SPOTLIGHT: LT GENERAL DHIRAJ SETH, AVSM, CLASS OF 1983

 SPOTLIGHT: LT GENERAL DHIRAJ SETH, AVSM, CLASS OF 1983

Our “OL In The Spotlight”- the third in this series- is Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, AVSM, of the Class of 1983. He is currently the General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area. 

It is indeed a proud moment for Lawrencians  that Lt Gen. Seth commanded the impressive 74^th Republic Day Parade which took place in Kartavya Path in New Delhi on January 26, 2023.

 Millions of Indians in India and abroad watched the live telecast of this event. In the military parade, India exhibited its armed might with an emphasis on our indigenous Made in India equipment. The tableaux that followed depicted our country’s rich, colourful cultural heritage. 

A product of The Lawrence School, Lovedale and The National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth was commissioned into 2nd Lancers in 1986- one of the oldest regiments in the Indian Army, raised in 1809, and part of the Indian Army’s Armoured Corps. In the course of his career in the Indian Army, he commanded First Horse (again a very distinguished regiment dating back to 1803), 98 Armoured Brigade and a Rashtriya Rifles, Active Counter -Insurgency Force in J&K. 

He excelled in various courses of instruction. He was awarded the best all-around student at the Defence Services Staff Course at Wellington. General Seth attended the prestigious Defence Services Command and Gen Staff Course at Military College, Paris, France, the Higher Command Course at Mhow and the National Defence College at New Delhi. He has also qualified on the International Defence Acquisition Management Course at Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, USA.

He was Director General of Ceremonial, Welfare and Discipline at Army HQ before taking over command of 21 Corps. Since August 2022, he has been General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area.

Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth was honoured with the Ati Vishisht Seva medal (AVSM) in 2022 by the President of India. This is a military award given to recognize “distinguished service of an exceptional order.”

We caught up with Gen Seth and got his story of schooldays at Lovedale, his career in the Indian Army, and his advice for current Lawrencians and young OLs starting out on their careers  through these questions :-

1. When were you at School? Which House were you in?

1981 to 1983. I was in Aravalli/ Nilgiris.

2. Was there any particular reason your parents/you chose Lovedale?

My Father was posted at Defence Services Staff College Wellington in 1980 so having re-located to The Nilgiris after my Xth Boards, it was a great opportunity to study and pass out with the ‘stamp’ of one of the most prestigious Public Schools of India. A big thanks to my parents who complied with my request and I joined The Lawrence School Lovedale.

3. What are your main memories of life at School? Please elaborate. What are some events/places that have stayed in your mind?

It was the first time that I was joining a boarding school, so that aspect had its challenges and though we were 4/5 of us joining as freshers in XIth, we had our fair share of tricks being played on us as part of settling down. Omelettes with Sambhar for breakfast & ‘Jaggery Tea’ have continued to remain a part of me ever since. I was part of the ‘Bee-Keeping’ Club, and our trips to hills around, duly kitted up with ‘Maal’ our chemistry Teacher are fondly remembered.

                    ( At School, 1982 - With Mr Venkatraman. Taught Chemistry for Senior School and was incharge of the Bee Keeping club of which I was a member) 

Participating in Inter House and Inter school Debates in Hindi at the large Hall with Mr Nambiar as the guide and mentor and winning the honours for Lawrence were pride-filled moments. Anecdotes of ‘Big Bogs’ in any case remain ultimate. In fact when I look back today, how I wish I had joined school in an earlier class and moreover I often dream of re-living those lovely 2 years.

4. Which member of the staff, if any, had a strong influence on you, and why?

I was in the Science stream for my XI th and we had such a remarkable lot of teachers, each so very proficient in their respective subjects. Mr Srinivasan (Tho) teaching us Physics, Mr Venkataraman (Maal) for Chemistry and Mrs Sharada taking on Math. All of them shaped us to deliver to our best in the board exams. However, I got selected for NDA and joined before appearing for the exam.

   Class of 1983               

5. What are some learnings from School that have helped you later in your life?

The school motto of ‘Never Give In’ is so powerful that for any situation in Life, the moment one factors these three magical words of our motto into any given situation a kind of special energy to overcome and ‘further move on’ kicks in and making things happen the way one willed. Secondly the school made be more independent both in my thoughts and action which proved most beneficial when I joined the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and beyond in my initial formative years in the Army.

6. Did you always want to join the Indian Army? When you joined there was always a reputation for you to maintain as a second generation Army Officer.......

Living up to expectations of your colleagues and seniors as a 2nd generation officer, more so with a father who has done well is difficult. In fact a challenge that eggs you to continue to keep striving to deliver your best.

7. What did you learn from your father, Lieutenant General K M Seth, PVSM, AVSM, an illustrious officer who retired as the Adjutant General of the Indian Army and later served as Governor of Tripura, Chhattisgarh, and briefly Madhya Pradesh?

