Joan is recovering - a prayer for her, PLEASE

I received the email below from 56er Joan (née Rees) Austin's son, Richard, who has taken the trouble to inform about his mother's condition.

To reach the wider audience who know Joan, I am putting his touching email about his mother on the blog for all her friends to see.

Richard probably does not know that, as much as Joan loves us, we also love her very much. We wait for her emails.

We all will pray for her to come through this difficult time and hope she follows doctor's orders.

We also pray for her wonderful family (described by herself as "My very own United Nations gifts from heaven") that she is so proud of, husband Ron, Chhem, Richard and Tara.


GET WELL JOAN, FOR US!

And at this moment, even as she fights for her life, we remember Joan's Motto - "LIFE IS GOOD!"

Hi Everyone,

This is a first for me!

I am Richard, writing this on behalf of Mum (Joan Austin), to inform you that last Thursday, first thing in the morning after an extremely difficult night, Mum's Doctor rushed her off to A & E by ambulance with heart problems.

They kept her in A & E all day and because of her medical history, they conducted every manner of tests imaginable! The end result proved irregular heart beats. She does have an enlarged heart and a leaky valve, and has been rushed to hospital before a couple of times with heart failure, but thankfully, after a rest in hospital she is back home, with instructions to rest.

They have made her promise should the above occur again, she will not hesitate to 'phone for an ambulance and get to the hospital immediately.

Knowing Mum, I doubt if any of you really know or realize, what she has been through the past eight or so years.

She has a habit of making light of everything. She turns everything into a joke, despite how ill she may be feeling. She really has tremendous strength of character and an iron will. Everyone at the hospital love and admire her strength and courage.

(I don't know if you have any idea how she keeps one and all in stitches there - she doesn't care what she says or to whom!!) Even this time when she was taken to the X-ray department, we bumped into a Doctor that knew Mum from her Oncology days. He came up to have a chat and when she was being taken in for X-rays, he said, 'look after Joan, she is very special to us.'

Both Dad and I couldn't help getting a lump in our throats.

I know I am biased, but that about sums my Mum up. She truly is a very SPECIAL person. I only wish you knew her and all she is, like we and all she comes into contact with, know her.

A shame all the above took place so soon after Mum and Dad's holiday in Wales. They had a very enjoyable time and covered miles sightseeing, which they both love doing. All Mum came back with was fluid retention, which she suffers badly with anyway, but made worse because the naughty girl refrained from taking her fluid tablets!

Understandable really, as she would not have been able to get out and about until much later in the day - and she was not having any of that!!

Upon her return from holiday, Mum did get on the computer and was working her way through all the e-mails, and she did say all of you were next in line, but look what happened!

I sincerely hope I have remembered all her school friends in this email. It was extremely difficult sorting out between Mum's school friends from her other friends all over the world. She has a mountainous contact list! In the end, I had to make a list and Mum deleted or added accordingly - thank goodness!!

Tara usually does the necessary, but she is in Singapore to watch the Grand Prix and then on to Malaysia for a holiday. Mum would not let us inform Tara about her 'hiccup,' as she calls it! No doubt it would worry her no end and ruin her holiday, but Mum will catch it upon her return!!

Dad and I, also Chhem, Sue and little Nathan, join Mum in sending our love and best wishes to you.

Mum also says she will soon be back on-line.

My kind regards to all,

Richard

Thank you, Richard, for being in touch with us.

Urgent request from 58ers

I received this email from Homi to pass on to all to help locate their 58ers who they have not yet been able to contact. If anyone has info about these missing classmates, please do contact me.

Dear All,
 
1. We believe that the Alumni Association is not having a Dinner Dance on the evening of Founder's Day, i.e., 14th November, but has instead organised a function for us all in the Middle School Hall, (old Girl's School) after the Church Service where they will serve a Buffet Lunch (and have some music as well). In the circumstances, it does not seem worthwhile to have any other arrangements at the Bombay Gym that day for lunch. Please therefore do not include any amount for that function when sending in your responses and cheques.
 
2. A request. We have now been able to contact around 36 Old Boys and Old Girls, but we don't know the whereabouts of many. Here are some names we have been able to put together. In case anyone knows any please write in or put them in touch with us.
 

