A Tribute to My Alma
Mater
St. Annes Convent-Chandigarh
There
are many Teachers in life from whom you tend to learn something or the other,
but a Mentor is that Amazing Human Being who Passionately Understands, Engages,
and Inspires you to achieve your Momentous Vision in life leaving behind his
imprints imbibed with you for life.
Manjul Thapliyal
Today
is 21st Dec 2014 and a Sunday Morning, the weather seems rather
better at 7.30 AM than the series of prior cold gloomy days. Looks like the sun
will shine to add some glory to the upcoming day. My Brother Manish
Thapliyal ( Defence Officer) is en-route
Punjab and will reach home at Noida (U.P) with family by the afternoon for
Christmas and New Year Holidays. The night before and the morning today have
had moments of anxiousness, as my kids, wife and parents await them with
awaiting eyes.
Here I am also coincidently reviving my Schooling days (Class V-VII) at St. Annes Convent -Chandigarh ( Punjab) in the year 1984-86, where my brother and sister were also siblings at the same school.
I
was lucky that some Good Teachers and Excellent Mentors touched my Life at the
Tender Age. Today through my writings, I pay tribute to those Mentors whose
Thoughtful, Caring and Inspiring Words and Actions Motivated me to achieve
Small Glorious & Delightful Moments in my Life. These Mentors seemed normal
humans beings like us, but over a period of time you learned by experience they
did have something special about their outlook towards life and hence they have
become Immortal for you. It looks as if ,at times they had some magic wand from
where they got the insights of their wards struggles and produced easy solutions to guide them in accordance with
their Joys & Sorrows.
Across
my Schooling Journey which started with Loyala ( Goa) in 1980’s , My stay at my
third Alma Mater ST. Annes Convent (1984-86)
Chandigarh deserves special attention as it was here I met my
outstanding Dual Mentors Thomas Sir & Sister Cleopha. I was a short &
shy 10 years old and had joined the school in 5th B standard and my Class Teacher was Kamal
Ma’am, with my other teachers being Sunny Sir, Sunisha Sharma Ma’am, Joe Ma’am,
Thomas Sir, Mukha Ma’am, Sidhu Ma’am, Batta Ma’am, Roy Ma’am, Hardesh Ma'am and our Motivators Father Stephen, Father
Gomez, Sister Flexina and Principal Sister Cleopha including all the Other Sisters and Teachers
which I fail to remember correctly.
I
was a average student throughout my schooling life, but I excelled in two areas
one was Sports and another exception being the Academic subject English. My
written English was always good and that has made an impact with me having
continued that inclination to pen down Thoughts, Memoirs & Books even now.
Academically my grades in English and Glories in Sports have been a common
achievement factor in my schooling Days. Out of the Two loves of my life, one
has remained as a soul mate and another has been a love lost and Regained Story
Saga. I incidentally went on to be a Topper in English during my Graduation at Delhi
University.
My School St. Annes Covent- Chandigarh had a
mixed crowd comprising of Civilian & Defence Kids, but was the most well
disciplined and organized of convents that I had come across till date. There
was a truly equal emphasis on all round development, be it Studies, Sports and
Extra Curricular & Cultural Activities like Religious Learning’s, Debates, Dance,
Music, Role Play, Crafts, Fancy Dress, Excursions and Behavioral development Initiatives.
There was ample opportunity for the talented ones to showcase & develop
their talents under able appreciation and guidance from staff and teachers. Not
to mention the less talented were given equal opportunities and encouragement
to grow.
I
had a inclination in sports, specially athletics and I remember winning since a
toddler, my first official cup coming home from Loyala –what a small cute cup
it was with a holder. Winning became a habit with me in all my schools and I
won many events at each of my school. As mentioned priorly, I was a short
heighted & wheatish complexioned thin boy who was also shy and a introvert,
that added to my woes with my less inclination towards studies due to my highly
flickering mind. I was mostly daydreaming about sports or mischief’s and
Pranks. Maths, Science, Hindi and Geography were taboo to me, where as English,
G.K and History were game and of my interest.
