Tag Archives: Rishi SJB Rana

BCS Living Treasures in Australia


An exchange of emails from OC’s in Australia, initiated by Rishi Rana:

Michael Pratt Lefroy( 1943 – 1951)
From: Michael J Pratt
Sent: 20-Feb-2009 9:05 AM
To: Rana, Rishi
Subject: Re: BCS Sesquicentennial Celebrations October 2009

Thanks received your recent e-mail enquiring whether we had received the earlier message regarding the 150 year reunion in October, well I think I received it and I responded to enquire the best way to travel from Melbourne. with particular regard to whether any any approved travel agent had been recommended.
There are several who arrange tours around the area but I am not really to interested in travelling around on buses.

Regards
Michael Pratt

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Peter Maidment Rivaz( 1941 – 1943)
From: Peter Maidment
Sent: 20-Feb-2009 9:21 AM
To: Rana, Rishi
Subject: Re: BCS Sesquicentennial Celebrations October 2009

 Hi Rishi,
I received it. Sorry I’m unable to attend.

Regards,
Peter Maidment. Rivaz (1941 – 1943)

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Peter Rollo Rivaz( 1934 – 1942)
From: Peter Rollo
To: Rishi Rana
CC: manjulrana
Subject: Celebrations.
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 10:48:11 +0900
Hi fellows…Many thanks for your circular. It is indeed great to hear from you and to know how things are progressing. Unfortunately, age has caught up with me and I am not in any position to be able to join in. However, as a very old Cottonian I would on behalf of all Aussie OCs wish you the very best of luck and hope that everything will turn out 110%…..
By the way Rishi I was Captain of Rivaz in 1941/42. That’s a long, long time ago. Wonderful days.

Cheers and God Bless.

img_0382
The Rollo Family

From Peter (Rollo) 1934 – 1942.

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Ian Claridge Lefroy( 1943 – 1944)
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:38:18 +1100
From: ianbev01
To: manjulrana
Subject: Re: FW: Sesquicentennial Celebration of BCS this year in October

Thank you, Rishi for all the info,

I will try to pass it on to the few OCS members I have had connection with in Australia.

I am now aged 73 but am still active in a number of things – still working as an Accountant from an Office under our house.

My wife Beverley and I go to the Indian Tea and Curry Restaurant, Pacific Highway, Turramurra (20 minutes drive from here) for an informal meal (2nd Tuesdayof the month) as Present or Past Bellringers and Partners at St James Anglican Church, Turramurra. We had been going for a year before I discovered that the owner Nana was an Old Cottonian! In fact a few years ago we had an Old Cottonian Dinner at which regrettably we could only muster 4 OCs – very few seemed to have settled in Sydney.

I actually went to BC Prep School in 1943 for a year after my mother died in Shimla. I then moved to Rawalpindi to live with my uncle who became my Guardian My father died in Ajmer in1936, a year after I was born and my mother became Housekeeper to a number of Viceroys – we lived in Viceroy’s House, Delhi and Viceregal Lodge in Shimla until my mother’s death.

In 1945 I and my Uncle’s family moved to England and I lived there until I was 16 when I moved to New Zealand (on my own) and lived there until 1959 when I came to Australia where I married a local and I’ve lived here ever since – interrupted fr ten years by a divorce, after which I re-married someone else and have lived in Sydney since.

Seven years ago we went to India and spent three days in Shimla, visiting BCS where Col Diwan found the page of the Registration book where I had been enrolled at BCPS – it was quite an emotional moment for me!

Kind regards,

Ian Claridge
19 Merlin St, Roseville NSW 2069

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Dick D’Abreu Curzon( 1936 – 1946)
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:10:24 +0900
From: bpbb9334
To: manjulrana
Subject: RE: Sesquicentennial Celebration of BCS this year in October

G’day Mr Rishi,

Thanks for the email in regards to the Bishop Cotton School 150th celebrations that will take place in Simla. I was forwarded your email through George West whom I am in regular contact with in Perth Western Australia. I was in school with Malcolm Petters. Peter Rollo and George West, and we have been in close contact for many years as we live in W.A. My time was from 1936 to 1945. And I enjoyed a happy school life. My working life was with the Australian Army and Air Force from 1946 t0 1976. I had 30 years of ‘Service Life’ and left with my superannuation and a war disability allowance. At 81 years of age, although I live a reasonably healthy life, I am unable to travel long distances by air any more. I would have loved to say that I would be over for the school celebrations, as even though I left school 64 years ago, it all seems like yesterday. We have also had kind invitations to attend the celebrations in the U.K. By the OC’s committee there, many of the older boys I still remember. I regrettably had to decline.

