The price of readability? Zero?

My sincere apologies for not updating the Seventh Heaven and all my other Blogs.

The reason is not ill-health but the fact that I have had several several thousand email Season Greetings in all possible modes including my 10 email addresses (Each email address handles separate Blogs and Groups that Annikki and I run.)

My computers are working round the clock to include everyone in our short annual Season's Greetings. I am hopeful that this will clear by the weekend and I can get back to a normal Blogging Schedule by next week.

However, I received one message which I thought I should share with you immediately. It was a newsletter from our Alumni Association informing us that the First Issue of the new Alumni magazine launched in November 2007 is available as a downloadable pdf file. This was the message I received today:

Fellow Cathedralites

The latest issue of the Association Magazine was released on 14-Nov-07 at the Middle o School Tea. The online pdf version is available at

http://www.catalumni.com/articles/Catmag.pdf

The magazine is being distributed by courier in India only. No distribution will be done overseas. The distribution will be done at a slow pace over the next month so as to minimize address & postal errors. Members are requested to do the following:

1) The magazine is fully sponsored so there will be no charge to members.

2) Send your contact information by email to helpdesk@catalumni.com - Name, Tel, Email, Postal Address, Class of

3) If you are located abroad and don’t want to miss your issue of the magazine, providing us an India contact address (Mumbai even better) will ensure that your copy is delivered to the Indian address - Name, Tel, Email, Postal Address, Class of

4) You may form groups and request a representative of the group in Mumbai to collect your copies from my personal office which is situated at http://www.beemanagement.com/pdf/beemap.pdf

Please call/sms Reeta, our Alumni Officer, at the Help Desk at +91-99203-37424 to fix a time. Reeta works from IST 11am to 3pm, Mon-Fri only. So call or sms accordingly. The group representative must bring along a list of members he/she is authorized to represent and collect copies for. The list must be in the format Name, Tel, Email, Postal Address, Class of. Such representatives will be responsible for delivery to those authorizing them. This method will help you receive your copies at the earliest.

Best wishes for 2008 and a very happy new year to all!

regards

Rajiv Bhatia
President @ your service

I am glad that the decision to have a downloadable pdf version was made for expat Cathedralite Alumni.

I have just glanced through this very professional presentation and it can certainly prove a success in replacing the old CATCALL.

Kudos to the team that has launched this magazine and many thanks to all the sponsors which has made this magazine fully funded and hence available to us expats.

This caused me to seriously think whether I should continue the Seventh Heaven Blog.

Does my nonsensical Blog have a place in this competitive world where people have less and less time to read stuff online?

Just as I was thinking this over and discussing the subject with my better half, I received this email from 57er Tony:

Subject:

Season's Greetings from Oulu, Finland

from ashok jaitly 09:51 (7 hours ago)
to jmatthan@gmail.com
date 28 Dec 2007 09:51

Dear Annikki and Jacob,

Always such a pleasure to hear from you. I have not had the privilege to meet Annikki but I have no doubt that she must be a remarkable woman to have dealt with this character called Jacob Matthan for all this time !

Annikki, I recall this gangly young goalkeeper as a rather quiet and civilised sort of a person not realising that he would slowly emerge into what he has....not so quiet or so civilised-with his proclaimed unconventionaal opinions and his unkempt but rather elegant beard...yet such a warm and lovable person who has brought an entire world of school and college friends together in what is perhaps the only network of its kind anywhere.

Well done Annikki ! All these medals we Cats talk about should all go to you !

Jacob, we 57ers had such an incredible reunion that the President of of the Union, Rajiv Bhatia, said to me that 1957 has created a record which will be hard to follow!

You guys have a real challenge on your hands !

Sabina and I send you Anniki and all the family our warmest good wishes for a very wonderous Christmas (belated) and a rollicking New Year with all the peace and love for 2008.

God Bless,

Tony.

As I went through my INBOX with Annikki, there was message after message from Cathedralites, all in the same vein - 47ers (Farookh, your 60th year reunion report will soon find exposure here and your call to other 47ers will go out soon), 49ers (What a great Reunion was hosted by 49er Jamshed Desai in Delhi), 51ers, 54ers, 55ers, 56ers, 57ers (Pramila - your 50th reunion report will see the light of day in a short while), 58ers (Homi - your 50th reunion plans will get the fullest publicity very shortly), 59ers, 60ers, 67ers (Shobha - your reunion report will soon be up here), the Delhi Catedralites, the Pune Cathedralites, the Italian Cathedralites, the Brits, the yanks, and on and on.

