Boundless joy in Abhinandan Varthaman's alma mater Kendriya Vidyalaya (NAL) in B'luru

Bengaluru: As Wg. Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman became the toast of the nation overnight, Kendriya Vidyalaya (NAL) in Bengaluru basked in the glory of having the most valorous student, for whose safety the entire country prayed in unison. His alma mater KV-NAL proudly displayed Abhinandan's picture at the entrance of the school.

"BRAVO! Wg Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman IAF (KV NAL Alumni 1998-1999) We, the family of KV-NAL, Bangalore sincerely salute you and pray for your safe return to the motherland. "JaiHind," read the poster with his picture. M S Anand Shankar rang up his mother Durga Shivakumar from the USA to tell her that the pilot was none other than his junior in the school. A teacher herself in the school, Durga Shivakumar started recollecting who the boy was and then her son told her that Abhinandan's wife Tanvi was also a KV-NAL's alumni. "I recall both Abhinandan and Tanvi easily after that. He was a stout chubby boy, who very actively participated in sports and extra-curricular activities.," Durga said.