Fragments From My Memory!

I received this interesting email from 56er Ubi.

Dear Jacob,

I ran into (59er) Anil Ruia at the Bombay Gym this afternoon. Had a brief chat about this great 59ers effort!!

Reading about the origins of the SeventhHeaven,do you recall that C.J.Olliver used to edit and publish, a school cyclostyled "paper"called the "CHRONICILL", I am sure the pun was always intended!

It was a great effort, full of news with a CJO twist to it! I really wonder if any old student has kept a copy of any of the issues? It would indeed make for delightful reading.

The other thing that comes to my mind is that in 58, I had decided to put prefects in charge of classes on a "permanent" basis. That is to say that a particular prefect assigned to a particular class would be responsible for any and everything that that class did or did not do.

I remember that Nalin Dharia volunteered to take charge of your class (I don't recall which section) and how he fought with all of us to defend you guys on every issue and stand up for you all in all that you did or did not do!

He regarded you all as his "chicks" and he played the mother hen perfectly!!

He now lives in Kent,England. He has had several heart attacks, has a grown up girl called Renuka.

This is just for your information.

Regards,

Ubi.

1. I do not reacall the "Chronicill". Sadly, CJO never taught me. I wonder why?

2. I I reacll Nalin and that he was indeed our Prefect till Ashok and I were made Prefects at the end of the first term of 1958. I do not remember whether Nalin remained as our "Prefect" after that.


1958: Ernest, Nalin and me.

Nalin is a wonderful personality and I remember him pulling Ernest Haskell's leg in the cricket tents!

Would be wonderful to link up with Nalin again if he is on the internet. Otherwise, please wish him well and tell him that as fellow Savageite I hold him still in high regard.

Thank you for sharing this with us.

Special action for 1st February 2007

(Cross-posted on all my major blogs.)

This message was sent to me by my friend 59er Peter Miovic for the widest possible circulation. Since I believe in this cause, I am posting this on all my blogs and groups.

Hope you will take heed and spread it within your circle.

Send this message to as many people as you know!

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An action to bring climate change to the notice of Politicians and World Leaders

On February 1st 2007 take part in one of the biggest actions against climate change organised by the people.

L'Alliance pour la Planète (a group of environmental activists) send this call to all civilians:

Make our planet rest for five minutes!

Everybody is requested to dim his/her lights for five minutes between 7.55 pm and 8.00 pm on February 1st 2007.

This not only to save engergy for five minutes, but to bring this message in a way that will attract the attention of politicians and leaders.

It is time for them to take action and avoid the waste of energy.

During the 5 minutes we'll give the planet rest: it doesn't take long and it won't cost you a thing.

And it will make a statement before the Belgian federal elections that we as citizens want climate on the agenda.

And why February 1st 2007?

Because on that day a new file from the climatologic experts of the United Nations will be published in Paris.

Because it is with our Belgian neigbours, it is impossible to let this opportunity slip!

We have to get attention to the urgent matter of the worlds climatological situation. If everybody takes part in this action it will have an effect on media and politics that might have a real influence, this would be good on such short notice before the (Belgian) elections!

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Make this message go around the globe, send it to friends, family and local politicians. Put it in your newsletter and your blogs.

Great photo of some 59ers

Today is the birthday of 59er Vinay Dabholkar.

His wonderful wife, Sulabha, rewarded me by sending me a unforgetable present - a couple of pictures of 59ers who attended the wedding of their son a few weeks ago.

Anil Ruia, Ooky Elijah Elias, Ratan Singara, Vikram Kamdar, Vinay Dabholkar, Ashok Kapur, Sulabha Dabholkar, Vijay Shivdasani, bridegroom Chaitinya Dabholkar and his beautiful bride, Jangoo Moos (sitting on the floor), Piloo Tata, Ramesh Mirchandani, Percy Mistri, Naubir Mohindar.


From right: Naubir, Ratan, Ramesh, Piloo, Percy.

Hope some of you will send me such photographs for my collection.

