PATIALA, November 19 — Students of Government Senior Secondary School, Chalaila, were presented with jerseys on Tuesday under a tradition maintained for years by Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Anurag Verma, who donates educational supplies annually in memory of his parents.
A total of 272 children received the jerseys, which were distributed by Principal Karamjit Singh, Sarpanch Sukhwinder Singh and School Management Committee Chairman Gurmukh Singh. Verma joined the event through a video call, encouraging students to focus on their studies and sharing his family’s journey to highlight the importance of education.
He told the students his grandfather worked his way up from Patwari to Kanugo and ensured his children were educated despite limited resources. He recalled that his father, who studied at the same village school, cycled 16 kilometres to Patiala each day to continue his education, later becoming Head of the Chemistry Department at Government Mahindra College and eventually its Principal. His mother, he added, taught English before serving as the District Education Officer for primary schools.
Verma said these examples shaped his own path. “With hard work and the blessings of my parents, I reached where I am today. Education alone made this journey possible in three generations,” he said. He urged students to remember their roots while pursuing success, saying that contributing to the development of one’s village is a responsibility.
During the event, Verma said that education remains the strongest means of personal advancement. “It can take you to any height. Make your parents, your village and your country proud,” he told the children.
Residents and the Gram Panchayat expressed gratitude to Verma for maintaining the practice started by his late father, Prof. V.C. Verma, who regularly distributed jerseys, notebooks and other materials to students. Officials said the tradition has made a meaningful difference to the school’s children.
