Monthly Archives: August 2022

OC LOST: S Gurpal Singh Ghattoura / Curzon 1960

Following sad news received from Iqbal Sehmbey:

It is to inform you that S Gurpal Singh Ghattoura [Curzon House, 1960 batch] passed away yesterday. He was not keeping well since the last few days.
Cremation is at Goraya today at 12:30 PM.

From Vijay Khurana :

Pictures sent as attachments (A) Football team 1960 – Gurpal is seated second to the right between Jimmy Hakim & SS Lamba. In the (B) Class of 1960 (taken in 1958), Gurpal is seated third from the left between DK Sachdev & Balwinder Singh, who is currently severely unwell, In the (C) Curzon House 1960 photograph, Gurpal is seated third from the left & (D) Gurpal on the victory stand with Sukhjit Singh (Podgy) and K S Dhanoa (Milo)

Vinod Stokes – Tribute by Deepak Stokes

Best Loser Award.
In our school there was no MVP award because in a team everyone is a MVP. But we did have the highest award “The Best Loser” award. Boxing was compulsory for everyone. When you had someone who fought back like a tiger and lost you got this award “ The Best Loser Award” In 1963, Vinod Bhai was the one who got this award. He had a battered face but was a tiger. The day before
he died I reminded [him] of this award and he gave me that funny smile. I told him that I was now awarding him the best loser award .. his opponent being stage 3 pancreatic cancer.
He never complained despite Whipple surgery; chemotherapy and 1 1/2 year of TPN.. IV fluids. He could not eat a spoon of food. Never complained even once.
This picture was taken 5 minutes before his Whipple surgery. He was well aware of the risks and high mortality rate. Looks like he is going for a wedding . He had no fear.
Love you Bhai
On March 3, 1957 my mother was ill. At the last moment I went shopping for a candy whistle and so we missed the last bus to my boarding school..B.C.S. So at age 7 my “older brother” Vinod age 9 took me to school in a rickshaw around 4 pm. As we entered the school gates he told me in his confident voice “everything will be O.K.”
He has always been there for me.
On August 4, 2022 around 4 pm it was my turn to take him on his last journey from this world. In September of 2019 he was diagnosed to have stage 3 pancreatic cancer. After going through a Whipple procedure and chemotherapy he finally lost the battle to the cancer. The last few days we spent together we talked a lot and in the end I did say “Bhai (brother) everything will be O.K.”. He gave me that smile that only close family and friends understand.
I will miss him. Bhai R.I.P.

DK

Deepak Stokes

Tribute: Harminder Singh Atwal “Bindi”  (6th October 1943- 27th July, 2022)

History and posterity will always remember Arjun Atwal, the international golfer from India who now lives in Orlando. Not many know he is the son of Rupinder and Harminder Atwal. Arjun’s father Harminder, popularly known to his friends as “Bindi” passed away on July 27, 2022 after a battle with cancer.

Bindi had a big hand in creating the golfer that Arjun is today. We all know Bindi himself was a winner and he certainly knew how to create one from his own stable !!

In 1957, three Atwal boys joined BCS. There was Bindi and his cousin, Bhupinder. The third, Premjit, was the younger brother of Bhupinder who left BCS at the end of 1959. Bhupinder, the elder guy finished from BCS in 1960.

So, we distinguished between these three Atwal boys by labelling  Bindi as “Fatty” Atwal. Physical forms were easily identifiable and of the three he was the most affable, the most pleasant and the most warm. He was also the most easy going with not a care in the world. I recall, vividly, his emerging from the evening showers, wiped and clean but the towel was never draped around his waist. He slung it over his shoulder and nonchalantly ambled past the first entry door (closest to the main staircase leading to the dorms on the right side) to the dormitory at the beginning of a long passage all the way to the cubicles at the end of the corridor. The cubicles were the privileged accommodation for the VIth Form guys. In an all-male environment this brief walk was enough raise a few eyebrows. However, when you look back here was a man who was open, honest and, yes, even naked about anything that he did.  Bindi was honest, likeable and easy going.

The Atwal boys travelled every year to School at the beginning of term by train from Calcutta. The family, certainly wealthy, came from the coal mining town of Asansol in West Bengal. Those were the days when parents sent their children from distant cities like Bombay, Calcutta, Nairobi, Singapore and Bangkok because the schools in Simla carried the most favourable reputations for imparting the best all round education. These schools in the hills were the educational establishments of choice for a parent willing to invest in the best education for his child. So that is what motivated the Atwal Family to send Bindi and his brothers to BCS.