Boys:
 
01. Karl Andree
02. Ronald Brisson
03. Roy Currian
04. Joe Edelstein
05. Mohammed Hanif (Qureshi?)
06. Simon Goldsmith
07. John Temple
08. Rodney Pratt
09. David Wallace
10. Abbas Currimjee
11. Tarun Kochar
12. Surrinder Jeet Singh
13. Vinod Chhabra
14. Dinshaw Byramji

Girls:
 
01. Farida Manal
02. Joyce Shellim
03. Nirmala Krishnamurti
04. Nargis Karim
05. Oenone Babbington
06. Suzanne Michell
07. Victoria Gerstenberg
08. Vivian Smith 

 
Looking forward to an early response,
 
Best regards,
 
Darshana & Homi

I hope you will extend your hand to help the 58ers..

Reason for no updates

Annikki and I are immersed with the details of organising the funeral of her mother, Hilja, who passed away last Sunday.

Hilja's Orbituary announcement - Kaleva 07.09.2008.

The funeral will take place on at the Intiö Iso saali (Chapel in the cemetery) at 15:00 hours.

We have had two tragic losses of loved ones during the last 45 days.

Our dear cat, and friend for over 17 years, Iitu, passed away with cancer which affected her kidneys. She was part of our day to day life from morning to night and through the night. Neither Annikki nor myself have yet recovered from that loss.


Iitu as a kitten in 1991.


Iitu's first and last set of kittens in 1993.


The perfect mother.


Iitu wants a share of my birthday cake.


A daily routine as Iitu stops me reading the newspaper by lying on it!


Iitu enjoys her TV - Annikki's table top aquarium.


Iitu's coffin.


Iitu at her final resting place in Vesaisentie
- the home of Tony, Joanna and grandchildren Samuel, Daniel and Maria.

Hilja, whom Annikki has cared for the last 24 years and, intensively, for the last 7 years, since her father passed away, (and whom I helped care for during the last few years) was very much part of our daily life.

She was in excellent health when she left home at the beginning of August. She contracted the deadly Hospital Bacteria while she was in the Kielokoti Old People's Home. She was rushed to hospital and then moved to the ODL Hospital.

There, in her weakened state, she was hit by pneumonia.

The old lady fought valiantly for her life. Finally left for her personal paradise at 17:49 on Sunday 31st August 2008 holding Annikki's hand on one side and mine on the other.

But she had told us many many times over the last year that she was ready to go to her "Heavenly Father":


The beautiful Hilja at her wedding in 1942.


Hilja carries Jaakko, with Aino and Annikki
with Susanna in the foreground - Oulu 1969.


Matias, Hilja, Annikki and Tuomas -
Out for a walk in the summer of 2003.


Hilja enjoying her meal.


Hilja with her latest greatgrandchild, Maria, in 2008.


Hilja with daughter, Annikki, granddaughter, Joanna, and greatgranddaughter, Maria - 2008.


Annikki takes her mother out for the last time - August 1st 2008.


RIP Hilja - 31st August 2008 at ODL.

Her passing has left a huge void in our life as we will miss her wit and humour.

Even till the very last she would mimic my poor Finnish language pronunciation.

She was in her senses till the very last . She recognised my voice the day before she passed away. When I greeted her, while she lay in some pain in her hospital bed, she replied in her normal way to me - "Thank you, Nothing special to tell you!"

Annikki used to pray and sing with her after putting her to bed every night. I will miss those quiet peaceful hours they had together before she went to sleep.

It will take us awhile to settle into the new situation where two of the most important family members of our daily life of the last 17 years have moved on.

Delightful post from 58er

As has been seen by many, the Seventh Heaven Blog has been a meeting point for many Cathedralites and also their friends who have found them by virtue of my writing about the "old days".

I recently copied a 58er about people wanting to contact him. In return he sent me such a delightful reply which not only satisfied my curiosity about him and also answered the outstanding queries about this gentleman.

Kamal R. Gupta
MUMBAI 400 020.


