There is a movement going on, initiated by Philip deSouza, to get in touch with all the students who passed out in 1977. The movement has gathered in frenzy and almost everyone from the batch have jumped on to the bandwagon. A Facebook group has been created where all the people are now connecting, thereby bringing back extremely warm and fond memories of the great time we had at school.
The purpose of writing this blog is not to go on and on about the batch, but rather to highlight the fact that the school gave us all not only a great academic education but also instilled in all of us values which, I am sure, - I speak for the entire batch – have stood the test of time. I was just going through the list of students, and what strikes me now, is that there were so few “Maharashtrians” in the entire batch – we had students from all communities, Catholics, Parsis, Muslims, and Hindus – but never once in my entire ten years in school were we ever discriminated on grounds of race, religion, caste, color, wealth, dress, etc.
On Fridays (if I am not mistaken, or was it Wednesday), the Catholics used to go to St. Mary’s Church for prayers and the non Catholics to the auditorium for watching documentary movies in lieu of the morals class.
It is only in college, when I joined Podar College for studying Commerce, that I came into contact with the “real” world. In college there were numerous instances, when race, religion and caste came in the picture, whether for sports or at the time of cultural activities. In hindsight, I realize, that the discrimination in college on grounds of religion and caste, is most likely because other schools did not instill the secular values which our school did! In fact the word secular was never used in school – it is only later on when I started reading the political news that I became aware of the term. Even at home we were taught about being good human beings. This was something my dad used to say when I was a kid. Even today, when anybody asks me what caste, I say “Indian” with religion of humanity.
Actually all religions subscribe to humanity, it is only inhuman people who have started using religion as a means to get political power and for lining their pockets clandestinely.
I really appreciate the fine education given by our school and thank my Mom and brother from the bottom of my heart for continuing my education after my Dad passed away in 1973. Hip Hip Hurray!! From the bottom of my heart to my family, the school and all the fine teachers who guided us through our formative years, by instilling good values and building our strength of character. A hip hip hurray! once again.
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1 comment:
that was really very thoughtful of u to remember,even now the family who supported you during your school period. im sure it would mean a lot to your brother and your mother.
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