Boys from his school days will also remember he possessed a strong arm and was a great shot putter and discus thrower. He finished with the Class of 1961 and was Lefroy House Captain that year.

Bindi was exceptional as a person who fostered and developed lifelong friendships. He was dependable. When bailing out a friend in trouble he would stand by until the crisis had passed. He never walked away.

While, Bindi was born to wealth he was not a man without initiative, drive and possessed a desire to succeed in his own right. He was hard working, had an uncanny knack to develop business and that is what landed him huge road construction contracts in Gaddafi’s Libya. He was discreet, humble and always willing to take on a challenge. He did that with great panache and flair. He celebrated his success and his friends testify to his generosity as a host. Finally, let us not forget his charitable instincts. He was truly a Giver.

A fitting tribute from his classmates, Year of 1961.  “ You were an amazing guy and we adored you. Good bye, Bindi “

Photographs of Bindi accompany this note from his exceptional days at BCS

Vijay Khurana

God bless Bindi.
May he rest in peace.
Condolences to the entire family.
Vijay Singh
Curzon
1953 – 1958

I had been very close to Bindi and then I met his  young son and I was delighted to meet him and got all Bindi´s contact numbers . We have met several times but due to the pandemic we could not come to India . I did keep a close contact with him and That day Badal Called me to say that he is no more . I found a very nice photo of Bindi and Ricky and Badal as usual with his knowledge of Editing a lovely black and white of Bndia . That same day was Rickys birthday .

A great person who fought a very hard battle -and was always positive . I shall always miss him .

Anyone who can give me Arjun´s contact details do let me have it .

All the Best Bindi as I am sure you are in heaven . I am not deleting your number as maybe one day we see a miracle and you call .

Cheers and Our condolences to the whole family .

Bota [Sudhir Kashyp]

David N Mitchell : just been informed of his demise

David N Mitchell, BCS 1943 Batch [click this link for the batch page]

We have received an email just today from Mr. Mitchell’s son, Julian Mitchell, informing us that he passed on january 25th 2022. We quote from the funeral service website to which Julian has sent a link

David Norval Mitchell, 88, of Tampa, passed away January 25th, 2022. He is survived by his sons Alistair and Julian, two grandchildren Bradley and Caitlin, and one sister Genevra. David was born in Evanston Illinois, the son of Alfred Norval Mitchell and Mary Elizabeth Couch. David lived in India, Scotland, England, Holland, the United States and Spain. He graduated from Balliol College Oxford where he met his wife Kathleen Mary Neale. They were married on September 30th 1958 in Oxford.

David enjoyed singing, golfing, playing bridge, reading, collecting stamps, gardening, and travelling. He sang with the International Chorale out of Dunedin Florida and would often break into song spontaneously, alone, or with his wife Kathleen. The two of them could easily be encouraged to sing an Abba tune for any occasion.

A celebration of his life was held at O’Toole’s Irish Pub on Friday January 28th from 6 to 10 pm.

Vinod Stokes – farewell

Vinod Stokes [BCS Batch 1964] passed on August 5th 2022, as seen on a Facebook post this morning. Details unknown.

Our condolences to DK Stokes, and all of the Stokes Family, Vinod’s friends and loved ones.

From a post also seen on Facebook:

A dear friend from Harmony Hall, Thanedhar/Kotgarh passes away…  Vinod Stokes was the grandson of Satyanand Stokes (Samuel Evans Stokes) a pioneer American who settled in Kotgarh in Himachal Pradesh, married a local girl, created apple revolution and joined Mahatma Gandhi in India’s Freedom Struggle… Vinod Stokes studied at BCS  Shimla, & IIT Kanpur. He did PhD in Economics and Computer Science from Michigan and Stanford Universities…And was on the visiting faculty at IIT Gandhi Nagar.

OCA UK – Kuljinder Bahia passes the baton to Dr Vijay Bhalaik

Dear OCs
I trust that this email finds everyone well and in good health.
It has been nearly a decade since Kuljinder Bahia was appointed as Chairman of the OCA (UK) Chapter and as all of us know he has executed his role in a very positive and forward thinking manner. Kuljinder has varied business interests, which require a lot more of his time and personal involvement than what was needed in the past. He has also impressed many times that for the proper functioning and care of the UK Chapter, he resigns and that a new Chairman is appointed. It is time for this change now.
Having consulted many OC’s in the UK including the secretary Puneet Singh, it has been passed that Dr Vijay Bhalaik takes over the reins from Kuljinder.
Whilst I personally wish to thank Kuljinder for what he has already done for our School and OC’s, he has offered his assurance to continue to offer as much support and guidance to the OCA (UK) Chapter as possible.
I also wish to congratulate Dr Vijay Bhalaik on his appointment as the Chairman of the OCA (UK) Chapter.
Given his achievements in school and also professionally, we are in very safe and capable hands to take the UK Chapter forward for many years to come.
Wishing all of you my best,
Gursant Sandhu
OCA ( UK )

