Class of 1987 (10th) and 1989 (12th)

25th Year Reunion

St. Michaels High School, Patna; 16th June 2012

Editorial

Much water has flown down the Ganges (the river itself has moved away from the school boundary wall, alas, but thats another story altogether) since we last roamed the premises of St. Michaels High School; but in the run-up to this 25th year Alumni meet, it became obvious that time hasnt dulled any of the sheen on our schools crest. We left the school as young men and now firmly in the middle years of our life come back to reconnect and celebrate what we acknowledge, from a safe distance of 20+ years, to have been some of our best years. Grade inflation may have eroded the awe at the marks we including class toppers got in our graduating years, but we dont have to yield to anyone on the specialness of just having been there. God has been kind to us, and it is heartening to see that this crew has acquitted itself very well in the years since St. Michaels. May the run continue, and as the school prayer asked, may we continue to seek truth. The group will also mourn the passing, and celebrate the lives of three dear friends: Gokulanand Pandey, Manu Ved Vardhan Tripathi, and Pawas Prabhakar Sanjay. Taken from this world at different times, and leaving a void not just in the hearts of their families, but also among many friends across their school, college and professional lives. Finally, a vote of thanks to all classmates who were generous with their time and thought in the planning and hosting of this event. Without detracting anything from everyone else who pitched in, special thanks go to 3 individuals: Amitabh Maheshwari, Rajeev Kumar Singh and Satyarth Mishra, whose time and unflagging enthusiasm sustained this idea to fruition. And, for the production of this special issue, to Madhukar Bhagat, for his awesome archives of SCAN. Nikhil Prasad Ojha

Har

Ek

F r i e n d
good cricket, wore branded shirts and once looked like Alan Border. He had a good female following in Rajendra Nagar and some of them had exotic names (I still remember their names, not out of any good memory but out of pure jealousy!). Dhruv listened to Beetles, had a good vocabulary and was focused on clearing Management after Graduation in Delhi. I have some very memorable experiences while we shared the same flat in Delhi in 1989-90. Manish Prasad A simple and fun loving guy. He was meticulous in his studies, took copious notes and could maintain his almost calligraphic handwriting even at great speed. He had a beautiful house in Pataliputra Colony and we enjoyed good food at his house that was always followed by Maths lesson by his father. To quote Amit 2- Ekar Baabu (father) sab khanwa wasul kar leta hai. So a lunch at his place was preceded by a must revision of Maths lesson the previous day. I still remember his sensuous nagin dance in Mukerjee Nagar, Delhi during Saraswati Pooja. Hisssss Manishhhhh! Om Prakash We affectionately called him chhena, not because of his complexion but the fact he managed his sweetmeat business after school. We looked forward to his tiffin everyday as it contained the delicacies from his shop. He had his business contacts with Roodal also, which meant the best samosas for us in the canteen when we bunked classes. He was good in Maths and harassed P.L. Jose and Lallan Singh, our two hapless Maths teachers. He was a master in the art of bunking classes and gave us the first thrill of such sin in class 6. Thank you Om Prakash, for such delightful samosas. Prashant He was called Brillanto due to his prowess in Maths. Otherwise also, he was brilliant in all the adventures he strayed into and like the ISI, had his hand in all the disruptive activities in the school. When he spoke, all listened intently, because it was impossible to make out anything given his speed of speech. He also occasionally spewed moisture when he spoke. Safe distance was the key! I remember writing hilarious love letters on his behalf to his girl and I confess that I had a tough time translating all his weird fantasies in ink. His father caught hold of one of these letters and he immediately implicated me- sab Tiwariya sikhaata hai. The rest was History. Credit goes to Brillanto for introducing us to Rum, Gin and Vodka during the legendary picnic to Kakolat. What followed was pukes and rebukes and the reluctant cleaning of the Blue Bus. During this drug trial, he also managed to intoxicate Mr. Mazumdar (our Chemisrty teacher) who coined the now famous formulationChuium Sulphate. Vishal Bhardwaj owes a big thanks to Brillanto! Rajiv Singh Affectionately called Rocky (he fancied himself after the Stallion starrer), who was always found playing football with