Then one day during my Games period, I met one of my mentors the charming
Thomas Sir our Sports Teacher. He was whitish like me, with long silky straight
brown hair, medium height and stocky built who use to cycle or at times come on
a bike to school. As active as a Dynamo, he had a quirky south Indian Accent
with a sharp eye for detail and that is how, he picked his selective wards from
the masses. He had been a Meritorious Athlete in his prime and was into Pole Vaulting,
Basketball and Football apart from being an Encyclopedia on Sports. Our ground
was a decent one with Badminton, Volleyball, Football, Cricket, Basket Ball,
Kho-Kho and Athletics Field. Also there were cemented provisions for High Jump,
Short put and Basket ball which he supervised and built under his able
guidance. He usually started the games period with a 200 meters run, and if
showed slackness doubled it with a 400 meters over run. He watched the 5th
B class run from a distance one fine day and then on saw a thin boy
leading the pack regularly for few days. After a few days, he called out for me
and asked for my name and said so you are an athlete. Since how long have you
been running, I replied slowly that I liked running and had been winning since
1st. You will go a long way, if you are willing to learn, and I
slowly nodded in the affirmative. His brown glowing eyes were soothing and
matched his brown texture and I got hooked to him instantly. Then after
watching my progress in days to come, he enrolled me for extra workout and
practice sessions in the evenings at school. He called me and asked me, where
did I live and could I manage the extra training sessions. I resided in House No 1433 in Sector 34 and the School was in Sector 32, there was a
approximately a 3 km distance between them. He called up my father (Defence
Officer) and marking good words for me, somehow made him agree for my extra
sports sessions in the evening. I remember our Army Shayak cycling me and my brother
twice to school again as he did in the morning for attending and taking us home
after school. In the later years both my brother and me would cycle
independently to school and for the sports practice sessions in the evening.
Manjul Thapliyal with the
St.Annes Convent-Chandigarh Track & Field School Team (Yr-1985) for the
Interschool Championship Games sitting second from left first row. Also sitting
Second & Sixth in second row from left are my Mentors Thomas Sir (Coach)
and Sister Cleopha (Principal).
I
excelled in Athletics and was a part of the School Team, along with being in Football
and Kho - Kho School Teams. Also captaining, the Kho - Kho House and School Team. My inclination towards sports was deeply
understood by him and through him it was passed on to our Principal Sister Cleopha.
Sister was a strict disciplinarian with stern looks , often seen with a cane in
her hand. Though I had my share of canes from her, being naturally naughty
right from the start. But what initially I din’t knew, was that she also possessed
a heart of Gold filled with compassion for the able minded or distressed. She
was ready to go the distance for students who needed help either morally or
financially. Also I want to make it a point that she weighed Sports in the same
category as Studies and gave ample significance to both, encouraging the cultural
form of Arts as well.
As
sister Cleopha began to know me better, she knew that at times it was difficult
for me to cope up with studies along with sports. She ensured with my teachers,
that I was adequately compensated for my absence due to participation in
matches in school and away from school. I remember both of them taking special
initiatives to call my Father to school and counsel him to let me participate
in Inter & Intra school tournaments. Though my father would be adamant on
refusing but finally would relent after continuous persuasions. My father still
regrets not sending me to a sports school as advised time and again by Thomas
Sir, who would say that I was too good a player for my age and if given proper
attention had all the prospects to play for the country one day.
The School Team with my Mentors
Sister Cleopha & Thomas Sir (seated in middle of first row) after I left
School, because it would never be complete without me….
He
said so, looking at my performances in my 5th and 6th
classes, where I was playing neck to neck with my seniors who were at times 4-5
class ahead of me. In athletics, in the sprints I was topping my category and
in the longer versions was also stealing positions among the other Stalwarts
Namely Pradeep Krishnan, Ashu Phakey, Rajiv Mukha, Sachin Aggarwal, Aameep
Sinha, Rohit Bhalla, Madhur Mehta, Amit Dutt, Gaurav, Rincy Sabestain, Kamaljyot,
Bindu, Poonam Caeriappa, Damini Sud, Neetu Verma and my elder Brother Manish Thapliyal. The other notable sports persons in school
being Sandeep Bhasin, Harsh Bedi, Ashish Kuruvilla, Ajay Sharma, Ripu Sain, Nautiyal, Chitra
Subramanium, Arnaaz Mehta and some others whose memory has diminished with time
from my mind and am not recalling their names like the Two Senior identical brothers etc.
My Class V B (Yr-1984) with our
Class Teacher Kamal Ma’am sitting in the center first row and me standing in
the extreme right top row.
I learned all the
nuances of the Sports from St. Annes, the rules, how to run in spikes and play
with studs, how to run from the blocks and exchange batons. Also How to lead
and set the pace and at times keep your best till the last lap.…Oh those were
the days. I remember my wins with my losses, but my mentors were always by my
side. They whole heartedly supported me every time and made me realize that
there is always a next time and the true virtue of working hard regularly. I
had some intriguing and mind boggling one to one counseling sessions with both,
remembering both clearly consoling me at
times of having the age being on my side. Apart from Medals, Cups, Shields
& Trophy’s that we won for the school and ourself, we got our regular share
of heartfelt appreciations and acknowledgements with wholesome Refreshments and
at times surprising Cash Awards.
