CONTENTS1. From the Editor’s Desk

3. Introducing the Editorial Team

4. How I learned to Fugue in St. Stephen’s

5. Going down Memory Lane

6. Remembering ‘Robert Saab’

7. Matchless gentlemen of a matchless college

8. What I think of my college

9. The power of IT to help the common man

10. Professional artists- good guys, bad guys

12. College days - Salad days

15. Bas Yuun Hi

16. The great kidnapping of 1979

17. In Memorium - Suraj Singh

18. Inauguration of renovated Science Block

From the Editor’s Desk

Two months ago, if someone had told me that almost thirty years after I left college, I would be editing a magazine 'for' and 'by' ex- Stephanians, I would have probably laughed out loud. But things have a way of changing and how! First, I found myself added to 'Stephanians' (I think by Sanjay Sethi) then found that I enjoyed a lot of the interactions on board. Like most of you, I too believe that the years spent in school and college are probably the most memorable and go a very long way in shaping the course of our lives ever after. In particular it is the shared memories of things that we all enjoyed, (yet had so many different takes on) that keep all of us bonded together. In this case, they could well be the mince cutlets and green chutney, Sukhia and Rohtas' dhaba, the gulab jamuns, nimbu pani, the Winterfest, Shakesoc and in the lives of people of our generation and the ones slightly older, the much loved and unforgettable Robert Saab!

A mention needs to be made of how this newsletter originated.Around the 20th of July (and well before the second Stephanian group was formed) Ashish Joshi asked me if I would be able to bring out a newsletter on behalf of the group. Coincidentally, this happened at time when I was between Books 3 and 4, so after a very brief pause, I responded in the affirmative. Just a few days later, we had formed an Editorial team and the selection process for the newsletter's name had begun! And this is when that we all clearly saw the kind of interest and enthusiasm this concept had generated. The responses came in thick and fast and I must add, some of them were extremely interesting as well as innovative. Some of the names suggested were 'Serenade' by Sameer Prakash, 'Being Stephanian' by Prateek Lal, 'Stephanian' by Aman Khullar, 'The Mince' by Pranav Karol, 'Nimbu Pani/ Scrambled and minced' by Sunil Issar, Cafe Hog/Kooler Spice by Neel Chatterjee, 'Stephanians World/Stephanian Spice ' by Sanjay Sethi, 'Aloo Paratha' by Cherry Cherian,'Sukhiya Ki Surkhiyan'/'Type Set /Cafe Times'by Amitabha Pande,' GJams and hot Sams' by Sujata Suri, (The) 'Dhaba Reports' by Vikas Sahni,'The Stephanian and 'College'by Rohit Bansal,'Stephanian/Salt and Pepper' by Amardeep Singh, 'Mince and cutlets' by Nalin Sharma, 'Nostalgia called Stephens'by Hari Om Dhaiya, 'Saluting Stephania'/'Salute to Stephania'/Stephania by Rohit Grover,“, 'Stephania' by Kinley D. Dorji, 'Inside the drones club' by Vinod Vyasalu, and 'Stephanian Connect' and 'Red Star by John Dayal.

EDITORIAL TEAM

Editor - Sunaina Serna Ahluwalia

Consultant/ Guest Editor - John Dayal

Co- Editors - Nalin Sharma

Urvi Sukul Singh

Amardeep Singh

Layout and Design - Neha Singh Ahluwalia

Masthead Concept - Jack Jigg

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VOLUME I, SEPTEMBER 2011 A BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FOR PVT. CIRCULATION ONLY

S T E P H A N I A N

A quick voting exercise brought two names to the forefront,'Stephanian Spice' by Sanjay Sethi and 'Under the Lal Sitara' by Urvi Sukul Singh.It was Sanjay's 'Stephanian Spice' which emerged as the winner. With that, we were ready to roll!

I am happy to inform you that we have John Dayal as our Guest/Consultant editor, with Nalin Sharma, Urvi Sukul Singh and Amardeep Singh as Co Editors for Stephanian Spice.While the original masthead concept for this newsletter is by Jack Jigg, it was unfortunate that on the 20th of August, he chose to opt out due to personal reasons.

Since we were committed to bringing this edition on the 1st of September that came as a setback, but as the old saying goes, “Where there is a will there is a way.” Some very quick Editorial consultations via e-mail ensued and all options were weighed.Team-working in the very real sense shone through and we decided that things could and would go on.

Editor

Sunaina Serna Ahluwalia

Long time Oman resident, Sunaina Serna Ahluwalia is an author, photographer and communications consultant. She also writes features and articles and is involved with key women's issues.

sunaina.aluwalia@gmail.com www.sunainasernaahluwalia.com

And that was the time when I found help right in my own home as my daughter Neha volunteered to try and help out. Despite her own busy and hectic schedule, she has been instrumental in putting together this newsletter in the shape that you see it. Many thanks Neha and a big thank you to Jack Jigg as well- the opinion is unanimous, you gave us a great masthead!

So here it is, the first edition of our Bi- monthly newsletter and we hope that you will like what we have here for you. We would love to have your feedback and will try and incorporate your suggestions as we go along. Do remember this is your newsletter and can only carry on with your support and contributions.

Here's wishing all of you all very 'Happy reading'.

Poetic Snippets

Here are some poetic snippets from a conversation on the Stephanians’ FB Page on the 23rd of August. Just shows you what latent poetic talents can be awakened in Stephanians… all one needs is the appropriate time and place. And in this case, I'd like to add, the forum!

“Us se kehna hum Mazay Main Hain, Bas Yaadain bohat stati hain, un ki duuri ka gham nahi mujhe, bas zarae aankhen bheeg jaati hain” - Asim Abbas

“Arz kiya hai...Jaldbaazi mein shaadi karke sara jeevan bigad loge...

