INDIFFERENT OR TOO BUSY??

I write this piece at the risk of being called a nag. But what to do? It is over a month since the last event took place i.e, the 85' batch lunch. After that there has been nothing; not a blip on the radar. One wonders why? The Blog was launched on 21 Mar 09 and it did generate a lot of enthusiasm, but apparently it was rather temporary & localised. I have called up many of our esteemed alumni (no names, but they would know!!!) and told them about this effort. It is really surprising that although in our conversation it drew a positive response but most did not bother to even open the blog. May be in this era of Convent Education it requires a lot of courage to associate with modest past studying in a Govt. School. There has been some lip service too, without much result on ground. It is perplexing, frustrating and disappointing to find such an indifferent attitude to something which could have helped us all bond as alumni of an establishment that has been a cornerstone of our life.
We all are busy. We all are in the middle of daily grind of our respective careers. Some may be more busy than others but how much time does it take to post a comment ? Not more than reading a mail. What one expected was at least a positive response. This blog was started by someone who was sitting at an altitude of over 12000 ft in extreme weather conditions and less oxygen, with no electricity and a very very slow net connectivity. Still one has been able to make a beginning with whatever resources that were available. Numerous telephone calls, searching people through Google, BSNL telephone directories, even Electoral Rolls, making hit and trial calls to likely alumni, requesting friends for their class group photographs and contact informations of others so that they could be told about the blog, visits to school to click pictures so that friends who have not visited school in a long time could get a glimpse of their Alma Mater etc, etc, etc. All this required some effort and enthusiasm. But the same is petering out now. It is not that nobody has gained from the blog. People have reconnected and are reliving their school days. I have got messages and mails from my own batchmates and one keeps reading about similar efforts by some others to get in touch but it is much much below the expectations. I am carrying out my share of thinking and leave it upon all of you to do your share of thinking and introspection. This has to be a collective effort and we have to inspire each other. Agreed, we have all moved on in our lives, found new friends and groups, relocated to newer and may be greener pastures but forgetting the school that taught us our first step is like forgetting the mother who teaches the child how to walk. But then, this emotional perspective seems to be shared by only a few.

The blog needs new ideas and one brain can not generate innovative ideas to make the blog more interesting and interactive. Hopefully, together we will rejuvinate the blog.

PHOTOGRAPHS: 23 MAY 2009 GET TOGETHER

PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE GET TOGETHER

ORGANISED AT CHANDIGARH ON 23 MAY 2009

BY 1985 BATCH

Standing- Mrs. Kamal Sharma, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Vishal Sharma, Raman Lamba, Kamal Sharma, Sh. Chanchal Singh, Rajiv Tewari, Ashish Singla, Ravinder Mohan, Manu Chaudhary, Vishal Sharma, Kamal Kant, Jagwinder Singh, Atambir Singh, Rai Bahadur.
Sitting - Jyoti, Neerja, Mrs. Harpreet Bhatia, Mrs. Raman Lamba, Mrs. Manu Chaudhary, Mrs. S. Nijhawan. Sushma, Arvinder

Neerja, Jyoti, Arvinder Kaur, Sushma, Mrs. S.Nijhawan, Vishal Sharma, Ashish Singla, Jagwinder Singh, Kamal Sharma, Sh. Chanchal Singh, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Rajiv Tewari, Raman Lamba, Vishal Sharma, Rai Bahadur, Atam Bir Singh, Jagmohan Singh, Ravinder Mohan, Kamal Kant, Manu Chaudhary

Atambir Singh, Vishal Sharma, Vishal Sharma, Ashish Singla, Rai Bahadur, Jagmohan, Ravinder Bansal, Kamal Kant

Sushma, Jyoti, Neerja, Mrs. Harpreet Bhatia

MS S NIJHAWAN

Mrs S Nijhawan

SERVICE PROFILE:

1. Joined Service as Science Mistress in Govt. Senior Secondary School, Sec 23 on 01 June 1970.
2. Transferred to Govt. Model High School, Sec 22C in 1973.
3. Transferred to Govt Model High School, Sec 35D in Apr 1975.
4. Taught in the school for 13 yrs and was in charge of the Science Dept.
5. Transferred to Govt Model Senior Secondary School, Sec 22A in 1988.
6. Promoted and posted as Head Mistress in Govt. Girls High School, Sec 25 in 1994.
7. Was instrumental in organising Extra coaching and financial aid to the vulnerable and economically weaker students of colonies of Sec 25. First school to launch of Mid day meals scheme in U.T under her guidance.
8. Transferred to Govt. Model High School, Sec 34 in Oct 1997 where she established the first Model and Modern Nursery wing.
9. Promoted and posted as Principal of Govt. Model Senior Secondary School, Sec 32 in 2005.
10. Retired from State Institute of Education, Sec 32 on 31 July 2007.

THE NEXT STEP

I have moved down from the cool environs of 12000 plus altitude of Ladakh into the sweltering heat and dust of the plains of Punjab & Haryana, and that too in the month of May. Over the last 2-3 weeks while one was in transit and settling down, the 1985 batch get together took place on 23 May 2009. From the inputs I got from friends, it was a reasonably well attended "do", though basically a 1985 batch get together. The presence of our old teachers like Ms Nijhawan & Mr Chanchal Singh was the highlight of the lunch. As and when more information and snaps are made available they will be uploaded.

Now comes the question whether this lunch was a move forward from the past? I would say "No". A particular batch taking initiative in getting together should inspire others also to get in touch and meet up. We all at our respective batch level need to take initiative to pull our lazy batchmates out of their precious cocoons and shake them up a little bit!!!!!!!!!! We are going to love it when we meet again after soooo many years. But when?? No one knows. Let's hope some one from each batch will take initiative at least of getting their batchmates together at one place. This platform will do all it can to promote any such idea or to advertise any such initiative. Only after such efforts have borne fruits, can one take the initiative of organising a School level alumni get together.

The response to the blog has been quite encouraging so far. One only hopes that people are reconnecting to share a laugh remembering the days gone bye and catching up with old friends. The aim of the blog is to help old students locate their class fellows and not essentially to propagate methodology of staying in touch. I, for one, would definitely like to meet my old class fellows with whom once I shared good times but if others are following some other idea, they may like to share it with others on this blog. "If there are friends who would like to contribute to the blog by writing Posts" they can let me know and I would love to facilitate putting their thoughts & writings on the blog. As it is I am not much of a writer, being in the vocation that I am in and therefore can't carry on being the Lone Ranger.

A word on "Inputs about Batches". There is not much happening on that front. One has spent a lot of time and energy collecting, collating and putting up bits and pieces of information about Alumni in the form that you see. This forum thrives on inputs; be it about names, contact informations, photographs, current status and any news that can help people connect. Any stagnation on account of inputs will kill the Blog. So, please feel free to give inputs about your batchmates and friends even if it is unconfirmed.

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS: CLASS OF 1985

SOME SNAPS FROM THE COLLECTION OF INDER MOHAN SINGH

{CLASS OF 1985}

{PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN 1976}

{PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN 1980}

Here are some more photographs of 1985 batch, this time sent by Mr Inder Mohan Singh. The annotating will be done as and when the names are provided by you all. I, for one can recognise Ms Seth Ma'am very fondly. Also, I must comment that so far the level of interest shown by the 1985 batch is commendable. Hope others emulate and share school photographs from their collection with their batchmates through this forum.