The www.catalumni.com 2013

The Cathedral & John Connon Alumni Magazine

IN CONVERSATION EVENTS SPOTLIGHT Exchanging Notes Wining and Dining at Vinoteca Tabrez Noorani

Contents President’s Message 2 School Update 4 Spotlight Tabrez Noorani 7 Srikant Datar 8 In Conversation 19 Ranjit Barot and Ashutosh Phatak 10 Nostalgia Randy Boudrieau 13 Malvika Singh 14 Special Feature The IB at Cathedral 16 Out of the Box Gulshirin Dubash 19 20 8 Teacher Updates 20 Events 17th Annual Golf Tournament, Old Boys vs. School Team Annual Cricket Match 22 Flamingo-viewing Event 23 Vinoteca by Sula 25 Manori Summer School 26 Lighter Side (Memories) 29 Class Notes 30 Crossword 52

Editorial Team Udita Jhunjhunwala (ICSE ’84) 23 Miel Sahgal (ISC ’89) Shyla Boga Patel (ISC ’69) Mukeeta Jhaveri (ISC ’83) Mitali Anand Kalra (ISC ’89) Business Rohita Chaganlal Doshi (ISC ’75) Editorial Support, Design and Printing Priyanka Agarwal, Minaal Pednekar, Nikunj Parikh Main Cover Photo: Dhiman Chatterjee, 25 Spenta Multimedia This magazine is not for sale and is intended for internal circulation only. Any material from this magazine may not be reproduced in part or whole without written consent. Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the Publishers. The final decision on all editorial content remains with the magazine editorial committee. Published by The Cathedral and John Connon Alumni Association, 6, P.T. Marg, Mumbai 400 001 and printed at Spenta Multimedia, Peninsula Spenta, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400 013. www.spentamultimedia.com

Special thanks to the following donors for their generous contribution: Nakul Ravindrakumar Arya, Dev and Pareena 26 30 Lamba, Dhruv Chopra, Aashish Barwale, Pramila Shivdasani President’s Message

To my fellow alumni,

aving just sent our freshly minted last ball, despite a valiant 46 by Navroz Marshall. Cathedral alumnus daughter, Nynika, to The traditional Old Girls’ Middle School Tea, post H Wellesley, I find myself drowning, quite the Founders’ Day church service, was well attended. literally (well, it has been the wettest monsoon in a The class of ’62 thoroughly enjoyed traditional long time), in nostalgia — both hers and mine. What RTI fare, including lemon tarts, which, apparently, both amazes and reassures me is the passion with remain unchanged 50 years later. which she closed the school chapter and the excited The X-Cathedralite, albeit delayed, was well poise of opening a new one. Our alma mater, I am received. We have the editorial team under Miel proud to say, still has that magnetic hold over you Sahgal and Udita Jhunjhunwala to thank. Without while growing you wings to fly confident and proud. Rohita Doshi’s untiring campaign to garner ads and Sadly, unforeseen circumstances last year forced financial support, we would be lost. If you live in us to cancel the Association’s annual gala dinner, India and are reading this online, it means we do which was to mark Founders’ Day. But in other not have a current postal address for you. Please do events, 34 golfers made it to the 17th Annual Golf update the site www.catalumni.com regularly. Tournament at the Willingdon Club, courtesy alums We started the year with a pop, so to speak, with Akshay Kilachand, Meher Amersey and Pushpa a gathering at Vinoteca by Sula, a tapas and wine bar Bhatia. Barham came out on top as did Akshay, in Mumbai, courtesy Rajeev Samant, our illustrious Aditya Malkani, Arjun Dhawan, Jamsheed and vintner. If the success of the event and the number Neville Mehta. of serious aficionados present is anything to go Out on the Hindu Gym pitch, by the scenic Marine by, marketers, please note that wine mania is here Drive, the Old Boys lost the annual cricket match to stay. We can now happily declare that there is a organised by Sanjay Shah and Vinay Agarwal on the Cathedral ‘mafia’ at the helm of many of the new

From left to right: Prakash Thadani, Udita Jhunjhunwala, Shonar Chinoy, Sundeep Ahuja, Mukeeta Jhaveri, Gautam Shewakramani, Anushka Shivdasani Rovshen and Vikram Kothari Missing from the committee picture are Shyla Boga Patel, Viral Doshi, Chitra Rajkumar, Rohita Doshi, Pragni Kapadia, Amit Advani, Bibhash Asar and Mitali Anand Kalra

2 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Executive Committee restaurants and watering holes that dot the city. (2013–14) Santé, may their tribe increase. President The 12th Annual Cathedral Summer School Mukeeta Jhaveri (ISC ’83, Savage) was a huge hit again, as it has clearly emerged as Vice-Presidents the box-office summer event for Middlers. The Rohita Chaganlal Doshi rich experience it affords in terms of creative (ISC ’75, Wilson) engagement with the local Manori community Bibhash Asar resulted in a waiting list and many disappointed (ICSE ’77, Palmer) faces. My sincere thanks to Shyla Boga Patel for Treasurer her heroic stewardship. It was also wonderful to Sundeep Ahuja (ICSE ’77, Palmer) see some 20 alumni volunteering their time at the Secretary Senior School Career Fair. Mitali Anand Kalra As we continue to take our membership outdoors, (ISC ’89, Wilson) be more active and involve family, Shonar Chinoy, along with Miel and her team of naturalists from Committee Members (ex-officio) Sanctuary Asia, organised a wonderful outing to the Principal Sewri mudflats to see Mumbai’s famous pink- Mrs. Meera Isaacs feathered tourists. It was gratifying to see Committee Members generations of alumni and Cathedralites, present Viral Doshi (ISC 75, Palmer) and soon-to-be, patiently waiting for their tryst ’ with the flamingoes. The delayed arrival and reduced Shyla Boga Patel (ISC ’69, Savage) numbers are a painful reminder of the state of Udita Jhunjhunwala wildlife conservation in the state. (ICSE ’84, Barham) Our pilot Retired Teachers’ Medical Benefit Amit Advani Scheme, managed by Bibhash Asar and Shyla, (ISC ’94, Palmer) is running well. Please do continue to donate Vikram H Kothari generously. The www.catalumni.com website, thanks (ISC ’74, Palmer) to our webmaster, Gautam Shewakramani, and Prakash Thadani committee member Anushka Shivdasani Rovshen (ISC ’69, Savage) has been well received. We welcome your inputs, Pragni Kapadia (ISC ’94, Palmer) especially in the form of alumni-related news and photographs of class reunions. Your engaged Anushka Shivdasani Rovshen (ISC ’97, Barham) participation is the only real way to increase coverage. Chitra Rajkumar I thank my team on the Executive Committee for (ISC ’56, Savage) their continued support. A special debt of gratitude is Shonar Chinoy due to Chitra Rajkumar for years of yeoman service in (ISC ’90, Palmer) managing our treasury and accounts. I wish Sundeep Webmaster Ahuja all the best as he takes over. Gautam Shewakramani (ISC ’01, Savage) – Mukeeta Jhaveri, née Kataria The Executive Committee looks forward to your active involvement (ISC ’83) with the Association. Please do contact us on the Cathedral Alumni Helpline (99305 77120) or through our website www.catalumni.com School Update A message from the Principal, Mrs. Meera Isaacs

he year 2012 ricocheted The College Board results continue between academic endeavour to be excellent. Our students have and a wide palette of a mean SAT Reasoning score of T 2000 out of a maximum of 2400, extracurricular activities and sporting opportunities at an as compared to the world mean of alarming speed. Almost before approximately 1500! we knew it, the year was over. Acceptances into overseas colleges Inter-school and extra-mural were exceptional, and the motto of activities, celebrations of varied our 153-year-old school, “Studies festivals, project work, field trips maketh famous”, is a clear reflection and excursions, community- of our belief in academic rigour. But service programmes, leadership no school worth its salt can espouse workshops and counselling such a limited view. Our vision is camps coalesce in a shimmering certainly broader. Every child is kaleidoscope of creativity, inquiry encouraged to choose from a wide and collaboration, which empowers array of opportunities so that he/she our students to see beyond the can discover at least a glimmering of the 12 faculty members from 50 subject boundaries to a more his/her innate talents and strengths countries who were invited to attend holistic understanding of their that can be nurtured into fullness. environment and themselves. the forum. A Broader Vision Fifteen students qualified for level Studies Maketh Famous This year, music lessons at the new 2 of the National Science Olympiad, As usual, the Board results for music room in the Junior Section some placing at the international 2012-13 were outstanding. At the and mallakhamb for the Infant, level, from among millions of ICSE Std. 10 examination, 136 Junior and Middle Sections have students from more than 10,000 candidates appeared. Ninety three added a new dimension to an already cities across 14 Asian countries. students were in the 90+ range, 38 wide expanse of offerings. At the International Young in the 80s range and the remaining TheCathedral Model United Mathematics Convention five were in the 70s. Nations Conference gives (Lucknow), our youngsters won The story was more or less our young people an excellent laurels for Cathedral despite stiff replicated at the ISC Std. 12 opportunity to hone their leadership competition from students of examination, in which 91 and organisational skills. As usual, Indonesia, Thailand and Taiwan candidates appeared, with 55 of our enthusiastic 17-year-olds hosted and those from specialised Maths them scoring over 90%, 31 standing 500 participants from the Indian schools. At the International in the 80s, and five students subcontinent and Southeast Asia, Schools’ Software Competition bringing up the rear in the 70s. who presented papers and debated 2012 (Colombo), our School lifted The Advanced Placement and caucused in true U.N. style. the Runners-up Trophy. Programme continues to flourish. Other programmes that have Nine students, accompanied by A count of 107 students from become an integral part of our a teacher, represented India at the Stds. 9 - 12 took a total of 188 school life continue to thrive; these SAARC Kizuna Board Project — examinations in a variety of include The Reach Cambridge two weeks of sensitisation to the subjects, ranging from Languages to Summer School Programme, The destruction and rebuilding of various Calculus. A hundred and four exams Sunburst Youth Camp cultural areas in Japan after the Great East earned the highest grade of 5. Seven exchange (Singapore), the Science Japan Earthquake. students earned an AP Scholar with Summer Camp (Singapore), and The Cathedral team, who won a Distinction Award, five won an AP the International Youth Science the best e-journal Project Award Scholar with Honour, and 11 have Forum (London), where Mrs. Mary at EUMIND — The Europe meets been designated AP Scholars. Samuel, Head of Science, was among India programme — visited the

4 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Wolfert Borselen Bilingual School, Community Service indeed blessed to have teachers Rotterdam, and hosted the reciprocal At the core of the School is its of high calibre, who are genuinely visit from the Netherlands. embedded Community Service interested in the welfare of their At the recent World Education programme, the face of which is the students. To our Vice-Principals, Awards 2013, our School, led by Interact Club. While the Nature Club, Mrs. J. Mayadas and Mrs. N. the Hindi Curriculum Coordinator, with its environmental work, and the Samuel; our Headmistresses, Mrs. Mrs. Vaishali Bafna, was declared the IAYP, which encourages trekking and D. Bhattacharya, Mrs. S. Ganguly, winner for the project, ‘Innovations hiking, are separate entities, they Mrs. R. Talpade and Mrs. S. Lele; our in Hindi Curriculum’. have strong links with Community Bursar, Mrs. Gehna Malkani; and We participated in the Slater Service as well. our administrative staff, I would like Debate at Bishop Cotton’s School, Through Art, Music, Commerce to say thank you, on many counts. Shimla, and the Frank Anthony projects, exchange programmes, and I express my deep appreciation Debate with varying measures School socials, the focus on working to all members of the PTA. Without of success. In the ‘India Today towards a more equitable society, them, we would have had a hard Cup’, our team reached the finals especially for children, the very old time, be it for getting judges for the but had to concede the first place and the ailing, remains a priority. various cultural events, networking to Lahore College of Arts and TheEthical Leadership with other organisations devising Sciences, Pakistan. Our students Programme sensitises students new strategies to deal with school won accolades at the Royal to the needs of others, to accept situations, or organising fabulous Commonwealth Essay Writing diversity and individual differences fun fairs. Competition, the e-India Essay to eschew cruelty in any form, and We owe a debt of gratitude to all Writing Competition and the to have the courage to do the right the members of the Alumni, who ‘Discovery of India’ competition. thing. The school is a part of two support the school in various ways; Art continues to thrive. The annual collaborations with Project Zero, all my former and hapless students exhibition ‘Out of the Box – VII’ an educational research group at who are press ganged into action was held at the Tao Art Gallery, where the Harvard Graduate School of from time to time; Shyla Boga, 67 canvasses, five thought-provoking Education. The first, the Goodwork who has soldiered on for 12 years installations and two sculptures Project, is an 11-month certification with the hugely successful Manori were on display. The `1,20,000 that course that enables teachers to help Summer Camp; and Dr. Anand the kids garnered from the sale of students imbibe the elements of Gokani, alumnus on perpetual call their art was earmarked for helping Excellence, Engagement and Ethics. for medical emergencies as well children suffering from cancer. The second is the Out of Eden Walk, as leadership programmes, which Our students shone at various where our school is honoured to he runs so successfully in a rural art competitions, be it for rangoli represent India, tracing human ashram for our Std. 12 students. designing, calendar art or bag civilisation from early beginnings I feel especially blessed to head designing. At the Philatelic Society in the Great African Rift Valley such a fine institution. A hundred of India’s nationwide stamp- (walktolearn.outofedenwalk.com). and fifty three years of tradition has designing contest, our students gently laid its patina upon it, but placed well and one will have her Thanks the voices of children everywhere, painting appear on a postage stamp. Let me acknowledge the many subdued in the classroom, raucous people who make a place such as in the quadrangle, or raised in Medals Tally Cathedral happen. I thank our Board angel song, boasts a thriving busy Medals aren’t only made of gold, of Governors, led by our Chairman, community, rooted in the past silver or bronze; they are also made Mr. T. Thomas, for their vision for but looking ahead to an exciting of sweat, determination and a hard- the School, their wisdom in guiding future. Cathedral is a place that to-find alloy called grit. Our children us and their forever unstinting is fun, exhausting, dynamic and do not lack any of these and have support. They make the Cathedral all-encompassing. It is a sobering won glory for themselves and the experience that much more unique, thought that all of us, who live and school in many sporting activities. as they bring their expertise work here, are only holding this Leadership qualities, discipline and from a world bigger than ours to glorious place in trust for those team spirit are fostered on the sports strengthen ours. who will come after us, just as those field and are important life skills for A school is only as good as its who went before us held it in trust our young wards. teachers. In my opinion, we are for us.

2013 TheX-Cathedralite 5 6 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Spotlight MISSION Accomplished Tabrez Noorani (ISC ’91), who has worked on movies such as Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, speaks about his journey from home videos to the Oscar stage

uring last year’s Oscars, Golden Globes, Screen Actors’ DGuild and various other award events in Hollywood, Tabrez Noorani was faced with an enviable choice — should he sit at the Zero Dark Thirty table, the Life of Pi table or should he join the cast of The Best

Exotic Marigold Hotel? Photograph courtesy Kerry Monteen This was one of the easier decisions Outside CST station during the filming of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol for Tabrez, whose profession as Tabrez’s interest in film-making experiences was working on Ang Lee’s a film-maker and line producer began when he was just 14, assisting Life of Pi, shot largely in Puducherry. demands that he make big and snap his uncle Zafar Hai on shoots. “That was an amazing experience over decisions on a daily basis. His work as Tabrez often took a video camera to almost five months. I was the first line producer on Slumdog Millionaire school. “I would shoot videos while person in and the last person out. The saw him take the stage along with the class was on. Mrs. Isaacs caught first thing Ang said to me was ‘tell the film-making team at the Oscars, me many times,” he recalls. This me what’s real and what’s not real a sight that delighted his Cathedral early inclination meant a natural about India’. He wanted authenticity. friends. His credit can be seen on progression to Loyola Marymount I thought that was great.” numerous other films, including He describes Slumdog Millionaire as Bhopal Express, Alexander and Mission: “special and hard. I was really pushed Impossible – Ghost Protocol. by Danny (Boyle) on that,” he says. Based in LA, Tabrez often returns After a hectic, intense shoot has to India, not just for shoots but also “wrapped” and the last person has to visit friends and family in Mumbai. left, and when he is the only one left, Earlier this year, his company, India that’s when Tabrez has “a sense of Take One Productions, handled the accomplishment”. shoot of the Hollywood film Million Tabrez with Ang Lee at the Life of Pi shoot Alongside line production (and Dollar Arm in India. One of the University School of Film and there is a long list of projects on the challenges during that project was Television, LA. His first student anvil) and directing commercials, reassuring 81-year-old actor Alan film,Disturbance , won an award at Tabrez is polishing his film script. “I Arkin that he would be provided with the Venice Film Festival in 1993. am obsessed with my first film. It’s hygienic food and water. His early work experience was with about sex trafficking. I have been “He refused to shoot in Mumbai, celebrated directors such as David researching it for years,” he says. and for the Lucknow shoot, we had to Lynch and Wim Wenders. Uncle and nephew are also adapting find him a special personal chef and Of all the cities he has shot in, Shrabani Basu’s book Spy Princess: assure him and his team of water, he finds Mumbai the most difficult. The Life of Noor Inayat Khan to film. food, etc. I reassured him using the “You need a shooting pass, union Maybe one day those videos of a blueprint of what we did for Julia permissions, etc. It’s more expensive Cathedral School classroom will also Roberts and her family during the to shoot on the streets of Mumbai find their way onto the big screen. filming of Eat Pray Love. Just to put than on those in LA.” However, he that separate kitchen together for loves Indian locations, especially in – Udita Jhunjhunwala Arkin took six weeks,” says Tabrez. the South. One of his most rewarding (ICSE ’84)

2013 TheX-Cathedralite 7 Spotlight A Head for BUSINESS After a stint as Senior Associate Dean at the Harvard Business School, Srikant Datar (Palmer, ’69) has been working with business schools around the world to reform business education as described in Rethinking the MBA: Business Education at a Crossroads, a book he has co-authored with David A. Garvin and Patrick G. Cullen

How did you get drawn to academia? After leaving Cathedral, I joined St. Xavier’s College to do my BSc in Mathematics and Economics. My plan at that time was to appear for the IAS exam. When I finished my BSc in 1973, I had to wait for two years to be eligible to appear for the civil-service exams, so I enrolled to become a chartered accountant. Over the next couple of years, I became fascinated by the world of management and finance. I was lucky to be selected to the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA), and went there to study management. While I was a student there, several of my professors suggested I consider a career in academia, but after graduating, I joined the Tata Administrative Service (TAS) in 1978. In 1980, I was fortunate to be offered admission and a full scholarship to pursue doctoral studies at Stanford University. I absolutely loved the intellectual environment at Stanford, the work with some terrific scholars at a financial-performance report. But, faculty’s passion for research and the three universities I have taught most importantly, I try to help them scholarship, and their deep interest at — Carnegie Mellon, Stanford understand that accounting requires in mentoring PhD students. I and Harvard. judgement because the answers are loved the process of developing not clear-cut. Even simple decisions, and sharing new ideas with other How do you make accounting fun? such as how fast to depreciate scholars. I had also done some It led you to win the best-teacher an asset, entail judgement. To teaching in India and enjoyed honour at Stanford in 1995. ensure that the best judgements it thoroughly. I knew then that I teach my students that are made — not those that are the an academic career built around management professionals need to most beneficial or convenient — research and teaching would be very understand accounting principles leadership is needed. Accounting, fulfilling and great fun. Of course, and rules to appreciate how the therefore, is really about judgement I have been fortunate that I got to results of their actions translate into and leadership. This comes as a

8 The X-Cathedralite 2013 surprise to many students. Many of Do you think Indian MBA schools What are some points that those the cases we teach force students to match up to those in the U.S.? applying for an MBA should keep grapple with this tension. Students India has more than twice the in mind? are surprised to learn that the number of business schools in the Students applying to U.S. business accounting issues they thought U.S. These schools are of widely schools need to keep in mind that were cut and dry, and perhaps varying quality. At the top Indian schools look for more than academic boring, are really quite demanding business schools, teaching is of excellence when selecting an MBA and challenging. a very high quality but there is a class. Work experience adds maturity tremendous shortage of faculty and life experiences; the choices Tell us a little bit about the and much less emphasis given to students make communicate values book you co-authored and research. The U.S. business schools and character; and non-curricular your proposals for reforming are more global in terms of their activities describe a candidate’s business education. curriculum, faculty and students broader interests. Together, they The book argues that there are and stress leadership potential in help schools evaluate leadership serious questions being asked their admission criteria, so the potential and the ability to work with about the value added of the MBA mix of students is very different. and influence others. These skills are degree amidst significant declines Indian business schools, however, becoming increasingly important in enrolments in full-time MBA emphasise the Indian context, as the world moves from a context programmes across business schools so the choice of doing an MBA in where leaders had high authority and low conflict to situations where outside the top 12 or 15 schools. India versus the U.S. depends a lot leaders have lower authority and face There are eight recommendations on what a student is looking for in greater conflict. on curriculum redesign in the book. a programme.

