Kochi: A cleaning drive at Ernakulam Govt Model Nursery School unearthed an old admission register containing details of toddlers who roamed the classrooms more than five decades ago. A worn-out photo of the first batch of students from 1961 evoked a sense of curiosity in Ancy, a teacher, that sent her on a path to locate and bring them together once again. 

However, the task was difficult with toddlers from the first batch now in late 60s, and their whereabouts were a mystery to everyone. The Ernakulam Model Nursery School was started in 1961. 

For Ancy and other teachers, the herculean task ahead was to find the whereabouts of 3306 students who attended the school so far. However, she received the help of Rathy Menon, daughter of Kalyanikuttiyamma, a teacher who taught at the nursery during its inception in 1961. Together, along with other teachers, they managed to start a WhatsApp group and managed to contact former students. 

The teachers have managed to find some of the students from the first batch, including high court lawyer Prasad. It is an amazing feeling to recall that we were the first nursery students in Kerala, said Prasad.