I have tried to live by the undermentioned principles of my father :-

 Value of hardwork & perseverance.

 Work hard & enjoy hard.

 Honesty of purpose.

 Integrity and probity in all dealings.

 Humility, Compassion, Share & Care.

 In fact, whilst at school, I was preparing for IIT-JEE, had

taken ‘Brilliant Tutorials’ as well, but somehow, when I saw

couple of my Very Brainy classmates struggling with

Agarawal/Brilliant classes and I made it for NDA, I took the call to join as it was contributing to my father’s desire that I follow his footsteps.

8. When you took charge of the 21 Corps (Sudarshan Chakra Corps) in July 2021, I believe it was an unique event of a Corps being commanded by both father and son as your father had commanded this Corps in the 1990s.

 Matter of great pride for me, a distinction not paralleled by

any father-son across Armies of the World.

9. Please describe for us how you felt when you commanded the

Republic Day Parade recently? What were the major challenges in

carrying out this mega event so successfully?

 A feeling of great pride, an onerous responsibility and

honour and I truly stand humbled for the opportunity of

leading the parade on ‘Kartavya Path’ for the first time.

10. Are you in touch with your old school friends? 

 Yes we have a class of 83 whatsapp gp which is a vibrant

group wherein I am not an active an member, but it keeps

one in connect and touch with all happenings of the

batch. Moreover, an ‘OL Fauji’ WA gp created a couple of

years back by Rear Admiral Phillipose also exists and

keeps us all ‘Faujis’ across all batches in the three

services connected.

11. Based on your own experience, what would be your advice to

younger OLs starting out on their careers and to current

Lawrencians - on life, professions, and in carrying out

responsibilities ?

TO CURRENT LAWRENCIANS :-

 Identify your passion and pursue it till you achieve the

same.

 Following your passion and striving for a career in the same

will help in designing a Life for yourself from which you don’t

need a holiday.

 Put in your very best in whatever you do, so that there

are no regrets that you could have done better.

TO OLs STARTING OUT ON THEIR CAREER

 Your attitude towards whatever you do is of prime importance. In fact nine out of ten skill sets are attitudinal in nature. Rest everything falls into place.

 Be a team person. Endeavour to always carry a ‘Happy Team’.

 Strive to be a ‘Good Human Being’. Compensates for other minor professional shortcomings.

Lt General Seth with Headmaster, Mr Prabhakaran: visit to School, July 2022. 

Prem Rao/Ed's note: Republic Day was celebrated on January 26, on January 27 we got confirmation that the overall Parade Commander was indeed an OL. Thanks to Rear Admiral Philipose G Pynumootil, AVSM, IN (retd), VP of the OLA, we contacted him on January 28. Despite his extremely busy schedule following the Republic Day and his other ongoing responsibilities, General Seth made time for his alma mater to give us this blog post and share some photographs. 

Thank you, Sir. We wish you greater success in your professional career. May you continue to make our country and us OLs proud. Jai Hind!! 

SPOTLIGHT: SHOBHANA KUMAR, CLASS OF 1991

 SPOTLIGHT: SHOBHANA KUMAR, CLASS OF 1991

Although I have never had the pleasure of meeting either of them, on behalf of the OLA, I would like to dedicate this post to two persons long associated with Lovedale: Mr G Raghavan. (1942-2008)  and Mrs Neela Raghavan (1951-)

This is the second in the series of blog posts talking about OLs who were in the Spotlight 

Today's Spotlight is on Shobhana Kumar, Class of 1991 who was recently declared the Joint Winner of  the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for 2021-2022. This annual award founded in 2018 recognises literary and social accomplishment. The awards, selected by a Jury from 11 shortlisted works, were presented at a ceremony held in the India International Centre in December 2022. 

Of Shobhana Kumar's book ,"A Sky Full Of Bucket Lists" (Red River, 2021) the jury opined: " What a delight it is to read this combination of jazz-like cadence, sharp wit and profound compassion! [This work] is a well of linguistic acuity that brings forth the reality of being a human in its raw and underrepresented form. Shobhana Kumar addresses unease with ease, angst with grace, and offers a unique perspective on the truth of personal struggle, behind the veneer of convention and past the bitterness of social rejection.”

Our hearty congratulations to Shobhana on her commendable feat. 

It was during Founder's 2013, that I met Shobhana for the first time. We were amongst the OL writers who read from our published books at the OL Book Reading event. Even then one could see the potential in her writing. 

Mathew Antony (Convenor) (1965), Shobhana Kumar (1991), Aruna Gill (1969), Prem Rao (1967), and Saaz Aggarwal (1977) at the OL Book Reading, Founder's 2013. 