In a nutshell, they relate to the need Do you have any specific to develop important “thinking” You once said, “There is high memories of your school days? skills such as critical, integrative, demand for talent, but people I have the most wonderful or global thinking; “doing” skills, do not want to come (to study). memories of school — of always which focus on the capabilities and And those who come are not being challenged to do more, think techniques that underlie the practice willing to be engaged in academic differently, play harder, and go of management, such as selling, activities; they just come for the extra mile. I learned to think giving critical feedback and acting better placements. We realised, critically, communicate clearly, be innovatively; and “being” skills — B-schools were attracting the imaginative and take responsibility. the values, attitudes and beliefs (the wrong people who were not It was in school that I developed commitments and purposes that adding value to employers.” In a love for sports, which continues constitute one’s character, world your opinion, has this situation to this day, but more importantly, view and professional identity), changed since 2010-11? I learned lessons in leadership, which enable managers to inspire Thankfully, the situation is changing. teamwork and sportsmanship. and influence others and act Business schools are flexible and To help improve my poor ethically. In describing my work, I adaptive institutions, capable of handwriting, my assignment often say that, in a way, the book responding boldly and thoughtfully one summer was to write out The cautions educators not to commit to the challenges before them. They Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and three of Mahatma Gandhi’s seven have done so in the past, and I am Twenty Thousand Leagues Under deadly sins — science without optimistic they will do so again. the Sea. The assignment helped humanity, commerce without For example, over the last couple not only my handwriting but morality, and knowledge without of years, I have been engaged in an also my written-communication character. I remember spending experiment to teach design thinking skills, which, as science students many weeks during my final year in and innovative problem-solving. in those days, we tended to think school studying Gandhiji’s life as I I believe that by using the right were less important. I now know prepared to deliver a tribute at the pedagogies to engage students, it is that nothing could be further from school assembly on the occasion possible to teach students techniques the truth! of his birth centenary in October that help them to think more 1969. Here I am, many years later, creatively and manage innovation – Udita Jhunjhunwala returning to what I learned then. more effectively. (ICSE ’84)

2013 TheX-Cathedralite 9 IN CONVERSATION Exchanging NOTES Ranjit Barot (ICSE ’74) and Ashutosh Phatak (ISC ’89), two accomplished professional musicians, trace their desire to get serious about music back to their Cathedral school days

ndustrious and energised, each of them today demonstrates Itrue musical mastery as they create and perform their own music whilst producing music for others, thus keeping a scene of talented musicians, singers and songwriters flourishing around them. While Ranjit the drummer tours with legendary guitarist John McLaughlin’s band ‘The 4th Dimension’, Ranjit the music producer and sound designer is about to embark on an Australia tour of A. R. Rahman’s repertoire, performed live, revamped and rearranged with new parts written in by him. Ashutosh, as a singer-songwriter- pianist, likes to explore diverse music styles and plays with “a few bands”. He is a partner in Blue Frog, a dance club and performance venue, now in Mumbai and Delhi. Photographs by: SundeepPhotographs by: Bhatia ’ 85) (ICSE His latest venture is the True School From left to right: Ashutosh Phatak and Ranjit Barot of Music, a comprehensive academy of contemporary music, where he and that was really funny because Ranjit: I’ll tell you a story. We put hopes Ranjit will conduct classes, that was the only time you got to together bands to play, but that was and where Ranjit promises to come hear real bands. at different events. At the social, and learn. they got professional bands. I Ashutosh: Did you have bands at remember I was in Std. 9 and there What are your memories of your school socials? was this girl I really, really, really musical influences from your liked and I wanted to ask her out school days? Ranjit: Yeah, we had killers... and I mustered up the courage... Ranjit: We had a music teacher. It turned out she liked me too and Everything leaned towards the Ashutosh: In the social? Because I we ended up... And guess who was hymns in the morning. There was remember playing at our school social playing at the social? The first avatar no music programme. It was at the and we were one of the first bands of of the band I joined — ‘People’. periphery of things. What it did was our generation... we actually formed These were the bad boys — guys kind of spark your interest a little a band out of all our people — me, with hair down till here, smoking on bit. And then we had school socials Shabbir Hussain (ICSE ’88) — and the side. I had eyes only for them. I where you got to ask out the girl in played at the school social. I did not ignored this girl the whole evening. the class whom you really lusted for... know it would also happen before that. I was just like “I wanted to be that”.

10 The X-Cathedralite 2013 We did start playing in school, and I of Music and afternoons to I could make a career out of this don’t know about your case, but in my recordings. I’ve done eight was a massive high. That was when my case, it became very passionate commercials in the last one week; I shifted focus from being in a and strong. then, back to finish off school business to doing music. The next work. Usually, it was squash in the high would be when I did my first Ashutosh: I had a band. We were evenings every day. I used to perform feature film (Bombay Boys) — that the first all-Cathedral ‘kind of’ a lot, so there was a lot of rehearsal was a high at that stage. Setting up band. No, we had one guy from the time with various bands. A variety Blue Frog was next. For me, setting outside because we could not find of ideas with different bands took up the place was in consonance a bass player from Cathedral. We up a great amount of energy, which with my music path. Similarly, the played at the social. We had a stupid is why, like Ranjit said, preparation school is in consonance with me as a name called ‘The Generics’ because is as important as the performance. composer. The launch of the school we couldn’t think of a name. The It’s madness right now, but it’s all was my next career high. first song we played was ‘Sultans of positive. I’m excited to go from one Swing’. And obviously ‘Roadhouse space to another in the same day. Blues’ was a big thing with the kids at that point of time. That was our Tell us about one career high. first experience. That’s the thing that Ranjit: It’s funny. You have to instigated me to become a musician understand that, a lot of times, because that’s the age when I decided career highs are not tied in with that music was going to be a part of high-profile stuff. It can be a very my life. I always wanted to compose simple thing, but it made you feel... music, and through that thing, I I think the first time I recorded with figured it out. I think school was very John McLaughlin was something important at that stage because for else. He was this hero, and suddenly me it kick-started it. I’m in a studio (with him). It was part terror. During the first couple Talk us through a cycle at work? of times I played with him, I was so Ranjit: It varies, of course. There are deep in the zone I don’t remember so many musical projects I am part what I played till I got the rough of. There’s A. R. Rahman. Then there CD. I have to say that would be my What’s your relationship with is my life with John McLaughlin, career high. Cathedral today? which is maybe a tour or two a year, Ranjit: School has changed a lot. I’m but I’ve got to keep in touch with Ashutosh: The time I did my first sure it’s still a great institution, but that material. He keeps sending jingle, earned `6,000 and learned there was a spirit when I was there. me new stuff we’re working on. It’ll Or maybe I am just being nostalgic. be some film work or meetings. But I have some friends who are Hooking up work for the next week. ex-Cathedralites and we still keep But definitely I have to practise every in touch. day. I am now in a musical situation that is so demanding, and I could be Ashutosh: I’m still friends with called anytime to perform at a very all my school friends. My last high level. You have to create your connection to Cathedral was when own academy. You have to be doing I sang the school song in a rock and making time to better yourself version. Mrs. Isaacs asked me to do it on each aspect of your musical for an alumni event. We’re planning involvement. a school-based curriculum with Cathedral for music. We’ve already Ashutosh: My life right now is started with after-school activities. absolutely insane. I’ve never been so busy before. My mornings – Aliya Curmally are dedicated to the True School (ISC ’98)

2013 The X-Cathedralite 11

Nostalgia Animal INSTINCTS Randy J. Boudrieau (Std. 8, ’63), Professor of Surgery and Section Head, Small Animal Surgery at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, says learning science at Cathedral set off his interest in medicine

What was Cathedral school like The physics background, especially when you attended and what mechanics, led me quite naturally to are your fondest memories? orthopaedics. It was all-boys and extremely British I especially enjoyed the academic and very strict/regimented. Vice- environment that I was exposed to Principal Pharaoh was the dispenser during my residency, which seemed of discipline — to be avoided at all tailor-made to my personality. costs! I especially remember one ‘visit’ after ringing the school bell What do you think Cathedral to signal the premature end to the school can do to give lunch hour! Ouch! I very fondly their students a better remember all the competitive efforts understanding of veterinary renovations and additions and, of between the Houses, although medicine and an academic course, the computer lab, which is air- my wife equated Savage House to career pathway? conditioned! I was curious about the my being a ‘Slytherin’, an obvious Veterinary medicine tends to be basketball hoop in the main central interpretation from her Harry Potter misunderstood; I have met many courtyard instead of the lunchtime readings. The friendships I made human doctors who are surprised cricket by the upper classmen — have persisted — I am still in contact that we perform all of the same sacrilegious! Another big difference with my best friend, Rajan, who now diagnostics and techniques. I think is the presence of girls as opposed lives in the U.K. inviting visiting professionals can to the all-boys school I experienced. The science classes stood out, introduce students to this area — I also did not encounter any British captivating my fertile young these professionals can explain what teachers (most of the teachers when imagination. they do and inform students of the I attended were British); I noted an diverse career possibilities, which is absence (it appeared) of English, Can you share with us how imperative for a good understanding American and Australian students your career evolved? of the profession. One programme we and a dearth of individuals with a I returned to the United States have developed is called ‘Adventures strong British accent — enough so when I was 12 and was immediately in Veterinary Medicine’, which admits that when I returned to the U.S. after placed two grades ahead. This students from secondary schools Cathedral, I had acquired a rather newly acquired age difference was and universities for a period of a few strong British accent myself. This challenging physically and socially, weeks. They spend time shadowing really was not a surprise; after all, it especially as I was just becoming the various specialty rotations obviously reflected the changes in interested in girls! I was also totally (surgery, emergencys and critical care, India since I had been there almost unfamiliar with American sports, among others) and experience the 50 years previously. I must admit which took some time to learn and day-to-day goings-on of a university to reminiscing about the great adapt to. These new challenges specialty practice. Some of these environment and education I resulted in some introspection with a individuals have returned later to received — all very pleasant newfound appreciation, tolerance and enrol as our students. reminders of the positive atmosphere sensitivity to people from different I had experienced so many years ago. backgrounds. My science interests Can you share with us your led me to pursue a physics degree at impressions when you went – Mehul C. Mehta, MD university, which is when I became back to school after all these (ISC ’75) interested in medicine, and combined years in 2012? Mehul is VP Partners Healthcare with my love of animals, veterinary Overall, the physical structure has International; Instructor in medicine became the natural choice. not changed much, other than some Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School

2013 The X-Cathedralite 13 Nostalgia A Girl I KNEW Malvika Singh, née Thapar (1960, Savage), reminisces about school, making gooseberry jam and eating sticky chikki

he Devils' March being played cities, disconnected for long my ‘acting lessons’ on the weekend on the piano in the ground- periods of time. Vivid memories because I did finally end up going Tfloor hall resounds in my remain etched forever of Mr. Velu to Drama School and graduated as a mind with crystal-clear clarity 55 and my inability to sing in tune; Director, after having been expelled years down the road. I can see the Principal Cabral; Mrs. Oliver and her from my first year at Miranda House glamorous Mrs. Downey gliding wonderful gooseberry jam that we because I was ‘impatient’ and bored down the first-floor corridor in her learned to make under her eagle-eye with the dull and monotonous Burmese gear, and the flamboyant supervision; Mrs. Navalkar; Mrs. style of ‘teaching’. From a liberated Lady Temple, heavily made up, Ezekiel and her daughter Fleur; and freewheeling Mumbai (then reclining on her chaise lounge in Shamji, who sold tuck and delicious Bombay), the shift to a then the Art Room. My happiest times conservative Delhi was tough. It were spent with her and the boys was a difficult transition for me, but from Bastion Road in the Art Room. soon Delhi became home and we did These were the women I wanted as we pleased, broke the norms and to imitate and emulate. They were fought conservativeness in small strong personalities, outspoken, and ways. Years later, professional work hugely attractive. I was also in awe brought me to the city each month, of a group of senior girls and longed and I felt as though I had never left. to be one of them — confident and Everything was familiar, except that bossy — like Head Girl Jyotsna Bombelli’s had gone! Jaitly, who taught us to walk up the At a dinner in Delhi scores of stairs on the right side and come years later, I was chatting with a lady down along the left! In a strange older than me, who stopped me in way, the sharpest and most enduring my tracks and asked whether I was images of ‘school’ are from my early Mala Thapar. Surprised, I replied I days in Cathedral, even though I was. She said she ‘recognised’ me left in 1961 when our family moved because I had not changed a bit since to New Delhi. the time I was at Cathedral and that The impact of those early years I was as irreverent as I was then. lives on. I long for a copy of the It was Jean Cabral! Jyotsna Jaitly, hymn book. I still remember the who had terrified me in her heyday, words of ‘Immortal Invisible God sticky chikkis; the maypole and worked with me when I was editing only wise’. Recently, in a fit of netball courts; and Trevor Newnes, India magazine, and we connected nostalgia, lying in bed with two the sexy school sprinter who even again — this time with me as the broken legs, I asked Cyrus Gazdar to then made my heart skip a beat. ‘head’ girl! And then, last year, in send me the school badge, a rather Going through files some months a room full of people drinking and ridiculous request. I remember ago, I came across all my report chatting, a woman turned to my Cyrus as a skinny teenager in shorts, cards from school that my mother husband, not knowing who he was, playing the piano in his flat in had filed for posterity. How correct and asked, “Is that woman Mala Colaba. He remains a close friend the analysis of my personality Thapar? She sounds and speaks despite the test of time. Pheroza was — that I was impatient and like a girl I knew in Cathedral by Godrej and I were inseparable. naughty, which I define today as that name.” When I meet her now, it feels as impatient and irreverent. How right though we never lived in different they were when they encouraged – Malvika Singh

14 The X-Cathedralite 2013 2013 The X-Cathedralite 15 Special Feature Getting with the PROGRAMME When Cathedral, with its 153-year-old legacy, embraces something new, everyone watches closely. Find out what the excitement is about with the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme and how different tomorrow’s Cathedral education might be from your own

ith the announcement that 2015 will see the Wfirst batch of students being offered the IB, the whispers in the corridors have turned into animated discussions. Will there be a new building? What about the teaching? How expensive will it be? What does this really mean for the entire school? And does it signal the beginning of a deeper shift in educational philosophy? Mrs. Meera Isaacs, Principal, elucidates: “In an era of globalisation, Cathedral must have the IB as Archives School Photograph courtesy Cathedral an option.” The International together is not something new for Viral Doshi (ISC ’75) Education Baccalaureate, a Geneva-based the school. An Undefiled Heritage, the Consultant and co-author of the foundation, offers a set of four definitive history book on Cathedral, book, says, “It’s a 360-degree turn education programmes to schools describes various transition periods for the school, which started with across the world: The Primary Years when boards were changed and the Senior Cambridge, switched to Programme for students aged 3 to “space was cleverly reapportioned the Indian HSC and then ISC, and is 12, The Middle Years Programme and extensions added”. The early now going back to offering students for students aged 11 to 16, The IB years of Cathedral were possibly an international option after 45 Diploma Programme for students influenced by the famous Macaulay years. With due credit to the Board aged 16 to 19, and a Career-related minutes of 1835, with stated and principals over the decades, certificate. Mrs. Isaacs adds, “At the educational objectives of creating we have had outstanding results in moment, it is just the IB Diploma ‘a class of persons, Indian in blood all boards.” Programme that we are introducing as and colour, but English in taste, in an option for Std. 11 and 12. We will opinions, in morals, and in intellect’. How and What continue to have three sections, with The late 1950s, however, saw the Cathedralites today continue to have students in separate classes for the IB local HSC gaining tremendous outstanding results and are likely to and ISC. It will be housed in the Senior popularity, and the enthusiasm for be drawn to the IB, which aims “to School, as we haven’t been able to find a more Indian curriculum continued develop challenging programmes of the space for a building yet.” until the ISC replaced the Senior international education and rigorous Cambridge altogether, a few years assessment”. While both are known Back to the Future after a 1960 ruling that Indian- to be challenging, well-respected Introducing new boards and nationality children must pass an exams, the IB was designed for the temporarily housing different classes Indian-language exam. internationally mobile children of

