Some OCs have consented to have their messages posted verbatim. These are being added below. The other messages remain unpublished – We respect the privacy and uphold confidentiality if so requested by any OC. Though they all reflect similar thoughts as are being quoted below.

In my opinion such costs should come from the group insurance that BCS should have in place for all BCS staff, or should be met from BCS funds.

BCS being predominantly responsible to have such measures in place for the welfare and wellbeing of its employees / staff. 

Sincerely
Anil Advani [BCS 1960-70]

---

The financial crisis confronting a school teacher is not new. In the case of a teacher in service, the plight is “less” severe since there are colleagues and senior employees who will be sympathetic to his cause. They know him and this is just what has happened with the Director seeking funds from the Old Boys association.

Going back further, I recall Mr Roshan Lal, the former Hindi teacher at an OC lunch, literally hands outstretched, seeking any kind of relief. None was rendered. Besides, Hindi teaching ranked so much lower in “class” both with the boys, even his students, and his former peers. It was a pathetic sight.  Some years later his condition and his poverty became so severe that pity finally overtook some students who built a shelter for him and provided for his mentally challenged son. The man and his son died under conditions that are indescribable. We showed no humanity.

About three years ago, I requested the OCA President for assistance for an OC in distress. The response was in all such cases the class to which the OC belonged should do crowd funding themselves since this is what the class of 1962 did for Umesh Dutta, one of their colleagues. I reminded him that the fund had been initiated by me and I had contributed as well though I passed out in the following year of 1963. The OCA did nothing

So, the OCA is not exactly sympathetic to either members of its association or giving and generous to staff members. The exception was Mrs Kabir Mustafi’s wife where the students who knew them gathered to collect funds and garnered a considerable amount even though most knew her condition to be a hopeless one.

In the case of an existing employee, he should, you rightly observe, be covered by a medical insurance scheme. That would operate to assist in just such a case without any burden or obligation on anyone else.

Secondly, the need for a benevolent fund has been raised ever so often both for the staff and former students, it is for the OCA to take this initiative. I have tried hard but got nowhere for a variety of reasons.

Finally, the OCA has forwarded funds to the School and it is important that purpose and utility of such amounts stand allocated to causes such as this one. We did that so well for Mrs DeMello, if you recall.

Given the above, I am not sure that there will be many willing to contribute unless they are or were his students but to send the hat around again and again is an effort with diminishing returns. We need a proper fund in place with its scope, purpose and method of collection and disbursement well established.

Warmly

Vijay Khurana

---