I have tried to recollect the dominant traits and hilarious episodes related to some of my friends at school during the formative years. Sincere apologies for any misrepresentation, use of hyperbole and past tense. Amit (II) Singh He was the original (H) Ussain Bolt from Bakerganj (behind Mona Cinema, for a more respectable address) who sweated in one of the biggest track field in the world in his backyard - Gandhi Maidan. A brilliant footballer, Amit 2 (Amit 1, a brilliant cricketer!) liked good things in life. He wore Farmani shirts and Guppi shoes. Amit 2 won laurels for the school in various athletic meets and was famed for employing a servant to ferry his medals from such meets. His two Mamus were handy for morning shows in Mona and Elphinston. We all remember his fond tales of the summer vacations spent in Europe, while we all knew that he had only touched Gaya on the globe. Amit 2 became Amit Singh when he grew up (just like Kallu to Kalia) and went to DPS where, I heard, he used his athletic skills for other purposes! Anubhav Ranjan (aka Romi) He came to St. Michaels from Apeejay, Delhi. Thus, the initial disdain for all things Bihari. He wore imported Nike shoes (courtesy his father visiting phoren countries) and rode his TVS moped with great pride. Anubhav was a simple, fun loving and affable boy. He was a sports lover, subscribed to Sports Star, played almost all the games and courted some beautiful girls in the neighborhood. He unwittingly drew all of us in some mohalla level brawls due to his escapades with the girls. I have some beautiful memories of the time spent with him and the gang in Kankarbagh and would cherish those forever. He engineered his life and graduated from Delhi to Sweden and then finally to the US. Chetan Kapoor A suitable boy and a darling of all teachers. He was intelligent, had pedigree (not the dog food) and scanned all of us efficiently. When he smiled, we could count all his pearlies. I remember getting down at his bus stop at Frazer Road after school (we shared the same bus, #4) and helping ourselves to a sumptuous lunch prepared by his graceful mother. The word spread and after some time the number of boys getting down for a free lunch kept swelling. This motley crew included Romi, Shakeb Nabi (Tappu) and other chhokras (juniors) who covered the distance from Frazer Road to Kankar Bagh on foot after each feast. An exotic variant of the modern Midday Meal Scheme! I never had such good home cooked lunch after that. Thank you, Chetan, and your Mom, for such good times. Dhruv Bhagat He was a well-fed Punjabi munda, coming from a reputed family of doctors and sports enthusiasts. We all grew up hearing about Dr Ajay Bhagat (his uncle) and his passion for cricket despite his size. Dhruv was an intelligent boy, played

Z a r o o r i
balls of all sizes. He was a good footballer who made it to the famed tournament at Jamshedpur (called Tata those days). Also remember his US Army shirts in all colours, which we envied. I spent time with him at Delhi also where he treated us to some fine Darjeeling tea at his house in Mukherjee Nagar which was sourced from the Sansad Bhavan canteen, courtesy his MP uncle. He was fond of good music and had a collection of Kishore Kumar cassettes that came in handy during bouts of drinking cheap rum at his place in Delhi. Thank you Rajiv, for the good times at your expense. Samyak Das I remember his ribald jokes, thick handle bar moustache on his fair, well fed frame and the school tie hanging loosely on his belt. Once he smuggled a football in the classroom in 7th and we had a gala time kicking the football and all the other balls that came our way. This was followed by a clean whack from Mr. Philips who was especially summoned to teach us a hard lesson. Credit goes to Samyak for getting our entire generation hooked to the MR series. While the others fancied on Superman and Commando comics, Samyak and his gang (me included) marveled at the MR characters and the ease with which they had their way. Das Auto! Satyarth Mishra Everything was deadly for Satyarth. Sattu was omnipresent like the proverbial Bihari staple fare by the same name. He was one of the victims of the MR mania cultivated by Samyak and was once caught in the act in his study, built on his terrace near BahadurPur Gumti. After that, his study room was demolished and he had no room to study, literally. He resembled Mr Yogi, a crusader immortalized in the eponymous television serial. He had friends from all shadessome seamier and others not so seamy. Satyarth spent many afternoons in my house, eating parauntha, bhujia and then asking for Rs. 5 to refuel his antique Vespa XT and a little change for Willis Filter. He was a swashbuckling batsman who scared bowlers on his day just like Veeru. He had tremendous grit and despite all adversities, pulled along and made a name for himself. I have many happy and exciting memories with him in Patna and Delhi. I met him at Melbourne in 2009 and we had a good time remembering the times gone by. Deadly, Satyarth. Shakeb Nabi (aka Tappu) None dared to visit Shakebs house when his father was around. For, he would immediately summon you and enquire your percentage in the last exam. If you were above 75 percent, you were allowed past the gate. We found a way out. We appropriated the rather high percentages, learnt these figures and belted them immediately after calling Shakebs name. Many times even without his father asking. His father uncovered the plot and started noting down the percentages and would immediately take out his notebook and compare the last visit figures. Oops! I remember watching those almost porn morning shows in Uma Cinema with Shakeb, Anubhav, Varun and Amit II. Someone informed Shakebs