Soch Samajh ke karoge...Toh bhi kya ukhaad loge???” - Sujata Suri

“Jab jab aapse milne ki umeed nazar aayi, mere pairon mein zanjeer nazar aayi, gir pade aansu aankhon se, aur har aansu mein aapki tasweer nazar aayi” - Asim Abbas

(Here goes a not so original one) "Zamana aur sun-na chah-ta tha, hum-hi so gaye, dastan kehte kehtay" - John Dayal

On College

“We are here on this page because we share a common period in our lives when we chose to become what we are, or were made to become what we are, or accidentally became what we are. Whatever we have become has been enriched with that common period in our lives” - Neel Chatterjee

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Introducing the rest of the Editorial Team...

John Dayal is a former newspaper editor, author and an occasional Documentary film maker. He has been working for Freedom of Faith and Civil Rights and is a Member of the National Integration Council, Government of India, New Delhi. Past President,All India Catholic Union and Secretary General, All India Christian Council .

In the past 25 years, Urvi Sukul Singh has mostly been a Mum to her 2 kids, has briefly dabbled in voluntary work in the fields of activism, learning difficulties, mohalla committee work ,online Right to Information work and dissemination of information and campaigning.She has written a bit, taught spoken English and relished shooting off Letters to the Editor (regardless of result). A hardly-working lawyer, hoping she can dabble in this too before her time runs out!

Nalin Sharma (1980-1983)Presently: Consultant — Vision Books Previously: Deputy Director Knowledge Management, Centre for Media Studies (CMS), NDManager Communication, WWF-India, ND

Amardeep is presently the Resident Head, PR & Government Affairs, Fortis Healthcare India based in New Delhi. He has worked in domestic & international markets dealing with Strategic Alliances, Business Development, Liaison & PR, Exports and International Trade, Institutional Sales, Dealer Development and Corporate Communications.

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First things first, let me thank God who gave me the strength to endure the kind of ‘a Test’ that being in Stephen’s is! Because really, whom am I kidding? It has been hard to be ‘Me’ here. The first thing I heard in college was something that I did my best to practice: “Forget the physics that you’ve done in school.” (Moral of that story: Be very careful what you say to the first years at the Orientation because they might just take it to heart.) The second thing I heard (this time inthe morning assembly) was: “Seek Perfection. “ (Yes, the Principal did set the pace in college.) And this is what I am thinking at the end of my three years in college: L.O.L. Meaning Laugh Out Loud. (Or “Lots of love” as my sister will say.)

I know what I came here with, it was with a strong belief in the God who,apparently, does not exist for “physicists”. I beg to differ as I’ve learntthat “begging” to “differ” will just not work. You either differ or you beg. And one is so much better off with the former! Giving up was never the agenda in St. Stephen’s College. One always finds a way, by hook or by crook. But findingany way is and never will be enough for me. What I needed was “friends”. Well.The “right” kind of friends. The kind that will let you be the ‘Madness’ but will also say “OK. Sim. Time to stop.” And I have found them. Some did Physics honourswith me “in” class. And the ones who mattered walked with me and helped me stay “out” when I just couldn’t take the meaningless symbols anymore.

Here’s an interesting question. “What” made the symbols meaningless? I think it was ignorance to their relevance in explaining what the teacher was trying to make one understand. And yes I know, because I’ve been there in that ignorance and hated it.It would be utter foolishness to give way to any more bitterness. Even worse to blame myself or the System. I’ve learnt that I lovelearning. Learning how the world works. Learning what works for me. Learning that what works for me might not be what this world needs. Learning that regrets were of no use if all they did was drag you down and not show you the way tobecoming a better person.

I’ve learnt that learning and teaching will go hand-in-hand. That it is only anabsolute fool who will not learn. That some mistakes will be repeated as long as mankind exists. That, in the end, a “bad”teacher is the one who gave her students no lessons to take home. Albert Einstein

said: “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.” I say: “Amen.”

(This was my Electro-Magnetic Theory Project in my Third Year. Stephen's has a funny Physics Department and even funnier Professors. But Thank GOD for Interesting People. Life would be SO boring without 'em! )

How I learned to fugue in St. Stephen’s College

Simi Sara Thomas

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Simi did her graduation (B.Sc. Physics Hons.) from St. Stephen's College and is now pursuing B.Ed. from I.P. University, Delhi.She likes reading and writing. An avid fan of all classic novels,she could spend hours in a library and never get bored.She wants to become an inspirational teacher, a motivational speaker, an influential person. This is her aim in life.A very strong believer in Christ, she would love to go for full-time missionary work if God wills it.She is eternally grateful for all the good and bad experiences of her life and all she really wants is to learn from everything that she faces and help others in the process.

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Jatinder Bindra aka Ronny, a Stephanian of the 1982 batch, resides in Lake Forest, Illinois. He has degrees in law from Delhi University and an MBA from the Wharton School. He received the I.H. Qureshi Memorial award for academic excellence at Stephens.

He has worked in leadership positions in corporate America for 25 years. His business experience comprises business analytics, business development, consulting, strategic selling, information technology, and product management. Currently, he is the Vice President of Global Business Analytics for Consumer Insights & Strategy at Kraft Foods.

The cherished moments at Stephens live forever in my memory. These were days and nights of deep thinking, strong emotion, intense feeling and indelibleinfluences. Little did I know then that the achievements, events, and frustrations encountered were going to shape and define my persona and mind set. As I look back, there is much awe of the Stephanian spirit and its ethos. I respect the timesand the lessons profoundly. I am humbled by the stature of the institution, the spirit of the community, and the acclaim of its students.

All of the happenings, good and bad, combined to shape the future in manifest and latent ways. I learnt to work hard, excel academically, compete fairly, takeresponsibility, stand up for myself, support my friends, speak directly, love deeply, and seek broader horizons. A lot transpired fast and furious - friendshipsgained, love endured, integrity nurtured, family-love rooted, zest for good living sparked, and determined drive seeded.

There were some glorious moments full of abandon that bring back the ‘joie de vivre’. There was so much imbibed through the rigor of class, discipline of competition, bonhomie of residence, fun of festivals and sports events, crushes for the lovely lasses, the raunchiness of party and disco nights, the mirth of pranks and jokes, the naughtiness of taunts and the tirades, the pride of manly fitness, the spirit of debates, the pleasure of looking good and the joysof experimenting. I must admit that I enjoyed shocking the conventional and thumbing the traditional in those days. It was a good thing that I got this immaturestreak out of my system then before it hurt me in later life.