16 The X-Cathedralite 2013 European diplomats in 1968, whereas the wide range and flexibility of “It is fabulous that Cathedral is the ISC was designed for Indians subject choices, adding, “A child with offering the IB. It seems dynamic and in post-colonial India to take the learning difficulties as well as a gifted wholesome — what education should Cambridge test. The difference in the and talented child can benefit from be like today. It is imperative to original target audience continues to the IB. A student who doesn’t get the evolve with the times, and things are colour the programmes today, and required points for a diploma can still rapidly changing at Cathedral.” the IB is known for creating students earn a certificate, where their marks The general consensus is that with a more global outlook while are not made public.” the IB is better suited to students offering local subjects such as Hindi. choosing to study abroad after The IB focusses on the how of Cathedral Today school. Mr. Doshi views the ICSE learning rather than the what, quite Cathedral’s measured approach to followed by the IB Diploma as a unlike the system most alumni introducing the IB is being widely “superb combination of international grew up on. The official website appreciated, with an overwhelmingly and Indian” and speaks of the speaks of nurturing students “to positive parental reaction. Two words importance of a strong foundation, become active, compassionate and come up frequently — change, and particularly in the sciences and lifelong learners”, an aspiration choice. Anahita Uberoi (ISC ’86), mathematics. He also notes that that resonates with Mrs. Isaacs’ whose daughter is in the first batch offering the IB option would help the views. She says that the IB “inspires of potential IB students, says, “It’s school retain students who might otherwise have left in Std. 11 for curiosity and lifelong learning and wonderful that there is a choice another IB school. encourages the student to form his between the ISC and IB now. Globally, Mukeeta Jhaveri, née Kataria (ISC or her own opinion based on a wide education is changing, and Cathedral ‘83), a parent whose children chose sweep of information. The student is an institution that likes to keep up to stay in the Cathedral ISC system, must analyse data, muster their with world trends.” When discussing says, “For me, the institution is more arguments and make sense in their parents who view the IB as the important than a curriculum. What own original writing. The IB is more ‘easier’ option, Ms. Uberoi points out, Cathedral offers is a values-based research-oriented and encourages “The ‘much easier’ tag is not relevant. legacy with lots of opportunities creative thinking, particularly with It’s a different approach. In our days, to shine both in school and in a requirements such as the Extended we knew it was easier to ‘score’ in global world.” Essay and the Theory of Knowledge the HSC but we still chose the ISC (TOK). It also offers freedom to the because it was a better education. Challenges student in comparison with the more Today, the ISC is still a good exam, One of the challenges that confronts structured ISC”. and while I may prefer the more the IB is that it is inevitably more Some critics suggest that the project- and research-based style for expensive than local board exams. IB style could promote breadth my child, there might be other kids “Yes, fees for the IB option will be over depth and that children may who are better suited to another higher than for the ISC,” Mrs. Isaacs be confused by subjects such as method.” Others too seem to be says. “It is expensive to train the TOK, exploring their way through happy with the ISC, particularly now teachers. To start with, the same papers and classes without a solid that it offers a more flexible mix of teachers will teach both the IB and foundation. Supporters of the IB subject choices, as opposed to strictly ISC, and there will be some juggling system, however, say that rote Arts, Science or Commerce streams. as they integrate.” memorisation and regurgitating Mrs. Isaacs says that although the For the over 90 schools in India prepared answers is an ineffective IB will only be officially introduced offering the IB Diploma Programme method of learning, particularly in in Std. 11 and 12, she is hoping today, Mr. Doshi notes, “The biggest an era where independent thinking that “some of the attitudes will challenge is teachers and training.” He is valued. Educationist Meena Bhat, percolate down, with cross-curricular is quite certain, however, that after née Lele (SC ’56), points out, “In the pollination”. The sentiment is echoed an initial teething period, this will not IB system, if you lift any material among parents, some of whom be a problem for Cathedral, adding, verbatim, you are penalised. The already notice the inclusion of a “Mrs. Isaacs is a visionary who is very writing is a free expression of the more ‘IB style’ of teaching in the aware of proper teacher training.” child’s mind… it is active learning.” early years. On the topic of students adjusting Noting the child-friendly nature Suchita Damani, a Cathedral from an ICSE style of learning to of the programme, she highlights parent who is also a teacher, says, Text continued on page 51

2013 The X-Cathedralite 17

Out of the Box Clowning AROUND Gulshirin Dubash (ISC ’93) travels the world to bring a bit of comic relief where it’s needed the most

’m a qualified clown!” where she did theatrical clowning lives had been dulled by what they exclaims Gulshirin Dubash as part of her Master’s in Physical had been put through. They reacted “Iwith a hearty laugh that I Theatre. “CWB recruits from this to our show with such childlike, hear often during our nearly hour- school,” she says. “I wanted to use genuine laughter; that was touching.” long conversation. “Not a party CWB to go to disenfranchised areas The toughest show was the one they clown, mind you, but a theatrical and asked if I could put together a did in the Andaman Islands, a year clown. I can juggle, hit myself and group.” Not everyone can clown with after the tsunami. “Villages were still fall without getting hurt.” This CWB, though. “You need a certain submerged and people were living certainly comes in handy when skill level, cultural sensitivity and the in makeshift shelters; they were in Dubash, a teacher at the Interlochen ability to put together a good show. shock and devastated. It was difficult Center for the Arts, Michigan, dons It’s also a big commitment of time to get them to open up and laugh,” her costume and red nose to travel and money.” she says. While the Putting on a show is not easy. volunteers bring “It takes two days to get the show joy to the people together, but coordinating with they visit, how the NGOs for permissions etc. can difficult is it for take three or four months.” Dubash them to deal with speaks fondly of the shows CWB the devastation did with Mumbai Mobile Crèches and despair they (ex-Cathedralite Devika Mahadevan’s come across? venture). “We’d do two or three shows “It’s very hard,” a day; one would be in South Mumbai, Dubash admits. then we’d pack up and rush to “And harder Bhandup for the next. It was tiring but to leave them. satisfying. Often, the kids haven’t had a chance to see much or to the world with Clowns Without When you first laugh. When we perform, Borders (CWB), bringing laughter go, you’re hit by they are in hysterics. where it’s hard to find. their conditions. Sometimes, months after “I’ve always been keen on social Then you do the the show, I get a package service (in school, with our teacher show and the of drawings from the Mrs. Krishnamurthy’s help, a few people there are children with scenes from of us restarted a church programme brought to life; our show. They remember Gulshirin Dubash (centre) spreads good cheer to feed the needy), and I come from there’s a different everything!” a family that has a great interest spark in them. They’re going crazy Dubash says her aim is to start in the arts,” she explains. “I was clapping and laughing; you see CWB in India, “but it requires me exposed to Charlie Chaplin and the humanity, you create a bond... then to be here a lot more than I am. We Marx Brothers early on.” At the you have to say goodbye.” need people who are relatively stable age of seven, Dubash used to write She says her most heartbreaking in their careers and can carve out a plays and make everyone in her experience was their show for sex dedicated chunk of time for CWB.” building participate. After doing her workers at Kamathipura, the red- Anyone interested? undergraduate degree in theatre and light district in Mumbai. “Many anthropology, she studied at the of them were children when they – Anaita Vazifdar–Davar Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre, were first brought there and their (ICSE ’96)

2013 The X-Cathedralite 19 Teacher Updates From the STAFF ROOM

Radhika Shums at Fazlani School when it opened and online teaching tools for ILFS. in 2007. What she likes most about One of her biggest achievements Cathedral is the respect she got is learning to swim at age 66, last from students. “No matter how year. Earlier this year, ‘Madame’ much we scolded them, they still took part in the Mumbai Marathon had regard for us,” she says. She Senior Citizens’ Run. In April, she used to tell her students that if even did a 10-day mallakhamb stint, doing one of them learnt from her and a rope-mallakhamb demo on the last went on to do something for the day at Shivaji Park. She has also done country, she’d be happy. a two-semester advanced course to Radhika Shums’ acquaintance with refresh Japanese, which she learnt Cathedral has been two-fold — one Theresa Hodges 35 years ago. She has been teaching as a student (she was class monitor Before joining Cathedral, Ms. underprivileged blind children at an in Std. 10, something her classmates Hodges, now 77 years old, lived NGO, occasionally reviewing dance won’t let her forget when they now for three years in Spain, where performances for Pulse magazine see her at parent-teacher meets) she taught English. She loved the (London), composing Tamil lyrics and then as a teacher from 1991 country and the fact that school was in Carnatic ragas (she was asked to from 1999. Students remember a short walk from where she was sing some in a 14th-century Chennai the care and dedication with which staying. “If I got the chance to go temple last year) and writing poetry. she taught. She stopped teaching again, I’d be off like a shot,” she says She is also part of ‘Writers’ Bug’, full-time when her daughter Sara from her Bandra residence. Unable which meets regularly to discuss (now in Std. 9) was born, but to renew her visa, she returned to books and write. Madame now says she would love to go back India and took up a job in 1973 as a enjoys her two granddaughters, part-time. “There has to be joy in teacher’s aide at Junior School. She playing the veena, Gond painting teaching and learning,” she says. says her students were lovely and she and doing cross-stitch embroidery, “The mind has to be constantly particularly remembers a Parsi boy her daily walks, yoga, and reading active when you’re teaching.” She’s who was out walking with his sister anytime, anywhere! She would be been pretty active all these years — one day when he spotted her across happy to have former students get teaching Hindi to a foreign couple the road and shouted her name to in touch with her at ramaaraghu@ posted here on assignment and a draw her attention. “Everybody yahoo.com or +91-97574 43491. Parsi girl relocating from Canada stopped to look,” she says. “I was to India, conducting a class on thrilled. He then held up his sister’s Neeta Kumar effective communication for a CA hand and told me she would soon be Mrs. Kumar firm, doing ads for a shoe company my student.” started teaching and working as co-translator of English and a book for the visually impaired, Ramaa Raghunathan Social Studies released as a three-part audio We know her at Cathedral in cassette. She can often be seen at as our fun 1990 after having the Bombay Gymkhana with her French teacher, worked at the daughter, swimming or playing TT. but Ramaa Bank of America for several years. Raghunathan She says the change was wonderful Saroj Chatterjee also taught because, while she always loved Mrs. Chatterjee joined Cathedral Mathematics children, Cathedral also developed in 1989 and left in 2006 when to Std. 12. She her love for teaching. “It was a she reached retirement age. She taught in Cathedral from 1985 to learning experience for me; it was joined Podar School for a year 1996. From 2000 to 2002, she was in a journey that got me to become an and left to teach Hindi full-time charge of producing educational CDs educator,” she says. So impressed was

20 The X-Cathedralite 2013 she by Cathedral’s level of teaching consultant at Greenlawns School, that she had her daughters (now 31 Worli. In her free time, she plays FROM THE STAFF ROOM and 30 years old) transfer from their golf and enjoys painting. She can be school to Cathedral. Mrs. Kumar contacted at neetakumar@hotmail. retired in 2011 and now works com or +91–98201 09385. n December 2012, we bade with Usha Pandit, who brought out farewell to Mrs. Shroff, the the ‘Empowering English’ series of – Anaita Vazifdar–Davar IHeadmistress of the Infant books for school children, and as a (ICSE ’96) School for 29 loyal years as teacher and then Headmistress. She epitomised strength of character, unwavering principles, discipline, organisational skills and deep caring in admirable measure. Many generations of children will bless her for her benign and reassuring presence in the lovely little School, which still has the luxury of birdsong to accompany classroom teaching. We thank her for her long years of dedicated and loyal service to the School, her wards and her colleagues and wish her a lifetime of blessings. In MEMORIAM We are fortunate to have the experienced and farsighted taking Mrs. Madhubala Navalkar battle with cancer. She was 54. She Mrs. Sharmila Lele the baton from Mrs. Shroff to Mrs. Madhubala Navalkar, née is survived by her husband, Gautam, continue to make the Infant Kothare, Cathedral School teacher and her two children, Bhavna School an exuberant learning and ex-student, passed away and Akshay. experience for our five- and six- peacefully on August 16, 2013, Mrs. Chainani taught year-olds. On behalf of the School, at a graceful 89 years of age. Mrs. mathematics first at Senior School I extend my congratulations to Navalkar completed her Senior and then at Middle School for 20 Mrs. Lele and assure her of our Cambridge from Cathedral in 1941 years until her illness in 2012. Says a support and goodwill at all times. and taught at Cathedral for 30 years former student, “Mrs. Chainani was Mrs. Tasneem Hoosein, the until she retired in 1982. special, not just because she was one soft-spoken art teacher of the Her subject was Marathi, and she of the best teachers we had but also Junior School, retired after 16 was also a class teacher in Junior because she loved each one of her years. Her creativity and grace, as School. She will be remembered students, knew just how to deal with well as her welcoming smile, will fondly as Blue House mistress and us monstrous teenagers, and, most be missed. for so many Marathi poems that she importantly, knew how to recognise Mrs. Jennifer Fernandes, the lovingly encouraged generations of and bring out the best in each one Admissions Secretary, is retiring Cathedralites to appreciate. Those of us.” after 34½ years of dedicated and verses and sentiments will always A devoted Radha Soami, Mrs. loyal service to this institution. remain with us, Mrs. Navalkar. Chainani was a very spiritual person. She will be missed for her sincerity Her spirit and her smile never let and integrity of service. Mrs. Shobha Chainani down despite the suffering she faced (Excerpted from the Principal, Mrs. Shobha Chainani, Middle in the end. Mrs. M. Isaacs’ address on School teacher, passed away on – Shonar Lala Chinoy Speech Day, 2013) December 1, 2012, after a traumatic (ISC ’90)

2013 The X-Cathedralite 21 EVENTS

A Hit by All Means

he 17th Annual Golf Tournament, held on December 8, 2012, saw 34 participants in action. T The results were as follows: Akshay Kilachand Salver for Best Gross: Winner: Aditya Malkani Runner-up: Pheroze Dubash Rohit Poddar Salver for Best Nett Score Medal: Winner: Arjun Dhavan Runner-up: Mayank Ruia Anil Goyal Cup Best Gross Stableford: Winner: Jamsheed Mehta Runner-up: Riaz Batliwala Meher Amersey Cup for Best Nett Stableford: Winner: Neville Mehta Runner-up: Tarun Kataria Best House: Barham The Alumni Association would like to thank all the Maximum Pars: Rahul Bhatt – 7 pars participants and looks forward to their involvement Maximum Birdies: Arjun Dhavan – 2 birdies in the next tournament. A special thank you to Oldest Alumnus Present: Dr. Bhatnagar (Class of ’57) Akshay Kilachand for organising the event.

School Team Beats Old Boys in Cricket he Old Boys versus School Team annual cricket match was played at the Hindu Gym Ton November 9, 2012. The former won the toss and chose to bat first. A shaky start left them at 12 for 3, with Vinay, Chirag and Mohak back in the hut. A well-compiled 46 by Navroz, with able support from Vipul (11), Karan (24), Aditya (18) and Ayush (21), restored respectability to the score, and a swashbuckling effort by Mangaram (19) and Anuj (32) ensured the Old Boys ended with a decent total of 207 all out in the allotted 25 overs. For the School Team, Surya and Rahil were the pick of the bowlers. Chasing 208 for a win, the School Team got off to a steady start, with Harsh (24) and Surya (20) laying a good platform up front. Anay (11) and Punit (17) consolidated in the middle order. However, despite the match was nevertheless an opportunity for them to picking only four wickets, it seemed the Old Boys catch up with old pals and current cricket enthusiasts, were still the favourites to win, as the asking rate kept which made the occasion memorable as always. creeping up and the School Team still needed another 100 runs in the remaining 10 overs. But an amazing knock by Mody (72 not out), ably supported by Aryan Congratulations to the School Team and better luck to (24 not out), saw the School Team secure a win on the the Old Boys in the next match! A special thank you to last ball of the match. Although the Old Boys were left Vinay Agarwal for efficiently organising the match and reflecting over a dozen beers on what had gone wrong, making all the arrangements.

22 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Domingo with the Flamingoes

n April 14, 2013, about 80 As the wind picked up and the tide intrepid Cathedral alumni drew back, the excitement in the air drove out of their SoBo became palpable and Cathedralites O lined up at the spotting scopes comfort zones to spend an afternoon with the famously pink greater and provided by Sanctuary Asia to scour lesser flamingoes, which migrate to the horizon for a glimpse of the first the Sewri mudflats every year. flamingo. An hour or so later, the It was a still, scorching hot first enviously thin-legged flamingo day, and the alumni crowd and its was sighted amidst great cheers from fledglings — the next generation the birds of a feather flocking on the of nature enthusiasts — started other side. Soon, the mudflats were turning as rosy as the flamingoes and thick with flamingoes and several wondered if forgoing their precious other species of birds. Sunday humdrum cricket matches – Shonar Lala Chinoy and leisurely snoozy naps was indeed (ISC ’90) the right decision. Luckily, Bittu Sahgal and his team of naturalists from Sanctuary Asia kept the children and adults entertained with facts and figures about the flamingoes. (Did you know that flamingoes get their coral hues from the beta carotene present in the blue-green algae they eat? Or that their habitat is threatened by the proposed Sewri - Nhava Sheva sea link, which would pass right through the Sewri mudflats?)

Photographs courtesy Sunaina Advani Murthy (ISC '92) and Sanctuary Asia This thrilling event was just another feather in the cap for Miel Sahgal (Class of ’89) and Sanctuary Asia magazine — thank you for humbling and inspiring Cathedral alumni by exposing us to a glimpse of wildlife in the heart of Mumbai.

2013 The X-Cathedralite 23

EVENTS

Wining and Dining at Vinoteca

he Alumni Association held a casual ‘mixer’ at Vinoteca by TSula in Mumbai in January 2013. The outdoor patio of the wine and tapas bar, which was cordoned off for X-Cathedralites, saw a happy mix of all generations. Thanks to Rajeev Samant (ISC ’85), the guests were offered a delightful range of complimentary tapas. Wine tastings were carried out at the bar, while others mingled. Once more, it was the class of ’84 that was the most enthusiastic in their turnout!

