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Bishop Cotton School — how Asia’s oldest boarding school is coping with the pandemic

From The Indian Express:

Football season, a mountaineering expedition, a cricket tournament, an inter-school debate competition – these are some of the events which have been canceled or postponed due to the pandemic at the Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, one of Asia’s oldest boarding schools for boys.

Though students are attending regular virtual classes from home, they are missing out on a number of sports and other activities, apart from the experience of community-living in the residential school, said Simon David Weale [MA Oxon] the school’s director.

“We’re eager for the campus to fill up with students again. They are attending 44 hours of virtual classes every week, and our teachers have improvised well and come up with innovative, teaching methods. But students are not obliged to attend all these classes as too much screen time could be unhealthy. Besides, the essence of holistic education provided here is the residential environment. That’s why even local students from Shimla live inside the campus,” said Weale.

A typical day at school begins at 6 in the morning and lasts till 10 at night, during which boarders are engaged in physical training, classes, organised games, prep and co-curricular activities such as public speaking, art and drama.

In summer, the school also organises outward-bound activities such as treks and adventure sports, and a month-long mountaineering training course for the outgoing batch, which have all been delayed this year. “The mountaineering course is usually followed by an expedition, and so far, there have been seven successful expeditions to Himalayan peaks above the altitude of 20,000 feet. For those who have missed the course this year, we are planning to rearrange it for them next year,” said Weale.

The school has a strength of about 450 students and 160 staff members. Though a majority of the students are from Himachal and neighbouring states of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi, there are students from all corners of the country, including Mizoram and Odisha, and some foreign students as well.
When the state government ordered closure of schools on March 14, around 70 per cent of the students left for their homes. Those appearing for their board examinations stayed back but left soon after the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CICSE) canceled the exams. Three boys from Thailand stayed back till as late as May but left as restoration of normalcy seemed distant.

Not the first disruption in school’s history

For many institutions, the pandemic crisis is unprecedented, but BCS has survived several such disruptions since it first opened for students in March 1863. On a Sunday in May 1905, when the boys were away for an outing, most of the school was destroyed in a fire. The students were shifted to other lodgings in town, and the school was rebuilt and occupied two years later in July 1907.

An outbreak of influenza in 1922 also affected the school, and the then headmaster FR Gillespy’s wife died while treating the children, said Weale.

After partition and independence, an exodus of Muslim, British and European boys led to the closure of the prep school in Chhota Shimla.

“We have also heard of some other disease outbreaks such as that of yellow fever during the school’s long history. And there was no internet back then to impart distance learning to the students, as is happening now,” said the director.

Legacy

BCS was founded as the first ‘public school’ in India (along the lines of the British ‘public school’ system, which incorporates a house system, a prefectorial body and a system of organised games) by George Edward Lynch Cotton, the then Bishop of Calcutta, in July 1859. First established at Jutogh, it opened for students in March 1863 with Frederick Naylor as the first student. The school moved to its present site at the south end of the Knollswood Spur in September 1868. Suren Tagore was the first Indian boy admitted to the school in 1881.

BCS has a long list of distinguished alumni such as writer Ruskin Bond, six-time Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh and Major Roy Farran (Curzon), a decorated officer in the British Army. The school also has an infamous alumnus, Reginald Dyer, a British general remembered for his role in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919. The motto of the school is:Overcome Evil with Good”.

Thank you Mr. Praveen Dharma for sending this in.

Best wishes,
OCA WEbmaster

An absolute pillar of Bishop Cotton School : John William Winston Whitmarsh-Knight

A wonderful obituary to John Whitmarsh Knight who I still feel floating in all our midst…
On His teaching assignment at BCS Simla he described this..”as the happiest and most fulfilling period of his life …”
Although it has been18 months since John wandered in to his special garden, his presence on our website will give great strength to each and every Cottonian.
Thanks very much.
My Warmest…
Vivek
Whitmarsh-Knight, John William Winston (OA 1952-60)

22/08/1941 –  09/11/2018

John Whitmarsh‐Knight was born in Karachi into a military family before partition and moved to England when he was aged 7.  The family home was at Grove Park and John came to Dulwich from a local primary school.  At Dulwich he excelled at sport.  He was in the 1st XV for three years (58 – 60), being Captain in his last year, and in the 1st V11‐a‐side rugby team from 1957.   He was a 1st X1 cricketer for two years (59 – 60) and in the hockey 1st X1 for three seasons.   John was editor of the Alleynian and a member of many societies.  He became a prefect in 1959 and Captain of the School the following year.  During his last year, when in the Geography Upper Sixth, he took the scholarship exams at Cambridge and on the back of these was offered a place at Fitzwilliam College.

John was an all‐rounder in every sense of the word.  At this early stage he already showed a deep love for literature; he was greatly admired and respected not only for his academic and sporting prowess, but also for his exceptionally warm, caring and thoughtful personality.  He was known for his generosity, his kindness and willingness to help others, and also for his exuberant sense of humour and fun.  With these endearing qualities, coupled with his natural modesty and prodigious memory, he made many friends both at school and throughout the rest of his life.

