Get Together ISM-1971 Batch at M S Sandhu's Home!

09th Oct' 2011 New Delhi / India at M S Sandhu’s Home:

The day I arrived New Delhi from Auckland on 26^th Sept’ 2011, I had several emails /  telephonic conversations, with M S Sandhu and my other mates of our class namely – Virendar Sawhney, Ashok Syal, Shashi Kapoor (Hyderabad), S J Sibal, P. Gopalakrishnan (Kerala), Avichal Malik, Deepak Gupta (Goa), P S Grewal (Calcutta) , Tejinder Singh, Subash Jain (Houston, USA), O P Arora & Ramesh Mahajhan.

I also chatted or got responses from 1972 batch ( P S Gyani, Harsh Vardhan Sharma, Deepak Vidyarthi,) and from senior batches Mr. R P Prashara (’58 Mining / Chandigarh), Mr. Ajoy K Chaterjee (’60 Mining / Goa), Mr. R Y Kutumbe ('60 Mining), Mr. Pallab Banerjee ('60 Mining), Mr. Pradeep Gangopadhyay (’70 Pet Engg / USA), Mr. Suresh Mehta (’62 Mining) & Mr. N N Gautam (’62 Mining) to name a few out of memory.

I did not had every one’s telephone numbers, which we got it soon after ringing few whose numbers I had and after knowing everyone's welfare, my first task was to see if we could all meet and our first planned get together was held at M S Sandhu ‘s home on 09^th Oct’ 2011, who was very pleased to host the get together with drinks followed by lunch. 

L to R, M S Sandhu, S J Sibal, A Talwar & V Sawhney

L to R, Mrs. & Mr. Syal, Mrs.& Mr Sawhney, Mrs.&Mr. Sibal & Mrs. & Mr Sandhu

Sibal, Sandhu, Sawhney & Syal

L to R, Mrs./ Syal / Sawhney / Sandhu / Sibal

It gives me great pleasure write the whole story of our meeting at his home on Sunday afternoon. It’s very difficult to express my personal happiness in meeting our class mates and equally M S Sandhu & his wife and others who expressed there joining us for a wonderful get to get together at his home. I cannot find appropriate words of my pleasure, that you and our fellow mates had same desire and love for their fellow mates to meet who once parted in different directions, to make there own destinies in the mining field. 

Syal, Sibal, Sandhu & Sawhney

Sibal & Sawhney enjoying food

Finally on Sunday the 09th Oct' 2011, between 11.30 am to 12.00 noon, we all (Sawhney, Syal,  Sibal with there wife’s and me alone) gathered at  M S Sandhu's home, and believe me what a great thrill, smile, laughter and happiness was prevailing on each other minds that all of us had, words cannot express that inner feelings, but for those who missed may rejoice our meeting with photos of that occasion which I took that day and sent for wider audience over email, few weeks ago.

Virender Sawhney

Sawhney had even brought few snaps of School days from his treasure trove of old albums reminding all of us our great association then 1966 – 1971. One such photo was on Rickshaw ( Sawhney, Syal and Mahjhan are present, with me) in front of New Hostel. This meet will go on records as we all met and greeted each other after we all passed out in 1971, a historic occasion after 40 yrs. All youth days faces have changed to oldies now, but I believe there was not too much difficulty in recognizing each other once we were face to face, but the old matured glitter was very much there in all faces. More thrilled were ladies

S J Sibal

who have joined there hubbies to make this occasion a greater success, as without there presence it would not been complete in all respects. Me and my wife had met Mrs. Sandhu, Mrs Sibal few decades ago, so even my wife took an opportunity to call from Auckland to catch up with them. 

Only person I missed personally was O P Arora who used to always meet me during my trips to N Delhi from other metros & later when I used to come from Zambia, due to his involvement and preparations of his daughter's forthcoming  wedding in Nov' 2011, I requested him in numerable times to make it and more so I was not very well, but that inner urge to meet unfortunately never kindled in him so we all dearly missed him. I hope that wedding must have gone well; the news later was given to me by M S Sandhu who did attend the function. 

Few more mates missed Deepak Gupta (Goa), Tejinder Singh & Ramesh Mahajan, as they could not make it due to there pre occupations with some other urgent work in there family. And till my departure from N Delhi we could not meet.

During our meet at Sandhu’s house, I also informed all that Shashi Kapoor is coming on Monday 10th Oct'2011, by air from Hyderabad, I will be picking him from airport and to add extra flavor to his visit, please keep your Monday free, working executives, if they could spare just 2 to 2.5HRs at my home, between 11.30am to 2.00pm, as Shashi was to leave by 4.30 pm train from N Delhi same afternoon. This meeting I had with Shashi Kapoor was another wonderful one, which was joined by Ashok Syal as others could not make it. He had lot of wonderful memories and even reminded me that he had visited my home when we were at school.
 