Shobhana is the daughter of Mr G "Raga" Raghavan and Mrs Neela Raghavan. Mr Raghavan served Lovedale in several capacities from 1969 till he retired in 2000. He was the Headmaster of the Prep School from 1987. 

Mrs Neela Raghavan ( who moved to Lovedale on her marriage to Mr Raghavan in 1971) served as Matron in the Prep School and the Girls School from 1984 to 2000. 

Shobhana Kumar recalls, " Appa taught Maths in Prep school. He started off teaching Tamil in Senior School in 1969, and as I remember, told KIT (Headmaster Mr K I Thomas) he wanted to teach and be with young children. He was also Jamuna House housemaster for the longest time, and my earliest memories of growing up are from that house. 

Amma, Neela Raghavan was a matron first in Prep school and later in the Girls School.

My father passed on in 2008, after a two year battle with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. At his farewell speech in school, I remember he said his every breath and after life would remain in Lawrence. The school was his life as the students, his own kids.

He was a fabulous storyteller, and we always used to joke that the students probably remembered his stories more than they did his Maths! 

ED:- I can vouch for that. Many OLs remember his story telling skills and his stories even to this day. 

We asked Shobhana to tell us the story of her schooldays and beyond -through these questions:- 

1. When were you at School? Which House were you in? 

1982-1991, that is class 4 to class 12. I was initially in Deodhar House. I think we were in class 8 when the school decided Girls’ School can’t do with three houses, when the boys had four. So, Nalini was created around then, and I remember how students were drawn from all three houses—Champak, Pankaj and Deodhar, to create Nalini House. I also remember the flag being drawn and the emblem for the house: it was a deep maroon, with a golden panther (I think) drawn on it, with the words, ‘Ever Onward’. It was beautiful, being part of this new journey.  

2. Your father - the highly respected Mr G Raghavan -taught in Lovedale from 1969-2000? How was it being a child of a staff member? A day scholar? What were the pros and cons? 

Yes, he did. In fact, Mr. K. Balasubramaniam (KBS) and he, (GR), always joked that they joined as bachelors and retired from Lawrence as grandfathers. Lawrence and Lovedale was home. It still is my emotional anchor. 

Plenty of pros, because I think my brother, Ganesh Raghavan (batch of 1995) and I got to experience the best of both worlds. The teacher community was warm, loving and when I think of it now, cosmopolitan in its make up. So, we hung out a lot in each other’s homes and to this day share sibling-like bonds with many of the day scholars—Jayashree, Saumya and Anand Balasubramaniam, children of KBS, Thomas Mathew and George Mathew, sons of the much-loved couple, Mrs. Grace and Rajan Thomas, Alok and Ashok Pandey, sons of Mr. Jagadish Pandey, Siddharth and Sitara Sriram, children of Mrs. Meher Sriram, and my classmate, Siddarth Balachandran, son of Mrs. Radha Balachandran. 

Cons, I guess I never got to really experience dorm life. My brother hung out at the dorms a lot more. So, I missed out on a lot of fun, the pranks and all the things that one does in boarding school. However, considering the back-to-back schedules we had, most often, we just had time to go home and crash. I do remember I had to be exempt from games for a whole year owing to health reasons, and feeling very lonely. It was just classes and then back home. I think that was the time I plunged headlong into writing poetry (all depressing tropes).

In a lighter vein, there was no way we could act smart or step a toe out of line for word would get home sooner than we did . 

3.     What are your main memories of life at School?  Use 5 words that come to mind.....( not a sentence)

Dance: The D in ABMDP brought me immense solace and joy. 

The Prep School Library: It made me fall in love with reading. The wooden floor, the rows and rows of books, in many ways, it was a Blytonised life. 

Monsoon: comes with being a pluviophile, I think. I know the adults hated this time, but I loved it. 

Eucalyptus / Cypress: the breath so pure, that sometimes the nasal passage smarted with it 

Walking: We walked so much!! And to think I find it tough to walk to the chemist 100 metres away from home now, and drive to it instead. 

Please may I add one more? 

Haley’s Comet: one of the rare astronomical sights we got lucky to see on several mornings at 4 am

4. Which member of the staff, if any, had a strong influence on you, and why? 

Several of them, my dad being the biggest, although he did not teach me. It was to him that I showed all my (often morbid) verses. In fact, for the longest time even Amma did not know that I wrote poetry. 

Ms. Shirantini Hensman, who taught English for a very brief period, introduced us to Shakespeare in class 7. She told me after I had turned in an essay that she thought I could actually write. Sometimes, all a child needs is that spark of belief. I was lucky to have got it from several teachers. 

Mr. Nitya Cherian Mathai, NCM, who, I think brought history alive in a very special way. When I write non-fiction, I realise so much of my interest in research and history comes from that exposure. 