SCOOP - Guess what I got today

At 5 am today morning, my son-in-law arrived from Newcastle. The first thing he handed me when I picked him up from the Oulu Railway Station (he flew from Newcastle to Stanstead and then to Tampere in South Finland, and took the overnight train to Oulu) was a white cover addressed to my daughter.

When I opened it there was a letter from my Class Teacher in 1959, John Billington, signed with the strong lined powerful signature I remember from our school days.

The letter addressed to Joanna explained he was sending a magazine to her so that her husband, Tony, could carry it from Newcastle to hand over personally to me.



It was a copy of the December 1961 issue of The Borderer!

I have just less than 3 weeks to digitise this so that I can share most of it with my broader audience. It has some absolutely great stuff inside and mention of many many of our 59ers.

Champion House 1961 - Palmer
Here is just one example of what it contains - a shot of the Champion House with Cyrus Gazdar as House Captain. Sitting in the front row are 59ers Ashok Kapur and Trevor Newnes.

I am going to try some radical ways of putting this magazine online. Although I should digitise it in time, it may be a few weeks before I decide how it will appear online. Wait for something original AND SIMPLE.

Tony goes back to Newcastle on the 2nd of February. I want to ensure that the Issue is carried back personally to John.

Thank you John for sharing this with us. This is an essential part of my "Nostalgia Unlimited" programme.

2007 vs. 2006

(Cross-posted on all our major blogs.)

2006 was a wonderful year, better than 2005; 2005 was a wonderful year, better than 2004, and.......

So what lies ahead in 2007?

Our Symbol for 2007 - The White Orchid.

Judging by the first 6 days, it is going to be a hectic year ahead, far more exciting than the previous few years.

We can see several changes ahead.

Already, the blogging world has changed. We have started something different in that we have, besides the blogs, started our own Google Groups.

The first two Groups that we started are the Oulu CHAFF Group and the Seventh Heaven for Cathedralite 59ers.

In a matter of just a few hours, the 40+ people of the Class of 1959 from the Cathedral and John Connon School, both the Boys and Girls, were aboard the Group. In a matter of a couple of days the list of persons grew by over 10 so that we have now identified over 70 members of our years at school. All our Group members are scouring the world to locate the missing persons so that we can hold a great 50th year reunion in November 2009.

This 3-year project which has excited everyone from the Arctic (Jacob) across the globe!

The Oulu CHAFF Group is only slowly taking off the ground. But the restart of the meetings in 2007 have started with a real coup with a 2005 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Arpad Hamos and his wonderful wife, from Hungary, gracing the first meeting on Sunday.

It is obvious that the Oulu CHAFF Group will have its work cut out for it during this coming year as there are literally hundreds of issues hanging over the fire. The amazing part is that those that once received help are now making significant contributions in helping others, taking the burden off the few that were origially involved in setting up this Assistance Forum. Much more ways of helping those in distress are becoming available and it is going to be an exciting year as CHAFF consolidates itself.

The main Jacob's Blog will remain intact and present a more focused look at the lives of two individuals, Annikki and Jacob, as it takes another major direction during 2007.

Important changes are just being discussed. But they are causing huge waves across the city of Oulu.

Several, we are sure, who will be quite happy to see the likes of us out of this City. But, there are an equal number who are appalled that we may make some move away from Oulu after the 23 years we have been here.

What is important to understand is that with the new power to the people of the internet, wherever we may be, in Oulu or in Newcastle, England or in Kerala, India, we will still be able to handle the problems, be parts of Groups, take part in the action in different parts of the world, without the need of the physical presence in any location.

In the computer world it is probably refered to as "virtual reality". Annikki and Jacob will be part of that virtual reality not only in Oulu, but in several locations around the world, throughout the year.

With that, both of us would like to wish each and every one of you a Happy and Prosperous New Year and let good health and vitality follow you wherever you are.

In that we share a greeting which was sent to us by Thomas Grorge from Helsinki:

May this 2007,
Blessings harrass you,
Happiness attack you wherever you go,
May misery be hijacked from you, and
May thieves pickpocket all your worries.