Manjit Singh Sandhu

M S Sandhu was very kind to confirm and write to all on 08^th Oct’ 2011 - It's great that we all are meeting at my home - Tower 7, Flat No.703. PARSVNATH PRESTIGE II. SECTOR 93A NOIDA-201304, Sunday 09^th Oct’ 2011 between 11.30 to 12'O clock. It will be my pleasure to welcome you all.

My special thanks to Talwar for his initiative and vision for us to meet after 40 years.

 M S Sandhu also sent us directions to his home - Take NOIDA - GREATER NOIDA express highway from NOIDA and take the first exit to drive on the service lane along the same direction. You will find a cluster of high rise after around 500 meters. PARSVNATH is next to ATS GREEN and the prestige II can be approached from the back road which runs parallel to main express way. You may contact me for further clarification. But actually when we were going to his house, on Sawhney car, my mobile was on and Sandhu guided us to his home.

All our communication was going on email and we kept updating to our mates settled in India, Australia and USA, if any one could join us. Few were kind to give us a call and one such name comes for Mr. Pradeep Gangopadhayay who called me from Florida his home town and enquired my health status.

Thanks to M S Sandhu who hosted this afternoon:

Our mates with there better halves.

 It gives me great pleasure to send my heartiest thanks, on behalf of me and my wife and behalf of whole 1971 batch for hosting such a lovely get together followed by sumptuous lunch. We had lot of memories revived, of school days.

Virender Sawhney brought lovely photos of school days, which reminded us our great association we had together when we were still at school. He has agreed to get it scanned, and send it to every one. 

Ashok Syal ever Cheerful.

 Ashok Syal has promised to send us school days photos, especially Parsanath Trip we had with our class. S J Sibal made us laugh and laugh with lovely joke, which brought us lot of humor and smiles, even ladies did rejoiced it.

My wife Anjali did not wanted to miss, the occasion, so she called from NZ and greeted Mrs. Sibal, Mrs Sandhu, Mrs Sawheny and Mrs Syal and spoke to them over phone.

Sandhu being looked after, after he took care of every one

 M S Sandhu and his wife took lot of pains, to get this sumptuous lunch cooked at her home for all of us to enjoy, so believe in me, I enjoyed to my fullest so did our mates who joined us, great was the love and believe in me, it was very great satisfaction when we parted later.

Although after our passing out, we met, what a great feeling I had, so did our fellow mates who hugged every one with same closeness as when we parted from school.

I have also posted few our snaps along with this blog to record our meeting for wider known to our friends around the globe who are computer novice and would like to read our get together and rejoice our photos taken then.

Syal & Sibal enjoying his fill

Mr. Pradeep Gangopadhyay ('1970 Pet. Engg) USA:

Lastly, I also got a call from Mr. Pradeep Gangopadhyay ('1970 Pet. Engg) from USA, inquiring about my health and showing concerns as fellow mate from school. This is what makes us feel we are part of that Alma Mater whose history, traditions and love are deep rooted in every one hearts, how far and wide we all are settled. Thank you my friend I had a lovely chat with you for around 30 minutes, which I will cherish.

He has conveyed me to get well soon, get checked and was wondering why all our mates have to travel back home for getting proper treatment compared to where we are living in western world. To what I told him, how they treat you as if they are experimenting on you. He was telling he can place S J Sibal, else faint memories are there for others. I have promised him to send him latest photos, to what all we rejoiced our meeting yesterday. He will be traveling to India in Dec' 2011, if some of our mates, would love to meet him.

Subash Jain (’71 Mining) wrote from Houston, USA:

Dear Arun,

Its when you are meeting with old-timers lovely friends and enjoying your golden days of ISM, you need not to take any medicine. Laughing is the best medicine for all cures. I love and miss you all. Have sweet dreams, SUBASH.

Mr. Ajoy Chaterjee (’60 Mining), wrote from Goa:

Dear Arun,

I am glad to know that you and your 1971 classmates had an enjoyable get-together at Noida on the 10th of October, 2011. 

I wish you speedy recovery from your ailments. 

Best wishes,  AJOY CHATTERJEE (‘60 Mining). 

So once again, we all thank you for hosting such a great meet, treat & greet at your home in Noida giving us a individual care.

Cheers, Arun Talwar (’71 Mining)