Hota

Hai

father. He bluffed telling him that we went to see Basic Insect, a movie for animal lovers. I saw his father smiling for the first time. The movie was Basic Instinct. Shakeb was a good spin bowler; regularly beat up the guys in his mohalla and later in St Columbus, Hazaribagh. I still remember the finger licking nonvegetarian spread at his home on Eid. Vishal Kumar (now Vishal Anand) Vishal had many names, which changed every season. Sometimes, he was Boris (Becker), Chunky Pandey and at all other times, the Big B. He actually cultivated the left hand flourish after much toil and toilet training! He was a skilled raconteur and I still recount his Tikiya Basai tales with which he bored us, class after class. Vishal Mega Fart was the name of the session! He was very good in Maths and Science, and his parents wanted to see him as an engineer. He was the proud owner of a TVS moped, on which he rode with great flair, matched by his broad flared pants (bail battams). He actually fell in love with many girls from Notre Dame without even talking to them. It happened that way, in those times. Even before you could eye any pretty face, the guy next to you would reprimand you for the sin and you could atone by giving respect to her as your Bhabhi. All this happened while the pretty face was blissfully unaware of the new family that she had been drawn into. Vishal made us pay respect to many such Bhabhis. Varun Deo He was the original Pehalwan from Piro in Arrah who arrived with his two brothers in St. Michaels. Life in school was not the same again. The laughter in class became uproarious; bunking became a way of life while bluffing the teachers became our new religion. He wore his trademark tight trousers and chest hugging shirts to school and mostly cycled from Bailey Road to Digha Ghat. He took to pace bowling given his muscular physique and concentrated more on the vital parts of the batsmen than on the wickets. He was brilliant with all kinds of automobiles and drove skillfully through the crowded lanes that would give us a severe cardiac arrest now. His father was a very honest police officer, and his name came in handy more often with the traffic cops. Size mattered for Varun. Thus, the obsession with Sridevi! He had a thick album in which he skillfully pasted pictures of Sridevi and her ilk that were cut out from Mayapuri, Madhuri, Debonair and Fantasy. That album stood him in good stead and was his main companion during those long nights of studies. Oh la la! I also vividly remember events and episodes related to other friends lives and not to miss the dear teachers. The list is longManish Sinha, Madhukar Bhagat, Manish Madhukar, Ratan Shankar, Aditya Sinha, Ashok Manoranjan, Ajit Charan, Manish Ranjan, Biresh, Sanjeev, Rahul Seth, Bhuvan Saurav, Praveen, Shamim, Shahzad, Ashit (Deluxe)Next issue, perhaps.

Purushottam Tiwari

Tips From Two Toppers!

I moved to Manhattan fifteen years ago. I lived in midtown west and used to pass a church often. The name of the Church is The Church of Saint Michaels. It triggered fond memories. Memories filled with a sense of jubilation, friends, my great teachers, love, success, and growth. School is a great time to experiment as a step towards learning and growth. St. Michaels High School provided me a strong foundation to grow and succeed. Being a Bihari and educated at St. Michaels is a killer combination to succeed in the west. Trust me! You become king at the art of politics just choose good politics. People in the West are relatively simple human beings. They may stress over not being able to make it to happy hour and drink a few beers. We may stress over societys perception of us and if our parents are happy with what we are doing. In that regards, we may not do what we want to do or follow our innate nature and dreams. Be careful! Listen to your heart. Be wise with your time at school and harness your unique talents. When you join the work force its not just academics that will make you successful. Unless you just want to be a techie; you have to think about your presentation, communication, creative, and influencing skills. Some are born leaders and some become. Either way you can be one. I was an average student at school. I started to shine towards my senior years. I shined in music and became popular. I also acquired communication and leadership skills which I owe to friends I made at that time. So be wise with the choice of friends. When I look back, I understand why I was average at studies but good at what are called extra curricular activities. I was average at academics as I was trying to do what all my friends were doing study math and science and try to ace IIT exams. That was so not me. I put my mind in music and excelled. I remember I used to get fan mail from girls of Notre Dame. Then during 10+2 I took to politics and successfully got elected as the Secretary of the Student Union. At that time I remember getting an anonymous card from a girl who addressed me as My dear Sexcretary. It was quite exciting at that time. Recognition is good; treat it as positive reinforcement and not as addiction to fame. I ended up with average grades due to sudden illness during the course of final exams for 12th standard. And by that time it was clear that I was not a math/science guy to be pursuing engineering. So the next dream for people who cared about me was to see me become an IAS officer. It was quite competitive to get admission to North Campus in Delhi University. My guitar skills came to my rescue and I got into Ramjas College on music quota. But the college next door is where I wanted to be. Hindu college was a renowned college and offered a healthy mix of arts and academics. I badly wanted to be a student of Hindu. I put my heart and soul into studies and I topped the University in my first year at college. Hindu College invited me with open arms. I also became a part of rock band where I played lead guitar and sang rock ballads. I tasted success in both fields arts and academics. There was no stopping now. My family was excited as they could see their dreams of their son competing in UPSC and becoming an IAS or IPS a reality. My heart was into studying film and I secretly planned to go to Pune Film Institute. A twist of fate and I ended up in New York in an MBA class. I was the only student in the class who arrived two weeks late. The reason was simple, I did not want to be in an MBA class, I wanted to land up in a film class. I was 22 when I arrived in New York. Several years passed by learning the American ways, getting my first job, making a little money, buying suitcases full of gifts for family and close friends.