My Elder Brother Manish
Thapliyal’s Class VII (Yr-1985) , along with his and later my class teacher Joe Ma’am sitting in the
center and he at extreme right first row.
I
remember running the school marathon and finishing among medals with Sachin and
Rajiv and all three of us getting parallel right till the end of reaching the
school gates, then through the last round we sprinted for the positions, in
which my tender legs could not cope with the seniors and Sachin having pipped Rajiv
for the title and I taking the Bronze. As I fell to the ground soaked with
perspiration and drained with energy loss, I was given glucose by Sister
Cleopha and Thomas Sir told me in my ears that for him..i had won that race..
My colleagues lifted me up as they had never expected someone from their class
fill in the top ranks and my class teacher
Ms. Joe filled with joy that I had made the class proud, excused me
classes for the day. I was already doing good and excelling in football,
scoring at the tournaments and also captaining & winning for the school at
Kho-Kho tournaments outside. The things my Mentors found exceptional about me
was that I was the smallest and youngest among the other sportspersons in
school and yet had the desire to excel to the highest level and that I didn’t
shy away from anyone at any level while competing. I was fully supported by
both these Mentors & Seniors in all my related endeavors and i realized
later in my life, that had I got their support more in my schooling days later,
I would have maintained the flow and reached greater heights which some of my later
schoolmates achieved and went on to play for India at the Highest level. They
are Golfer Jyotinder Randhawa and Col. Sanjay Verma who played Ranji Trophy and
Captained the Services Cricket Team.
My Younger sister Shipla Thapliyal’s
class 3RD snap (Yr-1985), with her
standing Extreme right top row.
Still
I feel those days were really special and motivating, as life was tough with
Punjab witnessing peaked militancy at that period and The operation Blue Star
happening at the golden temple. Things only got worse with the untimely
assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. I, being from a defence family
and we living alone in a civil area with my mother and siblings to take care of
each other as father being suddenly posted out in the middle of the tenure. In
those tough days, I got guidance from these mentors, who made me feel home away
from home. I salute their spirit from the bottom of my heart.
Without
an iota of doubt, I had serious potential to make it big, had I met more
mentors like Thomas Sir and Sister Cleopha further in my schooling days. Also, I
feel parents who have been into sports themselves understand their wards better
and it reflects in their thinking as well. It also has a lot to do with
suitable Sporting Facilities and Coaching at the concerned place, Both were
lacking when it came to me in life as life moved. Though I played potentially
well till 8th in K.V Nagrota (
Jammu) and was the first Player from a small school to reach Regionals and
almost Touch Nationals often beating my seniors & foes across schools and competitions by handsome margins,
my inclination towards sports diminished for lack of various factors as mentioned above and also which I
experienced later. My father’s constantly transferable forces job, lack of encouragement
from family, limited facilities in terms of infrastructure, coaching and career
options at that point of time made me think vice-versa. I stopped competing at
heart from then onwards and it was turned to just physical activity hence
forth. Though I was still playing in school and winning but not competitively
any more. Somewhere the competitive sportsman in me doused in coming years as
quickly as it had flourished during my early days. Many Potentials like me who
touched glory in those days and maybe prior or later during their school days
have had similar of better experiences to tell and relate. Whenever I remember
those days when I was the smallest and youngest but among the tallest due to
the height of the medal platform and the highest medal in my neckline, my body
hair still get aroused with excitement. My heart gets filled with immense pride
making me automatically bow down to salute and pay homage to those mentors who
shaped my and many other’s destiny in those glorious days. Though later and
even today through social media, I have reconnected with many of my schoolmates.
Sister
Cleopha as per my information, went on to be principal at Sommerville School
Noida and later succumbed to cancer. Thomas sir, I learned was somewhere
settled in the US. What an irony! That, I have been residing in Noida, Sector
21- Jal Vayu Vihar since 94 which is less than a Km from Sommerville School and
where Sister Cleopha was based. Had I known her whereabouts earlier, I would
have met her on numerous occasions, greeting her and reviving the Glorious
days. But, that’s what’s destiny is all about,
I guess. But would love to meet Thomas Sir again and again or surely once in
life, along with all my wonderful teachers and fellow loving schoolmates to
revive the bygone super-days.
Sharing the Present and
Future.
Friends & Foes, it was an absolute pleasure of mine and
yours to be a part of those wonder years of Comradeship, Competitiveness and
Cohesiveness. Truly said that successful people never reach their goals alone,
there are true mentors to guide them always.
Manjul Thapliyal
Principal Consultant
Visions Ahead
www.visionsahead.com
A masterfully crafted piece! The way you weave insight with storytelling makes this blog not just informative, but an life experience. The rhythm of your writing keeps me engaged. Great Work.
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