Brinda:  You cried twice in school, once when you joined and the second when you left. . .

Tarun: Yes. My brother, Kabir, is a year older than me and therefore got to go to Sanawar a year earlier. I had visited Sanawar on a few occassions whilst he was there. The first time I came was to drop him off to his new school. I still remember how bitterly my mother cried when it was time to say goodbye. As usual, my brother cried with tears but no sound. I've always imagined what he must have been thinking at the time. . . “why are they leaving me behind”? But life answers our questions in the strangest ways. What he didn't know then and nor did I, was that this place was about to become home for me. A home that would be painful for us to leave.

After my few visits to Sanawar as a guest, I found myself in love already. I couldn't wait to get here as a student, and finally my day came. Once again my mother cried bitterly, but it was quite the opposite for me. I pleaded with her to leave and tried to convince her with all my marketing skills that I would be fine. Finally by 5 pm. she was out those gates. I ran like a child in a chocolate factory, jumping away at my new found freedom. But as is in most film screenplays, such is in life. Whenever we see characters in a film happy and excited with not a care in world, we are followed with a scene where their happiness comes crashing down. It was the same for me. A few hours into my heaven of freedom, I came down with a fever of 102 degrees. I spent my first night as a Sanawarian in the school hospital. Now that was lonely. This Mumbai boy couldn't handle the silence. And in that silence, I started to cry and then howled like I had never before.

Once again, life has a way of getting through. Through my fears and tears I heard the sound of a crutch. I kept quiet and like all children fearing an old man was coming to take me away because I was making too much noise. I clung to my mattress. But the sounds of those crutches didn't stop. They only came closer and closer. Finally I felt someone sit on my bed. A hand came and moved my blanket and I saw a face I will never forget. His name was Omar Abdullah. He smiled. I sat up in bed and wiped my tears and noticed his leg in a cast. He told me he had, had a cycling accident back home in Srinagar. He asked me if I was a new student. I nodded and then he said something that stuck with me like our motto "Never give in". He said "There are only two times you will cry in Sanawar. This is the first. The next will be when you leave..." I looked at him quite perplexed but I realized one thing. He had my vote.

Q. Any other memories you cherish from school and what impact did it have on you?

A. There is no shortage of memories or people who had an impact on me in school. The friends, the teachers, the seniors, the girls, sneaking out of school and sneaking into school. The list is endless. There are two that I would like to mention. One Mr Shamik Ghosh, he taught Physics and Photography. Both went over my head. I must've been dyslexic. I think Mr Ghosh realized that. He knew, even before I did, that I was more creatively inclined. One day he asked me to meet him at Barne Hall after lunch. I did and it felt like I had crossed the bridge to Terrabithia a far away mystical land where anything was possible. . .  into the Dramatics Society.
There was no stopping me now. I excelled and was always cast in the lead role. Girls started talking to me and that made my classmates envious of me. My first taste of stardom! After having acted in some of my house plays and some founders plays, Mr Ghosh introduced me to Mr Abraham, the person that I would like to thank for most for my creative abilities.
Mr. Abraham was our English teacher and in charge of the Interschool plays. He took me deeper into the jungles of creativity than I knew even existed. He was my first school of acting.
Mr Abraham was not a very affectionate man. He taught by discipline. We rehearsed and rehearsed . We then went for our first interschool play to Delhi, Youth Quake. I was so enamoured. I was representing my school. I never thought an honor like that would ever be mine. I always presumed I needed to be a sportsman to achieve that. At the end of a very fulfilling trip I was surprised as I was awarded the Best Actor Trophy. I was a bit in shock and trying to act as if this happened everyday. But as I collected my award and stepped off stage, I saw Mr Abraham standing and clapping and he had this big smile on his face. I ran to him and hugged him. I was jumping with joy. He finally hugged me back and said "well done."

Q. Do you think life has come a full circle for you, you started as an assistant  director with Karan Johar for the film Kuch Kuch hota hai (98)  and now you are now making the animated version of the film. Tell us something about that

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Q. If you look back at your school days to what you have achieved now, do you feel the school had any influence in your life and how?

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Brinda: What made your parents choose Sanawar for you?

Omar: It was a combination of two things, one it got a glowing recommendation from Dr Karan Singh whose son was studying in Sna and second, he mentioned that the weather in school would be similar to that of Srinagar. So my parents visited the school and saw for themselves, that’s what sealed it.

Q. Your speech "I am a Muslim and an Indian too" created ripples last year during the trust vote, did you think that it would be an instant hit, especially with the youth? Tell us something about that and how hard do you have to work on your speeches and that too speak with such panache?