Confidence
Then I woke up one morning thinking what am I doing? I was becoming average at life and that was an alarm. I quit and left for Mumbai to pursue my Bollywood dreams. There were issues, which brought me back to financial security of a job. But I needed that security not for myself but for others around me. One fateful morning I was late to work. I was late to work as I did not like working in an investment bank. I worked at World Trade Center and the date was September 11, 2001. If I had reached work a few minutes earlier I would not be writing this. This event got millions of people thinking and not just me. I quit two days later and left for Mumbai to pursue my unfinished dream. This time the roadblocks were much bigger and I came back to New York. This time again these blocks were not of my own but people around me. I was angry at destiny, but instead of sulking, I converted the destructive force of anger to positive energy of motivation and applied it to my job. I worked closely with Sales and Trading at a large investment bank. The derivative Traders nicknamed me a Hitman. That title was bestowed upon me as I executed complex projects in a timely and effective manner. I was motivated to succeed. I also realized how analytical I was, as working in a bank requires you to be analytical and detailed oriented. I quickly rose to the ranks of executive management running large global projects and teams. I took to photography as a creative outlet. I studied film nights and weekends. I became good at both and things were moving fast in a positive direction. Motivation is the key. This is the same job I did not like but I became very successful in a matter of short time. Stay motivated! I live in a permanent beta mode. Google always has beta next to it. It makes sense. Realize your true potential. Dont follow others. Everybody is different; find a profession of your liking. India is a growing nation and now offers the freedom to choose career paths that were unheard of when I was at school. Listen to your heart, watch your mind, take a step back and figure out who you are and what you want to do in life. Go for it! Rishi Kumar

The deep dark well Very little confidence Ricocheting through your heart A shiver A tiny shiver Swimming wickedly through your body Smiling And saying mean words to you Your heart feels lonely Then suddenly You hear a voice Again and again, Spreading across your mind Be confident Be confident Then you become confident Your heart stands up And finally A smile spreads across your face.
Maheeka Sabharwal, Grade 3 American International School, Dhaka

A tear, swirling around

Age Does Not Wither, Nor Custom Stale

Its indeed a matter of great joy and pride that we are celebrating the completion of 25 years since we passed our first board examination from our beloved school St Michaels. Being a Michaelite means a lot to me. I spent ten precious formative years of my life there. Those were the years when I learnt the basics of life. Indeed, if anyone after my parents is responsible for what I am today, its my school, St Michaels, the temple of learning. Today when I am putting my thoughts on paper, everything related to my school life is coming before my mind. The time spent in St Michaels was indeed the best period of my life. Who can forget the great teachers that taught us, so calmly and so patiently. They were so affectionate and tolerant of our impudent conduct many a time. Who can forget the friends we made and the values we learnt. Who can forget the pool side parties, activities like the musical talent night, one act plays, debates, quizzes and the sports day. Each and everything aimed at complete personality development. No wonder Michaelites are always ready to take the world by storm. Who can forget those rainy days, when we used to come to school amidst heavy downpour only to be told that there would be no classes that day, and the resulting boisterousness among students in the bus while returning home, Who can forget the delicious samosas of our canteen, the likes of which I havent tasted till date. Who can forget our school magazine SCAN which contained lovely contributions in the form of articles and poetry from the students. Who can forget the morning assembly, the prayer and the occasional chance we had to conduct the assembly for our class, which honed our public speaking skills. Who can forget the movie shows in our auditorium and the occasional picnics we had to places like the zoo and even Rajgir and Bodh Gaya. Who can forget the joy of climbing that hillock overlooking the Ganges. Who can forget the PT sessions we had and the games we played in those huge playgrounds. Now, even when I remember the occasional fights I had with my friends or the punishment I got from my teachers for not having done my homework or for being talkative in class, I get so nostalgic. After all, all these contributed to whatever I am today. Friends, the time has literally flown in the past 25 years. When we left school, all we had in our minds was our career and future life. Who could think then that a time would come in the future, after many, many years when we would be looking back with fond memories and celebrating the silver jubilee of the first board exam ! I am sure that with the kind of enthusiasm that we share for our school, we will surely celebrate even the golden jubilee of having passed out from school one day. Amitabh Maheshwari As I sit down to write an article for our re-union and Nikhils deadline looms large, my mind races into the past. Not surprisingly, it was not difficult at all, school memories are vivid like a photo album! So here are some random thoughts and emotions floating languorously like clouds in my mind (and Im lovin it!) It was a chilly winter morning that I stepped into my first classroom (III B).I was to fall sick that evening and on my return 15 days later , I entered the wrong classroom and fought for my chair! Mrs. Thomas finally managed to sort it out. Such was my tumultuous entry into an institution which in many ways has shaped my character, my personality my destiny. St. Michaels High School (SMHS), Patna was no ordinary place. To me it was not a school; it was a place I grew up. Mrs Anne DCostas rap on the knuckles or Mrs Gracy Georges double scale punishment or Ms Maries love for her squirrel and pets were as instrumental in preparing us for the world awaiting outside as were textbooks taught with utmost care. Mr Jeff DCostas penchant for discipline and Father Coxs encouragement to read books remain etched in memory. Organizing the school fair, student council deliberations and community service taught us management skills. Sports and extra curricular activities (debates/quizzes/one- act plays) rounded our personalities. Truly, our school never interfered in our education! Wonderful friends, great teachers, spacious campus, top class infrastructure and the family atmosphere made St. Mikes a home away from home. And I look forward to June 15th when we will be - homeward bound ! It has been close to a quarter of a century since we said goodbye to SMHS. Since then, one has studied at 2 more institutions, worked at several large banks and Auto Company. Naturally, along the way I have made many nice friends, colleagues and acquaintances. But if you know the difference between Maaza and Mango or between a beautiful beach and a water park you will understand that a school friend is someone else! These are guys who still call you by your oldest nickname and pull your leg in the same way when you were 14 and you still grin and bear it! These are guys who know about your first crush or about your kid brothers mischief 20 years back. These are guys whom you are most comfortable with. There are friends whom you can count on in good times and in bad times. Yes, school friends are for life! These are times of Facebook friends and Google hangouts. Online gaming, multi media projects and internet chat and gossip on mobile .Times they surely are a changin. Our kids find it impossible to live without these indispensable tools/gadgets! Maybe I am old fashioned but boy am I glad that we studied in times of face to face friends! Imagine having a virtual reunion in times to come! Asim Hussein