Mrs. Nirmala Panicker, our dance Ma’am. I don’t think many of us realised that we were learning dance under one of the finest dancers, scholars and teachers of our time. My biggest regret is not having pursued dance. She taught us the importance of discipline and rigour that are so very important for practicing artistes. 

Every teacher influences you in some way or the other, and I think we were blessed to have some of the most amazing and committed teachers. I am forever deeply grateful to all of them.

 

Are you in touch with your old school friends?  What do you like best about this association? 

Oh yes, I am. Thanks to WhatsApp and social media for I don’t think I would have been able to connect so easily. I cherish the long conversations with Ahlu Alaparti (nee Midag Polavarpu), where we just slip into effortless, heart-to-heart talks. Childhood friendships are unlike any other. There is no pretence, no need to be formal, apologetic. Many of my classmates have been very generous with their contributions to Small Differences, the NGO my husband and I run. Behind the grown-up and gracefully ageing faces, are the images of battle-jackets and maroon cardigans—and in many ways, the group makes space to be ‘un-grownup.’

5. What are some learnings from School that have helped you later in your life? 

Multi-tasking for one. Given the multiple things we had to do and were exposed to, juggling a headless-chicken life (which is what my writing and other life is most of the time) has come easily. 

Appreciation and respect for diversity. It’s helped me embrace different cultures with an open mind. 

An appreciation for all the simple joys of life—the pauses, the gentle way with which life passed in the hills, the time to stop and look at a star-studded sky, the genuine warmth of hill folk, the manner in which the mountains and rolling hills humble you. I think all this has left me with a perennial, wistful longing for that kind of life we are so removed from today. 

Eco-consciousness, definitely

Appa always told us that it is miserable to be poor anywhere, but there is nothing as miserable as poverty in a cold place. We never forgot that, and that learning helped me always look at the world from the side of the underdog.  It’s what inspired us to start Small Differences, where we work with the elderly homeless, the transgender community, and vulnerable women and children.

6. How did you start writing? Tell us about your book , " A Sky Full Of Bucket Lists" that won you the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for 2021-22? 

Appa  diligently journaled everyday and gave me a diary on my twelfth birthday, insisting that I write one page a day. I copied Anne Frank’s idea of naming the diary and called mine Andy.  Andy quickly turned confidant and the mundane journal turned to verse quite suddenly. 

Appa always dreamt of me being a writer, and my first contract for a book on Coimbatore was made fifteen days after he passed on—like a blessing from him, really. In 2012, at the urging of a very dear friend, I mailed my first manuscript to Writers Workshop, Kolkata. Another book, *Conditions Apply" followed in 2014. Writing was tough as is, and getting published, tougher. Keeping at it, the toughest, but I guess I plodded on, trying to build on my craft. Writers Workshop gave me that initial courage to do so. 

I began writing haiku in 2012, after attending a workshop on the technique. Far from what most people imagine, haiku is not just three lines slammed together. There are a whole load of Japanese aesthetics and techniques to keep in mind. In 2014, I was introduced to haibun, a form of Japanese short verse that combines prose with haiku. It was also the time I began to embark on collaborative writing with two senior haijin, Geethanjali Rajan from India and Sonam Chhoki from Bhutan. 

In 2012, we founded Small Differences. The first two years, working on the ground with extremely impoverished, marginalised and ostracised communities began to take a toll on me. I began internalising a lot of that trauma. Writing was the only vent, the release and it was enormously cathartic. I did not think of a book at that time, just writing. It was a senior haijin, Angelee Deodhar, who urged me in 2018 to put it all together. That’s what turned into this book. 

Some more writing, and in March 2020, I sent it out to one of India’s highly respected indie publishers, Red River. I kept at the editing process till December that year, and it went to print. 

‘A Sky Full of Bucket Lists’ is the recipient of two awards— The Touchstone Distinguished Books Award, Honourable Mention, 2021, (instituted by The Haiku Foundation, USA) and The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize, 2021-2022. Both came as a big surprise, for you know—as writers, you are not writing with an award in mind. You write because you simply have to. And yet, for the writer in eternal doubt like me, these recognitions are vital for sustaining that drive to keep turning up before the blank page. 

7. What are the writing/other projects that you are currently working on?

I  have several works of non-fiction, primarily memoirs and biographies that are in various stages of completion. A couple of manuscript ideas that need serious work, and some collaborative writing projects are underway and in the pipeline. I hope to start work on some of these in 2023. 

