SHILLONG, July 14: In a touching gesture of solidarity and compassion, Hill Crest Higher Secondary School has announced a complete waiver of school fees for Abhinav Thakuri, son of late Sunil Thakuri, who lost his life while attempting to rescue trapped labourers from a well.
The decision, taken unanimously by the school’s management, was formally conveyed in a letter addressed to the president and general secretary of the Meghalaya Paragliding Association. The school also expressed its heartfelt appreciation to the Association for extending humanitarian support to the bereaved family, even though Sunil Thakuri was not one of its members.
Sunil and his brother Umesh died while courageously trying to save three labourers trapped inside a well after being overcome by poisonous fumes emitted from a generator. Their selfless act of bravery has been widely regarded as an extraordinary example of courage and humanity.
Describing Sunil Thakuri as the family’s sole breadwinner, the school acknowledged the immense hardship caused by his untimely death. To ease the family’s financial burden and ensure that his son’s education continues uninterrupted, the institution resolved to exempt his son from paying all school fees for the remainder of his academic journey at Hill Crest Higher Secondary School.
“While no gesture can ever compensate for the loss of a beloved father, we believe that educational institutions and society have a collective responsibility to stand beside families affected by such extraordinary tragedies,” the school stated in its communication. The institution added that the fee waiver is intended both as a tribute to Sunil Thakuri’s noble sacrifice and as an investment in his son’s future.
The school further lauded the Meghalaya Paragliding Association for demonstrating exceptional compassion during the family’s time of grief.
The announcement has been welcomed as an example of how institutions and the community can come together to support families who have suffered immense personal loss while honouring acts of extraordinary courage and selflessness.
