First memories of SDA date back to a time when I was around 2 years old. My Didi, Arunima had started going to SDA. I remember going with my Ma to drop and pick Didi during her first days of school.
1980 was finally the year for me. It was after my nursery from Good Shepherd that I joined Lower Kindergarten in SDA . My first few years of SDA were not nice at all. I was ragged a lot by my batch mates. I don’t know why but I felt very insecure those days. I was ok in studies but quite underconfident.
Then came Mrs. Kumar in Class VIth. She turned me around and how! She inspired me to do well in studies. Under her guidance I started getting top ranks. After that lack of confidence and insecurity were a thing of the past. Thank you Ma'am! The award of creating one man can definitey go to you!
School gradually became a fun place.The Last 4-5 years of school were the best for me. Studies, music, cricket and the food! Everything fascinated me. I loved every bit of it. I made some great friends. Some of them are still there in my life. They are friends for life. The bonding is stronger than an oak tree!!!
Most of our teachers were friendly . Some were strict while others tried to act strict ;-)
Seniors were a big pain. Most always acted smart :-P
There was also sweet pain. We are talking about the many smart and attractive Girls ;-). Ofcourse we felt nothing towards them. We were not supposed to. To add insult to injury I was also timid. All the more reason to get crushed under the pressure of adolescent crushes.
I used to fancy our Biology teacher in class VIIIth. Mind you I was not the only one. And then there was our computer teacher. Our code name for her was ‘Mini Computer’. Weirdly enough I don’t remember the real names of any of them. Didn't I see the Biology teacher somewhere in a Farewell snap on SDA FB board. Did I give away something here?:)
Well I am a brave man now. It has been more than two decades I have been out of SDA. But back then Discipline was an integral part of Seventh Day Adventist. Joining Colvin just after SDA was a rude awakening for me. I want to give my special thanks to teachers like Mrs Benjamin, Mrs Kumar, Mrs Bahadur & Mrs Sharma. They always did a great job taming and moulding morons like me!!! They were tough disciplinarians but at heart they were our friends.
Thus we were tamed well. On a serious note 'nurture' is more appropriate. I have been able to track many of my SDA mates and now we regularly keep in touch. People like Ravi, Tabrez complete me as a person. I recently connected with Sudip. I paid him a visit couple of weeks back. By Joe, felt so great to meet him and his family after 23 years!
Whats common amongst all my SDA friends is their warmth. Whatever we might be doing. However much some of us might have travelled this warmth has survived us all.
One look at my close SDA friends and I feel all of us are doing our bit to be good SDA ambassadors where ever we are!!!
Editor's note on fellow SDA mate-
Anshuman is an enthusiastic alumni of SDA (1992 passout), who loves to feed on anything which can crawl, swim, fly or walk. Oh yes, he does work as an IT professional for living - on days as he says when he doesn't catch a prey!!!
You can contact-
Anshuman Chakravarty
1600 Tysons Boulevard, Ste 800,
McLean, VA, 22102
USA
703-303-8259 (cell)
anshuman.chakravarty@gmail.com
1980 was finally the year for me. It was after my nursery from Good Shepherd that I joined Lower Kindergarten in SDA . My first few years of SDA were not nice at all. I was ragged a lot by my batch mates. I don’t know why but I felt very insecure those days. I was ok in studies but quite underconfident.
Then came Mrs. Kumar in Class VIth. She turned me around and how! She inspired me to do well in studies. Under her guidance I started getting top ranks. After that lack of confidence and insecurity were a thing of the past. Thank you Ma'am! The award of creating one man can definitey go to you!
School gradually became a fun place.The Last 4-5 years of school were the best for me. Studies, music, cricket and the food! Everything fascinated me. I loved every bit of it. I made some great friends. Some of them are still there in my life. They are friends for life. The bonding is stronger than an oak tree!!!
Most of our teachers were friendly . Some were strict while others tried to act strict ;-)
Seniors were a big pain. Most always acted smart :-P
There was also sweet pain. We are talking about the many smart and attractive Girls ;-). Ofcourse we felt nothing towards them. We were not supposed to. To add insult to injury I was also timid. All the more reason to get crushed under the pressure of adolescent crushes.
I used to fancy our Biology teacher in class VIIIth. Mind you I was not the only one. And then there was our computer teacher. Our code name for her was ‘Mini Computer’. Weirdly enough I don’t remember the real names of any of them. Didn't I see the Biology teacher somewhere in a Farewell snap on SDA FB board. Did I give away something here?:)
Well I am a brave man now. It has been more than two decades I have been out of SDA. But back then Discipline was an integral part of Seventh Day Adventist. Joining Colvin just after SDA was a rude awakening for me. I want to give my special thanks to teachers like Mrs Benjamin, Mrs Kumar, Mrs Bahadur & Mrs Sharma. They always did a great job taming and moulding morons like me!!! They were tough disciplinarians but at heart they were our friends.
Thus we were tamed well. On a serious note 'nurture' is more appropriate. I have been able to track many of my SDA mates and now we regularly keep in touch. People like Ravi, Tabrez complete me as a person. I recently connected with Sudip. I paid him a visit couple of weeks back. By Joe, felt so great to meet him and his family after 23 years!
Whats common amongst all my SDA friends is their warmth. Whatever we might be doing. However much some of us might have travelled this warmth has survived us all.
One look at my close SDA friends and I feel all of us are doing our bit to be good SDA ambassadors where ever we are!!!
Editor's note on fellow SDA mate-
Anshuman is an enthusiastic alumni of SDA (1992 passout), who loves to feed on anything which can crawl, swim, fly or walk. Oh yes, he does work as an IT professional for living - on days as he says when he doesn't catch a prey!!!
You can contact-
Anshuman Chakravarty
1600 Tysons Boulevard, Ste 800,
McLean, VA, 22102
USA
703-303-8259 (cell)
anshuman.chakravarty@gmail.com
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