A Shout Out to Mr GS Kochhar

A week or so ago, I was in New Delhi for a few short days – and had invited a few people to a party. It so happened that another classmate (Pompei) couldn’t attend, and so as a result, the OC contingent/guests of my party were shifted to another day. This is about that party that GS Kochhar [Lefroy 1963 Batch] then arranged on short notice!

(Currently, am in Nairobi… and on our way to Masai Mara game reserves for a safari trip). As a side note … I must say that even though Kenya and India are similar in poverty/ dirtiness, some Nairobi hotels are very nice indeed — some nicer than US hotels in the same category! (I could elaborate on hotels, their standards and stars at a later time).

Attached are some nice memories of that OC party that Mr GS Kochhar hosted last Sunday. According to Anupam Sachdev, the party was in my honor — but Pompei is in the marketing business, so I take that with a grain of salt!

Instead, I would like to give a shout out to Guljit who arranged guests, drinks and food on less than 24 hour notice! According to me – if anyone can pull this off in the outstanding manner he did — he (or she) is entitled to be anointed an Event Guru!!
Guljit himself was adorned in a very regal outfit — a royal ensemble with an emblem on his Indian coat that would have made the Maharaja of Patiala blush!
His house is decorated in very good taste, matched only with the taste and rare class of whiskies he served to all his guests!
I knew GS quite well in school years — especially since my family knew his — and remember visiting his house in Simla during summer break with my mother.
Then, no contact, never saw him — maybe once in 6 decades!!
Thank you, Guljit, for being such a gracious and generous host!
It was a Fun party!! Proof is attached!
You d’ Event Guru!
Ken

[Karanjit Singh – BCS Lefroy 1958-1963]

[for larger photos: click on]

In Photos below…
There were just 4 of us from BCS. Others were friends of Guljit’s daughter and a couple of Guljit’s friends (couples).

  1. Guljit Kochhar, middle is outsider Mrs Tara Singh, right is my wife Eera Singh (in red and white blouse).
  2. Outsider, Me, Rakesh Chopra, Anupam Sachdev (Pompei).
  3. Pompei, my wife Eera, Guljit Kochhar, and Rocky Chopra.

[for larger photos: click on]

Walking past those who’ve gone before

with such a hot summer here at 60 degrees north past mid way into the Summer of ‘22
the lakes are glistening,
the river flowing with its usual flood, slack and ebb,
the roads dry and hoovered daily
whistling wind and gentle leaves,
I could neither feel nor smell any advance of thunder lightning nor rain … yet the air is clean and clear and exhilaratingly good for the lungs..! But it’s getting heavy hot..England too was suffocating and forests burn where I walked in Portugal and Spain ..

(… like four winter years earlier….. I was walking through a blustering storm that evening.. The wind was howling and crystallised ice stung my face like sharp missiles… My hair dishevelled across my forehead , my trench coat acted like a huge sail blowing against me as I was stopped in my tracks unable to move.. Just swaying from side to side until a bigger blast, beaufort 10 just carried me in the air and flung me against the glass doors of a quaint little store .. now closed with it’s signage for its next opening at 0900 the next morning . I fell hard on the ground and nearly smashed my nose and teeth but some redeeming force saved me..what I saw through that glass door was a childish writing on a small blackboard …’LOVE IS SOMETHING ETERNAL.. THE ASPECT MAY CHANGE, BUT NOT THE ESSENCE’ …..
And that for me was said enough..)

…but not this year nor last …the weather is no longer in control of itself..

( of course I still see some youngster on the green organic train and sections of humanity fighting for change; us humans are inhaling plastic and air with heavy particles and absorbing acid rain … it’s a rage within the youth .. it’s not their attitude … but Gratitude…)though I do would like to tell them as a sailor seaman captain we ensured the seas were clean if not we’d get six of the best .. and rightly so.

Whilst up in Simla, Mashobra and Kufri the weather Gods sent the rain down and the landscape transformed from dry dusty hard earth and brown pine needles.. to lush green .. just like in Kerala where comes vetiver in colognes to that freezer freshness..