8. Are there any links you would like to share with our OL audience which elaborate on your writing /work? 

On the Awards: 

https://thehaikufoundation.org/shobhana-kumar-touchstone-distinguished-books-award-honorable-mention-2021/

https://indianexpress.com/article/books-and-literature/the-rabindranath-tagore-literary-prize-2021-22-jointly-won-by-sudeep-sen-and-shobhana-kumar-8337478/

On the book: 

https://www.thehindu.com/books/despite-pins-and-needles-k-srilata-reviews-a-sky-full-of-bucket-lists-by-shobhana-kumar/article34221828.ece

https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/book-review-a-sky-full-of-bucket-lists-by-shobhana-kumar/2257048/

One aspect of our work at Small differences: 

www.equallivelihoods.org

Ted.x Talk on "Importance of Sisterhood for Women Empowerment" 

 

Thank you, Shobhana for sharing your story and photographs with us.

Best wishes in your future endeavours; as a writer, and more importantly as a socially conscious person living up to the ideals taught by your parents. 

 

 

 

WHAT'S IN A NAME? THE MANY SIR HENRYS

 WHAT'S IN A NAME? THE MANY SIR HENRYS  

Like trends in fashion for clothes, there seem to be trends in names too! In the old days, many Hindu men and women in India were given the names of Gods and Goddesses. Virtually, every family had a Saraswathi or a Lakshmi, a Ram or a Lakshman!   These days a name is not considered au courant unless it starts with the alphabet A. Names like Aryaan, Ayushmaan, Aadhish, and Aadanya abound from Amritsar to Alappuzha! One parent smugly told me that a child gets more attention in class with a name starting with A. Much more, she pointed out, than one whose name starts with Y who probably languishes in the last row. 

Be that as it may, for every person his or her name is important. William Shakespeare, The Bard of Avon, summed it up with his " What's in a name? That which we call a rose/ By any other name would smell as sweet” in Romeo and Juliet.

At one time. Henry was an immensely popular name in England. Its roots can be traced back to meaning "the ruler of the home" in old Frankish and Common Germanic. Indeed, there were as many as eight Kings of Britain by that name, the last of whom King Henry VIII ruled in the 16th century.

More relevant to us Old Lawrencians is that our school was named in the memory of a Henry : Major General Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence, KCB (1806-1857). 

 Picture Courtesy: OL Farrokh Chothia

Squeezing in a bit of  history, it is interesting to note that from 1857 till date,  4 out 7 Barons Lawrence of Lucknow were named Henry-  obviously  after him. 

To honour Sir Henry, a Baronetcy was created after his death in 1857. Please note that there are seven Baronetcies created after persons called Lawrence! Our interest is in the Lawrence of Lucknow baronetcy. The last word on the British aristocracy is Debrett's as readers of P G Wodehouse would know so well.

Sir Henry's eldest son, Sir Alexander Hutchinson Lawrence (1838-1864) was created 1^st Baron Lawrence of Lucknow.

In 1864, he was succeeded by his son, Sir Henry Hayes Lawrence who became the 2nd Baron. He lived till 1898 but as he did not have any male heir, on his demise, the Baronetcy passed on to his uncle Sir Henry Waldemar Lawrence (1845-1908) who became the 3^rd Baron Lawrence.

 

With the demise of Sir Henry Waldemar Lawrence in 1908, the title passed on to his son, Sir Alexander Waldemar Lawrence (1874 to 1939) who became the 4^th Baron Lawrence.

 

Sir Alexander, in turn, was succeeded by his eldest son Sir Henry Eustace Waldemar  Lawrence (1905-1967) as the 5^th Baron Lawrence. This Sir Henry was not married so on his demise in 1967, his younger brother, Sir John Waldemar Lawrence (1907-1999) became the 6^th Baron Lawrence.

 

The 6^th Baron did not have any son while his younger brother George Alexander Lawrence (1910-1999) did. The title therefore passed to- the current Sir Henry-  his nephew Sir Henry Peter Lawrence (b. 1952) who became the 7^th Baron Lawrence of Lucknow! 

Coming back to names, in the United States, naming the son after the father is fairly common as exemplified by John F Kennedy Jr. When the child has the same name as his father and grandfather he becomes XYZ III as in John D Rockefeller III. I read that in the United States there is no law against naming any number of children with the same name- it causes confusion but is not illegal.

The famous boxer, George Edward "Big George" Foreman  named all five of his sons George Edward Foreman.  Not satisfied with this, one of his daughters was named Georgetta!  In apparently another variation of the naming convention, his eldest son became George Jr, and the next few- George Edward Foreman III, IV, V, and VI respectively!!!

In his case, George is his given name or Christian name and Foreman is his surname or family name. Amongst the Christians in Kerala, I have come across boys having the same Christian name and surname! My friend, "Geech" Koshy Koshy, NIL, Class of 1965 springs to mind.  In my life time, I have also come across  Mammen C Mammen, George K George. and Ittiyera G Ittiyera -names in the Jerome K Jerome mode. There must be some explanation for this phenomenon. This blog post by Rocksea says names are repeated due to a convention where the eldest son/daughter is named after the paternal grandfather/grandmother, the second child is named after the maternal grandfather/grandmother and so on. The authors of this blog post say that only around 25 names for males and 10 for girls are in common use.