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That was then, and this is now

Chakraverti Rajanish

Ashish Kumar

Nikhil Prasad Ojha

Anubhav Ranjan

Sanjeev Jha

Neeraj Kumar Singh

Manish Rastogi

Manish Prasad

Pratul Shahdeo

Ashok Manoranjan

Pramath Nath Prateek Sabharwal

Amitabh Maheshwari

Rajesh Goyal

Ranendranath Ojha

Kumar Vishal

Rajeev Kumar Ramesh Kumar Sharma

Amit Singh

Sumit Saran

Aniruddha Brahamchari

Deepak Kumar Arunabh Choudhary Rajeev Kumar Singh

Ashish Prasad

Rajnish Sinha

Rishi Kumar

Satyarth Mishra

Amit Sinha

Pushkar Kumar

Asim Hussain

Shashank Ranjan

Syed Sibte Abbas Rizvi

Dhruv Bhagat

Rohit Varma

18

From Across the Seven Seas

Decades have passed since St. Michaels High School helped structure our dreams, instilled belief in capabilities, and exhorted us to gather our wings and fly high into the sky. Years earlier, we had joined the school as impressionable kids, and spent time as children, before parting to join the mainstream of life as young adults, with our personalities fully formed, having formed relationships that would last forever. Away from the chaos of the city, this celebrated institution on the banks of the river Ganges was the most serene location to nurture unforeseen futures and to unlock great potentials. As we look back with gratitude and amazement, the manner in which our school and our parents worked hard to secure our future, we realize and appreciate their importance and the effects a bit more. This alumni meet is as much an expression of gratitude, as it is a much-awaited gathering with long lost friends and teachers. We come back to celebrate, and also to delve upon what we had gained by being part of this institution, because wherever we have since arrived in our journeys of life, owes much to the exceptional foundational education that we had received here. And it is indeed an honor for me, on behalf of the expatriate community, to be asked to pen some of our shared thoughts. I am glad to share some perspectives of our interesting journeys and narrate experiences regarding the positive changes that we have witnessed over the years since we arrived here. We were captivated by the abounding comforts in this beautiful country. No power-cuts or traffic delays, and everything seemed to work perfectly on schedule. Life was streamlined and disciplined, and I had little trouble adjusting to the time difference, to the cars that would drive on the left side of the road, or for that matter to the light switches that seemed to work in the opposite manner. FPS system did seem out of date, but conversions from ounces and pounds to the metric system were basic math. Weekends were fun. However, there were aspects of our Indian life that we used to miss. The songs and dances of Bollywood and the game of cricket. These were a part of our deep selves. Strawberries and peaches were available aplenty, but we missed our guavas and Digha-Malda mangoes. Pizzas and Doughnuts were hardly a match for the Samosas from Rudals canteen. It seemed nonsensical to have to explain to our US hosts that our definitions of vegetarian cuisine comprised of a bit more than mere servings of raw vegetables, stewed with a pinch of salt. We missed the joys of Indian festivals and the associated street celebrations. In the US, there were only a few festivals marked for celebration, and those were usually private community affairs. There were differences in perceptions of history and geography. Globes were usually turned the opposite way so India did not appear in the picture. And we yearned for news from our country. Over the decades we were to witness changes of great magnitude, the likes of which will be repeated rarely in future, if ever. Fortunately, rapid advancements in technologies brought us closer to our motherland, and allowed us to communicate more easily and frequently with our relatives and friends back home. Frequent cross-cultural exchanges resulted in transformation of societies in unforeseen ways. Suddenly, Indian sweets and lassi, paan and chaat were no longer things alien in the US. Golgappas, jalebis, kulfis and laddoos, and chole bhature were easily available, and we no longer needed to look too hard to find stores that would sell pressure cookers. As the Indian community grew, the Indian markets also mushroomed across the US. We had heard our parents in India claim that they could now find everything in India, what one would find across stores in the US. With changed times, the proverb seemed to have been reversed. We could now find everything from India becoming available in the US markets. Bollywood movies were being shown across all major theaters. We had once learnt English to be able to interact with the western world. Our kids were learning Chinese and Indian languages to prepare for their future. Whereas India-Pak used to be the commonly used phrase when wed arrived, India and China being grouped together in sentences had become the norm now. Indians in the US are counted as a highly influential community, being the wealthiest and also the most well-educated. As India has grown significantly, so has its prestige around the world. We have been glad to witness and also actively participate in bringing about these changes within US, helping influence policy decisions of the US Govt. that have benefited our motherland, generated goodwill across peoples, and have helped bring the two countries together. Interestingly, the preparation for the onset of these changing times had come from our school, a strong foundation helping us prepare for the turbulence of life. The school had imparted education that allowed us to think logically and creatively, and prepared us for a practical life. With Fr. Cox and Fr. Harland, with Sir Amber Banerjee and Sir Raj, with Sir Jose and Sir Richard David, and other great teachers to guide us, the school stood as a pinnacle of education, and comparisons with the Harvards and Stanfords of this world were never quite intimidating to us. Words cannot adequately describe the overwhelming sentiments we have for our school and there are far too many golden moments to recall. Though a long distance away from the country, the strings of attachment remain strong and the sense of belonging has not diminished. Across the seven seas, we value and cherish being referred to as Michaelites and carry in our hearts, an appreciation for the love and caring that each one of us received from the school. Ashish Kumar