Alumni Managing Committee

81er Rajiv Bhatia is the son of 54er Pushpa Bhatia. Pushpa is the elder sister of our much revered 56er Kirtee Dongersee, who passed away tragically at the Nariman Point corner in a scooter accident in 1957, the very last of of the First Term.

I remember, vividly, the shock that went through the entire school when we learnt of this tragedy.

Many of us who knew him, openly wept.

All of us cricket fans will always remember Kirtee, whose magic fingers spun our school into many victories.

I reproduce above the contribution by 56er HS Uberoi (Ubi), a clasmate of Kirtee, which was published two months ago in the Class Directory of the 56ers released at their 50th Reunion.

Address on behalf of the
Managing Committee of the Cathedral
School Alumni Association by
Committee Member Rajiv Bhatia (B’81)
made at the Middle School on
Founders Day November 14th, 2006

Friends

Good morning to all of you and a promise that I will make this brief. My name is Rajiv Bhatia and I belong to the class of 1981(ICSE). Barham continues to flow in my blood and am a serving member of the alumni association committee at present.

As you will see on my left, affixed on the wall is a detailed tabulation of the draft financial model being developed to take us to our 150th year, which is not so far away. We hope to move from financial fragility to strength, create efficiencies and resulting value to the school & students, delineated members of society, and alumni association members. This is to include staff of the school who may suffer the tribulations of their years of retirement.

Hand outs are available at on the desk on my left. We look forward to your feedback and participation based on the 3 page handout, which contents are similar to what is stated on the chart, but in greater detail. The first page raises a few questions, provides a brief analysis and some definitions as to the way forward. The second explains the financial model being developed to raise and utilize/disburse funds. The third states the objectives of the alumni association as filed with compliance authorities.

Some of the key things required to be done for greater effectiveness of the alumni association, not necessarily in that order of priority:

1. The development of a value proposition in consultation with school authorities, with a view to enhance rapport and activities for the benefit of the school & students.


2. Structured Fund raising and disbursement/ utilization.


3. An Admin Helpdesk as an efficient facilitator and coordinator.


4. An efficient committee facilitated by web/online information storage, dissemination and interaction.


5. A willing, participative, enthusiastic, well coordinated and committed alumni body,facilitated by strong class leadership.

We look forward to your valued feedback and participation as indicated in the handout.

In closure, this year my class of 1981 will celebrate its 25th year reunion, my Uncle the late Kirti Doongursee’s class is celebrating its 50th year reunion.

Considering all of what I have just said and with a desire to put my money where my mouth is and efforts are, on my part I find it appropriate to commit the sum of Rs. 100 thousand to the corpus of the alumni association.

Thank you for your attention and best wishes to all of you on this 146th founder’s day.

Rajiv Bhatia (B’81)

May I use this BLOG to connect some dots?

Could 57er Budni (Behram Badhniwalla) please contact Rajiv with his Medical Fund Idea so that we have something substantial happening under a co-ordinated banner.

I, personally, think Budni's idea for many of our alumni is brilliant. What better banner than our alumni association to help Budni realise his goals.

And Budni certainly will remember Kirtee, as we all from that era do!

As the Old Year has drawn to a close

Annikki and I have set up a special Google Groups for 59ers.

You can subscribe to this Group by entering your email address in the box at the top of the Seventh Heaven Blog page.

You can view the postings in the Group by clicking on the Browse Link in the Right Sidebar on the Seventh Heaven Blog.

The purpose of this Google Group is to set up an efficient system to organise our 50th Year Reunion in 2009.



Commander Vijay Shivdasani is the Captain of our AIRCRAFT CARRIER. He can seen above talking to another 59er stalwart - Ooky Elijah Elias.

His steadying hand will ensure that during the next 2 years and 11 months we locate each and every one of our surviving classmates.



Vijay will be assisted by his team in Mumbai. Above are seen some of the key members!



Annikki and I will render assistance from our Arctic location using the Seventh Heaven Blog and our the 59ers Google Groups Setup.

Do not forget, our intention is to organise the finest Reunion that our School has every seen.

You have a very important role to play in this.

Nobody should say afterwards that we did not try!