2013 The X-Cathedralite 25 EVENTS

Annual Summer Fun at Manori Read on to find out what our Cathedral students have to narrate about the time they had at our 12th Annual Summer School

We went to the Manori Summer School this year. It The Cathedral Summer School at Manoribel was a great was a wonderful and extremely enjoyable experience to time for me. Filled with a variety of activities, ranging stay by the seaside, in the lap of nature. from beach games to robotics, the camp was the best way It was a lot of fun spending time with the wonderful to spend the first week of my summer vacation. local children of Manori village and getting a glimpse Waking up every day at 7 a.m. and then going to the of the villagers’ day-to-day lives and lifestyles. Walking beach to play sports such as football was a refreshing start through the streets of Manori and visiting the local for a tiring day. We would have two activities of 2-3 hours houses and farms was nice too. We also got the with a break for lunch. In between the activities, we would wonderful opportunity to see the village churches and be served refreshments such as nimbu pani and cookies. temples, as well as the gobar-gas project. The variety of activities was incredible. I never liked to The other activities held at Manoribel resort, too, dance or do art, but I now seem to like them. The Summer were interesting and creative. Our personal favourite School was a great opportunity for us. We met the children was the robotics session, in which we got to construct of Manori village and did activities with them. We also and programme two robots. The other good activities played cricket, table tennis and other games. We even got included survival skills, art, craft, dance, astronomy, a chance to interact with our juniors and seniors. pottery, and loads more. The food too was excellent and so were the rooms. I The food served to us was lip-smacking, and we will would like to thank the organisers, teachers and the staff always remember the nimbu pani. The hotel staff was of Manoribel resort for putting together such a wonderful exceedingly courteous and attended to all our needs most camp for us. willingly. The teachers took great care of us, and we knew – Ananay Gupta, Std. 6B right from the beginning that we were in safe hands. We only wished we could contact our parents, though, even if it was just once or twice. As we were just a few steps away from the beach, I had a lot of fun at the Manori Summer School. we would go there twice every day. The games were I enjoyed all the activities and I liked the Little terrific. It was unexpected, but we had an amazing Entrepreneurs activity the most. I met many people and time living without electronic gadgets for an entire made a lot of new friends. I like the children of Manori week! All in all, the Summer School is an experience and enjoyed watching the dance they put up on the last that every Cathedralite should have, at least once if not day of the Summer School. The Summer School was a twice! We will surely go there again next year if we get new experience for me, and it was fun to be independent the opportunity. for seven days. I really enjoyed it, and I am looking — Arshia Agarwal, Samiksha Hiranandani and forward to the next camp. Saumya Arya, Std. 7D and 7C – Kritanya Mahajan, Std. 7A

26 The X-Cathedralite 2013 The Summer School at Manori has always been the highlight of my holidays. Every year, I wait for the first Monday of our summer vacation, when we leave for the camp at 7 a.m. by bus. The bus ride is a long one, but in the end, the journey is worth it. The camp lasts for eight days and is filled with loads of activities such as beach games, robotics, rocket making, survival skills, theatre and much more. In robotics, we make robots, programme them and run them in a race or on a track. In rocket making, we make rockets, put engines in them and launch them. In survival skills, we do rappelling and valley crossing, among other adventurous activities. We also visit the Manori village, observe the lifestyle of the people living there, and make friends with the local children, who enjoy the camp activities with us. My favourite things at the camp are playing games on the beach and sipping fresh, cold nimbu pani later. Another treat is the time when we get to go to the general store (which is called the ‘Poison Store’ by Ms. Vakil). The camp is fun and relaxing. I still remember lying on the hammock and staring at the starry sky. I picture the beach with all of us running around during the sandcastle-making competition. I also recollect playing football during beach games, as well as cricket during the break we get between two sessions. I wish I can continue attending the camp even after I leave school. The camp is a lot of fun, and I get to learn a lot. – Raghav Singh, Std. 8A

The middle-school teacher handed out forms to the the ‘Little Entrepreneurs’ workshops. Every activity was class for the annual Summer School at Manoribel. It exciting. We also witnessed a local wedding. We went to would be my first long camp. I was going to be without the gobar-gas plant, which was obviously stinking. There my parents for eight days. I was extremely excited and was cow dung accumulated in a pit — the dung was was hoping that my parents wouldn’t spoil my dream. fermented and was saved for forming gas out of it. At I was graduating from Junior School to Middle School, this point, I remembered my mom a lot, because she is which gave me a sense of wanting to be far more very intolerant of smells! responsible and to show that I could do things on my My favourite activities were theatre and ‘Little own without my mom monitoring me. Entrepreneurs’. In these, my creativity came out in I am blessed with the greatest parents in the world; full force. I was to direct a skit, my very first, all on my after a brief discussion with them, they gave me the own. I named it ‘The Keeper of the Moonstone’, and it green signal and my Summer School form was signed. was a hit! Over the weekend, I shopped well in advance for a few Most of all, the teachers were very caring and made things that I would need at the camp. sure that we were comfortable. We were provided From then on, I have been going to all the Cathedral with a large variety of food, both vegetarian and non- Summer Schools for the last four years. vegetarian. The food was scrumptious, and I’m sure I was on the bus and I ran to catch the last seat. I everyone enjoyed it. The rooms at Manoribel were large, enjoyed the bumps as the bus drove on bumpy roads. and the hygiene was excellent. The maids and the helpers Finally, we reached our destination — we were at were extremely kind and always did things for us with a Manoribel. Summer camps are held at the end of April, smile, no matter how dirty our rooms were. around the time I celebrate my birthday. So, this was the On the last day, we had the Manoribel cultural play. first birthday I would be celebrating without my parents Interestingly, I noticed that even though I have been and only with my friends. After we settled into our coming to the Summer School for four years, the village rooms, I ran out to explore. children always stage the play and bring out various Manoribel is a small fishing village — the stench of aspects of life. fish was very apparent. I was thrilled when I learned Towards the end of the Summer School, I valued my from my teacher that we would be going to the fishing teachers, who took extra care to ensure that we had a village to have an insight into how the fishermen there great time and were safe. I also valued my parents and make nets, cook food, milk cows, and relax in the evening missed them. But, most of all, the memories of these after a long day’s work. summer camps will remain with me forever. At the camp, we had theatre, art, pottery, music and — Khyan Kotak, Std. 8D

2013 The X-Cathedralite 27 28 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Lighter side Those were THE DAYS… Everyone has a memory or an anecdote about school that they love recounting. Here is a flashback from a few ex-students

Melting Moments WC Vigil One of my first Senior School Home Science class Our Std. 10 classroom was bang opposite the teachers’ assignments was ‘Melting Moments’ — making a buttery toilet. My friends and I were thrilled to be sitting in the cookie with a cornflakes crusting. front row, not because we were conscientious students, My partner Sweta and I measured, mixed and shaped. but because we could put my new stopwatch to good use. The final ingredient was a cup of cornflakes in which we We started timing the teachers in the loo. We devised were to dip the dough. This used barely a fistful; perplexed ranking tables and noted which teachers took longer than by so much of an ingredient remaining, we mixed most of the others. Once, a certain teacher went in when class it into the dough, baked the batch and served up a plate of began. We started timing him and realised that we were golden-brown cookies to Mrs. Ammon. midway through class but he was still inside! After 45 We then watched, in mounting horror, as she struggled minutes, we got worried. What if he had slipped, banged to break off a piece, finally tasting the barest crumb. To her his head and was lying unconscious? But we couldn’t even eternal credit, however, she merely commented: “Harder alert the authorities! How would we explain we’d been than expected.” Adding the cornflakes had rendered the timing the poor soul? cookies so hard that we re-christened them our ‘Long- Ultimately, we sacrificed our lunch break to keep vigil to lasting Moments’. make sure the teacher eventually came out safe! – Roxanne Maben née Patell (ICSE ’95) – Rayomand J. Patell (ICSE ’90)

Coed Chatter When I was in Std. 7 or 8, our class became co-ed. We girls didn’t want to mix with the boys, so we chatted amongst ourselves nineteen to the dozen. In a bid to reduce the noise levels, our teacher made us sit in rows, girls alternating with boys. Initially, there was silence as the boys and girls didn’t want to mix. Soon, the girls couldn’t resist talking and began jabbering with the boys. The teacher’s plan had backfired — now not only were the girls talking amongst themselves, they had also got the boys involved! – Shehnaz Shroff née Dadyburjor(ISC ’71)

Brimful of Fun Absent-minded Newbie There was the time we tried to avoid a Hindi One of the days etched in my memory is my test by trying to get the teachers drunk first day at Senior School. A new building with myriad stairways to explore; long pants (needless to say, 250 ml of vodka in a large as our new uniform; prefects and house water cooler didn’t do the trick). Or the time captains to answer to and staying back after

we hid on top of a cupboard and jumped © Shutterstock school for House Games. That Monday was down to scare a teacher who fell backwards Wilson House Games and I had forgotten my and got injured. Or maybe the time we thought throwing kit. As I stood quaking in my shoes before my irate house fireballs in class was so much more fun than ordinary captain, I realised that Senior School brought with it a lot paper balls. But the most fun memories were not the wild more responsibility than only excellence in the classroom. events and naughty pranks, but the entire journey: The Thankfully, I was let off without detention and I made sure long hours practising for dramatics or football, sports days that I never forgot my kit again. and CMUN; sprinting in to school on time and gelling – Rashid Contractor (ICSE ’95) your hair for inspection. Meeting, flirting, dating, being dumped, vowing to never love again... till the next time – Compiled by Anaita Vazifdar–Davar (ICSE ’96) you met, flirted and dated. If you have an interesting anecdote to share, mail it to us at – Nibhrant Shah (ISC ’02) [email protected]

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Class of 1960 with the Nova and Dan Patch awards. strike missions deep into E-Pak Dhaka He was also appointed to the Maryland Airfields. He later moved to twin-engine Bejon Madon (Palmer). Life Cycle: Horse Industry Board. He is a Diamond transport aircraft and was a pilot to the Boy to man. Cathedral – St. Xavier’s Life Master in the American Contract then Chief Minister of Karnataka, Devraj College (Chemistry) – Ran the family Bridge League. Urs, and to Sanjay and Maneka Gandhi pharmacy – Then the ‘eyes met’ and Eugene Elijah (Wilson) was Technical in 1977. At present, he lives in Mumbai marriage magic in 1969 – Medical Sales Services Director till 2005 for Brycrest and his son, Naushad, is the CEO of a Regional Officer for Martin & Harris Limited, a firm specialising in electronic multinational, Movida (Visa Global). He Poona Sector and touring Maharashtra parts of cars. He is now happily retired still remains very busy. towns – Business in typewriters (very and enjoying life in the Midlands, U.K., Jennifer Jones is now retired and flourishing then) since 1976. Private with his family and six grandchildren. does a lot of handicrafts. She teaches passion: Sailing and sea-training of He loves sharing jokes and interesting women knitting, crochet, tatting, sewing cadets on a voluntary basis. So far, emails with his class’s Yahoo group and any form of hand embroidery. this has been the cycle, and now as a every week. Also a painter, she does pictures with grandfather, he will have to pedal hard Faarokh Hansotia (Palmer) did inspiration from other artists, pictures to keep things going. Let it rip, Let his BCom and worked in an insurance of photographs taken on holidays, and it thunder! company, followed by container sketches and portraits of famous people manufacturing and later advertising and her family members. Living in consultancy. He spent time in Japan Sydney, Australia, she is loving life at the learning martial arts and is now leading moment and enjoys contributing to the a retired life in Mumbai, occupied with class Yahoo group mails, sharing lighter charity and social work. moments in life. Iqbal Mody (Palmer) was the Sales Jyotsna Jaitly Singh (Palmer), and Marketing Manager of Saudi Arabian Head Girl in school, has flown around Airlines in India for 29 years. His rich the world as a diplomat’s wife and has experience in air travel opened doors for dipped her fingers in many pies — as him to become a consultant to leading a journalist, radio and TV presenter, Yasmine and Statira in front row Nalini, Jyotsna, Claire, Kitty, Jenny, Meher, travel groups. He is happily married assistant editor for a magazine, and Rashida, Oomaima and Zarrine to Nergish Iqbal Mody for the last 41 soft-skills corporate trainer. She now Bharat Natverlal Gordhandas is years and lives in Pune. They have a enjoys listening to the birds calling in her still going strong, thanks to his being daughter, Nishat, settled in Canada, and garden as she does her yoga. a complete veggie-teetotaller and non- a grandson, Noah, 2. Maneck G. Chichgar (Barham) is smoker. He is now retired and spends Jamshed (Tubby) Batliwala happily retired from December 2010 and most of his time with his 10 dogs and (Palmer) entered the seafood business. is enjoying life and playtime with his two his companion, Anne Marie Delorme, He is now semi-retired and lives in beautiful grandchildren. He attended artist-sculptor and writer. He is more Dubai. Besides playing a lot of golf, he is St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, (BSc in active than before and is into reading, working a bit as well. Geology–Chemistry; MSc in Geology) cooking and gardening. He says, “In fact, after Cathedral; then Tulane University, the whole world has opened out to me New Orleans, U.S. (MS in Petroleum after retirement.” Geology); followed by Rice University Claire (Pharoah) Knight (Wilson) (PhD in Geology/Geochemistry) and is enjoying her husband’s retirement has worked for several oil companies. (does a housewife ever retire as well?), He discovered two oil and gas fields appreciating life in Surrey with their in southern Louisiana. On moving boxer dog, Morgan Aero8, and holidaying to California in 1987, he switched in many exciting locations. to Environmental Geology and was Eli Solomon (Savage) did his ‘A’ Manager of Environmental Soil and Standing: Pratap Gidwani, Jahangir Contractor, Levels at Cathedral and University Rustom Vazifdar, Adi Narielwala, Meraj Manal, Water Remediation for the Northrop studies in Manchester, U.K. Having Faarokh Hansotia, Iqbal Mody, Vinod Gupta, Nusly Grumman Aerospace Corporation. He Pocha, Vijay Merchant and Ross Deas immigrated to the U.S. in 1968, he Sitting: David Keidan, Eli Solomon, Ram Sakrani and retired as an Engineering Geologist retired from the Northrop Grumman Ravi Modak from the State of California, Santa Ana Corporation in 2003. Involved in the Jehangir Contractor (Barham) was Regional Water Quality Control Board. standardbred industry — as owner commissioned in the IAF as a Fighter Meher Tata Amersey says, “By 2014, and breeder of trotters — he owned Pilot in 1964 and is a (Retd.) Wing we are all going to be 70! In 1960, ‘70’ the top three-year-old trotter in North Commander. He fought both the 1965 seemed a long way off!” Life has been America in 2001 and was honoured and 1971 wars and has carried out 11 good to her. She spends her time doing a

30 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Class Notes

bit of charity work (fighting for the rights consultant. He enjoys seeing new places He has been living there since and of inter-married Parsi women), playing with his wife, Pratima. has also built a home in Bhimtal bridge, and enjoying spending time with Oomaima Tyebjee Hoosenally (near Nainital). From the time of his her three grandsons. “What more could (Wilson) did a BA in Political Science at retirement in 2002, he and Deepa divide one want!” St. Xavier’s College. She leads a contented, their time between these two places. Meraj Manal (Barham) is much retired life in Surrey. True or False: She Rashida Anees is living a happy travelled and much relocated. As has not changed much, or she has become and eventful life with no regrets and is Chairman of Himalaya (recently rated a different person. False and True! enjoying her family, friends and work. among the Top 20 Dream Companies Ranju Gadi, 68, has wife, Deepa; At present, she is involved in the travel to Work For in India), he works out of three children, Chandrika, Ashima and sector as a travel consultant and is also Dubai with unbridled global ambitions. Nikhil; and a beautiful three-year-old an event and wedding planner. She hopes Moses Elias (Barham) completed his granddaughter. After leaving Mumbai in to retire in the next 20 years! BCom at Sydenham College, became a CA 1959, he spent a year in New York and Ravi Kumar Mehra (Wilson) worked and CWA, and then worked for ICI, Pfizer later completed his last year of school with Pearl Polymers Ltd. (manufacturers and finally Colgate–Palmolive for 35 and college education in Chennai. He of Pearl Pet bottles) in the Marketing years, both internationally and in India. moved to New Delhi after his father’s zone for 20 years and left them as General He retired in 2011 as CFO/Director and retirement in 1966, where he completed Manager (Trade). He then worked for then went on to become a part-time his training as a Chartered Accountant. Text continued on page 32

At the Fortune Hotel Coffee Morning In Goa – cutting the cake Class ever, a real tear-jerker. This was followed An early-morning swim, a good by a Coffee Morning, courtesy the breakfast and day four saw us in our of 1962 Cathedral Alumni Association, which school attire with photo sessions in full eunion ieth R Reunion Fifta gave everyone a chance to mix, mingle swing, followed by lunch and, of course, and chat the years away. A school tour dancing at Calamari on the beach. Dinner The Golden Jubilee celebrations of the was next on the agenda, and the day was at the Fortune Hotel — Class of 1962 held in November 2012 ended with a cocktail party hosted by a formal affair very grandly laid were like a glorious stopgap in our fast- Naval Pandole and Roda Billimoria Desai out and a fitting farewell to our fading lives. Time seemed to stand still, at the Yacht Club. 50th-year celebrations. and enchantment surrounded four fun- The Principal, Mrs. Meera Isaacs, was We flew back the next day with fond filled days, when classmates gathered felicitated, and a cup was given to her memories, deeper bonds of kinship, and from all over the globe in Mumbai and to present to the student from the Class the growing knowledge of “Hey, we’re all Goa with their better halves (we called of ’62 “who best embodies the spirit of still Cathedralites and will always be.” them ‘spice’) to relive the innocent Cathedral School”. The Golden Jubilee reunion was joys shared while growing up together On day two, Kamal Morarka held widely published in The Times of India, in school. an exotic dinner and dance with fairy Afternoon and Mid-Day, which also It took 18 months of struggle and lights at the Willingdon Sports Club mentioned the star of our class who had a core committee of seven of us — Ali gardens. Class souvenirs, T-shirts, not participated in the festivities — Merchant, Aruna Jagtiani, Darab caps and keychains were on display namely Salman Rushdie! Talyarkhan, Dev Ghosh, Hutoshi Kotwal, and sale, and each person was gifted a All this and more has been profiled in Keith Stevenson and Krupa Swami — personalised certificate. our Golden Treasury Souvenir Book of to organise the reunion, with valuable Day three saw us on our way to Goa the Class of 1962. Exquisitely and loving inputs from all the class members as well. and the Fortune Hotel. At night, we compiled by all of us — a tribute to Day one saw us all congregate at boogied away till the wee hours at Cavala everlasting camaraderie. St. Thomas’ Cathedral for the Founders’ in Calangute to vibrant Goan music Day Church Service — as beautiful as and hospitality. – Aruna Jagtiani

2013 The X-Cathedralite 31 Class Notes

seven years with Shyam Ahuja as her retirement, shuttling between the magistrate on the Northampton Bench. General Manager (Marketing). Now two countries. She received the Order of the Member of retired, he lives in Mumbai. British Empire (MBE) from Her Majesty Ravindra Sumitra Modak – Compiled by Vijay Merchant the Queen in her Birthday Honours List (Savage) owns Saffron International in June 2011 in recognition of her work LLC, in Tupelo, Mississippi (a.k.a. Class of 1963 for the community. the birthplace of Elvis Presley). Kiran Mukerji (Savage) completed ‘Saffron’ stands for ‘Spice And Food Albert Aboody (Barham), Head Boy HSC at Cathedral in 1965. He studied Flavour Organization’. (1965) and recipient of the Macdonald architecture in Munich, Germany, Rustom Vazifdar (Barham) joined Medal (1964 and 1965), was the first graduated in 1972, and was in charge T.S. Dufferin right after school, and undergraduate from Cathedral to study of the Tropical Building Institute in two years later, sailed with Scindia, till at Princeton University (1966-70). This Starnberg, Germany (1973-85), where the call of the “she” was greater than was followed by postgraduate studies at he undertook numerous research the call of the “sea”. He managed his Cambridge. He retired as a partner in and building projects. Self-employed own business and, in 1993, suffered KPMG (U.S.) and directed KPMG (India) since 1985, he has carried out projects an almost fatal heart attack, which he during its initial stages. He is a director (research studies, publications, building claims is the best thing that happened on the board and lives in New York. designs and project management) in to him! “Too difficult to say why in Anand Pandya (Palmer) and his many developing countries and Europe three lines.” Though retired now, he is wife, Veena, are retired and continue to and retired in 2012. as busy as he can be. live in Mumbai. Rodney Phillips (Savage) left India Vijay Merchant (Palmer) attended Dr. Bruce Howard Bayley (Palmer) in 1962 to immigrate to Mauritius. Sydenham College and later did stayed on for HSC and was Palmer House After university studies in the U.K., his post-graduation in Business Captain in 1965. He pursued a career he became a professor of linguistics, Management from IIM, Ahmedabad. in theatre in the U.K., performing with freelance journalist, and broadcaster. He He is the owner of plastic factories many community and LGBT theatre joined UNICEF in 1983 and travelled to that manufacture for exports, and companies before training in drama 60 countries to promote the rights of last year, he was elected the National and psychotherapy. He is Chair of the children over a career spanning 30 years. President of the Indian Plastics British Association of Dramatherapists Rustom Madon (Wilson) completed Institute. He has also been invited and has his own drama-therapy practice his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering at to be a Director on the Boards of in London. UDCT, Mumbai, in 1969 and obtained HDFC Bank Ltd. and HDFC Asset Eileen Iseli (Mehta) (Barham) an MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering Management Co. Ltd. His family is completed her BA in Psychology from at Stanford University. He is currently filled with active tennis lovers, thanks St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, followed a Senior Research Associate with BASF to his wife, Rita. The couple has a by a degree in translation from the Corporation in New Jersey, where his son, Jay, and a daughter, Divya. Both University of Geneva. She then worked research expertise is in catalysis and children studied at Cathedral School with pathologists and paediatricians at chemical kinetics. His wife, Sandy, and then earned sports scholarships Geneva Hospital, alongside which she teaches children with special needs. to universities in the U.S. got involved in freelance work for the Shobha (Nene) Dravid shuttles Vinod W. Gupta (Barham) is International Committee of the Red between California and Mumbai and currently the Managing Director of Cross. She is still with them, involved volunteers for SaathUSA to educate multiple automobile and two-wheeler in human resources (interviewing and increase awareness of cancer in the dealerships and the Managing Trustee and hiring staff worldwide) and South-Asian community. In Mumbai, she of Lala Lajpat Rai College, Mumbai. various publications. is associated with Seva Sadan, an NGO Married to Sangeeta, they have three Indira (Gajendrasinh) Kilachand that aims at helping women. children. He is looking forward to (Barham) lives in Mumbai and keeps Sorab R. Vatcha (Palmer) was retiring next year and then pursuing busy with her grandchildren, who are all active in the Scouts. After IIT, Mumbai their joint love and passion for in Cathedral now. (1964-69), he studied and worked travelling and spiritual growth. Isaac Marshall (Savage) is currently in various parts of the U.S., mainly Yasmin Saklatvala (Palmer) the CEO of WSIB Insurance, Toronto, in industry and consulting. He is a graduated from St. Xavier’s College, Canada. He was formerly a Deputy consultant and author in chemical, Mumbai, and did an MSc in Minister for the Government of energy and environmental technologies Communication Disorders from the Canada and the Canadian Ambassador and industries. He is married with two University of London. She worked to Barbados. children, who are third-generation as a speech therapist. Now retired, Jyotsna Kotnis, née Rangnekar, Cathedralites. with beautiful homes in northern is a presenter/producer with BBC Radio, France and London, she is enjoying Northampton, for 26 years. She is also a – Compiled by Indira Kilachand