19

Those Whom Gods Love,

I only learnt about Pawass passing 5+ years after the event: after having lost touch in mid-90s, I had been looking for his whereabouts. I found his brother on FaceBook, and excitedly asked for Pawas contact information. He told me to check e-mail, and I dont think I will ever forget the shock of learning the tragic death of one of my closest friends via FaceBook. Pawas and I were friends since a very early age. We were in the same classroom for 14 years. Every year of school same section, same teachers, same school bus, same exams, same electives. No wonder that in all my memories of those days, he has a unique place that cannot be replaced. As an 8 year old, I remember going to his birthday parties so fondly arranged by his parents. We studied in Maria Academy in Danapur before we joined St. Michaels together in Grade 6. There were very few of us from Danapur amd whenever I wanted to indulge in any extracurricular activities in school, my parents always checked if Pawas was doing it. And if he was, it was an easy yes for me. In school, Pawas was always at the top of the class while I was a somewhere in lower middle. He never let that stand between us and I quietly drew inspiration from his organized mannerism and study routines. I remember a time in class 8 when I was slipping academically and was too focused on honing my cricketing skills. He saw that I was worried and quietly spoke about the discipline of budgeting some regular time for studies. I listened and my grades improved quickly. Like most of the 12th Econ, we wanted to be engineers and had applied together to engineering schools he was far more selective than me. When we didnt get the desired outcome in our first attempt, he changed course to join SRCC where he did his BA and the MA in Economics. I got through engineering exams in 1990 and rushed to his house with the news. I think he was happy and proud. During our college years, I remember spending long hours chatting in our summer vacations in Danapur him regaling me with DU stories. After graduating from SRCC, he taught economics in the same college, and then decided to appear in the UPSC exam, cleared it and joined IRTS in 2001. This was another sign of his academic focus and organizational skills. On the personal side, he got married in Dec 96 to Bhavna Pandey, an economics graduate from DU, who herself was a lecturer in Miranda house. They have two sons, Apoorva and Atharva studying now in Delhi while staying with their mother. He was with IRTS for 3 years and was posted in Delhi at the time of his tragic car crash on May 8th 2004. He sustained severe head injuries and expired on site. He was only 33. Time and again, I think about how things would have been if he was around. There were many stories, life events, accomplishments that remained unshared. My heart goes out to his parents, his brothers and of course his wife (who I have not met) and his two boys when I try to imagine the pain of this irreplaceable loss. One day, I hope to meet his sons and when I do, I look forward to telling them that their father was one of the smartest and coolest people around and how incredibly lucky and proud I am to have his company through the formative stages of my life. Neeraj Singh He was constantly reinventing himself. For him, tomorrow was another day to start all over again, always a new beginning. I still remember those mornings in summer of 1986 (I think) when I spent few days at his home not too far from the school. Ved had a deep voice and a laugh that was more like a guffaw. In between our breakfast, Ved told me his whole life plan. It seemed everything was well crafted for him. He made it sound all too easy; travelling to UK, becoming a doctor and inevitably the discussion would veer off-course towards girls. He was full of life. It was very sad learning of Veds untimely passing. With so much ahead of him, it seemed that providence cheated him of his life plan. But as a friend pointed out in an email, in Gods plan, theres no such thing. In Gods eyes, and for reasons we cant yet fully fathom, Veds passing was the right time in His scheme. I am the gentle autumn rain When you awake in the morning's hush I am the soft uplifting rush of quiet birds in circling flight. I am the soft star that shines at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry I am not there. I did not die. Vale Ved Vardhan Tripathi. He has truly re-invented himself. Arunabh Chaudhary February was a busy month but I visited FaceBook to catch up with friends and got the sad and shocking news of Manu's death. So many memories came flooding back. His parents had shifted from UK to be closer home and he joined St. Michaels in 6th. Initially few of us made fun of his British accent, but gradually with his jovial nature and ever present smile he made friends with everyone. I can't remember Ved having fight or argument. Always jovial, laughing and being friends with everyone. In 9th class we were mixed in different sections and Ved came to 9A and I used to sit with him. We became very close and had so many happy memories. Seeing Sridevi grooving in blue saree in 'Mr India, First Blood/Rambo and many other movies in Ved's room while bunking during the SUPW class (his home was 5 min walk from school). Veds tiffin had fantastic sandwiches (cheese & scrambled egg), which he shared willingly. I remember him singing 'Congratulations' in our assembly session and with his big eyes and guitar playing - charming girls of Notre Dame (we lesser mortal content with chasing their bus on our cycles). He went to Belgaun for MBBS and I went to Pune and we lost contact. I used to get his news from a cousin who was his junior. And years after in 2006 I spoke to him on phone In UK. We caught up over the lost time and decided to meet over the weekend when both of us were free. But unfortunately we never got to it; as always thought that we are at 2 hours from each other and we can catch up whenever we want. Ved's sad demise filled me with immense guilt of not being able to arrange our meeting. The entries and outpouring of emotions on FaceBook are a testament of how fondly Ved is remembered. He lived life kingsize and on his own terms. And what can be a more better place for this to be printed than the magazine of our Alma Mater where this journey started. You will be missed. May you rest in peace Dear Friend. Samyak Das