Annikki was of the opinion that as long as this outpouring of love and affection by "crazy Cathedralites" who believed that I could have EVER been "quiet and civilised" continued, and it was no strain on me (especially my failing eyesight), I should continue this project I started in 1996.

All the blogs of the school, the alumni and the magazine could co-exist, and we could serve different functions.

I will remain as the mouthpiece for YOU, my readers, in my "unconventional" manner!

Do not expect me to carry the same stories and news items that others will carry in the other school publications.

So the Seventh Heaven Blog has a reprieve for another 2 year - 2008 and 2009!

Latest published articles

Posted on ALL our major blogs - my Jacob's Blog, the Oulu CHAFF Blog, the Mumbai Cathedralites Seventh Heaven Blog and the Delhi Stephanians Kooler Talk Blog.

Annikki was Chairperson of The English Club of Oulu almost 2 decades ago. We were also the first Life members of the Club. The Finn-Brits Magazine is the publication of The Federation of Finnish-British Societies under which English Clubs function all around Finland to promote the English Language and the cultures associated with English speakers.

Cover of Autumn 2007 edition.

The magazine decided to do a special feature about Oulu in the Autumn 2007 edition and they asked us for a couple of articles.

The first was an article about the Chamber of Assistance for Finns and Foreigners which was founded by Jacob and a few friends a couple of years ago. The article was authored by the present CHAFF Monitor, Ildikó Hámos-Sohlo, along with Jacob.

The second, a highly controversial one was authored by Annikki and Jacob about the lack of Free Speech in Oulu.

Hope you enjoy them!

TODAY: Mumbai Unplug / Batti Bandh -- This is how Mumbai will "Unplug"

Posted on my Jacob's Blog, Mumbai Cathedralites Seventh Heaven Blog and Delhi Stephanians.blogspot.com.

I have received this message from many sources and I thought to give it the desired publicity and pray that this is not a "one-off" event but one which will be repeated again and again across the world.

Old Bombay - Apollo Bunder.

This is how Mumbai will "Unplug"

Batti Bandh! Switch off Mumbai
Mumbai Unplug / Batti Bandh tells you how

Mumbai city uses an average of 550 megawatts of electricity on a Saturday between 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm. Let's see how much electricity we consume on December 15 between 7:30 pm -8:30 pm. Unplug tomorrow and vote for a green planet! Switch off and come to enjoy electricity-less entertainment at these locations.

Bandstand
Shaair and Func
Cirkles—Timir and Abhishek (band)

Carter Road
Gullywood (performers)
Dischordian (band)
Concorde (band)
Ideal Drama and Entertainment Academy (IDEA ) enact a Hindi play

Marine Drive
Gullywood (performers)
Anoushka and Friends
Violin Recital
Sophia College carol singers
Something Relevant

Ghatkopar
NSC/NCC Human Chain – MG Road to Station

For more updates on performances at Gateway, Kala Ghoda, Hard Rock Café and InOrbit Mall visit Mumbai Unplug.com.

So far, the Marine Drive landmarks, The Hilton Towers and the Air India building, have promised to switch off their façade lights for Batti Bandh. Essar is accommodating Batti Bandh on their Founders' Day conference which happens to be on December 15 too. As a part of their event, they will be switching off lights from 8:30pm-9:30 pm. Bank of Rajasthan will unplug all branches across India for Batti Bandh. Restaurants along Colaba causeway like Café Mondegar, Hard Rock Café and Shiro at Lower Parel have also pledged to "switch off". Perfetti India and Mentos have created an ad campaign centered around Batti Bandh. Students at St. Xavier's College are forming the Batti Bandh logo with candles in their campus.

There will be music bands playing at Carter Road, Marine Drive and Bandstand. At Kalamboli, Panvel and Navi Mumbai Dhol players along with 50-100 rickshawwallas will hold a peace rally. Bombay Catholic Sabha is holding another peace rally from Sahar to the Airport in Andheri. Residents of Raheja Hillside society in Powai are planning an antakshri competition during the Batti Bandh hour. "You don't have to wonder about what to do in the absence of electricity. Have a community hour," says the Batti Bandh team.

