BANGALORE: No matter how long you have been living in Bangalore, you are sure to have spotted young students sporting a green uniform or a green sweatshirt with the word ‘Cottonian’ on it. The students are part of a prestigious institution which has given the city and the country some of its most successful leaders.
On Sunday, hundreds of old Cottonians returned to their alma mater to join the celebrations as Bishop Cottons Boys and Girls schools completed 150 years of existence. Founded in 1865, the school’s long list of alumni includes army generals, air force pilots, political leaders, scientists, artists and entrepreneurs.
Notable alumni who attended the function on Sunday were state Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundurao, Colonel Lalit Rai (recipient of the Vir Chakra) and G K Pillai, former Home Secretary to the Central Government, Rev. Michael G Jackson, Archbishop of Dublin, Education Minister Kimmane Ratnakar and Paulo Duran, Headmaster, St Edmond College, United Kingdom.
“In the 150 years of your school’s existence, the earth has orbited the sun 150 times with your school on it,” said former President of India and celebrated nuclear scientist APJ Abdul Kalam, who was the chief guest at the function. Praising the school for its service to the country, Kalam said the school, its faculty and students had seen historic moments in the country’s development. You (teachers and students) have seen the life and times of Gandhi, the years before and after the independence and have been witness to India’s ascent to the world stage. During this time, every year, this school has added a new section of youths,” he said.
Citing an instance from his childhood, Kalam said his teacher Sivasubramaniam Iyer had motivated him to study flight and engineering. As children, he once took us to Rameshwaram beach to show us the flight pattern of birds as we could not understand the lesson in class. This motivated me. That is when I decided I wanted to study flight. I was in the 5th grade,” he said. Kalam encouraged the teachers to teach the children in a holistic manner.
“What sets Bishop Cottons apart from most other schools in the city is the sheer numer of alumni who have stayed in touch with each other over the years and the absolute dedication they show when it comes to any issue regarding their school. It is very difficult to get admission to the school, but once in, we are reminded of our heritage on a daily basis, be it through our uniforms, prayers or even the buildings,” said Srinathan Hampi, a class 10 student, an NCC cadet, part of the institution since 12 years.
“Being in the school is like being part of a strong and traditional family,” opined Pranav IM, a 9th grader.
Perhaps it is this culture that has inspired former students to write on the school. Two books that narrate tales about growing up in Bishop Cottons have been published. Aditya Sondhi, an advocate has penned ‘Unfinished Symphony’ dedicated to the alumni of the school and Abraham Ebenezer, another alumni, wrote ‘Eton of the East’ which has stories about the school.
“Everything about the school makes the alumni return to it time and again. The architecture has seen two world wars, the faculty is so connected to the students that they return years later to meet their teachers. The spirit of the school is important and we all try our best to maintain it. Tomorrow is Old Cottonians Day and people from all around the world have come to participate,” said Kiran S, a 12th Grade student.
“The students now have mobile phones, but that is a part of change that comes with the advent of technology. Whenever I come here on normal days, it feels like I have stepped back in time. The atmosphere, the buildings and even some of the teachers remind me of my days here,” said Hillary Fernandes, who passed out in 1978. Fernandes, who now stays in Mumbai, is visiting the city to be part of the functions.
Originating from the Bishop George Lynch Cotton School in Calcutta, Bishop Cotton School in Bangalore opened on April 19, 1865, with assistance from Reverend Samuel Thomas Pettigrew, Chaplain of the St Mark’s Church here. The school shifted to its current 14-acre campus on Residency Road in 1871 and the sum of Rs 47,500 paid to a Mr Puttman for the land is perhaps the most socially profitable land deal the city has seen.