Christ Church alumni relive ‘good, old days’ at 50-year reunion

The programme started with group photographs taken at the school premises followed by a school time memory quiz, games from school days, a framed picture of the reunion group at the school, and a souvenir.

LUCKNOW Nostalgia was the running sentiment among all the 1973-batch Christ Church College students who assembled in their alma mater for the 50-year school reunion on Sunday. The event at the Hazratganj-based school allowed the alumni to relive their good, old days.

The event at the Hazratganj-based school allowed the alumni to relive their good, old days. (HT Photo)

“It’s good to be back in school. I visited Lucknow in 2017 but never got an opportunity to visit my school. Now, due to this reunion, I visited my school and met with all my old friends,” said Neeroo Sharma Kapila, who has settled in Toronto, Canada. Similarly, Surendra Gahley came from Thailand to join the reunion.

The programme started with group photographs taken at the school premises followed by a school time memory quiz, games from school days, a framed picture of the reunion group at the school, and a souvenir. The former classmates also reminisced about their former instructors -- including their math teacher Gosain and their chemistry instructor R.K. Srivastava, among others. Later, they also paid tribute to all the past teachers and principals.

The students also reminisced fondly of the unique environment in the school. Back then, it was the foremost co-educational missionary school and had the distinction of being the only school to hold the annual Torchlight Tattoo, with Malkhamp, Lazium, and even Trapeze performances by the students. Some of the events were later discontinued.

Sharing details of organising this event, Adnan Hasan said, “The planning and coordination of the reunion was an exercise in the use of social media to locate all classmates between 1960 and 1973... A special souvenir magazine has also been launched at the Golf Club. This has the pictures of previous principals, teachers, and the nine batchmates who left the world too soon.”

Hasan conceived and convened the programme with support from Nisheeth Kapoor, Alka Tyagi, and Ram Chatterji. “Eventually, we managed to locate 32 available, able, and willing students, some even who have settled in various parts of India and abroad, many of whom are bankers, doctors, in defence, aviation, businessmen, teachers, and media professionals,” said Nisheeth Kapoor.

He added, “The reunion aimed to provide an opportunity for age-old friends to meet and rekindle joyous memories of childhood. In Adnan’s words, it was to relive a time when there was mischief without malice, fun, and humour without disrespect, teasing without torment, friendship without motive, learning without drudgery, and discipline without rebellion.