18th August, 2008

Dear Annikki & Jacob Matthan,

1. It was indeed a pleasure to hear from you.
2. As for myself, after I left school in 1958 I went on to do my B.Com from Sydenham College and graduated in 1963. Later on I did my LLB from the Government Law College and graduated in 1965. I then practiced law with a leading firm at that time Ambubhai Diwanji and got my Advocate degree in the same year.
3. After my graduation in 1965 I went abroad for a year to work with two engineering firms in U.K. and then returned in 1967 to start a Public Limited Company Snail Forgings Ltd.
4. I continued as a Director in this Company and we became one of the leading manufacturers of hand tools till the year 1985. During the early 1990s we saw the advent of militant Trade Unions in the industrial belt of Mumbai and with Dr. Datta Samant spearheading the attack, we had no choice but to close down the manufacturing operations in 1995.
5. After that, I diversified my career path into education and having joined the Lala Lajpatrai Institute at Worli, Mumbai, I went on to become the Chairman of Lala Lajpatrai Institute of Management. This Institute conducts a two years full time MBA course and three years part-time courses such as MFM, MMM and MHRDM. The Institute is well recognized by the Government of Maharashtra.
6. Regarding my personal life, I got married in 1965 and have three sons, of which two are in the United States having become American citizens and working as Investments Bankers in New York. The third son is also working as a banker in Mumbai and resides with me.
7. I am in regular touch with some of the other students from our class such as Ranjit Lalvani who has now retired and available on email. I also keep in touch with Abey Stevenson who lives in Derby in U.K.
8. I meet Jaffer Hussain who still lives next door to me. Any communication to be sent to Jaffer may kindly be sent to me as he is not contactable on email but is available on telephone. Jaffer is in touch with Meher Katrak and some others. I will get further details from him and keep you posted.
9. It will be an absolute delight to meet everybody after a gap of 50 years.

With regards,

KAMAL GUPTA

58er Ranjit Lalwani, and 59ers Trevor Newnes and Noel Ezekiel, pubbing at Sydney Harbour, Australia, 2007. Photo thanks to Noel.

How I wish everyone would send me such a clear note for publication on the blog. I do not publish specific personal details as email addresses and phone numbers. But I file this data away for safe keeping to transmit to friends, if required and permitted.

Thank you Kamal for you input. Thank you Noel for this photograph

Sadness prevades the air

I did not intend for any of my Blogs to be columns for births, marriages and deaths, and especially not the last.

This last week was an especially sad week. I have to record not just the passing of Annikki and my dear cat, Ittu, our nearest and dearest friend for the last 17 years, but two wonderful other Cats.

Nilina Parkar was a 54er whom I came to know when I helped their class organise their 50th Year Reunion in 2004.



54ers Sadhana (née Shah) Madhusadan and Suhas Phadke informed me of the passing of this gentle lady on 3rd August 2008. This was what Sadhana had to write about our friend

I received the very sad news this morning from a close friend in Pune that Nilina passed away late last night. She was in a coma. Mercifully it must have helped to ease the pain. At the end of her mortal life, she looked peaceful is what I gather from news from London.

We had a long conversation on her birthday 26th July when she completed 69 years. We chatted and she even spoke in Tamil and we both laughed. I was imploring her to try 'wheat grass' juice to bring up her immunity and the trooper that she always was, she promised she would check out with Health Food stores and get some ...on Monday.

Sadly, that was not to be. She was so happy that her "Darling son " had been to see her the day before...there was a lilt in her voice which I hadn't heard of late.. there was much to look forward to, once, just once she got back her strength...

This was the inimitable and most outstanding feature of my darling, feisty friend Nilina... She was always of positive mind. A challenge was just that... a challenge. To be met with and tackled. She would help out with her Pune Housing Society's Accounts, correspondence, even the gargantuan task of getting the entire complex repaired and painted.

Now, whenever I pass the Kalpataru Habitat at Koregaon Park I feel happy to see the sparkling new cream and green buildings.. her own handiwork.. Where did she get all that energy from? All this while her own flat was turned inside out and refurbished.. new tiles, new veneer, new colour on the walls and woodwork. How completely happy and satisfied she felt with the place looking so new and inviting... for her next trip to India.

I could go on & on. But, my heart is too full and I think this is time to keep quiet and pray to God to accept this loving, genuinely courageous spirit in His/ Her Fold and to set it free to enter Nirvana.

Nilina, we will always love you and miss you !

Om Shantihi, Shantihi, Shantihi !

