Chapter - 01: And thats how it began...

31st June,2002
Seegodu



   "Write multiplication table for 13" principal said to me. I had come for admission for 6th standard in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Chikmagalur.

I didn't know that principal was going  to give such a  small task or may be he didn't know  that it was an easy task for me :P. Anyway I finished writing it in few seconds for which I have to thank Kumarswamy Sir who taught maths in primary  education. 

I was accompanied by my dad who left the choice for me to choose or not to choose a residential school. Umamaheshwar was another classmate who got selected along with me to this so called "Navodaya Vidyalaya".
Since he was shorter compared to me, principal assigned me upper berth and lower berth to him in Nilgiri house. 

As a fact there were four houses-  Aravali, Nilgiri, Shivalik and Udyagiri. All 80 students of  each batch were split almost  equally into these four houses.

 "No fights or masti inside the dormitories. ok Students? "

"Yes Sir."

"Ok then, you people can go and arrange your belongings in your respective houses and  can come for lunch at 1:30pm sharp. you  can leave now." 

Looking at parents, principal said "you can leave and don't worry about your children. we will take care of them. "

All parents left in the evening. I could see some friends crying near gates. Also i could imagine some mothers crying at their homes..