impressed with the school choirs of both – Pusa Road and Dhaula Kuan branch, as they presented their “shradhanjali” to the departed soul through bhajans & shabads. I am sure it touched the heart of every person sitting in the auditorium that day.
This whole experience demonstrated the love and genuineness that you could feel in the loss that the institution, its founder, its management could feel by the passing away of Mr. Niranjan Ajwani. I have never known Mr. Ajwani, nor have I met him ever, but I was so proud to know that there was someone who loved and got loved by so many people. Truly a life worth lived.
I learnt that day what it means to be genuine in your intent and how much you gain from the love and care you share with others. I wish we have more people like Mr. Niranjan Ajwani who genuinely share their love and also more people like “Aunty Kumar” who don’t just educate children but develop love and genuineness among children who come to the school with a hope to be like them one day.
