The Xavierite spirit runs in these families
Three generations of the Rakshits and Anandanis take pride in their association with St Xavier’s, which will mark its platinum jubilee on Oct 2. Yogesh Avasthi reports
Posted On Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 02:36:56 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : (Sunday Read) http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=Columnists%20-%20Sunday%20Read§id=26&contentid=20090927200909270236565461172a0bd)
(L) Ranjan A Rakshit (38) Joined loyola hall in 1976 AND PASSED OUT IN 1988. hE says the school’s teachings have helped him over come many daunting challenges in life. He considers the school best in city
(M) Ranjan’s eight-year-old son, debayan, is a class iii student of the school. Debayan, who joined the school in 2005, always prods his dad and grandfather to narrate stories of their days at st xavier’s
(R) Ranjan’s 69-year-old father, Anjan, joined joined the school in 1949 and passed out in 1961. HE IS STILL A PART OF THE PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOL, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1934. he is a fitness and athletics coach there
When two St Xavier’s schools in the city — Loyola Hall and Mirzapur — take out a torch rally next month to mark their 75th year, two families will root for the institutes the most. This may not seem unusual, but it is. For, values of the St Xavier’s schools are embodied by not one, but three generations of the families.
The Xavierite spirit defines the character of eight-year-old Debayan Rakshit; his 38-year-old father, Ranjan and 69-year-old grandfather, Anjan. Same is the case with eight-year-old Sakshi Anandani; her father, Paresh and grandfather, Prakash.
On October 2, the Rakshits and Anandanis — who live in Paldi and Satellite, respectively — will separately look to take pride in their association with the schools during the latter’s platinum jubilee celebrations. “I love my school,” Debayan, who is a class III student of St Xavier’s Loyola Hall, said. “My father and grandfather have both studied at the school. Often, they narrate tales of their childhood days. It’s fun to learn about their association with my school.”
Debayan’s father, Ranjan, said that the school was best in the city because it focused on overall development of students. “When I studied at the school, it used to emphasise on both studies and sports. Even today, it follows the same policy,” Ranjan, who works in the excise department, said. “The school’s teachings have helped me overcome many challenges in life.”
Ranjan said that many pass-outs of the school, which was founded in 1934, had made their mark in various fields, including arts and sports. Ranjan joined Loyola Hall in 1976 and passed out in 1988. His 69-year-old father, Anjan, joined the school in 1949 and passed out in 1961.
Prakash M Anandani joined St Xavier's Loyala hall in 1952 and passed out in 1964. He ia a proud Xavierite. He feels the school has evolved alot over the years
Interestingly, Anjan is still a part of the school; he is a fitness and athletics coach there. “I have been associated with the school — first as a student and now as a coach — since 1949,” he said. “The school has evolved a lot over the years. It is ahead in almost all areas, including academics and sports. No school in the city can match the sporting facilities of Loyola Hall.”
The Anandanis association with St Xavier’s goes back to 1952. “I studied up to class VII in St Xavier’s Mirzapur, and completed the remaining grades in Loyola Hall,” Sakshi’s grandfather, Prakash, said. “I passed out from the institute in 1964. I still remember being slapped by a teacher.”
Prakash said that he had vivid memories of the school. “Back then, there were no school vans. So, whenever it rained, we got an off,” he said. Prakash’s son and Sakshi’s father, Paresh, joined the school in 1978 and passed out in 1992. “Loyola Hall is not like other schools. It helps children develop their personality,” Paresh said. “Many who passed out from there are quite successful today.”
Posted On Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 02:36:56 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : (Sunday Read) http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=Columnists%20-%20Sunday%20Read§id=26&contentid=20090927200909270236565461172a0bd)
(L) Ranjan A Rakshit (38) Joined loyola hall in 1976 AND PASSED OUT IN 1988. hE says the school’s teachings have helped him over come many daunting challenges in life. He considers the school best in city
(M) Ranjan’s eight-year-old son, debayan, is a class iii student of the school. Debayan, who joined the school in 2005, always prods his dad and grandfather to narrate stories of their days at st xavier’s
(R) Ranjan’s 69-year-old father, Anjan, joined joined the school in 1949 and passed out in 1961. HE IS STILL A PART OF THE PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOL, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1934. he is a fitness and athletics coach there
When two St Xavier’s schools in the city — Loyola Hall and Mirzapur — take out a torch rally next month to mark their 75th year, two families will root for the institutes the most. This may not seem unusual, but it is. For, values of the St Xavier’s schools are embodied by not one, but three generations of the families.
The Xavierite spirit defines the character of eight-year-old Debayan Rakshit; his 38-year-old father, Ranjan and 69-year-old grandfather, Anjan. Same is the case with eight-year-old Sakshi Anandani; her father, Paresh and grandfather, Prakash.
On October 2, the Rakshits and Anandanis — who live in Paldi and Satellite, respectively — will separately look to take pride in their association with the schools during the latter’s platinum jubilee celebrations. “I love my school,” Debayan, who is a class III student of St Xavier’s Loyola Hall, said. “My father and grandfather have both studied at the school. Often, they narrate tales of their childhood days. It’s fun to learn about their association with my school.”
Debayan’s father, Ranjan, said that the school was best in the city because it focused on overall development of students. “When I studied at the school, it used to emphasise on both studies and sports. Even today, it follows the same policy,” Ranjan, who works in the excise department, said. “The school’s teachings have helped me overcome many challenges in life.”
Ranjan said that many pass-outs of the school, which was founded in 1934, had made their mark in various fields, including arts and sports. Ranjan joined Loyola Hall in 1976 and passed out in 1988. His 69-year-old father, Anjan, joined the school in 1949 and passed out in 1961.
Prakash M Anandani joined St Xavier's Loyala hall in 1952 and passed out in 1964. He ia a proud Xavierite. He feels the school has evolved alot over the years Prakash’S SON, Paresh, Passed out from the school in 1992. Paresh says several xavier’s pass-outs have made their mark in fields like sports and arts
Prakash’S granddaughter, sakshi, joined the school in 2005. She is in class III. she is overwhelmed by free space on the school’s campus for students to play
Sakshi, who is class III, said that she cannot imagine herself in any other school. “There is so much space in the school for students to play,” she said.