Modelled on the Sydney Earth Hour 60 held in March 2007 (that had 2.2 million citizens of the city switch off lights), Mumbai Unplug / Batti Bandh is an initiative taken in order to educate the masses and make them aware of their contribution to the deteriorating environmental conditions of not only Mumbai but India and the world. "Unlike Earth Hour 60, which was initiated by organisations like Leo Burnett and WWF, Mumbai Unplug / Batti Bandh is a citizens' initiative," said Keith.

WWF has also supported the Mumbai Unplug / Batti Bandh initiative. For more information and updates on other performances happening across the city on December 15, visit Mumbai Unplug.com.

Take a stand. Unplug.

For more information, contact:
Keith Menon
Email: info@mumbaiunplug.com
Phone: 9819769933

Rustom Warden
Email: info@mumbaiunplug.com
Phone: +91-9820806355

Neil Quraishy
Email: info@mumbaiunplug.com
Phone: +91-9820353067

Shiladitya Chakraborty
Email: info@mumbaiunplug.com
Phone: +91-9833229449

Web Site: Mumbai Unplug.com
SMS Unplug to 56363

Thank you for all the concerned Mumbaites for sending me this amd I will be there with you in spirit.

I will symbolically UNPLUG here in the Arctic between 16:30 and 17:30 today!

Obituary

The first email I saw this morning was this:

Folks,

It is with a heavy heart I read this mornings Times of India where the Obituary column shows that Madhu Ruia has passed on.

For those of you who have met Anil and Madhu in recent years you would have seen both show tremendous courage and fortitude.

Madhu suffered in silence and most of us thought she was in remission, nary a word of anything but optimism and always with a smile they both bore their woes quietly and went on with their business.

The condolence visit is scheduled for today (Tuesday 11th December 2007) and I expect a large number of friends and well wishers will be there!

RIP Madhu.

Shivi

Our hearts go out to our dearest 59er Anil and his family at this grievous loss.

May Annikki and I reiterate Shivi's words that dear Madhu Rests in Peace.

Distress call - Photographs lost

I had this email from 56er Ubi who was in school till 1958 as he did his HSc.

Dear Jacob,

Your help please.

My set of 1958 School Photographs have been lost. Regrettably!

May I please, through you, request anyone who has the following 1958 School Photographs to very kindly send me copies? I shall gladly pay for the cost.

1.School Prefects
2.Boxing
3.Athletics
4.Gymnastics
5.Football
6.Hockey

I would deeply appreciate your help.

Regards,

Ubi

I should have had the School Prefects and the Hockey ones in my collection but did not find the first.

However, to start the ball rolling, here is the 1958 Hockey Team:



And just for completeness, I am throwing in a couple more of photographs from the 1958 era - Scouts and Cricket.





And more temptingly - the front page of the 1958 School Prospectus!



Send the copies to me, scanned at as a high a resolution you can manage, and you will help 2 causes! :-)

58ers - A special year for Willie

I had this copy of email from 58er Homi Khusrokhan, one of the Governors of the School Board, to Willie Shiri in Toronto - only the relevant part is quoted here:

from Homi Khusrokhan
to William and Pushpa Shiri
cc Jacob & Annikki Matthan
date Nov 25, 2007 7:55 AM
subject RE: 58er Cathedralite please read full message

Dear William,

We had our Founders Day service last week and that jogged my memory to get cracking on organizing next year’s 50’iers. I am meeting Peter Philip, Kamal Gupta and Darshana Boghilal for lunch next Wednesday.

Bye for now, keep well and definitely look forward to seeing you sometime.

(...more but deleted.)

Best regards,

Homi

This was in response to a beautiful email from Willie to Homi:

From: William and Pushpa Shiri
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 10:06 AM
To: Homi

Subject: Re: 58er Cathedralite please read full message

Dear Homi,

Do forgive me for this unpardonable delay replying your letter. It always happens to me that when I get a beautiful letter like yours, I say to myself: this deserves a long reply, not a one-liner, so have to find a long time slot. This long time-slot is often beyond my grasp!