Pawas Prabhakar Sanjay

July 31st 1970 May 8th 2004

Ved Vardhan
August 15th 1971 Feb 25th 2012

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Those Whom Gods Love,

Gokul was born in a simple and pious family. He was the youngest of three brothers. His elder brothers, Krishna and Madhav were very dear to him. Gokul lived in Jakkanpur, whereas I lived in Mithapur, we took the same bus to school from Gauriya Math. He and I would almost always sit together in the bus. I remember that in the 3rd grade, the class was planning on having a pool side party and the entry fee was Rs. 5. For different reasons, Gokul and I could not pay the fee and on the afternoon of the pool side party, the two of us had to stay back in the class while the rest of the students went ahead with the party. That was the beginning of our friendship. On most evenings, I would walk down to Gokuls house to play with him. We would play cricket in his verandah till dark. He introduced me to table tennis (we would play with notebooks as our rackets and bricks as our net). Gokul was a very sincere and compassionate person. He was very good in Math and Science. He did not like to draw or sing. He always found time to teach me difficult concepts. I was not as bright as him but he would patiently teach me, and would never make fun of me. Our friendship blossomed. In one of the Geography test during 7th grade, I had not prepared for the test at all and I asked him if would help me look over his answers in the test. I got caught and the teacher deducted some marks from his score. He, not even once, complained to me about the incident. There was no bitterness in him. He did not judge me. He took me as his friend with all my faults and did not expect anything in return. After 10th class, I moved to Delhi, and to my regret, I lost touch with him. Even though I would visit Patna occasionally, I got too busy in my world. Eventually, on one of my trips to Patna, I decided to go visit Gokul. When I knocked at his door, his father broke the news to me that Gokul was no more. I was deeply saddened as I always thought he and I would remain best friends forever. God decided to take him from all of us. Whenever I think of school, the happiest days of my life, the thought of Gokul comes to my mind. He will always remain in my heart. Friends that we make in our childhood have the biggest impact of who we become as the years pass by. His life has taught me to be a kind and compassionate person. In essence, I feel that he is still with us and will always be. Vivek Ghai After finishing my 12th, I found myself in the company of Gokul at PMCH (the only other Michaelite, Gaurav Datta having already left for BHU). Gokul and I then pursued our education together beyond the school boundaries, but our shared memories were awakened by the Ganges every time we ventured into the Canteen Park, or the library just behind it. Gokul was so kind and good natured to one and all that his classmates would most of the time circulate his notes . He was recognized for his flawless art of grasping lessons and transferring them onto paper in his impeccable handwriting. He had a soft corner for a few of our female colleagues and we would often tease him about this, but he took it sportingly and refused to get drawn all with his characteristic smile (the same smile that I saw when once he was emerging from a morning show at Elphinston hall, and he said to me chalta hai). Both of us were dayscholars, commuting from home to college and we would often give the other one a ride when one person had landed up without his hamara Bajaj. And when the time came to show, he excelled again and secured a Masters seat in Opthalmology. He was due to appear for his final PG Exam when he met with an accident near the RBlock flyover, leading to his untimely passing. I was away in DMCH, Darbhanga (where I was pursuing my MD in Internal Medicine) where I heard about this tragedy. I was all the more sad to know that at that time, his wife was in the family way. Though I met his brother after Gokuls passing, I could not muster the courage to see his parents. May the Almighty give them the strength to overcome the loss with forbearance and perseverance. Shamim Ahmed