There are regrets too, Perhaps I could have been less brash, a little more evenkeel, a tad muted and more caring. There were troubled and painful times too.The strife meted out to Sikhs back in the eighties rankled, but good minds andhearts have since prevailed.

Life after Stephens has been eventful and hectic. Since then, I have been tolaw school, migrated to America, received an MBA from Wharton, pursued a 25 year corporate career in America, and traveled to over 250 cites. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge of my life. However, my love and respect for theinstitution and its people lives on. I salute my ‘alma mater’ and send my fondest greetings to old friends and alumni. I am grateful to those that have reconnected.

Going down Memory lane

Ronny Bindra

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Remembering 'Robert Saab'

Sunaina Serna Ahluwalia

I joined college in July 1979 and one the first things that I had to do was hand over my original certificates to the college. So the day after the lists had been put up I made my way up to the 'open window' on the left side of the corridoor and that was when I had my first interaction with the legendary Mr Roberts or as he was better known, 'Robert Saab'.

“So which course will you be joining?”, asked a gravelly baritone.That voice took me by surprise for it should have come out of a much larger body, but I saw myself looking at a much smaller person.He sat alone in a room that was stacked high with files everywhere. But if I'm not mistaken, his desk was reasonably clear, and mind you this was in the days before computerisation.

“Sir, History,” I managed, somewhat overawed by only my second entry into college. (Having of course tackled my interview successfully, a couple of days back.)

“OK, so lets have your certificates... that's what you're here for, isn't it?”

“Yes, Sir, but I don't really know if I want to hand over my originals”, I blurted out. “Why is that?”

“I don't really know if I want to stay here forever”. (It's an entirely different matter that I had been delighted to have got admission to the college in the first instance!)

“Don't let that bother you now, we can deal with it when that time comes.”

And that was when I realised that I was face to face with

a kind man. To which I'd like to add, a kind and efficient man, for I couldn't help but observe the way he then went about dealing with numerous things he had on hand.For one, talking to me, checking up on some notes on his desk while asking a couple of others to wait for 'just a minute'. I could go on and on and you would know exactly what I mean….

Almost instantaneously, I found myself handing over my school leaving certificate to him and that was that! Chapter closed, admission into college confirmed and a permanent bond with Robert Saab established.

'Robert Saab', friend to all the students and confidante to most. Someone who could single-handedly deal with the officework better than a team of ten probably could. The bonus, with no delay or confusion to compound the situation!

If you think that this is a personal opinion, I'm going to take the liberty of quoting a few of the others, who probably felt all that I did and then some.

Urvi Sukul fondly recalls, “One should learn to work selflessly from his example...we all talk of adequate remuneration!! Surely his efforts outstripped his emoluments!!Such a sweet, uncomplaining soul!!But his was a harvest of love and regard...revered for SO many years. Dear, dear Roberts Saab!!”

Then we have Tribhuwan Anand, who says, “For most of us he was the real Mai Baap.” He goes on to add a very interesting and informative snippet on him as well. “A couple of times every week when I used to leave the library,Robert Saab, after winding up for the day, used to walk to his quarter, just behind the Science block( he deserved a flat next to the teachers flats though) and we used to walk those 300 yards to my bike.Once he took me to his house- he lived very simply but he had a hidden treasure,.This was a collection of pens which were obviously presented to him by his loving students from all parts of the world. In the next few years whenever I spotted a good pen anywhere in the world, during my travels, I thought of him.”

He concludes by saying, “He was a selfless man and treated everyone importantly”.

Sanjay Sethi recalls, “For many of us who studied when Robert Saab was there, it was he who made life so smooth for us, never an issue, never any problems and that man worked late and always had a smile and said something naughty that made your day!”

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Vijay Shukla comments after looking at a photograph of Robert Saab standing at his open window (on the Stephanians' page) “God he helped so many people from this post-an era!”

And as our very own Guest and Consultant Editor, John Dayal, succinctly puts it- “Years ago, Mr. Roberts, indeed, ran the college.”

Here's a lovely verse that Ashok Nath fondly recalls -

“Robert Saab is a Jolly Good fellow,He will help a man whenever he can,and greet you with a cheerio hello!”

So there it is in a nutshell- Robert Saab, they just dont make them like you any more....

Matchless gentlemen of a matchless college

Amardeep Singh

Amardeep is presently the Resident Head, PR & Government Affairs, Fortis Healthcare India based in New Delhi. He has worked in domestic & international markets dealing with Strategic Alliances, Business Development, Liaison & PR, Exports and International Trade, Institutional Sales, Dealer Development and Corporate Communications. As a Public Relations Expert, he tries to understand the meaning behind the existence of things, and their larger meanings.He can see through people very quickly. Some have tried to choke him, saying, there is intense competition in the world. He has believed in the motto 'Survival of the fittest'.He knows how to get things moving in political systems & governments at large.He enjoys the life he leads and is flying towards his goals.

Each Monday makes me ponder over the past. For another chapter of life closes, forever. An unpleasant confrontation, for most, and more so for those who have not managed to fare well. To them there seems to prevail darkness all around and resolutions and pledges of hope therefore, convey mere gibberish. In fact, pessimism, to my mind is synonymous with death. What gives rise to pessimism is the failure in the shaping of our lives. This was truer of candidates who willy-nilly had to seek admission in other colleges in Delhi University, having failed to enter the charmed circle of St. Stephen's.

Of the many virtues that I concretized at College, premier amongst these are self-confidence and optimism. What my Alma Mater bequeaths nonetheless has a caveat, “Optimism does not imply recklessness”. After all, it is truly fools who rush in where angles fear to tread. A chess player never underestimates his opponent and never leaves anything to chance. A successful person does not await dame fortune's smile. He or she corrects the mistakes of yesterday and has the courage to realize from incorrect postures abiding by the propelling maxim that nothing is impossible! St. Stephen's taught us to remain undaunted in the face of obstacles and handicaps.