…As in past winter years folk trembled with freezer fever wearing more indoors ( than outdoors ) like overloaded elephants in the plains of Chandigarh, Amritsar, Delhi and Jaipur….I’m told.

… but here in July 2022 wearing my linen shirt to look the dandy I was, I cranked up the Toyota and went to pay a visit….

..I arrived at the entrance and looked across the stone wall, that low stone wall and saw them all… those special ones who lay in rest … The Bells tolled and folk all huddled for Sunday Church..

Stepping out of my jalopy I felt those “ special ones” magnetic force envelop me and I floated in like a shy swan…. the winter birds still around as I was; too soon but soon they will wing off and shoot past to the bird swamps in Africa and India and further south; little do they know it’s gonna be a mild winter next .. so far..so they could actually stay.

.. I walked on soft moss and found the path that lead towards them… there was but a dry patch of grass, parts unkempt but then it was still summer and no real whiff of winter…

I stopped right above them…
and heard their whispers questioning all changes above and past since ..
what would the next day bring, pray ..?

I knelt on hard ground answering whispering “ much has changed since you were here..
we wrote letters to each other then with fountain pens and Prussian blue ink…
waiting for replies ,
anticipating good news
sitting on rocks and sand banks .. passing time ..
just waiting … we met at family reunions that we never wished to end, years and tears flowed freely.. we walked hand in hand amongst the trees picking mushrooms and blue and lingonberries..
played golf at 0100 and saw a pair of Moose staring at us in our world of tranquility..don’t you remember? There was no sound, no rattle trap, just sailing clouds and fresh crisp pine air..and the bouquet of arabica and delicious cinnamon buns”

“…enjoying those moment..yes we did” the voices said in unison ..

“…steamers arrived at sand heads.. you shook the German Captain’s hand wishing him calm seas, following winds and a school of dolphins frolicking across the bows..
clambering down the pilot ladder your canvas bag followed you
as you stepped on to the pilot boat, a last wave, a goodbye until…
as you spent two days on the Pilot Vessel “Samudra” playing bridge with your mates, they called you Omar Sharif and the Aga Khan for at dances at the Calcutta Club and Club 100 ( yes members maxed out) you held a fair damsel intoxicated by your charm and flair to glide across the floor…with habana cigars and cogñac and crisp white collars, hand wrapped bow ties; you loved your brogues .. did you not..?”

“ and humans …?”they ask..
..”too many tooooo many” I respond …. “no space only squeeze and packed like sardines is also a new emoji”..

“Emoji.. what..?”
I say “ these are new ugly signs to express in an idiotic way… vocal human affection and warmth no longer exists …there is a small little bit of hell called a mobile telephone that you carry with you and sleep with … no not with your lover but with people called Apple Samsung Sony.. these people have entered our lives our bodies our brain and our mindset….hypnotism ? Oh no… it’s called e-invasion .. they have conquered they have succeeded… Rotary telephones are now perched on stands in forest museums as folk exclaim .. what strange bulky ugly things those were… surprise teardrop … yes that’s the F-ing emoji… 😡 this one is deep soul angry or properly pissed to perfection .

… I was then but a school boy at Boarding on a spur at 7500 feet..

But I grew along the years, along my ears and a long… filling out too…

“ is that a tinkering of some strange bell “ they ask…

“.. yes “ I say..” life is strange and fast and hurriedly stressed ..so to keep distress at bay we de-stress with organic food, yoga and Buddhist chants and sit on mats..and gong ourselves out…”

“.. and the cars? Which cars ply the roads now ?” One* of them whisperingly asked ..
I sigh “ The Big wheels still zoom but fossil fuels are being cut and so El-driven cars abound, the trains are more silent, but on the Delhi-Kalka route the coach still clanks and rattles and surges and lurches forward and I spill tea on my jeans…whilst the X-3000 from Stockholm to Karlstad shoots clean as a whisper… steam and coal engines are now in museums… we go and look at them once a year but we look at our photo albums and remember you all as you smiled and held us and loved us truly… and I at least felt the warmth, your compassion and in your April
the strength of feeling happy and secure…”

“My roots are deep secure and solid
I drive a hybrid .. but if I could I would walk as I have walked about 6600 km in the last + 800 days ; that is a simple stride, a simple walk and all I see in the distance… yonder are the silhouettes of Catedral Santiago de Compostela..”

I hear sounds, melancholic sounds.. someone singing and the strains of a harp..I strain my neck and my ears to see who…
It’s the wind chimes amongst the pines..

And then … they’re gone.

Bonnie Bhasin
No comments on today’s ways of the world.

26th July 2022