By Sakshi Nanda
Dehradun, 4 Jan: Alumni Associations keep us connected to our institutions and peers through events, shared pride, and opportunities to give back to the next generation. The St Joseph’s Academy Alumni Association, Dehradun, strives for exactly that, year after year, with its 3100+ strong network of alumni.
The Old Makes Way for the New
On 20 December 2025, the outgoing Managing Committee (2023- 2025) of the Association, led by Maj Gen Sanjay Sharma (Retd), held the AGM for 2025. Patron Bro Joseph M Joseph, Principal of SJA, incoming and outgoing committees, and alumni were in attendance. The house accepted suggestions for higher fund allocation for the AA-run Dispensary, more awards and scholarships, and creation of an Archive Room in the newly allocated AA office in the school premises. The new committee, with Vikas Dewan as the President, officially took charge.
The AGM was followed by a Gala Dinner – an event that saw alumni from various cities bonding over good food, camaraderie, and lots of nostalgia.
A Look Back at the Past Two Years
The true mark of a good alumni association is how events evolve from being occasional highlights to becoming a part of the institution’s culture. In the past two years, the SJA AA went the extra mile to create a stronger, more enduring community, through events held both within the school as well as outside.
Many events were organised in school, jointly with the school administration, to give back to the alma mater. Pledge to Vote was an initiative to encourage parents to vote, and send a meaningful message to the voters of tomorrow. Independence Day Celebrations and Investiture Ceremonies saw distinguished Chief Guests from the Armed Forces, inspiring students towards national good. For the Annual Sports Day, a contribution of two cash awards of Rs 10,000, each, was made in memory of Martyr Major Chitresh Bist by his batchmates, for Overall Performance in Sports – boys’ and girls’ categories.
In partnership with Young India, Dehradun, the SJA AA provided refreshments for over 2200 children at the School Marathon. Last year, the Teachers’ Day Celebrations took a unique twist, when the SJA teachers visited Indian Military Academy, its museum and Chetwode Hall, followed by a high tea. The SJA AA was also involved in supporting ‘Looking East’, a travelling multimedia exhibition exploring the shared history and cultural ties between India and Ireland.
The tenure of the outgoing committee was equally engaging and entertaining for the association members. They say what is well begun is half done! The first event was a Spring Lunch Reunion in February 2024, where after a break of 4 years. The members met for kite-flying, kancha, retro music, and a grand lunch. Both years saw Nature Walks led by professional guides, to Sura Devi Temple and Khalanga War Memorial, respectively. The members escaped the city’s bustle to learn about regional history and resource conservation, and relax among Sal trees, over hot bun-samosas and chai!
The Annual Alumni Sports Days saw over 100 participants and a blend of fitness, fun, and fellowship. A most memorable event was the Movie Show of ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ at PVR Dehradun, with a hall full of alumni and their families, and free food!
Blood Donation Camps were organised to give back to society, and thanks to well-known dentists in the alumni, a free Dental Camp was also held. The SJA AA has always honoured batches celebrating their 25th and 50th years of passing out from school. The Silver Jubilees of Batch of 1999 and 2000, and the Golden Jubilee of Batch of 1975 were also celebrated.
As the new committee takes over from the outgoing one, the one constant that gets carried over is the spirit of promoting school pride and reputation globally, that every proud alumnus thrives on and contributes to.
The Outgoing Management Committee (2023 – 2025) were: President – Maj Gen Sanjay Sharma (Retd), VP Outstation – Bharat Kukreti, VP Local – Lt Col Manoj Gupta (Retd), Secretary – Tirupati Juneja, Treasurer – Akash Jain, Committee Members – Udit Handa, Mayur Anand, Varun Gulati, Shashank Bhandari, Yuvraj Datta, Brij Dewan, and Kamna Bagai.
The New Alumni Committee (2025 – 2027) comprises: President – Vikas Dewan, VP Outstation – Dilpreet Singh Grover, VP Local – Sanam Kumar, Secretary – Harshit Gupta, Treasurer – Pulkit Gupta, Committee Members – Avinav Goyal, Prateek Handa, Jamanbir Singh, Surinder Batra, Vinayak Aggarwal, Pallavi Patel and Rachit Khajuria.
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