Just about the time I got your mail, many things happened, a waste of time to enumerate, so let me stick to replying you! Incidentally, I was so pleased when John Kurrien wrote to me a long letter that I had to wait till I found time for a long reply, and it finally came ....after 40 days ! Just shows my tardiness!

A while ago, I had mentioned to Jacob Matthan with his tremendous access to all who matter to him through his BLOG, that I had seldom seen the names of any '58ers in his list of Old Boys. You see, that group has been of particular interest to me as the first bunch I taught right through their school years starting from Grade 4 ! It didn't matter what subject.

The school didn't need a physics teacher when I started in '51and I didn't care what I taught, I needed a job! Whatever, you now know why your lot is rather special to me. I seem to remember every one of you. I remember you as you used to be in the lower classes, petite, bright eyes and a ready smile!

You may like to know how my family and I fared after we left CBS and Bombay in 1962. To save typing time, (I still type 4 or 5 words per min., and that rate will never change!) I shall here reprint from my letter of about a week ago to John Kurrien, begging your pardon. Here goes :

Dear John,

Today it is exactly a month and ten days since I got your newsy long letter. I am as a rule, slow with my replies, but believe me, I am never this bad ! It never before took me 40 days to reply a letter ! My sincere apologies, John.

There were a few pressing demands on my time like the annual bugbear of Tax Returns of Pushpa ( my wife) and I, due by this month-end, and also for me, a Seniors' Driving Test (every 2-yrs for those over 80 yrs). Besides, a Cuba visit post-poned many times, had to be done before month end. (Cuba gets too hot in May) I hope I have now convinced you with reasons good enough to ignore my tardiness!

I think it was when you were in Std. 4 in 1951 that Mrs. Rispin, your regular teacher went on leave and I started at CBS as her substitute and when she returned I became a teacher of subjects like gen. science, non-scripture and perhaps a few other non-subjects ! Yours was my first lot of physics at the final level.

My wife Pushpa was also a teacher. Did you know she taught in the Junior School the last few years of our stay in Bombay? We left in 1962 April for Hertford UK, the County-town close to the hamlet John Billington hails from. It was because of John that I got a physics teaching job in the local Grammar School. That was rather unlike my experience at the Cathedral school where I had to wait for years till Mr. Gunnery's arrival when he found out what my subject was!

In England Pushpa became a peripatetic (as the term is) music teacher doing just music in 3 different schools in and around Hertford. We enjoyed life in the UK. Our daughters Nina and Kiron were unique in their schools, being the only non-English kids - thereby earning some popularity of sorts, I suppose! In today's England there must be more black or brown faces than white in many class rooms! In my school in Hertford there was just one boy from India then, and that was David Colaco from CBS who also moved to England the same time.

We moved to Montreal, Quebec in '68 and were there till both Pushpa and I retired (I retired in 87 but P only retired in '90 when we moved to Ontario where both our daughters had settled. We now live in a Condominium apt. in a suburb of Toronto called Mississauga.

I first started getting in touch with my past CBS students about 7 years ago through Nusly Pocha, '60 and then the flood gates opened with Jacob's Seventh Heaven!

I am in touch with two past teachers, both in the US. Will attach their photos for you Homi. I do keep in touch with Mr. Billington in the UK , not frequent, although he did visit us here some years ago. I am not in touch with my British or Canadian past students. CBS is unique, you know. I have had visits here from some past Cathedralites and the most recent two are in the photos attached.

What a terrible news it was, re Budni! We got the news on our return from Havana, and in the dazed state I was in, mostly due to sleep-deprivation, (age certainly has something to do with it !), I did not believe what I was seeing. I had to verify it by phoning my nearest CBS friend and old pupil, Hasnain Chinwala. This tragedy will have stunned all friends and is bound to change at least for sometime, the lives of all old friends of his in Poona who used to have frequent parties and jazz sessions ! (I had strayed from the letter to John. Now I go back, maybe to some repeat!)

This letter will not finish unless I stick to the basics!

We moved to Montreal, Quebec, in '68, after job interviews in London, England, by the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal. The warm summers and general dry weather of Montreal , unlike the damp Hertford air would suit, we were told by doctors, both Pushpa and Kiron who were asthma prone. We lived in Monteal till we both took early retirement, I in '86 and Pushpa in '90 and moved to Brampton, a suburb of Toronto. Both our daughters by then were in Ontario, so are now close by here. We have two grand sons 22 and 18.

