The Gathering of Legends – OCA INDIA Luncheon Delhi 10th February 2019.. “ Yes! Dimpy Mehra Sir. We Cottonians are Colour Blind!*)
When Cottonians curate an event it must be perfect! And yes it was on Sunday 10th February 2019 at the Anand Corporate Office and it’s immaculate greens.
Having lived and worked in Costa Rica for years, nature’s beauty has been captured, nurtured and protected with the greatest of passion in that jewel of a country, be it green mountains with coffee plantations, flowing rivers, pristine beaches and tropical fauna.. all very natural. I was Blessed to have absorbed and remain in drunken awe when I experienced such spectacular beauty with Humming birds and Tucans flying around in my garden, an occasional Iguana and even a Boa constrictor who lived minding his business in one corner after having devoured a huge skunk…
Mr Deep Anand (an OC Legend) has painstakingly curated every space he owns worldwide into miniatures of Costa Rica and sometimes even more. Just as Chairman (OCA) Justice R.S.Sodhi said as he addressed us “Legends” on what a fabulous setting our annual luncheon is held thanking Mr D. C. Anand; we all hoping his generosity is timeless…!
I flew down from Karlstad Sweden that very morning;
my intent was “fully intentional”to be there for the OCA Luncheon; I have tried to be there every year with an occasional miss due to unavoidable circumstances, often facing the wrath of many who remain puzzled “what is the Big Deal to attend a lunch huh?”… ( which I so much look forward too….)….( less explained is better than making a complete spaghetti of my response).
The weather was perfect and the setting amongst the fauna exquisite. What was heartening to see were so many younger OCs who managed time to attend this wonderful reunion. A panorama of a bar in high spirits, the food pavilion with such a sumptuous spread and the efficiency of ITC are all to be highly rated.. well today in Trip Advisor !
Amongst us legends were some more with added feathers in their caps! Sandeep Mansukhani who conquered Everest and now sets his goal to conquer another Seven Peaks; may the flag of BCS and the powerful strength of our founder accompany and protect him as he climbs higher not to mention he now flies for Qatar Airways.
There was another young unassuming cardiologist Dr Aditya Baloria.
Shiv Kapur who once acted as a villain in Bollywood; today’s villains are so pedestrian after Shiv set the benchmark for “ Badass dude”. Shiv is now President of the Bombay ( OCA) Chapter.
Karma Tenzing, a humble young man who left the Big Apple and the Big Bucks to return to Nepal and plunge headlong into bringing normality back to his country men after the devastating earthquake in 2015. Incredible🙏
I was fortunate to meet Jeet Mohinder Singh and Sukhdev Rai my Class of 1970 and all the other Cottonians, all legends who came back into that lovely garden to exchange vibrations.
Head Master Mr Roy Robinson graced the occasion. Thank You Sir.
OCA Secretary Mr Ashwani Virk always does an amazing job working selflessly for the good of the OCA.
Mr Anil ( Dimpy) Mehra a veteran Cottonian, Board of Governor and a pillar of BCS ALWAYS makes it a point to attend in spite of his busy schedule. He also tries his very best to be in the UK for the OCA ( UK) chapter’s lunch always on the last Saturday in June. A true son of BCS he works tirelessly to position our great school amongst the international ranking ( forget India…!). I was fascinated to hear about a unique programme in School where every young Cottonian is being monitored, his vital statistics mapped, progress recorded and future predictions analysed. It sounds like engineering and re-engineering but this is what the scientific future of tomorrow is .. being enacted upon today. What an amazing USP for our Alma mater! ( of course when it comes to the legacy of BCS, our traditions, our history and geography there is no institution in India that could ever come close; our richness is immeasurable). What got my motor running was when Dimpy mentioned colour blindness amongst Indians ( and males) is 1 in every 12! Pretty worrying indeed. Well… I thought hard on this until some “ colourity” dawned on me..!
I am extremely confident and positive about the young future lads at BCS. May they have the highest IQ, physical strength and mould in to the smartest, brightest Gentleman and Scholars of the world; they are young and tomorrow will emerge as legends!! Surely will.
Dimpy Sir, when it comes to colour blindness… actually I too was colour blind in School. As I grew up from a young five year old to the age of fifteen when I cleared Sixth Form all I could focus were on four colours…
LEFROY Green
RIVAZ Light Blue
CURZON Red
IBBETSON Dark Blue
no other colours made sense to me Sir🙏🙏
.. and there we were, all of us..
Long Live Bishop Cotton School
on Simla’s Tree Crowned Hill…
Vivek Bhasin
Lefroy ( Roll No: 123)
Up in the greens of Simla
there is a Green House still..
will there ever be a better…
No there never will.