As the English writer Charles Caleb Colton wrote long ago, "The inheritance of a distinguished and noble name is a proud inheritance to him who lives worthy of it." 

Here's wishing all of you and your families a Happy and Healthy New Year! 

SPOTLIGHT: SAAZ AGGARWAL, CLASS OF 1977

SPOTLIGHT: SAAZ AGGARWAL, CLASS OF 1977 

Starting with this blog post, we begin a series titled, "Spotlight" where we focus on Old Lawrencians who are in the news! 

The first OL to be in our spotlight is Saaz Aggarwal of the Class of 1977. 

The XI Bangalore Literature Festival held on December 3 and 4, 2022 featured a galaxy of authors who spoke about their work. I was happy to see Saaz amongst them. In her session she  spoke about her latest book, "Losing Home, Finding Home" a moving account of people displaced from Sindh, following the Partition of India and thereafter. 

Conversing with her was another OL, the renowned  business journalist Senthil Chengalvarayan, Class of 1981. He was the founding editor of CNBC TV 18 and Editor in Chief of Network 18's Business news room. 

 I met Saaz for the first time in 2012, when Mathew Anthony, Class of 1965, brought a few of us OL authors together in the first OL Book Reading at Founders. 

From left to right: OL authors, N.D. Badrinath, 1974, Prem Rao, 1967, Saaz Aggarwal 1977 and Lakshmanan Solayappan, 1982 with Mr. Someswara Rao who co-ordinated the event on behalf of School. 

We recently shot off a few questions to Saaz about School and her times there. 

1. When were you at School? From 1971 to 1977. Which House were you in? Pankaj

2. Was there any particular reason your parents/you chose Lovedale?

Yes - my father was a tea planter so we had to be in a boarding school. And we were lucky that our parents wanted to send us - my brother, Ravi Savur, 1980 and me  - to the best school in India 😊 
3. What are your main memories of life at School:  Use 5 words that come to mind … (not sentences)

homesick

tuck

Founders

CT (*cheap thrill)

scrounging (*looking for food in the kitchen after mealtime – not like we were deprived, just always hungry!)

 

4. Which member of the staff, if any, had a strong influence on you, and why? 
Ma Baloo, that's Mrs CY Balakrishnan, Pankaj Housemistress and Maths teacher. I wrote an obituary for her when she died, and putting it together all those years later gave me a sense of how many different ways she had influenced me … 

There were also others like our headmaster LA Vyas and our librarian Mr V Mohanraj whom I am so grateful to for encouraging me to write and convincing me that I was a writer!

5. Are you in touch with your old school friends? Whom have you known for the longest period? What do you like best about this association? 
Very much in touch. 

The longest period .... Rachel Varugis (Chakola), Chitra Rajan (Gopinath) ... they were already in school when I joined, and were in my house ... 

Senthil and Abhirami Sinniah were younger but our parents were close friends and we knew them practically since they were born, long before we joined schools ... 

Also all my classmates ... 

 

 

Standing: M.S. Anitha, Kanchana Chandy (Sunderarajan), Rachel Varugis (Chakola), Solai Alagappan, Claire Pereira, Latha K.K. (Sabikhi)

Sitting: Jyothi Sumukadas (Gopalan), Nita Chopra (Joshi), Chitra Rajan (Gopinath), Semanti Sinha Ray (Mehra), Pamela Sarin (Bakshani), Saaz Savur (Aggarwal)

And many from other batches, some really dear friends (like Mathew Anthony and Niloufer Kapadia both 1965, Dayal Mirchandani 1970 and others) whom I never knew in school …

Apart from the feeling of comfort in being connected to people whom you have 'always' known, there's also a strong sense of belonging together because of the shared experience ... nobody else can really understand that peculiar space we once inhabited!

6. What are some learnings from School that have helped you later in your life?

- The ability to quickly adapt outside one's comfort zone without a fuss ...

- The 3-minute bath - a truly priceless asset, ah how I wish my kids had been to boarding school too ...

- Never Give In!

7.  Is there any incident that you will remember for ever? 

Hahaha, many, but here’s one. This Science experiment photo was on the notice board and someone added a moustache to my face. 

The others in the Physics lab are: Uma Maheshwaran, Joseph Michael, Ashok Kumar, Claire Pereira, Nita Chopra (Joshi),  Saaz Savur (Aggarwal)  Pamela Sarin (Bakshani) 

I don’t know how I got this copy, perhaps I pinched it to save myself embarrassment! Or maybe I asked Mr Balaram, our Physics teacher who also ran the Photo Lab, for it. (Writing this, it occurs to me that when my photo was defaced he could have just taken it off the notice board himself but didn’t.)