32 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Class Notes

two daughters, Shaziya and Zahra. Anil Kumar lives in Pune, where his Class of 1965 Amit Maitra passed out from wife, Prajakta, finds a little more time Cathedral and proceeded to the for her painting and golf. She also “I really had to shake up the class with U.K., where he did his ‘A’ Levels at handles the corporate communication a huge amount of time from my side. Bromsgrove School, Worcestershire. He of Anil’s rapidly growing business, Anyway, the silver lining is that in 2015 completed his Mechanical Engineering which has resulted in his spending we celebrate our 50 years of School leaving. at Manchester University and worked more and more time overseas. They I had a skeleton database on practically briefly at British Leyland in Lancashire. have twin children — son, Ahaan, and everyone in the class, and now this has He returned to India in 1973 and daughter, Anjulie. encouraged me to take the ‘research’ one worked at Ashok Leyland, Chennai, in Anoop Singh step further.” Marketing. He went back to Europe (Palmer) is Adi Vakil is married to Hoofrish, in 1975 to work in automotive- Director, IMF, components marketing and projects Washington D.C., fields, after which he returned to India. and Adjunct He worked at Bharat Gears Ltd. for seven Professor, years as Marketing Services Manager Georgetown and at Otis Elevator Co. for over 18 University, years, his last position being General Washington D.C. Manager, Modernisation. Since 2006, He has two children, Rohan and Varun. he has been the Managing Director Bharat Ruia (Barham) is now of Lerch Bates Pvt. Ltd., running the a retired industrialist looking after and they have two daughters, Zeenia Indian operations of the world’s leading investments. Married to Madhumati, and Tanya. specialist consulting company in they have three daughters — Nandita Agus Sutarjo (Palmer), 65, is retired vertical transportation (lifts, escalators Mehta, Sangeeta Maker and Rakhi and lives in Jakarta, Indonesia. His wife and moving walks). Amit married Bhansali — and five grandchildren. passed away in 2012. He had two sons — Chandralekha in 1976, and they have Bharatrao V. Kamte (Palmer) the elder passed away when he was 23 — two daughters. attended Elphinstone College and IIT, and has two grandsons from his younger Amrita Koszarek, née Hate Mumbai, for a brief while. Married son, 35. Most of his career was spent (Savage), graduated from St. Xavier’s to Heena, they have two children, working in the airlines in passenger College, Mumbai, and joined Air India, Ashika and Kushan. He manufactures handling at airports, reservations, where she worked at the Mumbai fragrances for personal care, household package tours and sales administrations airport and subsequently at the booking and industrial applications and has in town offices, and finally in revenue office in Marketing Sales and Product factories in India and the U.K. management, reservations and other Development. Married to Richard, they Burjor Mistry (Wilson) is self- automated systems in headquarters. jointly operated and owned an airline employed as a Chartered Accountant He has worked for 30 years with Japan called Gujarat Airways, where she was with his own practice and lives in Airlines, Sempati Air and Star Air in Joint CEO. Now happily retired, she is Harrow, a suburb of London. Jakarta, Timor-Leste Airlines in Dili, and doing all those things she couldn’t do Divorced, he has two children — Aman Air in Manila, with another 11 while she was gainfully employed. a son and a daughter. years in travel agencies in Jakarta. Anil Goyel (Palmer) did his BSc in Cherie Khemka, née Mehta Ajit Deodhar passed away on May Physics/Maths from the Institute of (Barham), lives and works in Mumbai. 23, 2013. A good human being, a gentle Science, Mumbai, and lived in Norway She has two children, Karan and Rahul. soul and a caring friend, he was a doctor and Sweden for about six years. He Diana Mehta, née Billimoria by profession and was popularly known has been running a garment-export (Palmer), married Firdaus in 1980, as “Doc”. He is survived by his wife, business. He returned to Mumbai in and they have a daughter, Fiana. She is Kadambari, and two children — 1980, launched a T-shirt brand called enjoying retired life after working with daughter, Amrita, who is with Smash and dabbled in the business Colgate–Palmolive as Travel Manager — Kadambari, and son, Kartikeya, who is of the recruitment of nurses in travelling and spending a lot of time in married and lives in Hong Kong. the U.S., U.K. and U.A.E. He did an Singapore with grandson, Kiaan. Amanullah (Amoo) Assur (Wilson) executive programme, the OPM, at Dipankar Gupta went to numerous graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Harvard Business School. His wife, schools across India before and Technology (Hons.) degree in Chemical Neelam, a paediatrician, is working after spending a couple of years at Engineering from the Indian Institute of in an honorary capacity with special Cathedral but remembers Cathedral Technology, Mumbai. He is currently the children at Jai Vakeel School, Mumbai. as perhaps the best, especially in proprietor of Power Chem Engineers, They have a daughter, Aminta, and a academics. He has since been a leading Mumbai. Married to Yasmin, they have son, Vitek. social anthropologist and was an

2013 The X-Cathedralite 33 WITH BEST WISHES

TO THE

SCHOOL, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS.

TARUN KATARIA CLASS OF '74 Class Notes

esteemed professor at Jawaharlal tough and hardworking time since I left Head Girl), they have two sons, Cyrus Nehru University, Delhi. His numerous school, but wonderfully satisfying to and Carl. publications include his dissertation on work with my God.” Homi Colah (Palmer) qualified the Rise of the Shiv Sena, the People’s Geeta Agerwala, née Heble as a Chartered Accountant (Pannell Union for Civil Liberties’ Report on the (Palmer), married Dr. Tilak Agerwala, Fitzpatrick / articled) and thereafter anti-Sikh riots of 1984, Business Ethics, and they have two children, Arjun and worked in the profession. He moved and Mistaken Modernity. He recently Suneel. They live 50 miles north of New into a finance function in the Insurance published his latest book, Revolution York City in Westchester County and Industry at Bowring’s and attended from Above: India’s Future and the Citizen usually visit India in December. short courses at Ashridge and Oxford. Elite. Dipankar’s wife, Harmala, runs an Gelann Irani lives between Pune Thereafter, he moved into capital NGO for cancer patients, and his son, and Mumbai. markets with Merrill Lynch and Societe Dipayan, is a social-media specialist in Gillian Byrne (Palmer) is married to Generale and joined a set-up operation New York. He also graces, inter alia, the Henry Reynolds Byrne, ex-Commander, in asset management, managing public boards of the Reserve Bank of India and Indian Navy. Both work as health money in international markets. He Doon School. professionals at the Royal Perth currently spends time between India and Edwina Keidan Grodzinki (Savage) Hospital, Perth, Australia. They have the U.K., managing money more related has resigned from being a Youth and two children — Russell, who has four to a family office structure. Tennis still Family Magistrate and is now a ‘lady of children, and Gareth. remains his favourite sport. leisure’. “Ha! Ha! I have never been so Goutam Rakshit (Wilson), Vice- Homi Commissariat lives between busy.” Her three children, Tim, Sarah Captain, is based in Mumbai, where he Mumbai and Pune. and Sophie, have blessed her with is the Managing Director of Ad Avenues: Irshad (Kuki) Moloobhai (Savage), three grandsons, so her days are very Brand Building and Communication. full. Her husband, Emmanuel, and she Married to Vidita, Directress of Sophia live in London and Israel. They love to Polytechnic, they have a family of travel to unusual destinations for very Cathedralites — sons, Gourav adventurous holidays and come home (Wilson House Captain, 1992) and for a rest. Kunal (Head Boy, 1996), who is married Elizabeth Pushpa Eapen (Barham) to Anisha (Barham House Captain, 1996). His grandchildren, Siddharth (4G), Antara (U1-B), Mahika (L1-K) and Shourya (one year) are attending Cathedral at present. born on August 18, is married to Zarin, Email: [email protected] and they have two children, Farah Gulu Waney lives in Dubai, where and Shahzad. he heads Standard Carpet Industries Ivan Sopher is married to Helen. and the restaurants Zuma and La Petite They have three children — Daniel, L-R: Elizabeth Pushpa Eapen, Amrita Koszarek, Maison. He has been married to Poonam Joanne and Sarah. Shirin Pestonjee and Jamshyd Godrej (née Chellaram) for 40 years. Ivor David (Palmer) immigrated to did her undergraduate studies at Homi C. Bhedwar (Savage), Sydney on December 17, 1965, the day Christian Medical College, Vellore, Head Boy (January he finished school. After high school, he and worked for 25 years at a Leprosy - June 1966), completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s Hospital with Aide Aux Lépreux did his Bachelor in Economics and Statistics at the Emmaüs-Suisse in Hubli–Dharwad, of Technology University of Sydney and BCom (Hons.) Karnataka, with a four-year break for (Hons.) from the in Accounting at the University of New her DVD from KMC, Manipal, and Indian Institute South Wales. He represented Sydney MD (Dermatology, Venereology and of Technology, University in hockey and badminton Leprosy) from CMC. She also served Mumbai; Master and was awarded a University Blue for in the Department of Dermatology, of Science from the latter. He spent about 40 years in IT, Venereology and Leprosy. She retired in Cornell University; and PhD in Materials Finance, Marketing, Corporate Planning 2009 but continued to work at hospitals Science and Engineering from Carnegie and Management Consulting in and for voluntary medical work. Now in Mellon University. He works with Industry, Government. In 1988, he was Vellore with sisters, Christine (1961) and DuPont as their Technology Director, elected State President of CPA Australia, Lalitha (1963), in a house with the door South Asia & ASEAN, and has built and the largest accounting body in Australia. named Barham House (!), she fondly leads the DuPont Knowledge Center in After his term, Australian universities remembers her classmates and teachers. Hyderabad, where he now lives after invited him to teach Accounting and A high point was taking Mr. Velu around residing in the U.S. for 41 years. Married Finance as Adjunct Professor. In 2011, the college and hospital. “It has been a to Zarine, née Kotval (Savage former he received the Teaching and Excellence

2013 The X-Cathedralite 35 Class Notes

award at Curtin University. Married to chemical-specialties-manufacturing at Wadia College, Pune, and another at Ruth Adler, he has four children and business since 1983. Married since St. Xavier’s College. She got married in three grandchildren. They all moved to 1973 to Paula, they have twins — a son, 1969, moved to Hong Kong, worked Jerusalem in 2011. Noshirwan, and a daughter, Tanaz. as a real-estate agent and established a J.P. (Bulbul) Khursheed Narang, née Sidhwa company. In 1999, she and her husband Mukherjee is moved to the U.K., where she did BA married to Rumi, and (Hons.) in Art and Drama at the Anglia they have two sons, Ruskin University. She participates in Ronnie and Sunny. events, lectures, seminars and discussion Jahanara groups at the University of Cambridge. Chunnawalla, She also volunteers at organisations née Rahimtoola such as the National Trust and the (Savage), lives in Imperial War Museum. A holder of Level Singapore with her husband, Bobby. 1 Certificate in Braille at Camsight in Jamshyd Godrej graduated in (Savage), lives in Mumbai and is married Cambridge, she spends half of a year Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois to Malvinder Narang. They have two in Hong Kong, volunteering at The Institute of Technology, U.S., and is sons, Mikhil (seen above) and Danesh. Blind School. She occasionally teaches the Chairman of the Board of Godrej Khursheeda Mody (Barham) worked English to Chinese children and is & Boyce Manufacturing Company for several years with leading MNCs, pursuing proficiency in the Lingnan Limited. An ardent yachting enthusiast, is now retired, and continues to live Style of Chinese painting. She has three he has done extensive cruising along in Mumbai. daughters and four grandchildren. the west coast of India, the Baltic and Kiran Pandit (Palmer) did his Mahendra Thacker (Palmer) did his North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Bachelor of Engineering Technology postgraduate degree Mediterranean Sea. In April 2003, the from the University of Houston in Texas from the School then President of India conferred the and worked for Chevron Overseas in of Design, Basel, Padma Bhushan on him. global locations for 35 years. He retired Switzerland, and has Jehangir Adershir (Barham) as IT Manager from Chevron Overseas worked as an art and is a Sales Manager for the Valspar in 2008. He is currently a consultant design teacher and Corporation and is settled in Perth, for intercultural communications and a design consultant Australia. Married to Rita, they have two is based in Danville, California. Married in the field of visual children, Zubin and Zia. to Neelima, they have two children — a communication. He Jimmy Uranwalla graduated from daughter, Anjuli, and a son, Salil. is currently the Chief Mentor at Wigan IIT, Mumbai, and now lives in Toronto. Kuldip Gurtu (Wilson) graduated and Leigh College India and works with Julie Bates, née Tikari (Palmer), in History and Political Science from schools of Management, Advertising, has been a flight attendant, based out Elphinstone College, Mumbai, and did Graphic Design, Media Studies and of Vancouver, Canada, for the past 43 his Master’s from University of Mumbai Fashion. His passion is North Indian years. Divorced and happy, she has in History (Mughal Period) and Political classical vocal music from the Jaipur- a terrific daughter, Karina, and Thought. He served from 1973 to 2008 Atrauli and Agra gharanas. He is married three grandsons. She is still crazy in the Central Services and retired as to Dilraj Kaur, a performing and about animals. Director (Justice), Ministry of Home recording artist. They have one daughter, Kamalini Dugan, née Jesudian Affairs, after which he worked with Priyanka, who studied in Cathedral and (Wilson), emigrated to Canada and English Indian Clays Ltd. from 2008 to was in Palmer. works for Bell Telephones. Married to 2013. He is currently leading a retired Malvika Singh, née Thapar, married Patrick, they have a son, Mark. life in New Delhi. Married to Madhu, Tejbir Singh in 1971 in Delhi, and they Kavas N. Petigara (Savage), was they have a son, Ajit. have a son, Jaisal Singh and a set of Captain and Lekha Choksi (Barham) appeared twins — a girl and a boy, Amrit and Deputy Head Boy Sujan Singh. She and her husband at Cathedral, ISC inherited Seminar, a monthly journal that 1965 and HSC 1967, is a forum for new ideas and thinking, and studied at the left to them by Raj and Romesh Thapar. Massachusetts The couple has been publishing the Institute of journal since then. Sujan Luxury is a Technology, S.B. brand created by Jaisal that he and his (’72), S.M. (’73), wife run. They have three resort camps: Ch.E. (’74). He is a partner at SciTech Sher Bagh in Ranthambhore, The Serai Corporation, Mumbai, and has his own for her HSC in 1967, followed by a year in Jaisalmer (both Relais Chateaux)

36 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Class Notes

and one camp in the Masai Mara called Nachiket Patwardhan (Palmer) (now Junior School). He finished ISC Elephant Pepper. For more information (Science) in 1965 and then attended IIT, on Malvika, see Page 14. Mumbai, graduating in Metallurgical Manu Parpia graduated in 1972 with Engineering in 1972. He began working a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) right after graduation and joined the degree from McGill University, Canada. family business of manufacturing He is, at present, the Founder and industrial knives and steel forgings, Managing Director of Geometric where he managed the business of steel Ltd. Married to Lynn, they have a forgings for 25 years. He is currently daughter, Alia. the Managing Trustee of Lala Lajpat Rai Meena Advani, née Shivdasani graduated in Architecture from MSU, College of Commerce and Economics, Baroda, in 1971 and has been practising Mumbai. Married to Anita Aggarwal in Pune since 1972 in partnership with (class of ’69, Savage), they are blessed his architect wife, Jayoo. They have with two children, Karishma (class of mostly built private and institutional ’91) and Gaurav (class of ’95), and are architecture and believe in the styles grandparents to three granddaughters of Nari Gandhi, Laurie Baker and (currently studying in Cathedral) and a Geoffrey Bawa — sustainable ‘green’ seven-month-old grandson. buildings, not the ‘look-at-me’ style Nasser (Momo) Mecklai lives in of cut-and-paste that passes for urban Oceanside, California (San Diego area), (Wilson), was House Captain, School ‘development’. They also run a small with wife, Mary, and their dog, Tessa. Head Girl and Junior Prefect 1964. She office from where they have made He is retired and enjoys travelling and married Sunder Advani (Chairman, award-winning independent films playing golf. His daughter, Anjali, 32, is a Powermaster Engineers Pvt. Ltd.) in (22 June 1897 and Limited Manuski in banker in Los Angeles. Mary’s daughter, 1968, and they have two children, Marathi; Anantyatra and Devi Ahilya Shannon, 37, works at a medical- Dinesh Advani (class of ’87, Wilson) Bai in Hindi). They have also worked as recruiting company. and Laveena Advani Mitha (class of art directors for films made by Girish Neil Crawshaw (Wilson) lives in ’89, Wilson). Her granddaughter, Karnad, Saeed Mirza, Vinay Shukla and London and currently volunteers for Kiara Advani, is currently studying at others. Nachiket is currently attempting The Pennies Foundation. Married to Infant School. She has had a varied to become a full-time artist. His best Christina, they have two daughters and working life — having designed works, however, are Awanti and Abir. two granddaughters. clothes for Bollywood, worked at the Nandan Maluste (Savage) has Neville Bulsara (Wilson) married Cathedral Junior School as a Teacher’s had a varied life Aide, and exported embroideries to since leaving high fashion houses in the U.S. and school, including France. She is currently working at her attending IIT, husband’s company. Mumbai; qualifying Mehernosh Lentin has four as a Chartered children (Yasmin, Jeni, Jamie and Accountant; Aimee) and four grandchildren (Oscar, doing an MBA in Darius, Neri and Ruben). He adores his England, marrying Mridula Sood (Palmer grandchildren, who, he says, make living 1973 and co-author of the Cathedral Mehera Mody (Palmer, same year). not only worthwhile but a real joy. He Story); doing management consulting, They have two sons, Sorab and considers them the sunshine of his life. journalism and advertising; parenting Jamshed. Neville manages a property- Moti Daryanani is married to Avanti (Savage 2004); and being involved management company in India (Lavasa, in industrial entrepreneurship, activism Pune, Mumbai) and Dubai, U.A.E, and for the environment and child rights, shunts between the two nations. They and financial services. He has recently have lived and worked happily in the become an angel investor in for-profit Middle East (Muscat and Dubai) for social enterprises, having volunteered over 30 years. Having retired recently, for social causes since a young age. Do be Mehera is currently setting up her own in touch with Nandan — he delights in business in Mumbai. friends and relatives on all continents. Nikhil Merchant (Barham) did Naresh Gupta (Barham) did his MBBS and MD (Radiology) from Reshma, and they have three children, his entire schooling, starting from T.N. Medical College / Nair Hospital, Arti, Yogesh and Rajiv. Nursery, at Cathedral School at Fort Mumbai. After a short stint in

