At a time when every single parent strives to get a seat for their son or daughter at private schools, here is a Bengaluru-based well-known advocate Surya Mukund Raj who has preferred government school for his son Adyath. Surya has helped many parents get their wards admitted in private schools, but he has himself chosen the government higher primary school at Nagarbhavi for his son’s admission. He also studied in the same school once.

“Surya and his wife Shruthi, who works with an engineering college as an assistant director, had visited the school to celebrate Adyath’s birthday in November. They had then expressed their desire to admit Adyath in our school. We were surprised when they came last week to collect the application. This is a rare gesture,’’ headmistress Veena told The New Indian Express. “One of my teachers-- Saraswathi still works in the same school,’’ said Surya.

The school has Kannada as its medium of instruction and classes from Standard-1 to Standard-7. At present, they have five students, including Adyath, enrolled for Standard 1. “Another 15 students from anganwadi are expected to join in June first week. Admissions will continue till June end,’’ Veena said.

Simplicity runs in family
Surya is son of  L N Mukundraj--a noted writer and Kannada film director. He believed in simple living and high thinking. He never attended any lavish wedding and even got his son married at a simple ceremony. In 2014, Mukundraj had directed ‘Kaada Haadiya Hoovugalu’-- a movie based on a book written by a tenth standard girl in which she narrated the pressure faced by her at a private school.