'Stephenians', in the social circuit were and are a force to reckon with. There is absolutely no problem, guys. Finance - no problem! Booze - no problem! For all good 'vices' - no problem!

Photos courtesy - Aditya Arya

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The Late Mr. John Hala, then Dean of the College was extremely kind to us. Thanks to Brainy's ingenious method of gifting ' Tharra' in Aristocrat bottles and 'Teetars', which often turned out to be 'Kabutoors'. Stephenians were never awkward or socially ungainly and never indecent or uncouth. By and large they were exemplary in their conduct, cogs in the wheel of society.

Indeed, St. Stephen's produced the model for those who would be gentlemen of sound pedigree. And good 'Hindustanis' in the process. College, somehow, instilled an air of discipline, helpfulness and informality which bureaucrats and 'box wallahs' alike in their respective pursuits carried with them and which caused many Stephanians to blaze trails of glory. The College achieved this, I think, through its ambience of friendly informality and sustained desire for excellence, and the readiness to extend a helping hand, which I remember were the principal features of life in College, particularly amongst those in residence. Prof. David Baker used to most fondly invite us to his room to solve most tedious college matters over some 'lovely wine'. In college there were groups based more on commonality of interest and temperament rather than on social background or academic achievement. There were some very healthy and humorous exchanges too. It was a gentle college, peopled by gentlemen. On the second day in 'rez' as a 'faccha', I received a small slip of paper to report to now famous F-8, Brainy's room for ragging. Half drunk, we walked in to face the seniors. On seeing me, a lanky chap came forward to command “Sardar sootha jala.” Unknowingly, while lighting his ciggie, my right hand lit up his moustache. Everyone started laughing, some freaked and some kicked! Later, I got to know that person as Maha Singh. Next day, all was back to normal and thereafter, all seniors became thick friends.

Sukhia's Dhaba is unforgettable. In '84 Sukhia died and his son Rohtas, ascended the 'Charpai' throne. One early morning, while returning to College at 3 A.M. (from a late night party) K.V. and Bobby Wahi (of Hindu College fame) who were in desperate need of cigarettes, tapped Rohtas who lay snuggled under his quilt. Rohtas refused to oblige. In the acrimony that ensued and in the search for his keys, Rohtas lost his pyjamas! A settlement was reached. He retrieved his pyjamas in exchange for the cigarettes! We were high on the moon. The sight of Rohtas racing after his garb and the strange business deal.

Yet, come the next day and all was forgotten and forgiven… In a nutshell, those were some very well spent happy days of fulsome enjoyment in the pursuit of knowledge, imbibing traits that would help us in life's journey. The College days and years in the manner got imprinted in one's mind and on one's personality, thereafter. St. Stephen's ingrained in us fiery confidence and optimism. By the time I finished three wonderful years, in my now famous M-1, I was set to launch myself in the commercial world of 'Kalyug'. College continues to be a great institution. Today, having traveled far and wide, both within India and abroad, I am glad that St. Stephen's still retains matchless standards in the educational firmament.

What I think of my college

Amardeep Singh

“I had no clue in my school what St Stephen's was about”, the Late W.S Rajpal told me after my interview, “All good boys go to St Stephen's & bad boys elsewhere”. I was also told, it is easier to get a job than to gain admission in St Stephen's. St Stephen's, as I remember, had the ambience of a true British Institution, it could as well be located on the river Thames, red bricks, ivy creepers, long cool verandahs, wooden furniture, each of these elements added to dignity of college. The college library is reputed to be a launching pad of every fourth member of the Indian Foreign Service & Indian civil services. College always had an atmosphere of learning as well as that of pleasure seeking. With beautiful gardens on all sides, it is the best college in India.

It still enjoys the kind of prestige. I do not know how high the standard of education imparted was, in comparison to lesser known institutions. But it was a great trademark which attracted the best talent along with the sons and daughters of India's best families and therefore, the results were stupendous. St Stephen's is a very special college and will always remain so on its own platform. I do not feel proud of being a Stephen's product merely because of having studied at St Stephen's. I feel that this great Institution with its high degree of philosophy, poetry, education, drama, sports and its long tradition must build a class of citizens who will lift this country from the morass it has fallen into.

In conclusion, I'm proud to state that college ingrained in me a fiery confidence and optimism. By the time I finished three wonderful years, in my now famous M1 room, I was set to launch myself in the commercial world of 'kalyug.' 8

The power of Information Technology (IT) to help the Common Man

Jaideep Nirula

Jaideep Nirula, B.Sc.(1984-87) did his M.S. (Comp. Sc.) from Minnesota, USA and worked with UNISYS. He was the Vice-President of the students association at the university at Minnesota and also a member of the honours society of PHI KAPPA PHI. At UNISYS. He was extensively involved in the computerization of Disneyworld, FL. He is an IT consultant and a pioneer in bringing in the GIS revolution in India. The “map-centric” applications which one sees today in fields ranging from election analysis, ERP, radio-taxis, vehicle tracking, etc all run using the GIS technology. Jaideep is Instrumental in introducing the Digitisation concepts to various government departments, including various papers on taking the Indian Army into the world of Digitisation

The common man today is unaware of the effect the spurious product market is inflicting on the society – from your daily use products to the medicines and also the products used in vehicles. The dealers of these spurious products are thriving while the government is losing out on tax revenue and the manufacturers are losing on their income.

This trend is not only prevelant in small towns and villages, but is very much prevalent in every major city of this country affecting almost each one of us.

The spurious product manufacturers are major players and here the health of the common man is affected, apart from the monetary loss to the government / manufacturer. However, the question remains – Are the spurious product manufactures hand-in-glove with the concerned government departments? Information Technology (IT) of today has the answers to put a stop to such activities but no initiative has been taken by the government to bring in any policy using the aid of IT for protecting the innocent citizens.

If we take the case of the distribution system of liquor in the state of Delhi, a simple process of bar-coding by the manufacturers can bring about a major gain for the government. The excise department can issue unique barcode numbers to the manufacturers to be pasted on each bottle against the orders raised by the department. At the time of packing of the material, the manufacturer could scan the bottles against every carton they are packed in.

