Zubin Mehta to inaugurate 150-yr celebrations at Mumbai's St Mary's school

The 150th anniversary celebrations of St Mary's ICSE School, Mazgaon, will be inaugurated by one of its most famous alumni — world-renowned music conductor Zubin Mehta. Puja Pednekar reports.

The 150th anniversary celebrations of St Mary's ICSE School, Mazgaon, will be inaugurated by one of its most famous alumni — world-renowned music conductor Zubin Mehta.

Mehta is in the country to perform at a concert in Srinagar. Mehta had graduated from the school in 1951. In 1954, he left Bombay to study at the Vienna Academy of Music. After he received international recognition, he once visited the Mazgaon school on November 4, 1967, as a 31-year old.

Now, after a gap of nearly 46 years, Mehta will visit the school again. He will launch the year-long celebrations, starting September 11, by unveiling a logo specially created for the occasion.

"Mehta expresses great pride in being an ex-student of the institution and has a deep sense of nostalgia for the school," read a statement released by the school.

School principal Father Kenneth Misquitta said, "Mehta inaugurating the 150 years celebrations will be a double delight for the school."

One of the former students of the school posted on the school Facebook page, "I still remember when Mehta had last visited our school. We were in Class 10 and were standing in the classrooms when Zubin Metha stood on the steps of the parlour, waving to all."

Misquitta added that students might also perform a special rendition of the school anthem for Mehta. "This is just the beginning of a series of events organised by the school to commemorate the legacy of a century and a half of education," he added.

The school was established in 1864, and is one the oldest all-boys' institutions in the city. It was founded by Fathers of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) of the Bombay province.

The school was initially a Catholic Military Orphanage, but soon started providing Anglo-lndian Catholic boys a religious and secular education in English.