My School My Pride!

My School My Pride

The year 2017 is a Golden Jubilee Year for me. The number 50 has it’s own significance apart from just a number in between 49 & 51. The gold status given to this number 50 when a celebration held to mark 50^th anniversary. It was a royal ceremony once. Now we celebrateGolden Jubilee for many occasions like 50^th birthday, fifty years in professional service, wedding anniversaries, for building’s life cycle and national days and so on.

 As it was 50 years over since I passed out from my alma mater, P.S.Secondary School, Mylapore, Madras-4, in the year 1967, I  look into the year 2017 as my Golden Jubilee Year of celebration, in fond remembrance of my good, better and best times of school life.

No one can forget their school life, as school life was the best life and can be cherished forever, when we become old. Our school was a ‘temple of learning’ and it gave us good education, good conduct, good character and molded our mental attitudes and guided to live with principles in life. Our salutes to our great teachers for their relentless service in shaping students to become a good and useful citizen in future. School life was an important part of human life for all of us. In our schooldays , we were much joyful and friendly with all our classmates. We gave high respects to our teachers and it continues even today.

In the beginning of year 2013, a small group of  13 our classmates had a small reunion after 45 years of leaving the school, a well organized meet at school and in a hotel later. The news came in local newspaper! Click the link!

Reunion of 1967 batch students of P.S.Secondary School, Madras-4

 Unfortunately, the golden jubilee reunion could not be organized and we all miss it. Though we meet occasional school events like Independence Day, Republic Day, Teacher’s Day and Sport’s Day, by representing ourselves as old students, it becomes a difficult task to reunite all old students now for the Golden Jubilee Reunion! All of our classmates must be 65 plus and have their own concerns, but we really miss a great gathering!

Our school’s centenary celebrations was held in the year 2016 with a grand opening and valedictory functions, honoring old students for their big achievements in the field of academic, arts and sports. A memorable and once in a life time experience to me was, when I was called to be the Guest of Honor for my school’s Republic Day celebration in the centenary Year 2016!

Looking back to the year of my admission in class IV,  in the year 1959, our Head Master Shri.Athmanaba Iyer,a very strict disciplinarian, had a very good set of teachers under him. 

1959 school Admission Register.My name is there!

When I left the school, he too got relieved due to retirement. To name a few teachers, we used to refer them with initials, AR,KNB,KRS,MB,VA,VK,PNS,PSR,Ranganatha Rao.

A junior batch of 1969

All of them and others name I missed here were gems among the teaching community. We are now in this position because of them.  Friends list I skip here as it is a big list and I am keeping in touch with many of them. Without friends, there is no school life. Though we are away from each other, occasional meeting and chatting through social media keeps our friendship stronger forever. They will also agree with me and joins with me in my slogan “ My School My Pride”.

We look for our school’s prosperity and let it march towards the next centenary and our prayers are forever for our school.

M.D.Chander – Student of P.S.Secondary School, Mylapore, Madras-4 between 1959 and 1967.

A Memorable and Different kind of Thanksgiving party !

A memorable and different kind of Thanksgiving party for me !

Day before yesterday, on 2^nd September 2017, two kids from my neighborhood approached me to accept myself as a ‘Chief Guest’ for an informal celebration in one of the kid’s roof top penthouse and gave me an invitation, wonderfully handmade! I gave my acceptance to them as I know them very well and they used to visit our home for all festivals and their birthdays with sweets. My guess was that, it’s a child’s play and with not much expectation, I went to the venue on yesterday evening, as per schedule,with some small gifts hidden in my pockets!

But to my surprise, the terrace was beautifully decorated with balloons and a background screen with a sheet of paper pinned as “Annual Day” was there for the kids to perform in front. It’s time to tell the class they study with their names, because I was astonished to see their event management, they handled so nicely and perfectly without a flaw in the schedule given to me.

Keerthika – class 5, Sahasra – class 5, Harshit – class 3, Sahid – class 4, Teju – LKG and Dennison _ class UKG. Now you can guess their age!

Now I will move the celebration. They received me at the terrace with a warm welcome with a tray of toffees. I never knew that a big surprise is waiting for me! Suddenly Harshit and Sahid put a shawl  around my shoulder and presented the CG(Chief Guest), that’s me, with a gift and asked me to open it. I found a blue color T-shirt of my size. I was overwhelmed by their gesture. After I took the chief guest seat, a tray full of sweets and snacks for all of us came. We shared and enjoyed just before the start of the entertainment program they planned, which I found in the hands of Keerthika, which runs to six or seven pages containing more than 14 events.

The entertainment started with a dance of Sahasra and Keerthika. The dances were self choreographed it seems! The whole package they performed includes Bharatanatyam, Western dance, Group dance, Helen Keller Story reading, Grammar and GK quiz for the CG, Harshit’s dance and Karate style actions, Harshit and Sahid’s WWF fight actions, Teju baby’s and Dennison’s solo performances of storytelling and songs and a final group dance with me on their compulsion.

The one and a half hour I spent with the kids is an everlasting memory for me, to carry and cherish forever. The kids dressed so nicely for their performances. We admire and felt so happy on their love and affection on us.

Invitation

Don't Worry!

Be Happy

I am totally out of writing and posting in my blog for quite a long time, more than two years, due to my active posting in Facebook, but that too was closed since last year end, to spend more time in social and spiritual activities. But these kids’ matured and planned event , well managed more than an adult , made me to post the special celebration.

The last thing I asked them was, what for this ‘Annual day’ ? Their answer brought tears in my eyes, truly. They all together said,” Uncle, this is specially planned as a thanksgiving celebration to you and aunty, for all that you gave for our birthdays and many occasional gifts of love and affection”. I gave away small gifts, hidden in my pocket, to all of them and they were so happy.

With a heavy heart I took leave from them. They neatly packed the shawl and my favorite color T-shirt and came along with me to drop me at home!

Yes. Indeed this wonderful moment, I felt to share in my personal blogpost. I pray Lord Krishna to shower His blessings on the kids for their bright future in studies and  in all walks of life , as they grow.

Without a photo gallery my post will not be completed. This is for me to cherish as I grow!!!