Gokulanand Pandey

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When everyone was famous for 15 minutes

It is not every class that gets itself a two-page spread in a national magazine. Yes, the write-up couldve been about some other aspect of our fun-filled years but alas, notoriety preceded other feature-worthy achievements by many among us. I wont name the magazine that carried this story but thats an easy Quiz question if there was one. Identities have been redacted to protect well-established corporate and entrepreneurial reputations, but a page from a copy of our days is on the right for you to fill in your guesses. Ed

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Those Who Can, Teach

It gives me immense joy to be a part of this joyous occasion as we celebrate the wonderful lives and achievements of our very own Batch of 87. It is indeed a great pleasure to rejoice and relive the past 25 years in which this batch has made every possible effort to add innumerable jewels to our schools crown. I feel extremely overwhelmed with gratitude to say that I have been associated with St. Michaels and St. Xaviers for 36 long years. In these years of dedicated service as a teacher, I have witnessed the indelible impact that these prestigious institutions have been leaving on society. I, thereby, warmly and affectionately extend my prayerful felicitations and congratulations to every member of this outstanding batch who has collaborated for and significantly contributed to the growth of the schools. It has been the endeavor of everyone who has been a part of these institutions to materialize the vision of the Irish Christian brothers and thereafter the Jesuit fathers, who served the cause of education and the country in an exemplary manner, thus bringing about fullness of life to Gods creation. The schools started and nurtured by them, have now become centers of excellence and their alumni spread far and wide have brought laurels to their alma-mater in various spheres of life. Jesuits have traditionally been trendsetters. Their paradigm has been to move with the signs of time, using modern educational technology for effective learning. Their inmate desire to stretch education beyond the formal level to ever widening circles such as education for non-literate masses has made St. Michaels and St. Xaviers a part of activities for the promotion of justice and peace in the community. The schools have done outstanding service when it comes to the nation, by educating millions of students, many of whom now hold important leadership positions in India and abroad. These schools significantly enhance the competence of their students so that everyone is a winner in some area of life and is able to discover deeper levels of meaning in life and their relations with the Transcendent. St. Michaels and St. Xaviers have always promoted co-operation and teamwork rather than competition among students and teachers so that they build healthy relationships with all, across cultural and religious barriers. Plunging into the world of the most noble profession teaching, has, in itself, been a wonderful experience. These schools have relentlessly inculcated innumerable values in millions of souls. Here is a solemn promise, that wherever I go and whatever I do, the memories of these institutions will be forever cherished by me. I wish the students carry forward the values and the undying spirits of St. Michaels and St. Xaviers for years to come. P. S. Raj My dear, dear Michaelites of 1987/89, An educational system isnt worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesnt teach them how to make a life Our very own St. Michaels Patna, is an epitome of an institution that has always taught the youngsters how to make a life out of their living and like each one of you I have been the beneficiary of that sort of learning-teaching environment. God was indeed very kind to me by giving me the opportunity to also become a teacher of English at my alma mater in 1982 and till 1992, I made my humble contribution in the learning-teaching process that our dear and beloved school was and is known forafter being a student from 1963 to 1971. I owe my entire personal and professional entity, growth and enrichment to St. Michaels, its various Jesuit Principals and teachers from Fr. Murphy, Fr. Cox, Fr. Cleary, Fr. Ziebert, Fr. Mahoney, Fr. Karthanam and the most important mentor of my life, Fr. PT Augustine, to my teachers, some of whom became my colleagues and to the hundreds of my dear students who had to bear with me in Grades IX and XII during those ten eventful years. Those ten momentous years that were to become a great launching pad for what I can now humbly term as a fairly successful teaching and teacher-training career nationally and internationally too! I owe it almost all to St. Michaels, Patna. My journey as an English teacher began from the 1st of March 1982 and it lasted ten lovely and fruitfully interesting years during which I taught you guys as well! Fr Cox had made a promise to come and see how I did as a teacher, but never kept to this friendly and apparently threatening promise of coming to my class even once. And that surely meant that I had come to stay as a teacher...and I did not look back after that. St. Michaels never let me look back even once with my mentors Fr. PT Augustine and my ex-teachers who were now colleagues, Mr. PS Raj, Mr P Thomas, Mr, Jeff DCosta, Mr. Tony Fernandez , Mr. KN Mishra and Mr Robin Francis never missing an opportunity to guide me and mentor me. And yes, being the son of St. Mikes, as it were, I enjoyed one rare privilege that was given to me by Mr. PS Raj who was the teachers routine and substitution incharge. Whenever India played a one-day international cricket match, he invariably would reshuffle and rearrange all my classes in the first five periods so that I would be free from 11 oclock onwards ....to go to the fathers building , switch on the TV there and watch the cricket match. Once in a while I would receive phone calls from the staff room or even from the Principals PA asking me what the latest score was! Thank you St. Michaels from the deepest recesses from my heart...I am whatever I am only becauce of YOU! God Bless! Amber Banerjee

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For those who are not attending the reunion, a page from our school diary