Monthly Archives: May 2017

The Great Himalaya and Our Bishop Cotton School

The Great Himalaya

No other range can match the lofty grandeur, the immense heights and the diversity in flora and fauna from the foothills to Kanchenjunga , to Mount Kailash to Mount Everest to

Bishop Cotton School….. which is at a mere 2300 metres or so but its perch, its architectural and geographical position were set to get maximum strength from the Sun God, pay obeisance when he sets across the Tara Devi Gap and a million stars appearing and the Moon illuminating the school, setting the 2nd and 3rd flats on a silver blaze. Besides Sports and Academics emphasis was on the pure Himalayan air, the smells of pine that was tonic to our growing years.

As a Third Former I used to creep across to the benches and strain my eyes and ears towards the gap wanting to know if my Mum and Pa thought of me every moment the way I did about them.Far away in Calcutta..

Having sailed the seas and touched every continent, driven across the Andes, The Rockies and the Alps my final return was always the Great Himalaya. Here New Monasteries, Temples, Pagodas, Mosques and Churches have come up yet I know our School Chapel stays unmatched in beauty and splendour. Being a Saprano in the Choir I had Adams, Dehlvi, Singhs, Bhasins , Tippakorn and Pandit all singing in unison to the hymns and psalms everyday.

Our School touched our lives and has stood entrenched in the soul of the mighty mountain range. It is there waiting with open arms for every Cottonian to come back today tomorrow or whenever..

We Cottonians are Blessed to have merged our soul with the Great Himalaya.

Vivek Bhasin

Lefroy 1961-1970

Welcome message from OCA India President

TO ALL MY FELLOW OLD COTTONIANS:
‘It is with great honour and privilege, I wish to inform you that I, Justice Rupinder Singh Sodhi (Retd.) of BCS Batch – 1962, House – Curzon, have taken over as President of the ‘Old Cottonians Association – India’ w.e.f. 1st April 2017 alongwith my new team members as below :-
S.NO.
NAME
1. Mr. Ashwani Singh Virk – Secretary, Mob. 9810194724
2. Neel Kamal Mehra – Treasurer, Mob. 9810784441
3. Mr. Vivek Bhasin – Jt. Secretary, Mob. 9899561236
4. Mr. Himmat Singh, Mob. 9828383183
5. Col. Uppi Gill, Mob. 9417801853
6. Dr. Ravi Toor, Mob. 9888890788
7. Mr. K.Vijay Singh, Mob. 9811056361
8. Mr. Suneel Bandhu, Mob. 9223349090
9. Mr. Mohnish Sharma, Mob. 9930992094

I also hereby appeal to all of you to enthusiastically take part in activities organised by any chapter of OCA(India) and show your true Cottonian spirit to support our fraternity worldwide.
Sincerely looking forward to a healthy co-operation and association from all old cottonians.
R.S.Sodhi

Annual ‘at-home’ event / Barford Warwickshire

Saturday 29 April 9 OCs with some wives gathered at Barford Warwickshire – this is an annual ‘at-home’ event hosted by Sheila, wife of late Bobby Reed (R 41-46) – continues to his memory.
We believe this simple way to refresh our fraternal acquaintance and rekindle fond memories – this practice helps restore the Spirit of BCS.

The photo taken at the entrance of Watchbury Cottage of 9 OCs.
R to L School Captain 1954 Daljit Singh Jaijee (R 47-54) John Phillips (C 39-45) Gay Niblett (R 40-47) Joginder Chahal (c 44-50) our oldest member 93 Lance Jones (L 35-39)
Stringer ii (Lefroy 43-47) Peter Johans (I 44-48) Raj Lamba (L 49-59) Bambi SK Majumdar (53 – 59).

We enjoyed a dining-room full lunch after drinks & starters (samosas) in the vine covered conservatory where the girls dined – and thank you Sheila & daughter Jancis for your kind warm hospitality.

The afternoon is consigned to another nostalgic memory of innocent schoolboy camaraderie as count down the days for the 24 June OCA (UK) Reunion.

Fond regards
Peter Stringer ii (Lefroy)