Tag Archives: Networking OCs

Batch of ‘04 – from Raghav Kumar

Hi Folks,

Hope you doing well!

This would be my 1st mail to you. It’s been 16 years since my batch and I, have passed out of school and life has taken us to various places.

My batch created a small whatsapp  group, so that we can all be in touch. This year has been hard for most of us. Some of my friends lost their jobs, while others were sitting at home getting low pay or no pay.

Since, most of my batchmates were undergoing stress, Amos (Ibbetson), Parmeet (Curzon) and I, took an initiative of asking my schoolmates about their best memories at school and how life been after school.

We were lucky enough to get some responses, I am assertive that we would get more responses of my batchmates and uplift their confidence.

I thought of sharing some clips of them, for people who chose to send their clips.
I hope that you would like the glimpse of these nostalgic videos.

Raghav Kumar
Lefroy House
Batch of 2004
Bishop Cotton School
The videos should appear below, but if these do not then you can use the Links :

Video_1 Video_2 Video Video_3

OCA Northern Chapter Annual Luncheon

All Old Cottonians [wives and girlfriends of OCs too] are cordially invited to attend the OCA INDIA NORTHERN CHAPTER Annual Luncheon:

Sunday, the 8th December 2019, at the Defence Services Officers Institute, Sector 36C, Chandigarh, 12 noon onwards.

We are delighted to have Mr Simon Weale, The BCS Headmaster, and Senior BCS Staff Members join in as well.

It would be appreciated that OCs make the time and effort to attend in strength (in particular from the tri-city).

The lunch, as usual, is contributory:
Single ₹2000/- Couples ₹ 2500/-

DRESS CODE – Blazer or Combination or Suit; with Tie [either a OC/School/House/or any School awarded Tie]

Appreciate please do circulate this and inform all other OCs in your contact lists.

Gentlemen, we need to plan the catering to the best of our ability, so please do confirm your attendance, at the earliest , to any of the contact persons listed below. Thank you!

The Executive committee, OCA INDIA NORTHERN CHAPTER:

Lt. Col. Upinder [Upi] Gill – 9417801. President.
Dr. RaviSher Toor – 9888890788. Vice President
Jatinder Hayer – 7009177173. Secretary.
Sunil Tiwari – 9855525506. Jt. Secretary.
Amarinder Sidhu – 9876404728. Treasurer.
Executive Members:
Bobby Buwal – 8427377099
Ravi Inder Singh – 9897007192

Thanks and we look forward to seeing you on the 8th!

Volunteers

We’d like to have a few OCs who can take on some aspects of the online website and social media options. Old Cottonians who wish to assist the Webmaster, volunteer their time gratis, unconditionally, and long-term: should write to us via the FORM below:

    How much time are you able to provide:

    What you would like to assist with:
    (You may select multiple options, by holding down the CMD key on Mac or CNTRL key on Windows based machines)

    Type in the details if you selected "OTHERS" above:

    Your BCS House

    Your BCS Batch year

    Your contact phone number [incl country and area code]:

    “REUNIONS”

    Came across this poem…. Thought I’d share it..

    The heartthrob of the school,

    is a man grim and sombre.

    That lanky little girl,

    is now a weightlifter.

    The topper of the class,

    is a happy homemaker.

    Back bencher of the lot,

    is an entrepreneur.

    The flamboyant fashionista,

    became a dreaded lawyer.

    Oft ignored average Joe,

    turned a well-known writer.

    The one who failed math paper,

    is a fashion designer,

    And one who often got to stand outside the class, is a respected army officer.

    The reunion taught me how,

    people came with many layers,

    and tell me why should we never,

    judge a book by its cover.

    Comment: We have seen our fair share of such situations.

    Bittu Sahgal become an authority on animal conservation, especially the tiger, though he first started by selling Milton buckets and then entered the printing business!

    R S Sodhi became a judge after he could no longer fly planes for the IAF !!

    Brandy Gill a corporate honcho who brought Gillette to India (an interesting story there). Tennis, his BCS back ground and his qualifications as a chartered accountant got him there with the aid of a few good women!!

    B M Singh, Chairman of the Central Board of Taxes, and his ability to handle people and situations – brilliantly !!

    Rajive Sawhney, an ace lawyer he was determined to be. He wanted nothing else and he tore his heart out debating whenever he could. It began early.

    CM Kohli, a real estate magnate and smoked every one else out of business !

    SM Singh, a brilliant entrepreneur who otherwise was the quietest guy around

    N K Akers, a hospitality expert and that affable temperament that fit perfectly. He resides in Cairo and has been there for over 30 years now.

    Vinod Pawa, a university professor. Actually that capability would have fit anywhere and done exceptionally well.

    Param Inder Singh, vastly successful inventor and entrepreneur in the field medical devices business while he first set out to become an aeronautical engineer

    Guljit Kochhar, an expert in the plastic moulding business expanded into plastic products. He currently employs 700 people !! He got into the game only because a programme coordinator suggest he take a trip to see some other parts of the US during a college break !!

    Mohit Goyal, became an IT entrepreneur when he flipped a job advertisement page that his father sent him and was attracted to what IBM had to offer on the other side of the sheet !!

    Also remember those with warmth and feeling who never really entered life or reached their full potential. Shiv Raj Singh, who died of an anaphylactic shock from an injection straight after school or Ashok Dina Nath in a tragic road accident. May they rest in peace. In a lot of other cases Fate just did not carry them to the destiny that may have awaited them !!

    There are so many more. The names listed above are suggestive based on a spontaneous listing and certainly not exhaustive.

    Warmly
    Vijay [Khurana], BCS class of 1962.

    A recent survey:

    We sent out a Poll on 24th May 2019 to 899 registered OCs on the Mailing List:  On average, how likely are you to click the link in our Mailings and see the full article at the OCA Website?

    183 OCs participated / responded as of 29/5/19, and the responses are:

    • NEVER OPEN OCA MAILS: 4 [2.2%]
    • OCCASIONALLY READ OCA MAILS: 45 [24.6%]
    • READ THE MAILS FAIRLY OFTEN: 59 [32.2%]
    • ALMOST ALWAYS READ THE MAILS: 75 [41%]

    Thank you to those who participated and helped us understand a general trend. This might help us modify the content and delivery of updates.