But then, Mr Balaram was the one who had entered the annals of School's history by slapping me! I was reading a Barbara Cartland, holding it under the desk and trying to multitask – absorb Physics principles while also absorbed in the romance. Balaram called me to the front of the class, made me hold the book up, and let loose. As far as I know, it was the first time in School’s history that a male teacher had raised a hand on a girl student, hopefully it was the last. In our time, corporal punishment still had a place in education. 

8. What are the writing/other projects that you are currently working on?

- I'm presently working hard to promote my new book, Losing Home, Finding Home!

- Also working on a family history project 

- Planning to start a podcast along with one of my contributors to Sindhi Tapestry

- During lockdown, I did some 'lockdown' art and one series incorporated keys ... someone saw it and commissioned me to work on a keys installation for a mainstream lock-and-key company ... I'm in the process of figuring out what size it should be, what media to use, and so on.

 

Are there any links you would like to share with our OL audience which elaborate on your writing /work?

https://www.saazaggarwal.com/

https://thesongbirdonmyshoulder.blogspot.com/

https://sindhstories.wordpress.com/

http://blackandwhitefountain.com/

 

Thank you, Saaz for speaking with us and for providing the accompanying photographs! 

 

 

 

 

STOCK TAKE AND REVIEW OF THE OLA-GLIMPSES BLOG

 STOCK TAKE AND REVIEW OF THE OLA-GLIMPSES BLOG 

The other day when my wife asked me to complete some chore, I said I would do it later as I was busy with the OLA Glimpses Blog. When she asked me again some hours later, I gave her the same answer. On the third occasion, I was about to give her the same answer parrot-like when she said with some exasperation, " Do people read that blog at all?." Discretion being the better part of valour ( and besides we have been married for 45 years), I shut down what I was doing and did what she had asked me to do.

But that set me thinking. How well, or otherwise, is the blog doing? I remembered I had planned to do an annual stock take on October, 1, 2022 - as we started the blog on September 30, 2021- but somehow it got lost amongst the many things on my plate.

Going with the theme of "Better Late Than Never", I sat down to share my stock take and review with you:-

1. Our thanks to OL Beena Belliappa,  DEO, 1970, President of the Old Lawrencians Association (OLA) and the OLA Committee for all the encouragement and support we have received for the "Glimpses Initiative" - now in the form of a video show, a blog and on the OLA website. 

2.  It is most gratifying for us to see this Blog appear in the School Notice Boards. We hope through this the current students at Lovedale will get glimpses of days long gone by. I recognise it adds to our responsibility in terms of the content that appears here. 

In a lighter vein, OL Air Commodore T T Job AVSM, VSM, IAF retd NIL 1960 told me half-jokingly that this was the first time his picture had come up on the School Notice Board- only 62 years after he left school!  

This issue also had  "Red Post Box" by  Rear Admiral Philipose G. Pynumootil AVSM, NM, Indian Navy (retd) SUM 1982.

3. We have posted a link in the "Quick Links" of the blog to take you to the videos  in the "Glimpses of a Glorious Past: An Informal History of The Lawrence School, Lovedale Show" on  the OLA YouTube channel. These are published roughly once in 6-8 weeks. 

4. I have pulled out some numbers for the period from September 30, 2021 to November 29, 2022 - for the statistically inclined! 

• There have been 31 posts and we have maintained ( touch wood! ) the target of two posts per month
• The total number of "hits" or "page views" is 17,164 as on date
• The single biggest platform for referrals is- not unsurprisingly- Facebook with 13 %
• The largest viewership is naturally from India- 56%, followed by the USA 17 %, and the UK 8 %.

5. The top 5 posts in terms of views, over the last 14 months are:--

1. "Pothe: A Tribute to Pratap Pothen (1952-2002) : July 2022 
2. "Early Years of The Lawrence Asylum" : January 2022
3. "On Tigers At Lovedale": September 2022
4. "Mr I D N Sahi, ICS -A Tribute":July 2022
5. "On Battlers and Blazers": September 2022

6. This is my personal take by way of a review. Please feel free to offer your comments/opinions.

* Posting links on the various WhatsApp Groups has given the blog the desired momentum as has posting links in appropriate Fb Pages. Thanks to Reventh Noel of the OLA for all his help. 

* The activity by way of "Comments" has been rather disappointing. The only one who kept commenting was my old friend, Joe Thomas ( Wg Cdr Joseph Thomas IAF Retd ARA 1957) but his enthu. too may have got dampened at finding no/little response.

* On the flip side, some posts got discussed at considerable length in the WhatsApp Groups, which was good news! 

