These doctors have been meeting here for 26 years
Be it a birthday, an anniversary or just a fun evening, the 1983 batch of dental surgeons celebrate at the university bus stop every month
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Saturday, November 21, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=20091121200911210337001096d5743fb)
It has been their meeting place for the past 26 years. The Gujarat University bus stand has been witness to a group of dental surgeons meeting there every month since 1983 to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary or just have a fun evening. The time: midnight.
The 1983 batch of dental surgeons refuse to celebrate the important days in their lives or their families’ at anybody’s house, hotel or any other place. The doctors who usually have a get-together on a Friday, made an exception and celebrated it on Thursday night, since it was the birthday of a batchmate, Dr Ina Patel.
She was accompanied by her husband Dr Bhupesh Patel, also a dental surgeon, and their two children. Some members of the group had specially come down from Vadodara and Kalol.
Circa 1981: Young doctors-in-the-making at the government dental college in Asarwa. Taking the bus to the university library to study and have umpteen cups of chai and ‘khari’ biscuit outside the bus stand had become a routine affair.
This soon became a passion, so much so that they decided to make the university bus stand their meeting place to celebrate important events in their lives after their graduation in 1983.
Just before midnight on Thursday, when the streets were deserted and traffic was scarce, about 15 dental surgeons, some with their families, congregated at the university bus stop. They spread out their carpets and their chairs. When the clock struck 12, they sang Happy Birthday to Dr Ina Patel.
A chocolate cake was cut and distributed amongst the group. The group also distributed the sandwiches, snacks and cold drinks they had brought along. Cops who came to inquire about the goings-on too had a taste of the goodies.
Dr Kamlesh Vyas, one of the group members, said, “For the past 26 years, we have made it a point to meet every month. Our children too have joined us. We want this tradition to continue. We used to take the AMTS route number 50 bus and come here.
Now, all of us have vehicles. Some day we intend to travel by the same bus again and relive those moments.” Batchmates who are in the US or other countries are mailed pictures of the get-together.
Dr Pankaj Patel who specially came down from Kalol said, “Every time we gather, we reminisce the days of the old when we were carefree and were happy having cutting chai and ‘khari’ biscuit.”
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Saturday, November 21, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=20091121200911210337001096d5743fb)
It has been their meeting place for the past 26 years. The Gujarat University bus stand has been witness to a group of dental surgeons meeting there every month since 1983 to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary or just have a fun evening. The time: midnight.
The 1983 batch of dental surgeons refuse to celebrate the important days in their lives or their families’ at anybody’s house, hotel or any other place. The doctors who usually have a get-together on a Friday, made an exception and celebrated it on Thursday night, since it was the birthday of a batchmate, Dr Ina Patel.
She was accompanied by her husband Dr Bhupesh Patel, also a dental surgeon, and their two children. Some members of the group had specially come down from Vadodara and Kalol.
Circa 1981: Young doctors-in-the-making at the government dental college in Asarwa. Taking the bus to the university library to study and have umpteen cups of chai and ‘khari’ biscuit outside the bus stand had become a routine affair.
This soon became a passion, so much so that they decided to make the university bus stand their meeting place to celebrate important events in their lives after their graduation in 1983.
Just before midnight on Thursday, when the streets were deserted and traffic was scarce, about 15 dental surgeons, some with their families, congregated at the university bus stop. They spread out their carpets and their chairs. When the clock struck 12, they sang Happy Birthday to Dr Ina Patel.
A chocolate cake was cut and distributed amongst the group. The group also distributed the sandwiches, snacks and cold drinks they had brought along. Cops who came to inquire about the goings-on too had a taste of the goodies.
Dr Kamlesh Vyas, one of the group members, said, “For the past 26 years, we have made it a point to meet every month. Our children too have joined us. We want this tradition to continue. We used to take the AMTS route number 50 bus and come here.
Now, all of us have vehicles. Some day we intend to travel by the same bus again and relive those moments.” Batchmates who are in the US or other countries are mailed pictures of the get-together.
Dr Pankaj Patel who specially came down from Kalol said, “Every time we gather, we reminisce the days of the old when we were carefree and were happy having cutting chai and ‘khari’ biscuit.”