Yours,

in grief,

Sadhana

The funeral will take place at Putney Vale Crematorium, Stag Lane, Putney, SW15 3DZ( Tel: 0044 208 788 2113 ) on Friday 8 August at 1.40pm

Her son :
Raj Parker, 31 Rosehill Road, London SW18 2NY (Tel. 44 208 875 1580)
raj.parker(at)freshfields.com

Prayer meetings will be held in Mumbai and Pune between 5.30 and 6.30 pm on August 8th
Three minutes silence will be observed at both the meetings at 6.10 p m to coincide with the time of the cremation.

Mumbai venue:
Minal Patel's residence at Malabar Court, Ridge Road, near WIAA, Malabar Hill.

Pune Venue:
Chandrika Naker's residence at 9-C Cjurina, Marigold Apartment Society, Kalyani Nagar, (behind Gold Adlabs.) Pune

Then I received the very sad news of the demise of a new friend, a 64er Jean Maneckji. This was the tribute that was sent to me about another womderful Cathedralite.



When one experiences death so close by, even something as "just" an animal, one understands the pain and suffering of those near and dear to the one lost. Our hearts bleed. But as many told me when I was in tears,

"Just remember the wonderful years that you enjoyed with your friend".


The bundle of joy 17 years ago.


Iitu waits for the share of my birthday cake.

Every day since the passing, as we enter our home, we think of Iitu. Tears well up in our eyes.

Then I think of all the wonderful other Cats who have passed on.

Annikki and I reminisce about all the loved ones who are no more. We think of the many blessed minutes, hours, days and years we enjoyed with our friends. Sadness can turn to a warm feeling, that they are safe from harm's way and yet very near to our hearts.

May Nilina and Jean rest in peace.

Do let their loved ones know that they are not forgotten in our hearts.

Kuruvilla Jacob did not teach me...

I have heard a lot about the late Kuruvilla Jacob from several people, many relatives and friends. Those who studied in Madras Christian College School, Madras and later in my alma mater, Cathedral and John Connon School in Bombay, have talked about this great man and his wonderful personality.

Family photo taken in 1974 on the steps of our home in Madras,
which belonged to the late Kuruvilla Jacob.

I, however, knew Kuruvilla Jacob, as a family man, a relative, my landlord (our lovely house in Velacheri Road in Madras, and as a friend. He was always ready to pass the time of day with you whenever or wherever he met you. His wife, known to us as Graciekochamma, was equally effervescent and a person who one had to love.

I have received the following invitation to the Fifth Annual Function of the Kuruvilla Jacob Initiative Promoting Excellence in School Education from several sources, including the President of the Cat Alumni, Rajiv Bhatia.




My cousin Vinoo, Chairman of MRF Ltd, also known as K. M. Mammen, is one of the Convenors of this event.

The Guest of Honour is Cat Alumni Member, 80er Somi Hazari. The function will start at 16:25 at the Museum Theatre, Pantheon Road in Egmore, Madras.

I am sure that many of you who are in Chennai will make it a point to attend this function to honour a great man. I would love to get some photographs from this event.

Shocked by Google 3 level warning

Yesterday, when I was writing the piece about the reply to the Cat Alumni President, I decided to do a search about the School Governing Body.

I entered the terms "Governing Body Cathedral and John Connon School". I got a page of results with the Cat Alumni Site as the No. 1 result.

However, I got a shock when I read the warning attached to this site.



As it may be difficult to read the text, let me tell you what it says:

Welcome to The Cathedral and John Connon School Alumni Association
This site may harm your computer

Despite the warning I decided to try to enter the site, whereupon Google gave me a much more explicit warning.



I decided to investigate the warning, and this is what I got.



This may be unreadable here, but I suggest you see it for yourself as Google warns you why it advises you NOT TO ENTER THE SITE!

This is the first time in my entire computing experience where I have got such an explicit 3 level warning and where the Search Engine has explained exactly what is the problem.

I think the Cat Alumni Association better wake up and ensure that the problems associated with the web site are eliminated.

Google will spider the Cat Alumni site daily to ensure that no one enters it through their Search Engine Result, and if they do, they are doing so absolutely at their own risk.

The last update from the Google spider (as is explained in the detailed warning notice) was as late as the 17th of July 2008, just a day ago!!!