I did most of my schooling in the industrial township os Bhilai - located in erstwhile Madhya Pradesh - now a part of Chattisgarh. The town was a quaint little place with extreme weather patterns; enough open spaces for playing cricket, football, hockey and any other games that one can think of; where you knew all your neighbours; where you rode your bicycle without the incessecant hinking of cars that epitomises todays cities; where I had friends in all shapes, sizes, economic strata and religious beliefs; where life was indeed good. It was in this environment that I grew up and finished the early years of my education. The standard of education was excellent and it was the factory that produced IITians by the dozen - year after year after year.
1985-93 (School : Std I through VIII)
The earliest memories are of the times when I was aound 12-13 years old and we were happy kids with no concerns of the events rocking the world, the wars tearing countries apart, or about the religious disruptions arising in the country. We were just happy kids. The initial years of schooling are a blur, but I do remember a few incidents - Vineet khirsagar with his discuss throws, Sharma Madam, our teacher for Class 1 and 2, Chattri Madam - she was our classteacher for std 4 i believe, Nair Madam who taught English and Rastogi Sir - The mathematics teacher. What I remember most vividly are the breaks and the large paygrounds that we had. The balls made by stuffing paper in old socks, and the games that we all used to play. I also remember the first bicycle that I owned - it was a cream in colour and had tyres of a racing cycle (read: thin tyres) - my memory fails me on the name of the bicyle.
The classmates I remember most:
- Amrita Gangrade - She always used to top the class, and I for one thought of it as a fact of life - that she will always to first. Today, she is an engineer and works with SAIL (as far as I know)
- Vineet Khirsagar (Kairo Mama) - One of the taller guys in the class (I was one of the taller in the class and hence we always used to be part of the back benches), an intelligent chap with a good overall personality.
- Shaheen Ali - A girl who joined us in 7th and 8th standard and used to share a desk with me. A girl with good humour and a very sporty attitude. I don't have any clue of her whereabouts now and would surely like to get back in touch with her.
- Rashmi - I remember her face and the fact that she used to one girl who was always tensed up about something. I still wonder at times what was that about.
- Preeti Katiyal - A pretty punjabi girl who was always in pigtails. No clue about her whereabouts after school was done.
- V Ramesh - A very lightly built guy who used to be second in class. I believe he topped one of the classes. A very intelligent guy.
- Sudhir Gupta - One of the pranksters who used to stay next to school.
- Abhishek Sinha (Kakdi) - Another guy whose birthday party i attended once. he left us in 5th standard and I lost touch with him. Met him again online a few months back - currently he is working with GenPACT.
- Praveen Narayan (Anna) - He was a classmate allthrough the 8 years. What i remember clearly is the "Rakh (Ashes)". Somebody told him that ashes will help him improve his complexion and he religiously washed his face with ashes for almost a week.
The Golden Years were carefree and fun. Though in hindsight, I can see today that we were financially struggling, but I never felt inferior to anyone at that time. Mom and Dad never let us feel that we were struggling. They always made me feel that I was the king of the world and the universe - my playground. Let everyone have parents like them.
And how does the present compare to today ? Not too well. If given an option, I would relive each single day of my life in those years again and again - and would put it in loop so that the movie will never finish. Only if wishes were horses, but I am thankful to god that he gave me those days, for the foundations of what I am today were laid in those days.
thank you god and thank you everyone.
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