Monday, July 20, 2009

Old Girls Association Annual Report and News from OCs

(Please note: As this blog is in the public domain, I have deleted the contact details of OCs given in this document, for your privacy, but you can get them on the mailing list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cottonsgirls )

OLD COTTONIANS’ ASSOCIATION
BISHOP COTTON GIRLS’ SCHOOL, BANGALORE.
REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2008-2009


Old Cottonians’ Day 2008 – 30th June:
Continuing the practice of the last few years the OGA held an inter-class dance competition, “Boogie-Woogie”. Cash Prizes and Trophies were presented to the Winning Teams.
The OCs vs. PCs Basketball Match was won by the PCs, and was followed by tea and the Annual General Meeting of the OCA.
The St. Pete’s Reunion Dinner, held at the Bangalore Club on 1st July 2008, was well attended by a gathering of nearly 300, with much camaraderie, and many OCs taking the stage to regale the audience with their mellifluous voices.

Teachers’ Day was celebrated on 5th September, with high tea, games and lots of fun for present and former teachers.

The Committee held the Inter-School dance competition, ‘Feet-Beat’ in September. Nineteen Schools participated and prizes and trophies were presented to the winning teams.

At the Green & Gold Ball organized by the Old Boys in December 2008 all OCs who had
passed out of School prior to 1958 were honoured with a memento. Those who passed out
25years ago were also honoured.

We hosted a lunch for the Maintenance Staff on 20th December, 2008, where many of them displayed their talents singing and dancing.

Twenty Cottonians from the batch of OCs of 1993 met at School along with some former teachers on 20th December, 2008.

The batch of OCs of 1962 met and went round the School on 19th January, 2009. Among them were Arti Kumar (Hosali), Nalini Gnaneswaran, Illana Cariappa, Jyotsna Inamdar (Koppar), Gail Mendens (Irish), Rama Reddy (Reddy), Dorte Bæk-Sørensen-1961, Celia Fivash (Joyce), Chandrika Jyoti, Prema Daniel (Isaac-1963), Hema Nandkani, Girija Shankar

1980 alumni visited the School also on 26th January, 2009 – Farook Fatima, Prabha Subramanya (Chacko-1981), Kalaivani Lingham, Chandravathana, Leena Thomas (Athyal), Anita Anna John Rajnarayan, Arathy Madappa (Appaya-1976), Biba Bedi Moses-(1976), Suchitra Vivek, Nazneen Tonse-(1983), Pervin Varma (Varkey-1983), Supriya Kolavaru (Hegde), Phiroza Rustumji (Sanjana-1976). Some of the ex-teachers like, Mrs. Vatsala Seshadri, Mrs. Rebecca Cheriyan, Ms. T. Susheela, Mrs. Annie Athyal, and Mrs. Barbara Thomas were also invited to lunch to meet them.

In December some of us visited Ms. Marjorie Suares. She was delighted to see us, and recollected old times in her usual jovial manner.

NEWS FROM OCs:
Susanna Mariam Matthan wrote :
“.....I am an Old Cottonian and left in 1984 and have lived in the UK ever since. I am the granddaughter of late Miriam and Kuriyan Matthan (their son Jacob’s daughter).
I am married to Chris, a violinist and our 11 year old daughter, educated at home, is also a violinist. I am a specialist teacher for children who have emotional behavourial difficulties.
I would love to stay in touch with OCs, are there any in the UK whom I can contact?

Radha Menon, a film producer, is in Canada. She is married to an actor and has an 11 year old daughter.

Gitanjali Duggal lives in Watford with husband and two children. Visits her parents in Bangalore.

Mrinalini Watsa (1999) – Barton House – wrote:
“....After leaving Cottons in my Tenth year of School, I joined Hwa Chong Junior College in Singapore on the SIA Scholarship to complete my GCE ‘A’ levels; that led me to apply to the United States for undergraduate study where I was accepted and completed four fun-filled years at Grinnel College in Iowa, a small liberal arts college. I graduated in 2005 with honours in biology. I worked for a short period as a research assistant before entering Graduate School in 2006 in Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri. I have just completed a two-year Master’s program in Physical anthropology and am continuing to do my Ph.D. in the same Washington University.

Visitors’/OCs Remarks:
19th January, 2009:The Batch of 1962 wrote –
“Our experiences today were fantastic beyond words. The School looks great and we are still proud to be OCs and we live all over the world!”

22nd January, 2009:Illana Cariappa wrote –
“On behalf of the class of 1962, I am writing to thank you for your warm hospitality during our visit. A special thank you to Usha, Gayatri and Mrs. Benn for helping us to negotiate our way through the School. We were delighted to see all the building development and resources but sad at the loss of trees on which we used to play. We have all been strengthened by our visit – in friendship and values. THANK YOU – with warm regards and all success in your endeavours.
- Bangalore.
I


26th January, 2009: Mrs. Vatsala Seshadri, Mrs. Rebecca Cheriyan, Ms. T. Susheela and Mrs. Annie Athyal wrote -
“This has been an exhilarating experience! We, the teachers, meeting our students after such a lapse of years, are tremendously impressed with the way our protégées have turned out.
We wish the best for them all in the future! Best wishes and God Bless.”

26th January, 2009:Suchitra Vivek wrote –
“It was just great to be here and meet up with our very dear teachers who taught us so many years ago! As well as all the familiar faces of OCs, just wonderful to see all of you again. Cheers!”

Nazneen Tonse (ICSE 1981 & ISC 1983) wrote –
“Lovely to be back as always...love being connected to School.”

Prabha Subramanya (Chacko) wrote –
“ Had a great time! Thank you very much for the opportunity! : Love always”

16th March, 2009: Christopher and Eileen Gillon wrote –
“We have heard stories from Christopher’s parents of their time in India and at Bishop Cotton School. In trying to piece together some family history we thank you for your courtesy and time in showing us premises which they knew well.”

Obituary
Mr. C. V. Godfrey (93 yrs), husband of Elvira Godfrey (Liard), passed away on 2008

Mrs. June Leslie – Junior School teacher -passed away on 16th May, 2009. (Many OCs who passed through her hands will remember her).

Request: We would like news from all OCs, so please write to us and give us information about yourselves, addresses and E-mail IDs and contact numbers.
Please also inform us regarding change of address and phone numbers, etc.,
You may write to The Secretary, Old Cottonians’ Association, Bishop Cotton Girls’ School,
St. Mark’s Road, Bangalore. 560 001 or E-mail at cottongirls@yahoogroups.com
Thank you.

Mrs. Edna R. Benn
Secretary

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