2013 The X-Cathedralite 37 Class Notes

Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., he joined Perspectives, Indian Life and Landscape Shelley Bhappu, née Pandole Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), by Western Artists and A Zoroastrian (Savage), did her BA (Hons.) from Mumbai, in 1984 as a radiologist Tapestry: Art, Religion & Culture. St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and then and was Head of Department of She and Jamshyd Godrej have two worked for a year at Bank of America, Radiodiagnosis at TMH from 1998 to children — Raika and Navroze — and Mumbai. Her father, Phiroze Pandole, 2008. Currently attached to the same live at Malabar Hill, Mumbai. and her older siblings, Dinshaw and hospital as Professor Emeritus, he is also Reuben Solomon (Savage) lives in Naval, all attended Cathedral & John a recognised university teacher for the Manchester, U.K., and works in his own Connon School. Married to Rohinton MD (Radiodiagnosis) degree course. His trading business. Married to Linda, they Bhappu, an airline pilot, in 1973, they other interests include reading, music, have two sons, Steven and Mark. have two children, Roxanne and Rohan, swimming, football and cricket. Married Ronnie Sopher (Savage) is married and three grandchildren. They spent to Shashi Sreenivasan, a paediatrician, to Applette (MacMull), and they have 12 happy years in Singapore, where in 1975, they have a son, Sahil (married two daughters, Jackie and Natalie. They Rohinton worked as an instructor pilot to Kelly Lavin), and a daughter, Rithika currently live in Israel on a Moshav with Singapore Airlines (SIA), and (married to Francois Mahu). Both (Haniel) near Netanya. Anyone visiting returned to Mumbai in 2006 on children too studied at Cathedral. will be welcomed — his residential his retirement. They spend most Parviz Batliwalla, née Reporter phone number is +972–9507538. weekends at their small but comfortable (Barham), lives in New York, where she Saleem Baakza is Senior retreat in Alibag and travel extensively, is a professional potter with several mostly to visit their children and exhibitions to her credit. She also grandchildren in California and owns an online clothing and household Hong Kong. accessories business. She has two Shirin Pestonjee children — daughter, Shireen, and (Savage) has lived son, Farrokh. in Dallas, Texas, Pheroza Godrej, née Shroff, did U.S., for the last 36 years. There, she Vice-President at Gehr Industries, has worked as a Inc. Wife, Abida, is Quality Control Registered Nurse Inspector at Gooch and Housego. in Education and They have a daughter, Nishat, and two Management at Parkland Health & grandchildren. In addition to his 24 Hospital System for the past 22 years, years (off and on) with Gehr Industries, having done a BSN from the University he joined the Tata Administrative of Oklahoma in 1972 and an MS from Service in 1973, and through this, was Texas Woman’s University in 1979. She her Bachelor’s in Education, Master’s with Taj (Indian Hotels) for four years is divorced and has a son, Christopher, in English and French, a Diploma in Mumbai and from 1979 to 1982 28, a former U.S. Marine, who did a tour in Aesthetics (Dept. of Philosophy) in New York. After his return to LA in of duty in Afghanistan at the Kandahar and, recently, Master’s in Ancient 1983, he owned multiple pizza franchise airbase. He is now back Indian Culture. She is involved in the restaurants before being recruited back safely and in college. promotion of: to Gehr Industries in 1976 (for the third Shirin Watcha, née Bhagat  Indian art – This includes the time). His cell number is (Savage), lives in the U.S. and India. She Museum Society of Bombay and +1 (661) 904–1714. has married Dr. Mehernoor Watcha, The National Gallery of Modern Satyabroto (Satya) Banerji a medical professional who works in Art (NGMA), Mumbai. In 1971, she (Wilson) passed away on June 3, 2012. Philadelphia. They have two children, established the Cymroza Art Gallery After graduating from IIM, Ahmedabad, Dana and Sam. and runs an exclusive furnishing textile Satya joined Sandoz (I) Ltd. and spent Sonia Bhandari, née Mathur venture called India Weaves. a large part of his career heading their (Wilson), graduated from St. Xavier’s  Western Classical Music – She Agrochemicals Division. He later College, Mumbai, and worked with Air is a member of the Mehli Mehta established his own consultancy in India, the Oberoi Sheraton Hotel and Music Foundation and the Symphony pesticide safety and biological pest Gulf Air in Mumbai. She married an Orchestra of India (SOI). control. His wife, Usha, is CEO of ‘Air Indian’ and spent the next 25 years  Publications – She has co-written St. Jude India ChildCare Centres and globetrotting! They have two sons and and co-edited Scenic Splendours: India remains in touch with Satya’s friends. have recently become grandparents. through the Printed Image, India – A His son, Shiben, was Head Boy in Now living a contented, settled life in Pageant of Prints, Under the Indian 1997 and is completing his PhD in Mumbai, she would love to catch up with Sun, Bombay to Mumbai – Changing Architecture from M.I.T. old schoolmates.

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Sulakshana Ardershir, née Consultancy Pvt. Ltd., which deals in and NGO Ummeed. Her son, Dinesh, is a the oil-gas-refinery and pipeline sector — budding pastry chef at Indigo. sales, spare, intervention and exports. Veeraf Sanjana (Palmer) has just They also have a manufacturing unit in retired from practice as a physician Valsad. Married to Girija, they have three in the field of Infectious Disease and children, Karan, Urvashi and Menaka. General Internal Medicine. He intends to Tel.: +91–22–566920074/75/76. begin voluntary work either in New York Mobile: +91–98201 55908 or in other countries, including India, Suresh Seksaria (Barham) graduated and is looking out for possibilities. He in 1970 from the University of Mumbai continues to enjoy travelling and music, Samarth, lives in Pune and has a with BSc (Hons.) in Chemistry and is studying Spanish, and thoroughly daughter, Shahine, who works with Mars Physics. He is at present the proprietor enjoys living in Greenwich Village International India, Gurgaon. of S.B. International (manufacturing in Manhattan. Sumita Chatterjee (Banerjee) plastic goods and trading in special oils Victoria Kundanmal, née Gubbay (Barham) got married after graduation, and greases). Married to Bela, they have (Palmer), is married to Ashok. They have left Mumbai and travelled extensively. a son, Nikunj, and a daughter, Prerna. a daughter, Rose. Mother of two, she has returned to Suresh J. Thadani (Savage) studied Yasmin Chowna (Wilson) lives in Mumbai with her husband. “The year Copenhagen and loves to keep in touch 1962 will always be memorable, coming with her classmates whenever she is to this prestigious school. My fondest in Mumbai. memory of school days was a Hindi Sadly, Danny Hillel and David Sassoon play organised and orchestrated by our have passed away and we believe that so favourite teacher, Mrs. Nargorwalla or have Philip Furnell and Christopher Sarsted. ‘Nagi’. She was also the target of our Celebrating our 35th Anniversary on April Fool’s joke, when Ms. Julie Tikari December 17 and 18, 2000. placed a rubber snake in the flowers kept on her desk! The entire class laughed Commerce in Mumbai, went to London, when she touched the flowers and where he did his Articles and qualified as screamed! We also went to see an OPD a C.A., and moved in 1974 to Montego for Health Science Class and how the Bay, Jamaica, to work for Coopers & Municipal Hospital functions. Cathedral Lybrand (now PwC). He was transferred has also shaped my learning and three years later to their office in NYC. appreciation of music, including Western He returned to India in 1979, worked Classical. My experience was simply with A.F. Ferguson and then later in GIRLS… divine at the Easter Choir conducted by industry with Bharat Gears, before Mr. Charles Velu and at the inter-school setting up his own C.A. practice., S. J. Music Competition.” Thadani & Associates, where he is Senior Sunita Sood, née Goyel (Palmer), Partner. He met Kaajal, a Puneite, in 1980 and convinced her to marry him, which happened in 1981. Their daughter, Simran has a doctorate degree in Early Modern English from University of Pennsylvania, U.S., while their son, and the BOYS… Shabad, is a CFA. Taera Chowna, née Vazifdar – Compiled by Pheroza Godrej (Barham), lives and works in Mumbai. Married to Jehangir, she has two Class of 1970 House Captain, graduated from children, Kerman and Rustom. St. Xavier’s College and lives in Uma Mehta, née Ruia (Wilson), Amita Maliye (Palmer) studied Bengaluru. Married, she has two currently lives in Mumbai with her English and Psychology at St. Xavier’s beautiful daughters, Shefali and Kajal, children. She has been volunteering for College, Mumbai. She worked in Air India and two gorgeous grandchildren. the NGO Akanksha for over 15 years, for 33 years and is now retired and lives Suresh G. Mirchandani (Wilson) educating underprivileged children. Her in Mumbai. did his BE (Elec MS Univ) and DMM, daughter, Malika, is a special educator Anant Godbole (Barham) did his Mumbai University. He is the COO who works with the primary section in BSc in Statistics at Elphinstone College, of Applied Tek and Management NSS Hill Spring International School Mumbai, and later got a PhD in Statistics

2013 The X-Cathedralite 39 Class Notes

40 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Class Notes

at the Michigan State University in have been living ever since. They have moved back to India for the second time 1984. He does research primarily in two children, Aditi and Kedar, and she is in 2001 and lived in New Delhi until Discrete Mathematics and was the set to be a grandmother very soon! 2012, after which they moved to The department head. In all likelihood, he Feroza Mody, née Engineer Hague, Netherlands. will soon head a Center of Excellence in (Palmer), did her BA from Elphinstone Mala Dayal Shah (Palmer) graduated Math/Science Education. College, Mumbai. She got married in with a degree in Psychology (Hons.) Anita Mandhle (Savage) studied 1977 to Jimmy Mody, and they and taught Yoga (D.Y.Ed). She enjoyed Political Science and Psychology at have a son, Cyrus, and a daughter, motherhood and is now promoted to Elphinstone College, Mumbai. She Karene Lawyer (née Mody). She owns grandmotherhood! Married to Pranay worked with a pharmaceutical company and runs Contemporary Arts & Crafts. Shah, she is grateful for an amazing life for 20 years, emigrated to the U.S. and Firoza Bhabha, née Minocher– together and is now adjusting to life worked in banking for a number of years. Homji (Savage), attended Seth G.S. without him. She then returned to Mumbai, where Medical College (attached to KEM Manika (Subi) Lakshmanan she lives. Hospital) in Mumbai for her MBBS (Palmer) studied in Italy, sold offbeat Bharat Nariman (Wilson) joined and MD in Paediatrics. She has been films in Europe and England, and St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, after practising in Mumbai since 1983 and has came back to work in NFDC and the Cathedral and did a BA in Economics. two children — a daughter, Gira, and a British Council. She then married a He found this a great experience, very son, Varun. mathematician, moved to the U.S., and different from school, where he met Graydon Halge (Wilson) went out finished a PhD. She now teaches at a lots of new people, as there was hardly to sea with the Merchant Navy in 1972. university, paints and tries to understand anyone from school. He then joined his He came ashore in 1986 and worked in a 20-year-old son. family business and was sent abroad in marine-related jobs till he went back Myrtle Burshtein, née Sofaer 1980 to Hong Kong and Taiwan to look to the sea in 1994. Married to Shirley (Palmer), did his BA from Elphinstone after the offices there. He returned to (née Joseph) in 1981, they have two College, Mumbai, and lives in Toronto, Mumbai in 1987, where he still lives. boys, Warren and Stuart. They moved to Canada. Now semi-retired, he worked Cled Cole (Palmer) left Mumbai in Canada in 2000 and have since settled as a legal assistant. A divorcee, he has 1971 to complete studies in the U.K. with down in the Great White North. He three sons — Jonathan, 32, Leor, 30, and a BSc in Chemical Engineering and an keeps in touch with Charlie MacMull and Yoel, 28. MBA. He was employed by ExxonMobil Cled Cole, who are also in that neck of Pranay Shah (Savage) (RIP) went to and was in the oil business for over 30 the woods. IIT, Mumbai, and later for his MBA to years, living and working in the U.K., Jehangir Jehangir (Savage) Wake Forest University (North Carolina). U.S., Canada, Germany, Australia, Saudi married Jasmine Billimoria (class of ’78, He lived and worked in the U.S. (Hanes Arabia and Singapore. He is married with Savage). They have two children, Cowas and United Health Care) until he and two sons, who are also in the oil business. and Simone. They live in Pune, where, Mala returned to settle in Pune. Sadly, Deena Moos (Wilson) went to live in among other things, he is involved in the he was diagnosed with leukaemia in London after graduating from Sydenham administration of the Jehangir Hospital. October 2010 and passed away in College. In London, she worked for the Jyoti Mirchandani, née Malkani November 2011. Conservative Party for 20 years and (Wilson), did her BA in Economics from Rajesh Sigamani (Wilson) did enjoyed travelling around the world. She Jai Hind College, Mumbai, and then his Master’s in English from then got married and has been living worked for Advani-Oerlikon for 13 Madras Christian College (MCC). in Newcastle upon Tyne for the last years. She married Chandersen in 1976, Married to Mallika in 1984, they have 10 years. and they have a daughter, Deepna, and two children, Sharon, 28, and Jonathan, Dhiru A. Thadani (Savage) is an a granddaughter. She lives in Mumbai 22. Retired hurt, he is now settled architect, urbanist, educator and author and Goa. in Bengaluru. who has resided in Washington D.C. Kamal N. Jhaveri (Savage) did Sanjay Modak (Savage) did his BSc since 1972. He continues to enjoy his BCom at Sydenham College, from Elphinstone College, Mumbai, designing architectural and planning Mumbai. He became a stock broker at followed by MA and PhD from the projects in Asia, Europe and North and the Bombay Stock Exchange in 1976 and University of Notre Dame. Married to Central America. He is married and the married Mona in December 1980. They Monica Echavarria since 1979, they proud father of two children, Adrienne have a daughter, Karishma, 24. have three sons — Andres, 29, Nimesh, and Dylan. Maitreyi Bery, née Kamte (Wilson), 27, and Sebastian, 24. Currently based Durga Vishwanathan, née Shah did her BA at Elphinstone College, in Dubai, he has lived in the U.S., Hong (Savage), did her BA at Elphinstone Mumbai, and worked for British Airways Kong (thrice), Sydney, Delhi, Jakarta, College, Mumbai. She married from 1976 to 1982 when she married Singapore and Doha (Qatar). Vishwanathan in 1974 and moved to Suman Bery and moved to the U.S. They Canberra, Australia, in 1980, where they have two children, Maya and Akhil. They – Compiled by Mala Dayal Shah

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Nicky Nixon (Wilson) lives and Shridhar Naik (Wilson) worked in Class of 1972 works in London but continues to visit the media industry for over two decades Mumbai almost every year. in Mumbai and is currently teaching Behram Dadachanji (Palmer) has Phiroza Tafti, née Irani (Palmer), Mass Media and Journalism at been married since January 1982 to participated in the YHA trek during Burhani College, Mazgaon, Mumbai. Shernaz, who runs her own beauty her final year at Cathedral and Sudha Shah, née Malkani (Wilson), parlour called Xanadu. He joined discovered her passion for trekking is married, has a son and lives in Singapore Airlines in January 1983 as and nature! Along with studying for Mumbai. She graduated from Smith Reservations/Ticketing Agent and rose her BSc at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, College and worked in finance for many up the ranks to his current position she spent most weekends hiking and years. She has recently written a book as Head of Sales, Mumbai. He will be exploring the forts around. She has also on a historical subject. retiring from Singapore Airlines in formally trained in mountaineering. Sunil Chainani (Wilson) is married November this year. Married in 1979, she settled down in to Kiran Chainani, née Prakash Darshana Sanghrajka, née Dahanu, a town by the sea 120 km (class of ’73). He lives in Bengaluru Sanghvi (Wilson), obtained degrees north of Mumbai, where she dived and is a board member of several in Economics and Mathematics and headlong into environmental activism retail and food companies that have now has an e-commerce business. She and surfaced many years later to the operations in India, U.S.A., U.K. and is married to Praful, who has a fire- reality of the lack of environmental the Far East. Sunil loves to travel, learn protection firm. They have two married awareness in our country. She joined about beers and wines of the world, daughters, Payal and Paloma. a school as a part-time teacher five and tries to burn off the calories by Firdaus Kharas (Wilson) is a years ago, when ‘Environment’ was running marathons and Ultras (he is media producer with his own company, introduced as a subject in SSC schools, probably the only Cathedralite to have Chocolate Moose Media. Prior to this, and completed her BEd from IGNOU. run the legendary Comrades Ultra he was the Executive Director of the She became the INTACH Convenor, Marathon in South Africa). He is now United Nations Association in Canada; as she was interested in promoting gearing up for his 25th race of marathon Policy Advisor (Immigration) to the the Warli culture, which is unique to or longer distances. Kiran, though Canadian Minister of Employment and Dahanu Taluka. Do contact her for a not a runner, is an advanced-level Immigration; and Assistant Deputy visit to Dahanu anytime. yoga teacher. Chairman of the Immigration and Rajeet Bhardwaj (Palmer) was Tara Gupta (Wilson) and her family Refugee Board of Canada. in Cathedral from Std. 3 (1964) to 8 migrated to Australia in the early Havovi Sammy Medora, née (1969). He is thus an early graduate of ’70s. They initially lived in Melbourne, Chubb (Wilson), married Sammy the class of ’72! Moving from Mumbai where she studied law at University. Medora (Head Boy) in 1968, and their to boarding school, he spent a year in She currently lives in Perth with her daughter, Sabrina, was born in 1990 in Frank Antony Public School, Delhi, husband, Stephen Robson, and works Toronto, where Sammy was a partner and did his ISC from Cambrian Hall, as General Counsel for a government in KPMG. They lived for a while in New Dehradun. He is a Marine Chief department. Her mother, Jean Gupta, Jersey, when Sammy was transferred Engineer on a tanker vessel and lives in who taught at Cathedral, still lives there with KPMG, then returned to Panchkula, Haryana. His wife, Aparna, in Melbourne, close to Tara’s sister, Mumbai for 10 years, after which they also runs a company, and their son, Mitali’s place. migrated to Toronto. Sammy is still Abhijeet, 12, is in Std. 7. Umesh Rana (Palmer) qualified as an with KPMG, and Sabrina is doing her Rajiv Bendre (Palmer) moved to accountant and has worked in the U.K., Master’s at the University of Chicago. England after his ISC exams. He took a U.S. and Ireland. He has been married Joanna Chyla–Luddeke (Barham) First from Oxford and trained as a CA for over 25 years and has two daughters, was born in the U.S. Her parents were with Price Waterhouse in London. He Natasha, 23, and Niamh, 19. He lives in Polish diplomats posted in Mumbai has worked in cultural diplomacy with Cork, Ireland, where he is semi-retired from 1969 to 1974. She is married to the British Council, mainly in Africa, and lectures part-time for professional- a German engineer, has an 18-year-old and was awarded an O.B.E. by Her accountancy exams. son, and lives in Germany. She is an Majesty the Queen. Rajiv recently Vijay Khatter (Palmer) lives outside ophthalmologist and has a small private retired to New Zealand with Dallas, Texas, near Southfork Ranch, practice in Clausthal, a university town his family. from the TV show Dallas. He is semi- in Germany, where she specialises in Rajiv Kapur (Wilson) is involved in retired and enjoys travelling and most laser treatment for glaucoma. She has the businesses of shipping and fertiliser outdoor sports. He especially likes going previously worked in Japan, Scotland, imports. He says he would love to spend on international trips to discover new Poland, the U.S., Pakistan, Nigeria, more time in Alibag and welcomes all cultures and cuisines. Togo and Ghana. She admits that she his batch mates to visit him. He can be misses India. reached at [email protected]. – Compiled by Shridhar Naik