On leaving Dulwich he decided against going to university and instead worked in the City.  However, he soon became disenchanted with finance and in 1964 left for Africa where he worked in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and then the Seychelles, being involved in international companies and latterly a government department.  During this time he experienced a dozen coups d’etat, his recipe for survival being to fill the bath with water, buy quantities of food to last three months, board up windows and wait for events to calm down.

After 10 years John returned to the UK and took up a senior position in a Company owned by an OA friend, Paul Fessler.  He successfully developed amongst other products a range of organic cosmetics to rival Body Shop.  Each year during this period John became involved with the All England Lawn Tennis Club as a volunteer at the famous Wimbledon championships.  He gained a reputation for introducing a much improved method for crowd entry, and the other senior stewards were also aware that when John was on duty his engaging personality ensured the crowd would be in good humour.

John though became academically restless and studied for an English degree at Birkbeck University.  This he put to good effect and in 2009 he returned to his native India to become a very successful teacher at the Bishop Cotton School in Shimla; this is a boarding school in the Himalayan foothills and is a replica of an English public school.   John described this as the happiest and most fulfilling period of his life.  Regrettably, ill health due to chronic lung disease forced him to leave prematurely in 2012.  He is remembered there as “a gentleman and scholar who worked tirelessly and was an absolute pillar of the Bishop Cotton School”.

A series of three documentary films entitled “Indian Hill Railways” was made for British television in 2010 and the third of these featured the Kalka – Shimla railway, which was built by the British and opened in 1903. The film director obviously recognised John’s charisma and showed him on a number of occasions, both traveling back to the school post holiday and also at the school itself.  In the film John explained that previously he had worked in business which was a “take‐take situation, now [at the school] it is a give‐give situation, very refreshing.” This was a typical reaction from John.

Back in England John’s lung condition continued to deteriorate and he became less able to leave his home in Addlestone, Surrey.   He spent much of his time delving into his many treasured books.  John was predeceased by David, his younger OA brother and is greatly missed by his family and friends.

This obituary was written by three OA friends of John, Paul Fessler, Roger Lewis and Peter Lyon

Cottonians & BCS do not need to benchmark themselves –

Cottonians & BCS do not need to benchmark themselves against any other School..
The pillars of success bow in obeisance to Nakul Anand Veteran Hotelier of the global ITC Hotels..

These pillars are humility, dedication, hard work and the spirit and soul of Bishop Cotton School Simla.  Keep on walking Nakul.
Every Best Wish

Vivek Bhasin
Lefroy 1961-1970

Congratulations Varun Gaur for GALLANTRY

71st REPUBLIC DAY of INDIA

Arun Gaur 2005 batch (10th) is being awarded the Sena Medal bar for [the second time!] gallantry ops on the Kashmir valley – on the 26th of January 2020 by the President of India. It’s a rare honour as bar in military terms means he has received the same award before.

As quoted from https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1600543#.Xi0BetNUFKQ.whatsapp

BAR TO SENA MEDAL (GALLANTRY)

IC-76799H MAJOR VARUN GAUR, SM

THE ARMOURED CORPS / 22ND BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES

Mission Aconcagua Completed / Karma Tenzing Nyangmi

Completed. Here’s me at the summit of #Aconcagua (6,962 meters or 22,840 feet above sea level) after an intense 13 hours of climbing where we started our climb directly from Camp 2 with no acclimatisation. Due to weather conditions we had to change and complete our entire climb from Base Camp to Summit and back to Base Camp in a shortened 5 days (in Everest it was 21 days and in Manaslu I did it in 10 days – Usually it takes double or even three times for most climbers).

With this summit of Aconcagua, I’m now closer to my goals of being a true Explorer. If summiting an 8,000 meter peak is equivalent to a Masters degree and summiting Everest is a PhD, then the below are the lifetime Emeritus titles offered. So far, below are my membership journey into the various clubs I’ve always wanted to be a part of:

  • Completed 1/3rd of the Three Poles Challenge
  • Completed 2/7th of the Seven Summits Challenge
  • Completed 2/9th of the Explorers Grand Slam
  • Completed 2/14th of the 14 8,000+ Meters Challenge

Nakul Anand (Lefroy House) has been named World Hotelier 2019

Yet again a Cottonian from our beloved BCS steals global headlines!

Nakul Anand (Lefroy House) – ITC Luxury Hotels – has been named World Hotelier 2019!

What an amazing award for a superb Cottonian! Nakul is a leading icon in the global world of hospitality. He has under his belt, over four decades of exemplary dedication showcasing ITC Hotels, which are world renowned offering the very best properties and resorts in India to local and international guests. The ITC Grand Bharat has been nominated as Asia’s finest. We Cottonians honour Nakul Anand and feel proud that he is etched in history, Cottonian history, accepting this accolade with the greatest of humbleness and humility.
Congratulations Nakul!