We moved from Brampton to another suburb, Mississauga in the year 2000 and live in a condo now, on the 23rd Floor. Another month or less and I will be 82, and that was the reason for a move to a low-maintenance home, no back-breaking snow-shoveling!

Yes, clarinet is my new love, since I have stopped all singing in choirs involving night driving which I avoid. I have no clarinet back-ground. It was Pushpa's birthday gift to me for my 80th. I am making some progress, not fast enough, I'm afraid. I am glad I am now in touch with you. Lets keep to two letters a year, what do you say ? You (I notice from your letter Homi,) are a working busy guy, and I am getting slower by the day, oddly, more in mind than body! Two a year will suit us; more frequent, of course, when the spirit moves! Attaching a couple of snaps to make this complete .... implying that your last mail was incomplete ! There were no family photos. Old ones also welcome , to fill the time gap ! (end of J's letter)

Thanks again, Homi for your letter. I feel flattered, being remembered! Also an honour to be in touch with a Cathedral School Governor!

Bill (always)

PS:
(I do not have Willie's picture No. 136 to reproduce here. Jacob)

No. 136 is the very latest pic. of us taken on April 22 in our hotel lobby in Havana.



No 4e with Viney Sethi, visiting from Mumbai, Pushpa, Hasnain Chiwalla (lives 10 min away from me. Both are '59. We are celebrating Jacob Matthan's birthday - don't miss the cake and the solitary candle!!

(This picture is not with me. Jacob)

Are you anywhere in this next School pic.? I am sending this and a couple separately. It may be too much for one mail.



Adding one more, of the Patels and the Rao who visited us some years ago when we lived in another suburb of Toronto, Brampton. Mr.s Rao and Patel were both in the Physics Dept of CBS. Remember them?

I am making up for the late mail by sending these pics….. but you don't have to make yours late just to attach your photos!

What a thrill that a group across the Atlantic celebrates MY birthday and I was there when they called me in Finland to serenade me with "Happy Birthday"! (The truth is that Pushpa had made a cake for Viney's visit and they decided to adopt it as my birthday cake - but that does not matter, does it?)

Is it not great that the 58ers are getting on with organising their reunion. Let us wish them all success.

And I would like to repeat Willie's words "....CBS is unique..."

Reunion 2007 Delhi Chapter Dinner

Thank you to 49ers Yezad Kapadia and Jamshed Desai, as well as 64er Deepak Deshpande (Palmer) for this input.

Isn't to see how great our 49ers are keeping the school flag and our school spirit flying high, even as far as Delhi!

Standing: 55er Anil (Bobby) Bhalla, Commander Ranvir Khosla, Jaidev Ranade, Sunita Khosla, Vinita Ranade, 49er Jamshed Desai, Malti Sayal, Commodore Jaipal Sayal, Krishna Jaitly, 49er Raj Bhandari, Dellinder Kohli, 49er Yezad Kapadia, Rati Kapadia, Kersi Dubash & 54er Ravi Jaitly Sitting: Prakash Bhandari, Jaya Bhandari, Madhu Gurtu, Kuldip Gurtu & Manya Patil Seth

Dear Jacob,

As you are aware, the Delhi Chapter had organised our Founder's Day Dinner at Jamshed Desai's home. Jamshed had very kindly agreed to host the occassion.

The Dinner was very well attended - 24 of us old Cathedralites & spouses got together to celebrate !

On behalf of Yezad Kapadia, I am sending you herewith photographs of the Dinner, with a request that these may please be posted on your 'Seventh Heaven' blog.