This data could be uploaded on the server of the department. During transit, any of the vehicles could be checked by the enforcement department by simply scanning the barcode on the cartons using a portable handheld device and correlate it with the data on the excise departments server.

Once the vehicle supplies the products to the respective dealer / retail shops, the cartons are scanned again and the data uploaded onto the excise departments server automatically without any human intervention. The data also remains on the scanning device of the retail shop.

This facilitates the excise department to know exactly the quantity of stock lying in each and every retail outlet of the city. When the customer comes to the retail outlet, the person at the counter hands over the bottle to the customer only after scanning the barcode on the bottle.

The bill is automatically generated, thereby ensuring that the amount charged is as per the marked price and no overcharging is possible. Also, since every bottle has a unique barcode, the data of the sold bottles are stored on the machine at the retail outlet. Appropriate checks are ensured so that no bottle can be scanned twice.

At the end of the day, the scanning device dials into the server at the excise department to upload the data for the days sale. The barcodes are also marked as sold on the excise departments server.

The moment any duplicate barcode is scanned or any of the barcode which does not exist on the departments server, an alarm is raised and the department could immediately swing into action.

This way using the power of IT, sale of spurious liquor could be stopped.

BUT, THE MOOT QUESTION THAT REMAINS- IS THERE REALLY A WILL ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP THE COMMON MAN ??

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Professional artists – Good guys, Bad guys Puneet Mathur

Puneet Mathur read the BSc course from 1980 to 1983

and the MSc (Physics) course from 1983 to 1985.

During his stay in College, he was actively involved in

the Shakespeare Society (Assistant Secretary – 1982-

83), and was Member Coordination in the Students'

Union Cabinet during 1983-84. He was also Secretary –

Photographic Society during 1984-85. He was in

Residence (Mukherjee West) for one year (1983-84).

Puneet currently lives in Delhi. He is a sales and

marketing professional with about 24 years of total work

experience, and has worked for major consumer

products manufacturers like Britannia, Marico and

Coca Cola. Currently, he works as a SBU Head for a

large Chemical Company – Jubilant Industries.

Twenty seven years later, I wonder why I ever let myself be appointed as a Member of the Students Union Council of St Stephen's College, when I entered my M.Sc Class. After having fooled around for three years it should have been high time that I settled down and did the MSc course some justice. But that's not the story here...

The highlight of any Students' Unions' tenure was the organization of the winter festival or "Winterfest." We decided to present to the College and to the University, the best College festival organized till date!. As part of the cultural programs we decided to invite Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia the renowned flutist, accompanied by Ustaad Zakir Hussain on 'Tabla'. For another evening, and this was a first for the College and for Delhi University, we invited the most popular semi classical artists on the scene at that time, Jagjit and Chitra Singh.

Those were truly the good old days and believe it or not, both Hariprasad Chaurasia and Zakir Hussain very kindly agreed to a fees of a princely Rs 25,000 which was split between the two of them. ( Of which only Rs 5,000 was paid to Zakir Hussain). Further, both of them agreed to the payment being made after the concert.

Jagjit and Chitra Singh on the other hand, demanded Rs 50,000 with a 100% advance, with no scope whatsoever for negotiation. There was little concern as we had good sponsors who were committed to cover these expenses. Hence both were signed up. It all seemed too good to be true!

And as luck would have it just one day before Hariprasad Chaurasia and Zakir Hussain flew in from Mumbai for the concert, a major sponsor backed out. Now, all of a sudden there was only a little money and certainly not enough to pay for both programs. Remember, Jagjit and Chitra Singh had to be paid prior to their departure from Mumbai and without payment, there would be no concert !

It was all left to the possibility of Chaurasia and Zakir Hussain agreeing to reduce their fees despite the earlier agreement. In a last minute crisis management meeting of the Student's Union, it was decided that these two artists would be met upon arrival at the airport, and the problem explained to them, with a plea to allow the College Union to go back on their word !

Chaurasia's and Zakir Hussain were welcomed to Delhi, and the bad news conveyed to them. Imagine their reaction, when, the first news given on arrival (a trip made exclusively for this concert), was that there wasn't enough money to pay, and could they please reduce the amount of the fees originally agreed upon?

Chaurasia was disappointed to say the least. But he recovered and took my colleague aside, at a safe

distance from Zakir Hussain. His suggestion to us was this - pay Zakir his full Rs 5000, and pay me Rs 10,000 instead of the promised Rs 20,000. It took the man all of five minutes to take the decision in order to get to get us students out of a major predicament and that too, at a great loss to himself. That we were grateful and appreciative of the magnanimity of this man's character, was an understatement.

That evening, Pt. Hariparasad Chaurasia's concert commenced at 7 pm, in the College auditorium, packed with his fans who had traveled from far across the City to the University campus to listen to him. And the concert ended at 3 am the next morning !

Till date, it remains one of the most memorable performances of this great duo in Delhi. Here's the other side -Jagjit Singh's payment was made in full, upon his arrival. Rumors were afloat that in the absence of the money he would walk out from the stage and the consequences would be disastrous for the Union. Apart from a colossal disaster and a ruined reputation, there was a very real danger of physical harm from the bad elements who were part 10

of the audience. For non members of the College, there was a gate fee levied too.

It goes without saying that Jagjit Singh's concert was successful as expected. On stage as well as in the 'Green Room' he came across as an extremely arrogant man, often scolding his musicians in full view of the audience for not being in tune or with the beat. The concert ended late in the evening, the audience left, and we said our Goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Jagjit Singh.

But hang on - this wasn't the end of the story! The man called out to me and wanted to meet the 'treasurer' of the Union. Since the 'treasurer' was not around, I offered to help. Jagjit Singh then informed me that he was waiting for the taxi fare to be given to him in cash so that he could make his way back to his hotel. The fare quoted, Rs 110 !