God Bless You abundantly.

[Vivek Bhasin  – Lefroy 1961-1970]

Mr. Anand is the third Old Cottonian Hotelier [that we know of as of now] to have made a mark of achievement in the field. Congratulations!

He is a fantastic & successful Cottonian with the greatest of humility

Taljinder Singh [Curzon 1987]

Quoted from https://www.todaystraveller.net/

Tireless Crusader: An Interview with Taljinder Singh, Area Director, Mumbai Hotels & General Manager, The Taj Mahal Palace

“Taljinder Singh, Area Director – Mumbai Hotels & General Manager, The Taj Mahal Palace, walks us through what it takes for the The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, to remain at the forefront of the hospitality world, hosting celebrities and dignitaries the world over, even 115 years after it first opened its doors What’s the first name that comes to your mind, when someone pops the question, “Which is the best luxury hotel in India?” The answer conjures up in your mind in the form of an image…. a large brick red Florentine dome, a black-and-yellow facade, and a huge line-up of windows that catches your attention – The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. Today’s Traveller recently caught up with Taljinder Singh, Area Director – Mumbai Hotels & General Manager, The Taj Mahal Palace, who shared his thoughts on the iconic hotel, what the hotel has witnessed and how it has contributed to India’s history and shaped its hospitality culture since 1903….” [read the full article here]


[Photo © www.todaystraveller.net]

OLD COTTONIAN Sodhi Vikram Singh – Sri Anandpur Sahib Wale – receiving and honouring the Archbishop of Canterbury

Sodhi Vikram Singh- Sri Anandpur Sahib Wale receiving and honouring the Archbishop of Canterbury who is the Head of the Church of England-Protestant Church at the Darbar Sahib Complex of Harmandir Sahib. He is on a visit to celebrate the 550 years birth celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Sending out a strong global message of the relevance of interfaith dialogue and universal brotherhood. Sarbat da Bhalla as enunciated by Baba Nanak and the central message of the Sikh Faith, in these times of suspicion and global conflict…..

Honouring his holiness and explaining key tenants of the Sikh Faith prior to his visit to Darbar with the Jathedar Akal Takhat Sahib at the information centre, Harminder Sahib.

Beautiful Emotional Tonic to the Heart and Soul. Well done! you perform these extraordinary gestures with selfless commitment for the love of all.

Also seen in the photo is Bishop Samantaroy, Chairman Board of Governors BCS Shimla.

[courtesy Vivek Bhasin]

Two videos of Bishop Cotton School Simla – produced by Sam Mathews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABkaC27gYk4&t=4s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq_pjehNWLE

Wonderful!
What else can one say.  Brings back huge amount of memories.
Gentleman has done a great job and yeoman service!
Cheers!
Indi [Gurrinder Khanna 1969 Batch]
——-

This was a great send. Love the school and proud to be a COTTONIAN.
Tejindar Randhawa, 
Roll no.864,
Curzon house
1977.
——-

So many shots in these videos took me down memory lane. Also made me realize how much history was associated with these places within the campus that we took for granted. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Mukul Sheopory [1990 Batch]
——-

Karma Tenzing: Another Old Cottonian summited Mt. Everest. Congratulations!

Karma Tenzing [Curzon House Prefect ‘97] with the BCS flag on the summit of Mount Everest at 1:05pm on May 15 2019. “Overcome Evil With Good”

CONGRATULATIONS!

[Above received from Ashwani Singh Virk with thanks]

It gives me great pleasure and pride, as would all fellow Cottonians feel, in informing you that Karma Tenzin Nyangmi, Old Cottonian of Batch 1998, School Prefect of House Curzon, and Awardee of Full School Blazer for Sports, successfully arrived at the summit of Mount Everest at 1:05pm on 15 May 2019.

It was a 39 days expedition starting on 9 April 2019 with an international team of 12 members, out of which only 6 completed the course, 4 descended from Camps 2 and 3, and, unfortunately, 2 perished.

Karma waived the Bishop Cotton School crest at the top of world!

PFA: Pictures.

Many Nepalese OCs here are hoping for a slide-show and talk night with him soon.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Ayush Rajbhandari / OCA NEPAL

*ATTENTION*

Open Invitation to all OCs and their +1s

EVENT: OCA Nepal Gathering

AGENDA: Dinner, drinks, talk and slide-show of Karma Tenzing Nyangmi Dai’s recent Everest expedition  .

DATE: 24 May 2019

DAY: Friday

Time: 7:00pm

Venue: Karma Dai’s restaurant MOMO KARMA at Kamal Pokharari, Naxal 

Entry per OC: Rs. 1,000/-

Entry for their +1: Rs. 500/-

Drinks: Pay as your drink (discounted prices)

Menu: UNLIMITED Momos, Aloo Dum, Keema Buns and Basic Salad

Who all are in?

Reply to ayush156@gmail.com