Guest Blog: 49er Yezad Kapadia

Here is a Guest Blog by 1949er Yezad Kapadia who was also School CAPTAIN that year.

”I was scheduled to start schooling in Standard one in 1941. Having been diagnosed with a touch of asthma was, however, advised to stay a year in Deolali. Here I was tutored by one Miss Daruwala in all the subjects I would have studied in Standard one at Cathedral. Hence in 1942 I could join in Standard two.

By then Hammond had retired and Bruce had taken over. Cannot remember much of the earlier years except that my class teacher was one Miss (?) McNicol and almost certainly had Jamshed Desai in class with me and, perhaps, Naval Patel, both of whom remained with me till we left school. Was assigned to Palmer House. Still have the old report books from those days, with deep red coloured hard covers.

1949 was my final year which, also , was Bruce's last year. Do distinctly remember, as I walked into the school building one day, was greeted by one Freemantle, who mentioned that he had heard I was to be the next School Captain. I could not believe this as I was not even a prefect in 1948. A photograph I saw of prefects of that year in the book on the Schools's history, showed that both Buster Ley and Moti Malani, from my class, were prefects in that year. I was indeed appointed School Captain that year. After the traditional reading of the results of the just passed, I had lined up my prefects outside the hall, to bid a final farewell to Bruce. He broke down aS he went past us shaking hands with each one.

Bruce taught Chemistry, Nix James Physics and Higher Maths. In the final year Arbelot, a Frenchman, taught French, my favourite in school.. Williams taught Urdu, Glynn Howell Geography and Mahar history. Stan Pharoah was great at Maths.Mahar left that year and did not seem much interested in teaching us. I plugged History in Senior Cambridge. C J Oliver had the key subjects of English language and literature. Very meticulous he was. We had to write an essay every week end. Her would compare the marks he gave , over the years, with what we got in Senior Cambridge. He said his marks were a good indication of how we would fare in Senior Cambridge.  Aroo got a distinction in English language, a rare feat. Benji Hayeem came, if I remember correctly, in the first ten in Senior Cambridge in the Commonwealth.

Played almost all the games the school had to offer, most notably cricket which, till this day is my favourite sport. I Was awarded the prize of the best all rounder. Until that year the prestigious Baria Trophy was given to the best all rounder. The rules were changed that year and the trophy was given to another cause. A bit of disappointment for me! Got my colours in cricket and football. 

However, something I still am very proud of was Bruce mentioneing in a certificate ( reproduced in the book on the history of the School ) for me that in his several years of  service to the school my selection to receive the Macdonald Medal for Leadership,was more nearly unanimous than ever before. Leadership is something that comes naturally to me. This statement by Bruce encouraged me to do things " more nearly unNimously" in order to achieve success.

Almost all my classmates have reached their heavenly abode. Aroo Moolgaoker, Buster Ley, Jamshed Desai, Shivji, Bhateja, to name a few. Although Jamshed, Raj Bhandari and I are/were part of the Alumni group in Delhi and met often, both Raj and Jamshed have passed on. When in Mumbai, Viay Ram used to organise a dinner for all class  alumni in Mumbai, but then Vijay, who had organised the 50th reunion in Mumbai, has also passed away. Chandrasen Merchant , whom I occasionally meet for lunch at the  Willingdon and Naval, who lives in Bengaluru and, perhaps Bunny Khattau ( have not heard of him in recent times) the rest have moved on.

 Yezad and his late wife Rati

Yezad Kapadia