A. The speech was’nt planned and was purely extempore. At one point it seemed I was never going to get a chance to speak. And when I finally heard my name and stood up to speak – it was a relief. I got an opportunity to say what I wanted but at the same time I was extremely nervous. Thats because the media gallery was full and the house was full. I knew it was going to be broadcast live across all channels. The overwhelming emotion was of anger at the way the opposition tried to shout us down. So the speech was a combination of all these factors.

My speeches are extempore nine out of ten times. I generally gather my thoughts together and then get up to speak, so it comes naturally in that sense. It’s not rehearsed.

Q. What’s it like being the youngest CM from J and K.?

A. It’s mixed bag of feelings. There is a great sense of pride at having achieved something at an early age. The realization of the challenge, that lies ahead of me. The desire to live up to the expectation that has risen, from this generational change.

Q. What do you do for fun?

A. When I am with my kids, I read with them, play video games, board games, ride bicycles with them to the forest in Srinagar. During winter we go skiing in Gulmarg. When on my own I catch up on my reading whilst listening to music.

Q. When you see yourself gracing magazine covers specially lifestyle magazine as compared to other politicians for having style and being more articulate how do you feel? You were recently chosen by GQ India (Gentleman Quarterly) as the Young leader of India...

A. I’d be lying if I did’nt say that I get a thrill out of it. But I also know it’s a passing thing. So I try not to take it seriously.

Q. On being awarded the OS Achiever for 2009 by the Headmaster at Founder’s. . .

A. In all the recognition I have received over the years since joining politics, this award has to rank at the top. Because it was given to me by my own alma mater and also the fact that Sanawar has played an important part of who I am today.

Brinda: The people who complain and yet do not vote. . .why do you think is this apathy?

Navin Chawla: There could be many reasons for not voting and these may vary from person to person. The Election Commission of India does, however, expect all eligible citizens to vote, both because it is their right and also from a sense of duty. We do motivate potential voters, especially the young over eighteen, to exercise their franchise. But yes, some people, particularly in the cities, do complain and yet not vote. You will agree that the "Pappu" campaign in Delhi helped to break this apathy upto to a point.

Q. There are many who wish to vote but are caught in a dilemma between a non performing leader from their constituency and the party who they would like to vote.

A. is a choice that each voter has to make for himself or herself. I do understand the dilemma, but at the same time, some elections have been won or lost by a single vote. Certainly educated persons are capable to making informed choices

Q. The initiatives that you have taken in allowing "transgenders" and undertrials to vote.

A. I thought the transgender deserved to be offered the choice of exercising their identity in the process of registration as voters. Hence, the Commission took the decision to allow them to register in the category of ‘Others’ if they chose to, instead of being forced to either declare themselves as male or female. Similarly, in the case of under-trials, I personally believe that they deserve to be registered as voters, but this involves a legislative change. Also the matter is pending before a court of law.

Q. Influence of Mother Teresa in your life.

A. Mother Teresa has had a profound influence on my life. From her, I have learned to try to reach out to people on the margins of society, those whom she referred to as “the poorest of the poor”. You might like to obtain my biography from your library, and perhaps read the prologue if not the entire book.

Q. Your work with the leprosy affected.

A. I do a little bit to help some of the leprosy-affected people, particularly their children. I was initiated into this through my association with Mother Teresa. After going around leprosy stations in many parts of India, I had published a report entitled ‘The Vocational Rehabilitation and Social Re-integration of the Leprosy Affected in India’. I would like to do more in this area when I retire and can devote more time.

Q. How do you manage the logistics of this vast country when they go to vote and has electronic voting machine reached the remote areas?

A. Since 2004, India’s elections (both for Parliament and State assemblies) are being done by using the EVMs everywhere. Yes, the logistics in election management in our vast land is a huge challenge. From mules and elephants to jets and Air Force helicopters, our Commission engages every means to reach out to the farthest and remotest of areas, trying to reach even a single voter. This is why urban apathy is puzzling, especially when the polling stations are virtually at their doorsteps. During election times, we engage a large number of government staff to help meet our logistic requirements. And just to give you some statistics, during General Election, 2009, we got 7.6 million new voters registered and about 1.2 million names were deleted. The overall registered voters’ number rose to 716 million (from 671 million in 2004). Five hundred and eighty five million (about 82%) of the Indian electorate had his/her image on the photo-roll itself and received voter identity cards. As many as 8,34,944 polling stations were established; 1.18 million Electronic Voting Machines mobilized; over 11 million personnel deployed on election duty which included about 8 million civilian staff and 3 million Central and State police forces. And yet the Commission considered it important to set up a polling station manned by 3 personnel, for a single voter in a polling station in the Gir forest!

Navin Chawla is the author of "Mother Theresa" The authorised biography. First published in 1992 and since translated in 14 languages in India and abroad. In 1996 co-authored with photographer Raghu Rai -" Faith and Compassion The Life and Work of Mother Theresa"