Deepak A Deshpande
Managing Director
METLLOY Overseas Private Limited


Commodore Jaipal Sayal, Rati Kapadia & 49er Silla Dubash (née Vakil)



54er Ravi Jaitly, 55er Anil (Bobby) Bhalla, 49er Raj Bhandari & Kersi Dubash


Malti Sayal, Krishna Jaitly & Commodore Jaipal Sayal


Dellinder Kohli, Madhu Gurtu, Kuldip Gurtu & Malti Sayal


49er Yezad Kapadia & Prakash Bhandari


54er Ravi Jaitly 64er Deshpande & 49er Raj Bhandari


54er Ravi Jaitly, Jamshed 49er Desai (our host) & 49er Raj Bhandari


49er Raj Bhandari & Kersi Dubash


Prakash Bhandari & Rati Kapadia


54er Ravi Jaitly, Jaya Bhandari, 49er Jamshed Desai, Kadhambari Chintamani, Jaidev Ranade & Kuldip Gurtu


Prakash Bhandari, Rati Kapadia & Madhu Gurtu


55er Anil (Bobby) Bhalla, Commodore Jaipal Sayal & Malti Sayal


49er Silla Dubash (née Vakil), Vinita Ranade & Jaya Bhandari


Kadhambari Chintamani, (hidden - Jaidev Ranade & Kuldip Gurtu), 49er Jamshed Desai & 54er Ravi Jaitly


Prakash Bhandari, Rati Kapadia & Jaya Bhandari


Kadhambari Chintamani, Kuldip Gurtu & 49er Yezad Kapadia


(Background - 49er Silla Dubash (née Vakil) & Kuldip Gurtu), 54er Ravi Jaitly & Kadhambari Chintamani


Jaidev Ranade, Krishna Jaitly, 55er Anil (Bobby) Bhalla & 49er Jamshed Desai


Malti Sayal, 49er Silla Dubash (née Vakil), 55er Anil (Bobby) Bhalla & Manya Patil Seth


54er Ravi Jaitly, 49er Jamshed Desai, Prakash Bhandari & 49er Yezad Kapadia


Kadhambari Chintamani, Jaya Bhandari, (Background - Kuldip Gurtu), 55er Anil (Bobby) Bhalla & Rathi Kapadia


Standing: Sunita Khosla, Jaidev Ranade, 64er Deepak Deshpande, Commodore Jaipal Sayal, 49er Jamshed Desai, Malti Sayal, Krishna Jaitly, 49er Silla Dubash (née Vakil), Dellinder Kohli, 55er Anil (Bobby) Bhalla, 49er Yezad Kapadia, Kersi Dubash Sitting: Rati Kapadia, Commander Ranvir Khosla, Prakash Bhandari, Jaya Bhandari, Madhu Gurtu & Kuldip Gurtu

Wish I had been there as I am sure several others around the world would have been so wishing.

Founders' Day Photos coming in

Dear 69er Barbara Rossi from Milan, Italy, was at this years Founders' Day in Mumbai. She has sent me this great collection of shots which sets the mood.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

This was who was my correspondent and my eyes in Mumbai this year. :-)



Here is what Barbara wrote soon after she touched down in Italy:

Dear Jacob ,

I am back in Milan, grey and cold and naturally have downloaded the photographs I took during the past few days into my computer and am sending them to you, before anyone else, "in anteprima" as they say in Italy because from the very first of the beautiful Mrs Isaacs standing in front of the entrance of the Saint Thomas Cathedral
to the last in which I captured Fleur when she turned around for a moment as she stood in the group of ladies of '57 (!)

I thought I could act as your virtual eyes at the Founder's Day celebrations.

My photographs are not exceptional, but they surely help you to see the fantastic tradition of school repeated over and over again in its minutest details
and of course the photograph of those joyful choirboys is dedicated to you.

I missed Mr. Velu greatly, but the incredible size of the choir this year and the innocent enthusiasm of the singers did make up for that in part

lots of love

Barbara

Mrs. Meera Isaacs waiting to welcome the guests.

































As I was in school and took part in several Founders' Day services, was part of the Cathedral Church Choir, and was also one of those who read the Bible Lessons, etc., this set of photographs is especially nostalgic.

I remember wearing those choir costumes, walking down that aisle, sitting and listening to sermons and doing lots of mischievous things that we boys would do.

I wonder how we would have behaved if we had had girls in the choir?

The purpose of a blog is....

Many have asked me what is the purpose of maintaining this Seventh Heaven blog?

Although it started out to reunite 59ers as I discovered them around the world, it soon became evident that every one of us out there was living with a great deal of nostalgia for our Alma Mater.

It became popular amongst many Cathedralite who wandered into the web pages in the late 90s. I redesigned it a couple of times till finally I made it a blog.

