Media release

Mangaluru, Jan 25: Some hugged, some tried to recall the other person’s name... but in vain, many touched their favourite teachers’ feet, a few became emotional and many were in disbelief that they were meeting after a gap of 29 years at the first ever grand ‘Guruvandana’ programme of Kannada medium students of 1989 batch of SSLC students, organised in the history of 138 year history of the school.

A total of 26 teachers and five attenders, who were part of the school between 1979 - 1989, were felicitated by 60 plus then Aloysians, much to the memorable and delight of teachers.

In fact more than 10 teachers said that they never received such a grand felicitation in their entire career spanning an average of 30 to 35 years.

Replying to felicitation, retired teacher Sarvajna Achar said that he was selected for the post of a police sub- inspector in 1974, but could not join the service due to his inability to pay a bribe of Rs 50,000. “If I had joined the police service then, I?would have retired as DIG or officer with some big rank with 4-5 flats and 5 to 6 kg of gold, but I would not have received such an honour from so many students,” he said to the loud applause of ‘students’.

Another teacher Shambhu Shetty who became emotional regretted that not only Kannada medium students are looked down upon even to this day, but English medium teachers too continue to look down upon Kannada medium teachers.

The then physical education teacher Dayanand Rai said that he still sees a football team, a volleyball team and a cricket team among the audience (‘students’).

The then Science teacher and Scouts in-charge G K?Bhat called upon students to be a TEAM (T-Together, E-Everyone, A-Achieve, M-More) and continue to help the needy.

The then headmaster Fr?Lawrence Pinto, present headmaster Fr Jerald Furtado, retired teachers - Joyce D’Souza, G K?Bhat, H?L?R?Bhat,?Ramachandra Bhat, Srinivas Rao, Francis Mascarenhas, Donald Saldanha, Celina Rego, Rita Mascarenhas, Mary D’Souza, Ruby Lobo and Gretta Patrao among others spoke.

Earlier, St Aloysius Primary School Correspondent Fr Eric Mathias lauded the students for the programme and called upon the ‘students’ to help poor students, especially those belonging to Dalit and Koraga community in the form of paying fees. “The Koragas and Dalits living in Pachanady are striving the make the City clean by sweeping and collecting garbage, but their sons and daughters are not going to school. Help them to get education,” he said.

Felicitation

A total of 26 teachers and 5 attenders who served the institution between 1979 and 1989 were felicitated with a memento, shawl, fruits, 4 gram gold coin and a health card. (The health card was sponsored by alumni Rajesh Lobo). They included: Joyce D'Silva, Rita Mascarenhas, Ruby Lobo, Mary D'Souza, Celine Concesso, Gretta Patrao, Celine Rego, Shambu Shetty, H.L.R. Bhat, Sarvajna Achar, Frank Sequeira, Fr Lawrence Pinto, Fr Denis Rasquinha, Gopal Krishna Bhat (Sr), Gopal Krishna Bhat (Jr), Ram Mohan Tholpady, Dayanand Rai, Dr John Pinto, Srinivas Rao, Francis Mascarenhas, Donald Saldanha, G Ramachandra Bhat, Valarian Colaco; and attenders Felix, George, Jerald Fernandes, Bonaventure and Herald Misquith (who served St Aloysius for 47 years).

Earlier, a one-minute silence was observed to the departed souls of teachers - Fr Ronnie Prabhu, Fr J?B?Frank, Benedict Vas, Sathurin D’Silva, A?X?Patrao, G?Lobo, Bonaventure Menezes, Fr Lawrence D’Souza, Fr A?S?Rodrigues, Fr Victor, T A?Rao, J?R?D’Leema, Manjappayya, Leo Fernandes, L?D’Cunha, Mark Menezes and Ethel Prabhu; and also students - Nilus, Maxim, Kiran Shetty, Shrinivas, Udaychandra, Lokesh, Raghuveer, Malet, Dakshath, Subashchandra, Ratan Pinto, Melwin and Santhosh Rao Pejavar.

Contribution to alma mater

The students also donated a sum of Rs 25,000 to St Aloysius High School and a sum of Rs 10,000 to St Aloysius Primary School, especially for the welfare of Kannada medium students.

Soon after the formal programme, kids of ‘students’ performed a cultural programme. All the kids, numbering more than 50, who attended the programme, were given prizes.

A few students had come to attend only this programme all the way from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Dubai, United Kingdom, Mumbai, Belgaum and Bengaluru among others.

While 67 ‘students’ made it, nine ‘students’ working abroad could not make it due to leave issues.

Those who attended the programme included: A.K.Niyaz, Anand, Arun Louis, Arun Prashanth, Chandrashekar T G, Clyvan Cutinha, Daniel, Dheeresh M, Dinesh Shetty, Dr. Sathishchandra, Dr. Yashodanand, Ganesh, Guruprasad, Harish Shenoy, Janardhan Bhat, John Chandran, Joseph Rasquinha, Keshav Bhat, Kiran Kumar, Kiran Shetty, Kishore, Mahesh, Mahesh Lobo, Manjunath Shenoy, Manohar D'Souza, Michael Lobo, Mohandas K, Mukund, Nagaraj T, Naveen Kotian, Nishith (Nithesh), Pradeep D'Souza, Pradeep Rao, Pradeep U, Prakash Lobo, Prasad Maroli, Prashanth K.M, Prashanth K P, Preetham, Rajesh Lobo, Rajesh Shetty, Ramanand Pai, Ranjan Shetty, Rathan Kumar, Dr Ronald Anil Fernandes, Sampath Shetty, Sandesh, Santhosh Ullal, Sathish M C., Sharath, Shivaram, Suchethan, Sudharshan B.S., Sudhir Bekal, Sudhir Krishna, Sudhir Shetty, Sunil Ivan, Sunil Jonas, Sunil Lobo, Suraj Bolar, Thilakraj, Vijay Shet, Vinod Kamath, Vinod M.R, Yogish, Zahir Manipady.

Anil Kamath, Naveen D'Souza, Jeevan Cutinha, Kiran D'Silva, Mervin Roche, Aurie Pinto, Kiran Mascarenhas, Merwin Pais and Lionel Noronha had contributed for the event, but could not make it.