In the most recent post by the School Alumni President, Rajiv Bhatia, he asks a couple of questions:
Isn't the 150th year significantly about the Alumni celebrating their educational institution?
Shouldn't the construction of the 150th year events give due recognition to the Alumni Association as the official representative body of the Alumni, rather than involving only select ex-Cathedralites?
In short, the answer to the first question is NO.
The second question may merit discussion, as it will depend on the attitude and relationship between the School Governing Body and the Alumni Association.
The Alumni Association obviously has no locus standing in the affairs of the School. I noted this in the sort of agreement that was made when the Association wanted to use the school premises for some of its affairs.
To me, that was a very sad document.
The reason for this is far reaching and depends on the members of the Alumni who represent us on the School Governing Body as well as the composition of the Governing Body.
I, however, do not care a damn whether the School Governing Body has its own agenda.
If the Alumni has a solid programme and agenda, then the School Governing Body will come running to it.
I was certainly personally disappointed when I wrote a detailed letter to the Principal already last year about my request to make a hi-tech multi-media presentation about the History of our school in time for the start of the celebrations of the 150th Year of the School. That would have coincided with the 50th Year Reunion of the 59ers, which will be the Mother of All Reunions, and for which I will be very much in Mumbai.
I was not even favoured with an acknowledgement to that email, written in the most friendliest of ways. It was very disappointing to see the Principal of our School, who is supposed to set the standards of behaviour, behave in this undiplomatic manner.
Almost every senior Alumni member that I had sent a blind copy of this email was excited and wanted me to prepare this presentation in the way of my dreams.
On the other hand I heard that a similar task was later given to some other people.
I certainly wish them well and hope they make a great presentation. In fact, I am sure they will as some great personalities well known to me are involved with that project.
In my opinion, they will go probably go the traditional way, putting together a nice coffee table book of some of the photographs depicting the history of the school.
That, however, is yesterday's technology.
My intention was something quite quite different. It would have brought our school to the forefront of multi-media technology, making our Alumni and the present students proud of what we could achieve as we move on into the next fifty years of the school history. It would have been what the Apple 3G iPhone is to the Nokia Mobile Phone!
There are wheels within wheels in the driving forces of the School Admnsistration.
Being 7000 km away, I am not privy to the daily ins-and-outs. However, knowing the personalities involved intimately almost 6 decades, I knew what to expect.
The question that the Cat Alumni President asks fits almost exactly with the characters of some of the primary players.
The way to break that mould is to do something the makes every student proud to be part of our Alumni. It is the students who are in school and it is their relationship to the Alumni which makes the difference.
The question posed by the Cat Alumni President may certainly be worth discussing.
However, I would not waste much time trying to flog a dead horse. Let us make the Alumni a galloping stallion straining to be ahead of everyone and everything else!
2 comments:
Dear Jacob
Thanks for your comment on the post. I would like to to clarify that the help-desk agreement with the School was NOT EXECUTED as the Alumni lead by me strongly objected to the same. As a result the Alumni Officer continues to sit and work from my office at my personal cost.
From what I can see, the Alumni Association has developed a `best ever' relationship with the school and the Principal, on most issues, is co-operative and friendly. However, and most unfortunately, with the younger generation ex-Cathedralites, they think of interacting with the School or Association only when their Children have come of age for admission, often demanding their rights which are only that of priority but not automatic. The pressure on the educational system in respect of admissions is tremendous.
The school does not have any administrative support engaged for the Alumni, which is why we do our own thing, as best possible, as most volunteers and Executive Committee have full time employment otherwise. We do need some retired seniors on board. I will try and follow up on your matter and see what can be done about it.
We are once again going to attempt to request a simple license from the school to locate our help-desk there on a basis that we will adhere to the school's disciplines on timing of use and that we will leave at a months notice when asked to by the school. Hope it works out.
Despite not being a lawyer, I had drafted an MOU between the school and the Association, however our busy legal luminaries haven't had the time to settle the draft for further process.
Another significant obstacle is that ex-Cathedralites are pleased to enjoy a direct personal rapport with the school in an attempt to score personal brownie points, as opposed to interacting through the Association. Similarly with the school adopting the same route.
The Alumni Association was approached for financial assistance and personal involvement at the Late Kurivilla Jacob Foundation events this year in August in Chennai. On discussion with me the head of the KJ Foundation was surprised to find their their annual outlay (expenses for the year) was double the CORPUS of our Alumni Association. However Somindra Hazari an ex-Student in Chennai and Mrs. Carol Patruni Ex-Head Mistress will be representing us there.
The class of 1957 had promised us Rs. 1.5 million which is yet to be received only because the requisite permission to receive donations in foreign currency is still pending. We need help there too from Delhi which the Delhi chapter has volunteered. Our Chartered Accountant needs to complete the paperwork which itself is very tedious.
An end note, the Alumni Association itself is more buoyant and vibrant than ever with a registered membership around 4000 in touch. The strategies laid out be me in Nov 2006 after my first year on the Executive Committee have unfolded in reality to a significant extent. However, the corpus needs to expand further, the School must embrace us (help desk set up would be a good gesture) as the official Alumni body (we do have regular interaction and work transacting both ways)and we need dynamic retired people on the Executive Committee & work groups to give full time attention to the running of the Association, particularly Administrative work.
I am due to complete my term this year at the next AGM (delayed because accounts are not audited) and find my business commitments not permitting me to continue.
In our family we now have 3 generations of ex-Cathedralites as my son graduated from Std. 10 this year and has joined college. My daughter continues as an avid footballer and athlete in Std. 7. I have no doubt that in the long run our commitment to the Association and School will sustain and we will be back at regular intervals.
warm regards and respects to my seniors,
Rajiv
President @ your service
Dear Jacob
I have had a meeting with some of my senior Executive Committee members earlier today who are liaising with the school and the PTA. I am informed that the School, PTA and Alumni Association will be working together on some of the events and activities in preparation for and during the 150th year. This is good to know. Necessary announcements will therefore be made in due course. The Alumni Association will, in addition, be conducting its own events etc. too. The usual annual events will be run by the usual volunteers and Executive Committee. For additional events as may be desired, across classes (not class specific events), members are requested to write in with their suggestions regarding the idea and the commitment to work on the same.
I have read your posting regarding the web site and Google warning and will draw the web host master's attention to it and seek a feedback.
regards
Rajiv
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