Still recovering from this 'shock' I proceeded to inform other Union members of this demand. This prompted a debate on whether he should be given the Rs 110 or just 'shown the door.' Half the team took a harder stand. The concert had finished and there was no harm Jagjit Singh could do. The other half had a more moderate view, according to them, Jagjit Singh was capable of 'bad mouthing' the College. This debate carried on for thirty minutes and all this while, Mr and Mrs. Singh waited at the College entrance, refusing to get into their taxi and drive off without the Rs. 110!

The moderate view prevailed, and Jagjit Singh was handed over Rs. 110.

This was truly an experience and the kind of a lesson that no one was likely to forget in a hurry. Two professionals, equal in stature, yet one so humane, considerate and helpful and for whom the 'raagas' his flute and the tabla produced was nothing short of a prayer, and whose attitude while performing, was nothing short of complete and total devotion to the Almighty.

And the other - a cut throat professional, whose only religion was money.

Puns for Educated Minds

Ÿ The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

Ÿ I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.

Ÿ She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

Ÿ A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.

Ÿ No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

Ÿ A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

Ÿ A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

Ÿ 8. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

Ÿ 9. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

Ÿ 10. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

Ÿ 11. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.’

Ÿ I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

Ÿ A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the Grass.’

Ÿ A backward poet writes inverse.

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College days – Salad days

( Late) Sanjit Sinha “Moshai” (1966 - 1971)

College symbolized freedom. After the regimentation of public school life and strict parental upbringing, college meant good bye to 5 O' Clock rises, good bye to whistles & prefects and no more 18” trouser bottoms. And of course after the grueling senior Cambridge examination, who wanted to think of studies? But to enjoy College, you had to be 'residence” and have few likeminded and like hearted friends in town, whose mothers would be kind enough to give you a home cooked meal once in a while when you were sick of food in the mess and too broke to eat out or in the Café or those who knew how to borrow their fathers car to go out with the rest of the gang in residence after they had 'jumped gates' at night. So “kya life tha”! Get up when you please and take your time to get ready. Often breakfast in the mess would be over & classes would have started. But who cared? Saunter along the red brick corridors with roman arches, out across well manicured lawns lined with stately deodars to the café. There to meet the gang, like minded and the like hearted; lounging around like 'lords” in ancient chairs with cigars & cigarettes, with their mobikes parked outside Alnutt Court's. “Dolly, Sebastian, Ek scramble do, do mince 7 do slice jaldi lao!!!” They were absolutely out of this world. And after a sumptuous breakfast you could start thinking about the rest of the day. In those days, the hippie cult had just invaded Delhi! So faded blue jeans, longish hair, Kolhapuri chappals, & sideburns were in vogue. And naturally with it came the mo-bikes, with either mufflers off or their silencers cut. 'Easy Rider' was the favorite film with Steve McQueen a hero, guitars, Simon & Garfunkel/ Peter, Paul & Mary, etc were great hits! Shhh, !! Babes & hash were also in! Life was an unlimited stretch of verdant greens with wide blue sky and white clouds floating above. Classes or 'Tutes' were attended only when Robert sahib sent you an urgent message that you were falling short of attendance.

However there was a catch in this blissful existence. The Dean,William Shakespeare Rajpaul 'Raju' to us or as he was derisively called' Ram Sadan” and “Doodhwala” by others. Although he (Raju) had his underwear stolen regularly from his clothes only to find them adorning the cross above College on every 'April Fool's Day”, he never gave up trying to instill discipline into our carefree existence with draconian rules & high pontification.

With his cream colored linen suits, Oxford blazer, a pseudo Oxford accent, severe spectacles perched on his beaked nose, he was always quick to smell out mischief and laid

Of all the articles in this issue, here's one that really touched our hearts and minds. Written by the Late Sanjit Sinha, it has been sent in by Amardeep Singh who has painstakingly located, then typed it. As he says, “I have exactly typed the way it was written in his own hand. 'Jeet' as we called him was very dear to me, more than family and was known for his i n t e g r i t y, g r i t & a u t h o r i t a r i a n administration among the Civil services crowd. “Thank you Amardeep, we will all cherish this piece.”

down the law with a heavy hand. The velvet glove was more often missing and being thrown out of 'residence' was capital punishment. He usually had mischief makers marked out but occasionally he would collar some innocent on his way down the corridor, gave him a long piercing look & say “Why are those dark rings under your eyes? Are you one of those nocturnal birds who plays cards till the early hours of the morning and misses classes every day?” The Dean was the symbol of the establishment & the bane of freedom- which is what College was suppose to be all about ( for us) .

One night, one of the mobike gang members called “Merger” because he could not be seen in the dark, decided he could really be invisible and climbed up to

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the roof to look through the sky light into the Dean's daughter's bed room. His sparkling white teeth probably gave him away and the Dean's bloodhound nose caught him in act. He was awarded capital punishment and thrown out of residence.

This was considered too much by us and vengeance was planned. Some days later, the Dean's wife and daughter went abroad to the USA. Their address was obtained on some pretext, a good quantity of hash was bought from Malkagunj & large copy of Bible with hard covers was procured at considerable cost. A hollow was carved out from the center of the “holy book”, the hash was stuffed and book was sealed. It was parceled by air to the Dean's daughter in USA from W S Rajpaul with love, of course. The parcel was posted that night from Palam airport and the police immediately informed. Four happy motorcyclists came easy riding back to College, chuckling all the way.

When they got into College, there was a sight to see. There was a police jeep parked outside Dean's house and there was William Shakespeare Rajpaul being questioned by burly authoritative police office on his front verandah. The symbol of rectitude and moral authority was standing there disheveled and crushed in his dressing gown and pajamas spectacles askew, mumbling what sounded like …“Mischief, mischief. Vile & malicious …..” The story about the visitation spread through College that night and the others got to know about it the next morning. There was lot of chuckling & grinning. Even the members of faculty who were used to being sermonized by him were seen to be mirthful. After the incident, the Dean mellowed and happy day's returned. More importantly 'Merger” also got back into residence after a stiff warning…..