* Likewise, another disappointment has been the contributions of posts from OLs. There has been only one post - by Rear Admiral Philipose G. Pynumootil AVSM, NM, Indian Navy (retd) SUM 1982. Being an optimist, I am sure there will be many more who will follow his example.

* In terms of content we have, by and large, reached the 1950s in "Glimpses". We therefore have many OLs who are very much alive and kicking in our midst in different parts of the world. This should trigger more activity as compared to posts about the period prior to 1947.  

If you wish to contribute a blog post or have any ideas for the blog, please do write in to: olalovedale@gmail.com with " For OLA Glimpses Blog" in the subject line. 

Listen, I must sign off now! Someone is calling out to me!! 

PRIME MINISTER NEHRU VISITS LOVEDALE

 PRIME MINISTER NEHRU VISITS LOVEDALE 

During the British Raj, Lovedale played host to many Governors of the Madras Presidency and even to Viceroys and Governors- General. 

Post-Independence, the biggest event to happen in Lovedale till then was the visit to the School on June 5, 1959 by the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964). To the best of our knowledge this remains the only visit to the School by a Prime Minister in office till this day

OL Mr Denzil Prince who studied in Lovedale from 1944 to 1954 and served as Band Master from 1958 till the early 1970s shared his recollections of that momentous day. He remembers the girls in the School Orchestra invited the Prime Minister to the School when he thanked them for playing at the Arranmore Palace in Ooty. Mrs Indira Gandhi led the Prime Minister to where the guests were waiting for dinner. A short while later an ADC informed Mr Prince that the Prime Minister would spend about an hour at Lovedale starting at 9.00 am on his way to Kundah. The boys and girls of the orchestra were jubilant and played with renewed vigour and elan. 

At 11.00 pm they reached Lovedale and drove straight to the Headmaster's Bungalow where they told him the good news! Mr Thomas telephoned the Bursar, the Senior Master, the Estate  Manager and other senior staff. Preparations for the visit then went on till nearly 6.00 am. It was a matter of great honour for the School and the Headmaster wanted the visit of his distinguished guests to go off without any hitch. On his arrival at 9.00 am, Mr Nehru and the other dignitaries were  escorted to the Large Hall by the Headmaster. 

Accompanying Mr Nehru were the Governor of Madras (as the State was known in those days) Mr Bishnuram Medhi, the Chief Minister of Madras, Mr K Kamaraj, and Mr Nehru's daughter,Mrs Indira Gandhi, then the President of the Congress Party. 

Prime Minister Nehru at the Special Assembly at Lovedale. With him is the  Governor of Madras, Mr Bishnuram Medhi.

Picture courtesy: Mr Denzil Prince- also seen in the picture!

The Special Assembly at Large Hall began with the School Song. Welcoming the Prime Minister the Headmaster , Mr K I Thomas said :

 

"This occasion marks the fulfillment of a wish I have cherished for many years, namely a visit to the school by Pandit Nehru. This occasion is significant for another reason too. Where I failed my children have succeeded. A month ago I wrote to the Prime Minister inviting him to spend some time with us during his visit to the Nilgiris. I got a prompt reply from him, but it was an equally polite but negative answer. However, when  our Orchestra played at Arranmore Palace at a banquet in honour of Pandit Nehru, the boys and girls of the Orchestra talked him into coming here."

Here's an extract from Prime Minister Nehru's talk to the students: "we have different languages and we have different religions in this country. We have different climates and sometimes the food we eat is also somewhat different.  So there is such tremendous variety in India. Now, is that a good thing or bad? I think this is a very good thing, but it is only good, if in spite of this variety, there are also strong bonds unifying us. You must have both unity and variety. And while we like this variety, we must always remember that we belong to one large family, the family of India. "

The Assembly concluded with staff and students singing the National Anthem. Mr Nehru then had tea with some Preppers ( called there for the occasion) and went through the School corridors and down the 67 steps to what is now the Junior School. Here he visited the Art Room, presided over by the very talented Art Master, Mr Sushil Mukherjee.

Mr K I Thomas, Prime Minister Nehru, Mrs Indira Gandhi. 

Picture courtesy: OL Salim Thomas. 

About this famous  picture, Mr Prince recalls that KIT was in a very good mood as evident from the rare broad smile. He was not known to smile often and was nicknamed "Stiffy" in those days! 

 

The Lovedale girls bid farewell to the Prime Minster near the Art Room. 

Picture courtesy: OL Indra Gill 

The Prime Minister's party drove off to Kundah from the Junior School bringing to an end their short but memorable visit to Lovedale. 

We thank Mr Denzil Prince for sharing his recollections of that visit with us.

               Mr Denzil Prince in 2021

Picture courtesy: OL Rohan Shetty