This old guy sitting near the Arctic, knowing nothing about computers, was able to stay ahead of the pack and recognise where technology was leading us.

There are many Cathedralites who have blogs, but this one, with the help of so many of you who correspond with me, has become the main one linking Cathedralites across many generations.

I am greatly honoured that our Alumni President, 81er Rajiv Bhatia, shares his thoughts with me to share with all of you.

So, this email from 56er Ubi shows how we can cross across many generations, and yet be very personal and caring towards one another:

Dear Jacob,

I have, as always, been following the goings on of your blog!

There have been very varied and interesting comments over the past few weeks!

The 57ers Reunion must by now, have ended.

It was good meet them all at the Middle School after the Founders' Day Service.

Tony Jaitly, Arjun Waney, Billoo Bhatnagar, Tom Holter and quite a few more!

It was indeed very kind of the 57ers to have invited me to a few of their functions, and tempted as I was to attend, I firmly feel that such Reunions are strictly for just classmates ans spouses!

As I was neither I did not go!

It was great,however to have had Tom Holter, his very charming wife, Sue, his brother and his wife at home for a few drinks and a trip down memory lane! We exchanged old memories and news about each others' families. Several photographs were taken to commemorate the occasion! I await the arrival of the photographs from Tom!

Regarding Mr.Rahim, I do recall meeting him very many years ago, in the school after a Founders' Day Service!

I am trying to jog my memory if it throws up anything else.

I am trying to remember who it was that introduced me to him!

How is your eye problem? I do hope it is under control and resloving itself!

Take care,

Ubi

My eye problem is still there as my date at the University Research Hospital to determine what should be done is in mid-January. Till then I have to continue to use my old pair of glasses, which means my vision is severely limited. I cannot read written printed text.

But the computer allows me to enlarge anything on the screen to a comfortable size.

I would love to get back to reading books as a whole collection has piled up over the last few months which need my attention!

I am awaiting pictures from many reunion groups to share with you!

Stretching it a bit far?

This blog site has put together many Cathedralites and also friends of Cathedralites with Cathedralites. The last one just about a week ago was when someone was able to link up with 59er Venkat and his wife Anuradha.

This latest request stretches back a bit to far, but who knows, maybe someone will find the link.

Hello Jacob,

Greetings from Bombay, sorry Mumbai !

My Dad, Kekoo Gandhy, who was also an old boy from Cathedral is trying to trace one of his oldest best friends whom he has lost touch with.

His name is Nazim Rahim. I think they were from the 1936 - 37 batch.

Nazim originally lived in Manchester, UK for several years after which he moved to the United States around 10 years ago. He has since lost touch with Kekoo.

I said I would try through your site in case someone knew of Nazim Rahims whereabouts & could get these two old pals re united again !!

Regards

Adil

But at least we now know of the existence of a 1936-37 Cathedralite.

Please do convey our very best regards to your dad and if he has some photographs from that era, I would love to get hold of scans of them.

Percy and Frainy Mistri

One of my most regular correspondents is globetrotter 59er Percy Mistri, and he is accompanied by his beautiful better half, Frainy.

Well, today is Frainy's 18th birthday, and I can share some pictures of Percy and Frainy along with 59er Ellis Hayeem and his gorgeous better half, Haya and their Indophillic son, Daniel.

Happy birthday Frainy, from Annikki and myself.

Here is an email from Percy:

Hello Jacob,

This is the latest on Ellis, Haya and Daniel Hayeem.







The pictures are taken by him and I am only the messenger.

But let me tell you Ellis hasn't changed much ....he is the same old Ellis a great guy to be with....has a lovely family ...his son son Daniel must have India in his genes as although he has never been to India he loves to speak and does speak Hindi and his favourite pastime is ....surprise surprise....playing the Tablas. He has a set and plays them quite well if you ask me.

Thanks to you, our families met and Ellis is a real warm generous host ......gave us a lovely Jewish meal (as per my request ) which Haya must have taken a lot of trouble and time to prepare, and it was really great to go back to what could be the best times of our growing up.

Keep up the good work.

Percy

One thing which strikes me and keeps me in wonderment is such goofy looking characters, as me, and a few others, who shall remain nameless, got such outstanding beautiful wives! :-)