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Class of 1980/82 grow technology companies. His personal Class of 1973 email ID is [email protected]. Bishakha Datta (Palmer) did In Memoriam Aman Malik (Barham) graduated her BA in Economics at St. Xavier’s from Cathedral in 1982 (HSC, College, Mumbai, followed by an MA in Commerce). After finishing his BCom Communications at Stanford, and then from Sydenham College, Mumbai, he dabbled in journalism. She now makes pursued recording engineering for documentary videos, writes non-fiction, 10 years in Mumbai, Hong Kong and runs a non-profit called Point of View, New York. He started his own recording contributes to Wikipedia, and suffers studio in NYC and worked with from Perennial Digital Distraction! several Grammy-award nominees. In Darsha Kapadia Dalal (Barham) 1998, he sold his recording studio to Mary J. Blige and decided to go back to graduate school. Thereafter, he worked in the banking industry (Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and UBS) for 12 years and is now a Management Consultant (Financial Services) at KPMG based out of New York. Anuradha Ansari, née Bose (Savage), studied at St. Xavier’s College, completed her Master’s in Psychology Mumbai, followed by a two-year from the University of Mumbai, after diploma in Hotel Management and which she did a Diploma in Early Food Technology from Sophia College, Childhood Education, followed by a BEd. Mumbai. She worked with the Taj Group She joined West Wind School in 1997 Padman Nambiar (1957-2013) — of Hotels for 13 years and the Holiday and is currently the Vice-Principal. Never Too Old to Rock and Roll Inn Worldwide Group for three years, Homi Katgara (Barham) joined his Paddy and I go back a long winding followed by stints with fashion designers family business of Jeena & Company road to the ’60s, when music forged such as Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, (Global Logistics). He married Faryal in a lifelong bond. Jammin’ was our James Ferreira, and Arjun Khanna. She 1991, and they have two daughters — mission, and rock ‘n’ roll our game. later worked with Atul Kasbekar at his Ayesha, who is pursuing Arts at Our band’s debut was circa 1965 in company, Corporate Image, for 1½ years. Jai Hind College after completing ISC the Middle School, with James Timms She and Tariq share a daughter, Alya, 16. from Cathedral, and Lyla, who is in and Linda Khambata playing to the Anu has a dance/fitness studio and an Std. 7 at Cathedral. beat of the Ventures, the Seekers, and NGO, The Foundation, which she runs Hrishi Kamat moved from Mumbai the Beatles. with her brother, Rahul Bose (ISC ’85). to the San Fransisco Bay Area via MIT, Paddy’s sudden passing away has Arun Nilkant (Wilson) did his Manipal, and the University of Illinois, touched a deep chord within us, and Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering Chicago, and lives in San Carlos, CA, vivid memories keep flooding back: in India, followed by an MS in U.S. He is married to Vidya, and has Our times with him in the classroom, Electrical Engineering from the two teenage boys, Varun and Tanay. An on the sports field, listening to him University of South Florida, Tampa, entrepreneur at heart, Hrishi was among play his music. and then pursued a career in Software the first employees at Netscape, where If there was one thing Paddy would Development in Digital Signal Processing he was responsible for helping build the have wanted us to do, it would have and Telecom and VoIP technologies. world’s first e-commerce store. After been to celebrate his life, his passions He lives in Cupertino, CA, U.S., and is stints at Oracle, Netscape, and other and his infectious energy. currently working on an entrepreneurial high-tech companies, he is still working Affectionately known as Sunny, product in the mobile and cloud space. in e-commerce. Padman Nambiar (Wilson) will Asheem Chandna (Savage) Jamshid Lal (Barham) did his MBA forever be remembered as a visionary earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s in at the University of Michigan and businessman, an avid sportsman, a Engineering from Case Western, Ohio. currently lives in Los Angeles. Having gifted musician, a talented chef, scuba He and his wife, Aarti, live in the been in the field of technology since diver, and so much more. San Francisco Bay Area with their two 1987, he has worked for companies such children, Roshan and Riya. Asheem is a as GM, Wells Fargo and Gartner Group, – Rajeev Merchant (Class of ’73) venture capitalist at Greylock Partners, among others. He now heads his own where he helps entrepreneurs build and business, ComputerWise, which provides

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technology services to schools and pursued a career in interior design he met at work in 1988), they have a small businesses. while studying simultaneously at daughter and a son. He is currently the Ketan Kothari (Savage) did his BS in Sophia Polytechnic, Mumbai. She moved Founder/CEO of a technology start-up Electrical Engineering and then an MBA, to Hong Kong to join an international called CloudOn, which has the claim to got a real job at Apple (where he learnt hospitality design firm, lived in Shanghai fame of being one of the fastest-growing how to become an entrepreneur), started for almost 10 years, and travelled the mobile-productivity solutions. AlphaSmart, and had a fun ride taking region working on projects and restoring Namrita Jhangiani, née Shahani it public. He has spent the last five years heritage properties, boutique hotels (Savage), did her BA in Economics from trying to figure out if the whole Apple, and some fun residences. She currently St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, in 1985 AlphaSmart, Root-1 thing was accidental! resides in Hong Kong. and MBA from Wharton School, He loves hiking, squash and music. Maya Arora, née Koregaokar University of Pennsylvania in 1990. Lavina Roy, née Malani (Barham), Back in Mumbai since then, she is now did her BA in History and Psychology a partner at Egon Zehnder, a global from Jai Hind College, Mumbai, followed executive and board search firm. Married by a stint with the Taj Hotel for a year. to Vivek, she is mother to two third- She then worked with a leather-export generation Cathedralites, Sumair, 14, and firm for a year before she got married. Diya, 12. She has been married to Yogesh Roy Narayan Mulchandani (Wilson) for 25 years, and they have a son and a studied at Jai Hind College (HSC 1982) daughter. Lavina designs clothes and has and later at Cornell University, U.S. her own business; she works from home, (Barham), and Raj Arora (Palmer) got (BS 1986 and MBA 1987). After where she has her own workshop, and married in 1987 and live in Mumbai. graduating, he worked in High deals with clients on a personal level. Both graduated from Sydenham College Technology in the U.S. and in 1990 Madhavan Thirumalai (Barham) in Mumbai. They have two kids, Tanya, returned to India to join the family left Cathedral in 1980 and went to who graduated from Franklin & Marshall business, where he worked for four St. Xavier’s College, followed by in the U.S., and Caran, who is a rising years. He moved to Hong Kong in 1994 IIT, Mumbai. After working in 3D sophomore at Bates College in Maine, and has been in banking since then. graphics and advertisement films in U.S. Maya worked for three years before Poonam Talwar (Palmer), House Mumbai for two years, he went to becoming a full-time mother and Captain, did her BCom from Sydenham U.C., Santa Cruz, California, for a homemaker. Raj has business interests in College, Mumbai, followed by Law at Master’s degree. Besides being a insurance, education and sport. Government Law College, Mumbai. Silicon Valley engineer for 20 years, he Meenakshi Thadani (Savage) left After living in Agra for a while, she now has raced sailboats, climbed mountains, Cathedral to go on the Rotary Exchange resides in Mumbai and works for her bicycled across countries, learned to programme in Std. 12. She stayed on in family business of tile manufacturing. windsurf and dive, flown airplanes, Pennsylvania to do her undergraduate She has three children — two daughters, travelled, and learned Italian! Now degree in Graphic Design and then Chaandnee and Anikaa, who have passed married, tame and responsible, he worked at the Taj Hotel, Mumbai, for out of Cathedral, and son, Aryaman, lives on the East Coast, working in three years before going back to study who is still in Cathedral. This keeps her Finance Technology. at Pratt Institute, NY. She has lived in connected to school, and she is reminded Mala Punwani (Shahani) went to Hong Kong for 23 years working as a of the best years of her life every time HR College, Mumbai, after Std. 10. She graphic designer. Her email address is she’s there! did a beauty course at the same time and [email protected]. Porus Kaka (Wilson), completed went on to get a job with Hotel President Milind Gadekar (Wilson) his BCom from Sydenham College, (now Taj Vivanta) at their beauty parlour, left school after Std. 11 for a year at Mumbai, and qualified as a lawyer from where she worked from 1982 to 1988. Jai Hind College, Mumbai. After two Government Law College. He completed She got married in 1988 and continued years at Manipal Institute of Technology his LLM in 1991 from Harvard Law working from home. She is a U.S.- with Rohan Dalal and Hrishikesh School as an Inlaks Scholar. He was certified Electrologist and Aesthetician, Kamat, Milind joined Ketan Kothari at designated a senior advocate by the High lives in Cuffe Parade, and operates from Brigham Young University and finished Court in 2010. He is on the editorial her clinic in Colaba. his BS in Electrical Engineering. He then board of the World Tax Journal and was Malavika Kohli (Barham) is a did his Master’s at North Carolina State the Indian Branch Representative on practising dermatologist in Mumbai and University (with Rohan once again). He the Permanent Scientific Committee has pioneered aesthetics in India. She has been in California since 1988 and of the International Fiscal Association loves to travel, and fitness is her passion. currently lives in Palo Alto, where he is (IFA), Netherlands, from 2004 to 2011. Malini Sawhney (Barham) graduated a mile away from Ketan (old friendships He has been consistently ranked as one from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and die hard!). Married to Anna (whom of India’s leading senior tax advocates

44 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Class Notes

by Chambers and Partners (U.K.) and was whisked off to London and has Rita Chulani, née Chainani the International Tax Review. He also subsequently lived in Hong Kong, (Palmer), left school in 1980 and spent received the Client Choice award for Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Singapore. They two mad years at St. Xavier’s College, 2011 from ILO, for Corporate Tax have two gorgeous children — Ryan, Mumbai, followed by a BA in Economics Law for India. In 2012, he became the 19, and Kara, 15. She currently lives and PR from Syracuse University. After first Asian to be elected as the next in Singapore and runs a small catering a brief work stint, she got married and worldwide President of the International business that specialises in exclusive took 10 years out to bring up her two Fiscal Association (Netherlands) in its snacks and desserts! amazing kids, who are now 21 and 24 75-year history, and his term began in Rajan Rajgopal (Wilson) went to years old. She moved to London in 1996 September this year. Jai Hind College for Std. 11 and 12 after to enrol the kids into ‘good schools’, Preeti Vaswani, née Vohra finishing ICSE in 1980. After Junior single-handedly raised them (she got (Palmer), left school in 1980 and joined College, he went to the University of divorced in 2002), and started her St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, where she Texas, Austin, where he completed career in property and interior design studied Economics. Later, she worked in his Bachelor of Science in Electrical with her own business and store in the banking sector in Mumbai and did Engineering. He then went on to do his Swiss Cottage, London, where she her Master’s in Economics. In 1988, she MSEE at the University of Maine, after currently lives. She did a brief stint moved to the U.S. with husband, Dinesh, which he bagged his first job at Texas in Mumbai from November 2012 to and lived in the Bay Area (California), Instruments in Dallas, Texas. He has June 2013 but is back in London now, where she worked in retail banking. She been in Singapore since 1995, working where she hopes to grow her business moved back to Mumbai in 2002 and for GlobalFoundries. He is married and even further. has two amazing children — Ashwin, has two sons, aged 18 and 13. Roopesh Patel (Savage) moved to 19, and Nandeeta, 16, both of whom Reena Mehrotra, née Kewalramani New York in 1985 for his MBA and are Cathedralites. (Barham), did her BCom from HR built his career in investment banking Radhika Robertson, née Baveja College and has worked with Wockhardt with firms such as J.P. Morgan and UBS (Wilson), graduated from Pharmaceuticals and Alpic Finance. She in New York and London. In 2009, he Sydenham College, Mumbai. She was in Bahrain for two years and is now moved to HSBC as Managing Director met her wonderful husband, Wayne, in Mumbai. She has two boys, aged 23 and Head of India Research, and while working in Mumbai, and they and 17, and is involved in philanthropy recently he has co-founded a health-care got married in 1990, post which she through education and health care. Text continued on page 46

The class of 1987/89 celebrated their 25-year reunion over brunch at Class of 1987/89 Blue Frog on December 22, 2012. Here are a few snapshots of the event. nion th Reu tyFif Twen

2013 The X-Cathedralite 45 Class Notes

investment firm. He is married and has a Class of 1997/99 family business at CEAT Tyres. In the daughter aged seven. meantime, he’s had two children — a girl Russa Mehta (Wilson) was and a boy. He’s pretty much living the Vice-Captain of Wilson House in Aditya Chandraghatgi (Wilson) usual Mumbai life — trying to find 1981-82. After graduating in works as a strategy consultant, some excitement on weekends. He Commerce from Sydenham College in focused on financial-service firms, enjoys his runs on Marine Drive and 1985, he went to the U.K. to crunch for Deloitte Consulting. He has been the half-marathon in January. numbers as an accountant for eight deployed to Hong Kong for the past 1½ Anila Gopalakrishnan (Savage) years. He returned to Mumbai in 1993 years and is using this opportunity to works on health and sustainability for and joined the finance department at explore Asia. Unilever in Mumbai. Having gone to Lintas, where he still works! Married Aditya Dugar (Wilson) completed UWC and worked in the U.N. previously, to Shirin Mehta (née Sethna) in 1998. his Bachelor’s degree at Stern School, she has an insane appetite for travel. They happily spend their lives balancing followed by a Gemology course at GIA. Anisha Singh (Savage) spent eight shared passions for scuba diving, yoga He has returned to India in order to years with Nestlé in Brazil, then moved and beer! expand the family business of diamond to India, where she heads Nestlé’s Sameer Parekh (Wilson) went trading into retailing and manufacturing premium-chocolates portfolio. to Purdue University to do his BSEE. of jewellery as well. Currently settled in Anjali Naik–Piramal (Savage) After graduating from Purdue in Mumbai, he is married to Aditi, and they heads Strategy across Asia-Pacific for 1987, he came back and started an have two boys, Arjun and Arhan. Mergermarket, a financial publication. EPABX-manufacturing company in Aditya Parikh (Savage) moved She married Nandan, her best friend Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He got married back to Mumbai after working with from school. “Go Cathedral!” to Medha in 1989, and they have two J.P. Morgan and started Paninaro, a Ankur Parikh (Wilson) graduated gorgeous daughters, Kahini, 22, and quick-service restaurant chain that from Georgia Tech and is a Director at Sanjana, 19. He returned to Mumbai sells healthy salads and sandwiches. He Alfaa UV, which manufactures high- after 15 years in Gandhinagar, and is currently expanding the number of purity industrial water disinfection his company, Intellicon, is now in the outlets in the city and hopes to satiate systems. Besides actively participating in fields of Voice Communication, Video every working professional’s hunger. water-conservation schemes, he spends Conferencing, Barcoding, RFID and all his free time with his family and Video Surveillance Solutions. Akarsha Jagtiani (Barham) his gadgets! Sanjay Dalal (Palmer), graduated from Franklin & Marshall House Vice-Captain, did his BCom College, PA, with a double major in Anushka Pinto (Wilson) is the COO from Sydenham College, Mumbai, Economics and French. A Vice-President of a boutique sustainability consultancy followed by an MBA from Notre Dame. at an asset-management company of a firm, GIST Advisory, which helps He has been working with Tarla Dalal on Swiss private bank based in Dubai, she governments, corporations, civil-society recipes, websites and applications. is currently a slave to both her employer organisations, banks and financial Vikas Seth (Wilson) graduated and husband. Her days of gymnastics institutions discover, measure, value from Georgetown University and are long gone, and creaking is more her and manage what matters. She has an Harvard Business School. Based thing now! LLB from the University of Bristol and in London, he started his career at Akhilesh Sethi (Wilson) is currently an MSc in Environmental Policy and McKinsey and joined Credit Suisse working with Barclays as a director Regulation from the London School of 20 years ago. He leads the bank’s within their investment-banking Economics and Political Science. M&A group in Europe and across division. He lives in Singapore with his Archit Jayakar (Savage) is currently global emerging markets and runs the wife, Radhika. practising law at Jayakar and Partners Investment Banking business for the Amit Pande (Barham) was Prefect and is belatedly thanking his English- Middle East, Turkey and Africa. in 1999. After a Master’s degree in language teachers every day. He dreams Vivek Kalra (Wilson) is married Computer Science from the University of of being the law minister one day — to Gauri, an accomplished yoga Southern California, he joined Microsoft maybe he’d use his influence then to instructor, and they have two beautiful Corp. in Redmond, U.S. He has worked allow the school social beyond 10 p.m.! daughters — Devki, 13, and Gayatri, 11. in various leadership roles at Microsoft Charmaine Mirza (Savage) currently He has been living in Singapore since and has contributed to world-class does international sales and marketing 1999, where he spent more than products, including Windows and Xbox. for the Taj Group. She continues to 10 years in private equity with the Amit is currently Senior Director, pursue her mad passion for travel and Capital Group. He now manages an Google Inc., and is working on Android. everything that goes with it. India-focused small-/mid-cap fund and He lives in San Francisco, California. Cyrus Mody (Palmer) is currently travels to India/Mumbai frequently. Anant Goenka (Savage) completed working as COO of a real-estate his MBA from Kellogg School and developer in Mumbai. – Compiled by Preeti Vaswani returned to Mumbai to join his Devika Mistry (Savage) recently