I Remember ... Amitabha Pande

If I was to look for my idea of the quintessential Stephanian I would not go very far beyond Sanjit Sinha. As I see it, the quintessence is this- a razor sharp mind, a largeness, nay a ‘hugeness’ of heart, a fierce loyalty to friends especially if they are Stephanians, a vast reservoir of esoteric knowledge, bordering on ‘encyclopedic’, a passion for the right turn of phrase, a flair for witty repartee, a capacity to laugh one’s guts out, a strong desire to deflate the fatuous and the flatulent, a total lack of respect for bureaucratic hierarchy and indomitable courage not only to stand up for one’s own convictions but to stand up for the less fortunate and fight their battles as hard as one’s own. Sanjit, or Jit or ‘Sutta’ to his friends was all this and more.

From a closetful of memories of a friendship spanning more than forty years I find it difficult to cull bits which are more memorable than the others. While we did not really know each other all that well in College ( I was three years his senior) , it was the Stephanian connection which brought us close together in the Punjab cadre of the IAS. Sanjit spent his initial field training period with me on my first posting as a Sub Divisional Magistrate in Samrala in Ludhiana District. From the very first day that we met we realised that we were soul mates.

Together, we loved to recreate all our lives the quality of the Rez,- that easy camaraderie among people who enjoy each other’s company, a certain kind of creative indolence, a pretence of never appearing to be busy even when the situation demands that one looks busy and important, a bantering relationship in which a witty pronouncement took precedence over serious discourse, a preparedness to act on a generous impulse even when cold reason told you to weigh the options, a prankster’s delight in doing outrageous things, disguising a strong social commitment in irreverent verbiage, an itch to puncture the pompous and the patronising and using every situation and every experience to soak up learning.

We had identified different for ourselves and we often worked in perfect tandem- he was the ‘field’ man with remarkable qualities of leadership to execute things and make things happen; I was the planner, the dreamer, the conceptualiser and the vision creator. Together we were a formidable team. There was a third, Stephanian member of our team- Mukul Joshi- who brought in a very sharp analytical mind and the economist’s rigour to our combined scheming ( although unfortunately Jit and Mukul fell out later in their careers) and the three of us together , in our own very different ways, could boast of some astonishing achievements. When the Badals came into power a third time in 1997, all three of us were targeted as the biggest threat to their crooked plans and were each singled out for the worst jobs they could find in the Government.

We never allowed this to dampen our spirits and had a great time plotting and dreaming of the varied humiliations we would subject them ( the Badals) to when a regime more favourable to us came into power. Like true Stephanians, our opposition to the Badals was open and explicit and we made no secret of the fact that we would do everything that we could to thwart their corrupt ways.

I have such a flood of memories relating to our absolutely wonderful friendship that I could go on and on. Sanjit

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living with us in Samrala and getting up in the morning with his pyjamas tied round his waist like a lungi because the drawstring had disappeared into the inner folds of the ‘nefa’, our trying to learn Urdu together and collapsing with laughter when we found words which sounded great but meant completely the opposite of what we thought they meant, our driving miles out at midnight to buy a pack of cigarettes or get that extra crate of beer to last us tilll the morning, our gatecrashing into the wedding of IJS Bindra ( of BCCI fame ,our first boss in Ludhiana) and regaling the wedding assembly with drunken antics which kept them in splits, our plotting of a coup in INTACH to install Captain Amarinder Singh as its Chairman and SK Mishra as the Vice Chairman, our plans to revitalise the City of Patiala, using heritage conservation as a means of value addition- it is an endless stream .

Suffice it say that our bond was very, very special, very, very Stephanian, and very, very, very enjoyable. I doubt if I will find another friend like him. Oh , I miss you pardner!

Pun Intended

Ÿ The midget fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

Ÿ The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

Ÿ In a democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

Ÿ If you jumped off the bridge in Paris, you'd be in Seine.

Ÿ A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, 'I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.’

Ÿ Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says “Dam!’

Ÿ Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

Ÿ Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.' The other says 'Are you sure?' The first replies, 'Yes, I'm positive.’

Ÿ There was the person who sent ten puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

Our Alma Mater ( Picture courtesy Pranav Karol)

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'Bas Yuun Hi' Sameer Prakash

After graduating in science from St. Stephen's College (1987 batch) and completing Chartered Accountancy course, he is now a Dehi-based practising CA. During school and college, he took active interest and participated in debates, dramatics and cultural events including "Winterfest" etc. In college, Sameer held the designation of Jt.. Secy for Informal Discussion Group, Shakespeare Society (Hindi) besides volunteering for Music Society.

As a Chartered Accountant, he has handled audits and tax matters and planning upto the appellate stage of companies and other business organisations, NGOs and individuals including foreign entities and NRIs. He is widely travelled for business and pleasure within and outside India. he loves to play badminton and scrabble besides reading and travelling.

“Hum, mallah hain voh, toofaano ne jinko hai sikhaayaa kashtee chalaanaa Khuda ko bhee paa jaayenge hum mohabbat mein, aye mere humdum,Gar saath bas ek mill jaaye tumhaaraa

“Jazzbaat mein josh ab bhee hai baakee, bas mohabbat ko hawaa dete rahiyae…”.

“Chand sikkon ka khel hai yeh tamasha-e-zindagiKhanak jahan, chal diya har koi wahaan Koi nahi iss paigaam-e-mohabbat ka humsafar yahanPhir wahi maut aaee hai sisak-tee zindagi ko chup karaaney.”

“Khuda ke kareeb hum hain bahutZulm magar yeh badhtaa kyun jaataa hai.”

English Translation

I am one of the many boatmen who have been taught to ride a boat by the storms.

I will even be able to meet the Almighty in your love, o my beloved,If only I have you as my companion.

Life is a game of a few penniesPeople throng towards the cling-clang of penniesYet,nobody cares for love in the world

Alas ! here comes death once again to calm the sobbing life.

There is still fire in my feelings, just keep stoking the fire of love....

We are very near the Almightyyet why does the torture and tyranny (of life) keep on increasing ?

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The Great kidnapping of 1979

Puneet Mathur

at St. Stephen's College

One morning, Murthy, (my classmate and best friend in College) and I walked out of the corridor towards the Café, to grab a much needed cup of tea before the long and torturous three hour Chemistry practical started. We had just stepped out on the path towards the Café, when we heard the loud screeching sound of car tyres.