I wish you and all the OC’s organizing this big event every success. I am pleased to know that the school traditions and standards are much the same as when I was a boarder there.

My best wishes, Dick D’Abreu.

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Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 17:29:50 +0900
From: bpbb9334
To: manjulrana
Subject: RE: Sesquicentennial Celebration of BCS this year in October

Hi Mr Rishi,

Malcolm Petters is the oldest of us in W.A. He and Fred Brown were good mates in school and played hockey together for the school team. I knew Fred when he was an older boy in school from 1936 to when he left in 1939. He then came back as my House Master of Curzon in my last year of school. Malcolm left school in 1939, when he joined the British Army in Deolali, (not too sure of the date) I met up again with him in Perth W.A. Malcolm is not very well these days as he is getting on in age. His wife Evelyn looks after him at their home in Perth. Peter George visit him frequently, while I try to visit him from Bunbury whenever we come down to Perth. His email address is petters@xxxxx His wife Evelyn now answers his mail for him…a very nice lady. Peter Rollo can be reached at COP007@xxxxx  He is going quite well, but like me has slowed down quite a bit. George West is at gdwest33@xxxxxxHe was a few years younger though I knew him in Curzon House in 1945… 
 new_pa1 
In my younger days!!!

 

new_pa2 
At age 81!! 

Hope this can help your research… Cheers, Dick.

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William Cartwright Rivaz( 1941 – 1944)
From: william cartwright
To: manjulrana
Subject: RE: E-MAILS
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:29:23 +0900

RECEIVED YOUR E-MAIL MANY.MANY THANKS, PLEASE KEEP INTOUCH, ALL THE BEST.

WILLIAM (BILL) CARTWRIGHT RIVAZ 1941 TO 1944

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Hitesh Uberoy Rivaz( 1948 – 1955)

From: Hitesh Uberoy 
Sent: 20-Feb-2009 7:38 PM
To: Rana, Rishi
Subject: RE: BCS Sesquicentennial Celebrations October 2009

Hi Rishi.

Glad to learn you are in Adelaide. I’m in Sydney. My Mobile No. is xxxxxxx. Both my sons are here. Elder Vikas is working as B.D.M with Avnet, an American Security Software company, his wife is in Medicare. Younger Vishal is with Dyno Nobel, the explosives Gigiants and his wife is in Railcorp.

Yes I knew R.K.Simha, Prashida, Prabal {who was a year my senior and Om who was my batch mate. They were all Rivazites. Next year we were together in Delhi University.

I have just returned after a 3 months holiday in India. In Delhi, 12 of us OC’s got together for Lunch at the Golf Club.

i have a couple of relatives & friends in Adelaide. One is a Deputy Director at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Dr. Yugesh Caplash.

Do keep in touch.

Warm Regards,

Hitesh

An invitation to OCs of the 1960s. Read on..

And, do I have the time to read all this, when all I do is read the headlines in the papers! And that too, if they have a picture attached to it!
 
No pictures here today, Pal !

 

[Webmaster’s note – We got one! The man himself. From friends in high places]:
Kensingh

 

Let me first get one fact out of the way; I hardly ever remember the school; I don’t really dwell on those years, and neither do I have nostalgia haunting me on the days and time in Simla. In short, I have moved on; as opposed to some others who are still faithful to their pre-college years – and remain planted in the 60’s. (It is surprising, for example, people don’t form a club or network with their college or university folks, or donate to that institution).


So, is this email about those 60’s? It sure is!
 
