The Boy Who Refused To Be Blocked
The second defining incident came at Vidyavardhaka School while he was in Class 10. Carmel School introduced him to student elections when he was in the sixth standard, and the young Shivakumar immediately plunged into campaigning. When the results were announced, his name was missing. His candidate won.
“I mobilised support and garnered majority votes,” Shivakumar later recalled while narrating the episode. Interestingly, Shivakumar said some of his earliest lessons in public speaking came not from teachers or politicians, but from an ice-cream vendor outside the school gate. “That day he did not contest, but he won,” recalled his friend Anand T, describing the episode.
For those who have observed Shivakumar’s political journey closely, one theme stands out consistently: Every attempt to stop him only made him more determined! Ironically, the roots of that relentless political instinct can be traced back to his school days, when he faced repeated denial of leadership roles. Shivakumar’s first brush with electoral politics came after an academic setback. He had been thrown out from National Public School, then known for its rigid standards and reputation as one of the country’s pioneering institutions. He later joined Carmel School for two years. That move would change his life. He contested for the post of school secretary. His election symbol was a star. But what happened next left a deep impression on him. Instead, a studious girl, whom he described as the ‘school pet’, was declared by the school administration as the winner. To pacify him, the school created a separate post, that of the sports secretary. Many students would have quietly accepted the decision and moved on. Shivakumar did not. The young boy who believed he had been denied victory became determined never to lose relevance again. He approached the vendor and requested him to help him prepare speeches that engage and hold the attention of fellow students – an early indication of Shivakumar’s willingness to learn from anyone, regardless of social status. By then, Shivakumar had earned a reputation for being energetic, mischievous and difficult to control. When student elections approached, he wanted to contest again. But the headmaster refused him permission. For Shivakumar, however, denial only triggered strategy. Instead of withdrawing, he fielded his friend Krishna Deshpande as the candidate. Shivakumar himself managed the speeches, organised support and effectively ran the campaign from behind the scenes.