A Fiat car entered the Alnut Gate at high speed and came straight towards the Alnut lawns. It screeched to a halt, then turned right towards the Alnut North block. It then stopped again and backed all the way up to the Café with its tyres screeching shrilly.

All this took, maybe fifteen seconds. While we were still trying to comprehend what was happening, many more things happened simultaneously. Meenu Puri, one of the more popular girls in IIIrd year, (popular because she was very pretty, and also a model), was enjoying a 'Nimbu Paani' at Sukhia's Dhaba along with her friend Hartaj Seva Singh. Suddenly two huge burly men, attired in lungis and kurtas, their faces masked with dark cloths, knives in hand, lunged towards her, grabbed her and then pushed her towards the car.

All of this happened in the next few seconds! We realised that Meenu Puri was being kidnapped! As a reflex action, both Murthy and myself started running towards the scene of action when a third 'goonda' dressed up in a similar lungi kurta and brandishing what I thought was the largest knife I had ever seen, blocked our path. He pointed his large knife at us threateningly. We froze.

In our 'frozen state' all we could comprehend was the sound of Meenu's desperate screaming while she was kidnapped and dragged into the car. The doors closed and the car screeched forward, took a right turn and headed for the Alnut Gate.

The first one to recover was Hartaj, who in sheer desperation ran after that car, which unfortunately, was all he could do.

Meanwhile someone else reacted by picking up the nearest object he could lay his hands on, which happened to be a flower pot, and threw it at the car in a hopeless attempt to stop it. It's another matter altogether that the flower pot missed the car by many feet!

Almost as soon as the car sped towards the Alnut Gate, we saw it screeching to a halt. Someone with great presence of mind had closed the huge gate! In an instant there were mixed reactions. Good news as the car couldn't get away. Bad news as the kidnappers, now cornered, would surely do something desperate and harm people.

We remained 'frozen' in our tracks, our minds working overtime to take in whatever was happening in front of us, and trying to comprehend as fast as we saw the action. We were now waiting for the 'worse' to happen, when the car's doors opening, and saw all the 'goondas come out laughing!

They were followed by Meenu, who seemed badly shaken up, but calmer, her face showing an expression of relief and then breaking into a smile.

That's when we realised that this was a Practical Joke!

Brilliantly planned and executed to perfection – everyone present in the 'Alnut' area was taken for a ride, thinking that they were witnessing an actual kidnapping.

My mind kept going back to Meenu Puri, and I kept thinking what must have gone through her mind in those two minutes. Later, some people opined that Meenu must have been taken into confidence earlier, while the joke was being planned.

Whether that was true or not, only Meenu can tell. The way she reacted suggested that she was taken by complete surprise. If she had been a part of the plan all along, well – I must say she was a brilliant actor!

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In Memorium - Suraj Singh News article courtesy Imphal Free Press

It was with great sadness that we learnt of the recent death of Suraj Singh, a student of the History Hons batch of 1986.Our hearts go out his family and friends in their moment of great loss.

Yaiskul MLA killed in road accident at New Delhi

IMPHAL, August 18: Yaiskul MLA Elangbam Suraj Singh was killed in a car accident at Nijammuddin in New Delhi in the wee hours today at 1:45 am, while his friend, Reginald John Sinclair who was driving has been admitted at the Max Hospital, New-Delhi.

According to a family member, his dead body will be brought into the state capital Friday morning at 11:20 am by a special Indigo flight.

Meanwhile, according to an official source, the body of the dead MLA will be received at the Imphal airport by family members and various state cabinet ministers.

The body will be taken directly to the Congress Bhawan at BT Road where a team of Congressmen including the state Chief Minister in charge Th Debendro, family members and supporters will pay floral tributes to the departed soul.

The body will be further taken into the state assembly complex and accorded with final respect by the ministers and officials of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

Further according to the official source, the body will taken to his home and the last rites will be performed according to religious beliefs.

Meanwhile, while narrating the incident of the accident a source has stated that a Tata Sumo rammed into the Santro car on which the MLA was traveling with his friend driving.

The Sumo reportedly rammed into the Santro from the passenger's side killing the Congress MLA on the spot, while the driver escaped with serious injuries. While, Suraj was rushed to the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, his friend identified as only Rushi has been admitted at the Max hospital with a broken collar bone.

Rushi has been identified as a friend of the MLA since his St Stephen's time. He is said to be the owner of a hotel in the national capital.

Further according to a family member, the MLA had left for the national capital along with other members of the committee of estimate of the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 4 on a study tour.

The MLA, who is chairman of the committee, had decided to stay back at New Delhi for some personal work while the other members had returned back home after the end of the tour.

Meanwhile, according to reliable sources, the MLA had dinner with some close friends on the fateful night and had dropped off two of his friends at Mayur Vihar.He met with the accident at Nijammuddin area while coming back after dropping his friends who are reportedly husband and wife.

Meanwhile back home, Elangbam (o) Neeta wife of the deceased MLA has been inconsolable since hearing about the death of her husband.

Breaking down in front of the MPCC president Gaikhangam who came in with a condolence letter in the morning today, she cried out, “What should I do now? I haven't spoken to him and I don't want to see his dead body”.

Among the visitors dropping in at the MLAs residence this morning includes the Chief Minister and his family, speaker I Hemochandra, MLAs Jayentakumar, N Loken, Th Mangi and RK Anand (opposition) among others.

Suraj is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

The MLA was elected to the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly on INC ticket. During his college life in St Stephen's college, Suraj had captained the college football team in 1986. He had also represented Delhi University football teams in 1986 and 1987.

In the year 1987, he was also awarded with the Best Player award trophy in the Zakir Hussain Inter-college tournament.

Born on March 11, 1965 Elangbam Suraj Singh had also represented Delhi in the U-19 National Dr BC Roy trophy at Pondicherry in 1982.

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Inauguration of renovated Science Block

Prof. Dinesh Singh

Vice Chancellor, DU

18Photos courtesy - Puneet Mathur