The interesting fact is – that the best music – since we were born, was created in that era – the 60’s. In that sense, I am stuck in the 60’s groove – for the music that I heard in the 60’s and 70’s, on radio, TV and clubs in Germany – where I grew up in my later teens and twenties.
 
Another interesting fact is that we are currently in our early 60’s, congruent with another fact that the early 60’s were also our final years in the school!
So the Sixties, in reality Are special!
 
So here’s the deal:
 
Since Rishi and I were planning to visit India in December, I thought, maybe we could reunite with a small group one evening and “Celebrate the 60’s”! Attached [links below] is an invitation from both of us.
This invitation has taken me more hours to compile than I would like to admit. You may not think it is a serious invitation, but it is a darn serious attempt. There are 2 versions; An Invite and an InvitAshun version (A=Adult rated, but contains no bad words, not even the word ‘sex’). But, if you find those connotations offensive, or you do not want somebody in your household to read the A version, you should shun it and delete it!
 
Whichever version you prefer to print or read, it may also be the longest invitation you will ever receive. I have attempted to give different reasons for you to attend the evening, and persuade y’all into RSVP’ing  Vijay as soon as you can.
And, do let him know which version you read first!
 
Originally I thought of writing some 60 lines or things to do, or reasons for you to come for, but then I must have become obsessed (as in obsssesssed!) and now, I believe there are over a 100 lines! ALL lines and descriptors are unique and because no such words are repeated, this invitation has now emptied my brain!
 
Unless I get a push back from Rishi or Vijay, the date for the meet is FRI DEC 19.
I know, not all of you receive, or read these emails; and not all those who read, are free or interested – and that’s perfectly OK.
But, a handful of people just might find some interest to come …
 
Of course, there are Terms! Is anything free these days guys … plus, you don’t want to come to a Bharta party, do you?
To come, you must bring energy, enthusiasm and a strong thirst.
If you don’t drink, that’s fine; even I don’t drink anymore!  But then, I don’t drink any less either!! In which case, bring a healthy appetite for appetizers!
 
Dress sharp; a Jacket is mandatory (no zippered jackets). Plus, you may be asked to speak for a minute or so – we value your opinion in shedding light on us souls.
Tell us if you would send your kids to BCS – why or why not? Secondly, if you had one thing to improve at the school, what would that be?
Your wife (if present) must also speak and let us know:
a)    Can mothers impart their children just as fine an education by sending their kids to good day schools?
b)    Should mothers sacrifice their love by sending the children away for those precious (only) years that they would live within family? (Did they not lose out by not experiencing their children’s presence, love and youth? What is the purpose of (producing) family if you prescribe to live as non-family?).
 
Okaay – Enough of Terms! – Let’s get down to more serious stuff!
 
This is a “BYOB Party”!
If you are wondering what that means, it is:
Bring Your Own Biwi
However, if you cannot do that, you are single, or she does not want to go with you, then you are invited to a “SOB Party”. If you don’t know what that means, it would be: Bring Your “Significant Other, Brother”.
However, in my complete honest opinion (if I can also shed some light), I will admit: the more “Insignificant” the Other, the more motivated I will be to talk to her! (If the companion is not a ‘her’, Filipinos might also be a good choice)!!
 
Now, for the die-hards who cannot make a decision until the day others forget them, it may be appropriate to add that:
“If You don’t respond,
This offer will abscond!”
 
Lastly, Mr. Jaspal Sawhney gets top marks for being a ‘total gentleman’, in not only rsvp’ing
promptly, but also being extremely gracious in offering to share costs. Thank you very kindly, Mr. Sawhney, but on that day, please forget your wallet at home!
 
 
Ken Singh (or as in the 60’s: Karanjit Singh) 
 
P.S.
For those who are wondering what RSVP means, it’s:
“Reply karo Sonyo, Varna Pashtaogey”.
 
P.P.S.
If the suggested Dec date gets changed by more than + or – 2 days, then Rishi is the throat you choke.
 
PPPS (God, will he ever stop?)
 
Hey Rishi, don’t you worry about losing your breath. In my opinion, there will always be a line of people ready to give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation!

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