46 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Class Notes

moved back to Mumbai to pursue his degree and training in the U.K., a marketing and advertising agency in a career in defence, homeland/ worked in London for three years, and Chicago for seven years. As always, he is maritime security, and the strategic then returned to Mumbai to manage his a diehard sports fan and enthusiast and infrastructure sector, by which she family’s real-estate business. Married “likes big butts and cannot lie”! ultimately aspires to address India’s since 2011, he has a baby on the Neha Jiwarajka (Savage) did her national-security challenges. Devika way…“Woohoo!” Master’s from Warwick University, U.K., has degrees in International Security Javed Murad (Wilson) would and is now a contemporary wedding and Studies and International Relations from prefer to catch up with each of his lifestyle photographer under the name Georgetown University and Grinnell classmates in person. He can be found ‘Neha Brackstone Photography’. Based in College respectively. at The White Owl, a microbrewery and Mumbai, she is also a fitness instructor Dhiraj Doshi (Barham) is the grill he just opened at One Indiabulls and teaches Zumba. General Manager at Jewels In Paradise Center (Lower Parel, Mumbai). Neha Roy (Barham) has recently left (luxury watches) in Jamaica as well as Karan Rai (Wilson) is living, working the world of FMCG marketing to pursue a Retail Specialist and Ambassador for and dreaming! After graduating from the her passion for all things food-related. Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre and University of Texas, he spent a bunch She is currently a food writer in the A. Lange & Söhne. He couldn’t be living of years in a corporate tie and now Washington D.C. area, working on a it up in a better way… the best white- spends his time selling cricket bats and business plan to branch out into D.C.’s sand beaches, laidback lifestyle and tons chemicals. Generally found in Mumbai, up-and-coming food scene. of rum! he travels when he can and recently Nikunji Shah (Savage) graduated Gaurav Goenka (Barham) runs a jumped out of a plane. from HR College, Mumbai, and then hospitality business in India. The brands Kavi Gupta (Barham) lives in pursued his interest in jewellery design. he runs try and cover the entire food New York, has worked at Goldman He is currently a self-employed Graduate spectrum — the traditional Rajdhani; Sachs and Merrill Lynch after studying Gemologist (GIA) and a professional authentic Italian chains such as at Cornell, and currently runs a trading jewellery designer with 12 years of Café Mangii; the Lebanese QSR chain, desk at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. experience in the industry. Falafel’s; and the fun-filled sports bar, Kunal Shah (Savage) is currently Manchester United Cafe Bar. The latest director/partner in the luxury and brand that he is looking forward to is lifestyle event company, Network the famous London-based dim-sum Prive. He is also a starving vocalist, chain, Ping Pong. Besides this, he runs songwriter, composer and producer mid-segment boutique hotels under the and has performed with the likes of brand Citrus. Apart from making the A.R. Rahman and Ranjit Barot. His world fat by serving them good food, recent releases include ‘Feel’ by Phoenyx he has been on an unsuccessful mission & Kunala, ‘La La Land’, and ‘Honge since the last decade to lose weight. Kamyab’ by Kunal Avanti featuring Nishant Kanodia (Barham) is Gaurav Saraf (Palmer) is the Joint Megan Murray and Pasha. currently a vice president at Citigroup in Managing Director of Square Foot, a Mayank Ruia (Barham) resides London, working in the Equity Capital pan-India flooring store. He is married in Mumbai and heads Phoenix Mills’ Markets team. to Aakriti, an interior designer, and they residential-real-estate business. He also Palak Mittal Kanoria (Wilson) have a baby girl, Mysha, 6 months. He is pursues his interest in food by helping is the Director of Trade Wings Ltd., a a graduate of IIM (B) and has been living start Simply Potatoes, selling a variety travel and tourism company. She went in Bengaluru since 2005. of potato-based fast foods at various to Babson College for her undergraduate Hitesh Upadhyay (Savage) recently locations across the city. degree. Currently living in Mumbai, completed his MBA from Columbia Nakul Arya (Wilson) graduated she is married to Pranav Kanoria, a Business School and currently works as a from Purdue University with a Bachelor Cathedral batchmate. management consultant at IBM. He and of Science degree (Computers). He is Poonam Awatramani M.D. (Wilson) his wife live in New York City and are currently working in the family business did her BSc degree from Virginia Tech, expecting their first child this year. and runs an Iron Ore Beneficiation and Medical School at MUA, West Indies, Ilham Nabee (Palmer) works Pelletisation plant in Orissa. Married to and research on Schizophrenics at LSU. part-time in her family’s perfume Shruti, they have a son, Vihaan, 3. She is currently a Psychiatry Resident and cosmetic business and is a full- Nandish Vasa (Barham) moved at Louisiana State University Health time mum to her two children. It is a back to Mumbai last year and works Sciences Center at Shreveport, LA. joy to hear her daughter, 3, sing the at Stepathlon, a health and wellness Pranav Kanoria (Savage) is currently school song! start-up company. Prior to moving back, the CEO of Bagalkot Cement and has Jamshed Jeejeebhoy (Palmer) is he got a Bachelor’s degree from the followed his dream and recently started a lawyer by profession. He completed University of Michigan and worked at a mobile-applications business.

2013 The X-Cathedralite 47

Class Notes

Rikin Sheth (Barham) is working in the family-owned automotive Sheth brought in the Cathedral spirit. components business, lives in Mumbai, Class of May 4 came, and we expected a and is married to Priyanka Khanna ion 2001/03 Reun modest turnout but were delighted to (ISC 2000, Barham), Senior Fashion Tenth have over a 65-member strong roster Features Editor at Vogue. Reunion sign-in. A professional photo booth Snehal Naik (Barham) and organised by Mayank Sekhsaria snapped Rohan Sen (Barham) just moved to It had been 10 years, and never before and printed pictures on the spot. Not to Philadelphia, U.S., with their daughter, had our batch come together formally. forget the fancy props that were used for 3. There, Snehal works for Johnson & Ishaan Pohumal compiled a thoroughly amusing us! After much coordination, all Johnson and Rohan for PwC. entertaining two-minute video montage of us assembled for a batch photo that Sonali Zoracki, née Desai (Palmer), of school days that was aired at the lives in New York City with her husband. turned out rather nice. event. These videos were courtesy After completing her Bachelor’s at Many discoveries were made as old some phone cameras, then the newest mates discussed life in New York to Middlebury College, she went on to in technology to hit the streets. Neha farming in Bihar or even a glow-in- pursue her Master’s in Social Work at Arya (Sethi), Shaila Pandole and Paridhi the-dark-lingerie start-up. It was all Columbia University. She has a thriving Mittal (Somani) were instrumental in happening in true Cat-Alumni style. private psychotherapy practice in the collating age-old photographs that made The countdown to 2016 begins, which city, working with parents of children for the perfect backdrop at the Kala will mark 15 years for the class of with special needs. Ghoda banquet hall, courtesy Varun ’01 (ICSE)! Tarika Vaswani (Savage), Vice- Kapur, whilst Rhea Rakshit and Mihir Captain in 1999, is currently Associate – Digvijay Kathiwada Vice-President at GiveIndia.org in Mumbai. After a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Class of 2005/07 London-based private equity firm with Mumbai, she did her Master’s in investments in India and China. After Sociology from SNDT, Mumbai. Her completing his BA from New York initial career stints included being a Aakash Kejriwal (Barham) is University in 2011, he moved back quality analyst at a transcription firm, currently working on starting up his to Mumbai, where he worked as an then editor at a travel website, post own software product development investment banker with Ernst & Young which she switched over to the non- company that will focus on web and and Barclays for two years. profit world and has been there for the mobile products. He holds a BSc in Aditya S. Kaji (Barham) is a past 6½ years. Computer and Management Science consultant at Booz and Company. He Tejal Ramnathkar (Wilson) quit an from the University of Warwick. joined the firm after graduating from eight-year career in investment banking Aashika Cunha (Palmer) graduated the University of Pennsylvania. to move to Nairobi, Kenya, with her from LASALLE College of the Arts, Aditya Shrimankar (Savage) is husband, start her own Indian luxury- Singapore, in 2012. Since then, she has currently working as a financial analyst toiletries brand and become a mum for been painting the town red with her art at a real-estate firm in Dallas, Texas. He the first time. and design. Her latest hotspot is the holds an MSc in Mathematical Finance Tushar Balsara (Palmer) is Jehangir Nicholson Art Foundation at from Boston University and a Bachelor currently working at Google in London, the Prince of Wales Museum, where she of Engineering degree in Computers is married and has a little daughter, works as a curator and designer. from the University of Mumbai. Meher, 2. After a BCom degree from Alisha Shirodkar (Wilson) obtained HR College, Mumbai, he worked for a double degree in Marketing and Tata Consultancy, then pursued his Finance from Stern Business School, Master’s in the U.K. and worked for an NY. She is currently working at HUL as advertising agency before joining Google Assistant Brand Manager for Pond’s. two years ago. Amartya Sinha (Wilson) graduated Zubin Pastakia (Wilson) is currently from Carleton College in 2011 and is working as an interaction designer currently working for A.T. Kearney (a at the Mumbai office of innovation management consulting firm). and design consultancy IDEO. He also Anish Godha (Palmer) is currently works as a documentary and fine-art a co-founder of a custom fine jewellery photographer. Abhijeet Gandhi (Wilson) is service, Diamondère, and a founder currently an investment professional of a group-planning service called – Compiled by Devika Mistry with Greater Pacific Capital, a MochaMeet. He holds an MS from

2013 The X-Cathedralite 49 Class Notes

Stanford University and a BS from the University of Southern California Priyanka Beswal (Palmer) Northwestern University. in Los Angeles. Upon graduation, he graduated with a BA (Hons.) in Arjun Sinha (Wilson) graduated returned to Mumbai to join the family Animation from LASALLE College of from the Carnegie Mellon University business of the manufacture and retail the Arts, Singapore. After staying in in Pittsburgh, U.S., and moved to of fine jewellery. He recently started his Singapore for five years, where she Singapore to become an oil trader. own venture of exporting jewellery, an worked with the likes of Hershey’s, offshoot of his family business. Candylicious, Nestlé and MasterCard, Mandovi Menon (Palmer) has Priyanka has now returned to Mumbai been busy being AWESOME since she and is the proud co-founder of her own graduated from Cathedral in 2005. She’s design and communications agency, pretty sure Ishita Dharnidharka will Sticky Stripes. have a similar response! Raashi Seth (Wilson) graduated Mehak Dhowan (Barham) graduated from Warwick Business School and from Boston University in 2011. Since London School of Economics (MSc). She then, she has been trying to take over is currently working with J.P. Morgan the world one megabyte at a time as a (London) with their private equity and digital strategist at FoxyMoron, a hedge-sales team. digital marketing agency. Rahil Mehrotra (Barham) graduated Dilnaz Bapsola (Savage) is currently Mirai Doshi (Palmer) went on to from the University of Pennsylvania an advocate practising law at Hariani & attend UWCSEA and Barnard College, in 2011. He began working at an NGO Co., Advocates and Solicitors, but her CU, after Cathedral. She is now working in Mumbai, setting up an education life is, unfortunately, nothing like the as a strategic planner at the advertising park for children, which he is still TV show Suits. agency Grey Worldwide. associated with. Soon after, he joined Divyangana Morarji (Barham) Nikhil Saraf (Barham) is working a steel company, first in Tokyo and graduated from Denison University and as a software developer for Salesforce. now in Mumbai, in their Sales and is in her second year at Government com, helping build out their software Marketing division. Law College, Mumbai. She is currently infrastructure, and is based in Rishav Kanoria (Savage) graduated interning at Kanga & Co. San Francisco. from the University of Pennsylvania Harsh Jhaveri (Savage) obtained Niki Sorabjee (Palmer) is working in 2011. After moving back home, he his BSc in Electrical Engineering from for Haymarket Media in London as a founded Flixit Animations, which he Yale University and is currently working publishing executive on What Car? and currently runs. in the Investment Banking division of Autocar magazines. Rishika Harish (Wilson) did her Barclays, India. Nishita Pitale (Savage) is currently undergraduate degree at New York Husrav Billimoria (Barham) pursuing her MBA in Human Resources University. She is currently pursuing is currently working at MACOM, a at Xavier Institute of Management her LLB from Government Law semiconductor firm based in Lowell, and Research, Mumbai. She previously College, Mumbai. MA, as a Marketing Communications graduated in Mass Media from Jai Hind Saachi Sood (Barham) graduated Specialist. He holds a BSc degree College, Mumbai, followed by a Diploma from Denison University with a double in Business Administration from in Fashion Communication from major in Economics and Religion and is Babson College with concentrations in Ryerson University, Toronto. currently pursuing an MA from Marketing and Economics. Pheroze Chichgar (Savage) St. Xavier’s College in Ancient Indian Ishita Dharnidharka (Barham) graduated from Imperial College London History, Culture and Archaeology. has been attempting to travel the in 2011. After a stint at Mahindra Saurabh Sekhsaria (Palmer) is world since she graduated in 2005. She and Mahindra, he has recently currently Assistant Manager, Revenue has used many a method to sustain started working for Kiran Energy, a Management, Taj Hotels Resorts & this lifestyle — the most ludicrous solar-power producer. Palaces. He previously worked with D.E. of them being the procurement of a Pooja Todi (Savage) completed Shaw & Co. after completing his degree college degree. her Bachelor’s at Indiana University, in business management. Saurabh Jay Kotak (Palmer) is currently Bloomington, and went on to study spends a lot of his spare time at the CCI. an analyst with McKinsey & Company post-baccalaureate at Columbia Shankar Menon (Wilson) received in Mumbai. After school, he pursued University, New York. After working at his Bachelor’s in Management Studies an undergraduate degree at Pressman for 10 months, she decided to from HR College. He started his career Columbia University, followed by a start something by herself, which led to with the M&A advisory team at Ernst stint in investment banking and the creation of Sticky Stripes, a design & Young and is currently in the process then a year at a hedge fund. and communications agency, and she is of moving to Hong Kong to work for Karnik Shah (Wilson) studied at very happy! Fairfax Asia. He also found it very

50 The X-Cathedralite 2013 Class Notes

strange to refer to himself in third Text continued from page 17 The Way Forward person while writing this! If the aim of education is to prepare Sheebani Chothani (Palmer) is a student for the world as an adult, an analyst in the Investment Banking then our children must be ready for division of Goldman Sachs in London turbulent ecological crises, swift after having graduated with a BSc in tides of technology changes and Statistics from UCL. volatile, interlinked economies. Siddharth Somaiya (Savage) Humanity grows increasingly completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Art Institute of Chicago connected with each passing decade, and is now gaining experience in his and along with that comes the need family business. for an expansive, outward-looking Simrin Makhija (Barham) is education. With instant knowledge currently pursuing a Master’s in at their fingertips, tomorrow’s International Development Policy at generation will probably benefit less Georgetown University and is working from amassing large quantities of as a consultant for the World Bank. Photograph courtesy Cathedral School Archives data and more from sifting through Sneha Sadarangani (Wilson) an IB one, Mr. Doshi says, “Making information, separating wheat from obtained an MA in Psychology from presentations, writing reports and chaff and originating innovative Haverford College and went on to work learning in a new way, particularly solutions. We must raise resilient as a features writer for L’Officiel India for in the humanities and languages, young adults, intellectually agile and two years. self-motivated with a curious hunger Tanvi Ajmera (Barham) is a clinical will take some effort, but in time the psychologist working in the field of students will do fine.” Mrs. Isaacs for learning and an ability to tap into mental-health intervention. She is notes that this method is already in their own unique set of skills and currently assisting in perinatal HIV practice for students in the Advanced talents to pursue work that gives research at the Children’s Hospital Placement (AP) programme. them joy and meaning. Los Angeles. While teacher training and student Qualities such as empathy, true Tehzeeb Moloobhoy (Wilson) adjustment are things that the school leadership, diligence and all-rounded obtained her BBA in Finance and can work on, there is one aspect that perseverance, irrespective of the Management from Goizueta Business lies outside the school’s domain — examination board, have always School at Emory and has been working the parent body. A few short-sighted been a part of the Cathedral at her 107-year-old maritime family parents pushing their children experience. Students know the value business, A.S. Moloobhoy & Sons, as the to outdo each other can create a of hard work and determination, fourth generation. stressful environment and ‘tuition due in no small part to, as Mrs. Tripti Sahni (Wilson) graduated Isaacs says, the school’s “focus on with a First Class degree from Sir J.J. culture’, often resulting in student leadership and creating students College of Architecture and went on burnout. One parent commented, to work at RSA. Co-founder of fashion “The general sense is that tuitions who give of themselves completely blog, The Fashion Co., she currently are not required for the IB, as in sports as well as academics and balances her time running the website children are encouraged to form their extracurricular activities”. and its product line while she begins own thoughts independently, but With teachers who view to leave her architectural imprint on unfortunately parents put their kids themselves as catalysts in a child’s projects designed by her across the city. in IB tuitions too, and that too at a learning, and parents who are Varun Goenka (Wilson) completed far greater expense. It’s the parents supportive of the individual child, the his Master’s in Sports Management who are so competitive.” current educational changes could in 2011 and is now the Chief Ms. Bhat says, “Parents must truly present an excellent opportunity to Communications Officer for the accept that marks are not everything, learn for a new tomorrow. As Mrs. International Federation of Poker. and focus on the child’s overall Isaacs says, however, “There is no Vidur Mahajan (Savage) graduated panacea. Everything comes with its from HR College, Mumbai, while development. They can give the child pros and cons, and we will have to see pursuing his Chartered Accountancy. He the confidence that they can and worked at Deloitte Haskins & Sells for must do it on their own, fostering how things unfold.” three years. independence of mind. The IB is not just a change in a system; it’s a - Miel Sahgal – Compiled by Sneha Sadarangani change in a mindset.” (ISC ’89)

2013 The X-Cathedralite 51 Crossword

Across 18. Arguing for glory 8. Winners of the year 4. Respected leadership group 19. Multipurpose space for 9. Said to be written by 5. Search for it when you are thirsty basketball, school plays, and Rudyard Kipling 10. “Left right left” early in boxing in the old days 15. Carry it and sing the morning Down 17. Parents’ day out 11. Morning prayers and 1. Club for social service announcements 2. Snack time Created by 12. Day to connect with alumni 3. Everyone’s favourite line from Sarita Bhalerao (née Saraiya) 13. Cram for exams: ___ up the school song 14. Day for intellectuals 4. Project to help street kids (ICSE ’83) and achievers 6. Each House has a different day Nandita Duggar (née Rajkumar)

16. Biannual exam time 7. September 5 (ICSE ’88)

9. School Hymn 15. Hymnal 17. Open Day Day Open 17. Hymnal 15. Hymn School 9.

Down: Let it rip, let it thunder 4. Pavement Club 6. House Games 7. Teachers’ Day 8. Cock House Cock 8. Day Teachers’ 7. Games House 6. Club Pavement 4. thunder it let rip, it Let 3. Break 2. Interact 1.

18. Debates 19. Quad 19. Debates 18.

Across : 4. Prefects 5. Cooler 10. Marching 11. Assembly 12. Founders’ Day 13. Mug 14. Speech Day 16. Comprehensives 16. Day Speech 14. Mug 13. Day Founders’ 12. Assembly 11. Marching 10. Cooler 5. Prefects 4. : Answes Answes

52 The X-Cathedralite 2013