By T Kannamala
Author : News Chase : Thrills, frills & perils of News Reporting
<http://www.amazon.com/dp/19
Book Review : https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5994658126633725065#allposts
My dear KM Thomas, December 30, 2017
After talking to you today, I learnt that you had to miss the alumni meeting, because of some pressing official business.
As you have been keen to get a flavour of the Alumni meeting Yesterday, Dec.29, 17 of the 1967-70 English Literature batch, I am typing some of my random observations.
I missed you.
Not only you, but several others also, I had met during the last meeting.
In fact, Dr K V Thomas, the chief organiser was a bit vexed that despite all painstaking efforts by his team, not many, including the promised ones did not turn up. He decided to quit, but with great effort, our master diplomats Mathews, and Lal persuaded him to stay on. We felt that Tiruvalla-centric Alumnus would be most ideal for this job; vexatious, no doubt. Mathews said the experience of the team was absolutely essential to bring out a `BA English Pioneers Jubilee Memoir' by 2020
I am also sending a link to this letter to all our batch mates with a request to write their own comments, so that we could share it.
Now on to business.
The get together was formally opened in the presence of the College Principal, Head of the Department of English and president of the College Alumnus Association. They had to leave soon after, as the 1975 batch Chemistry students were also holding their meeting.
After the general address by KVT , we chose to rearrange our chairs in a circle, so that we could have a better view of each other and interact. As there was no set agenda, most of us spoke about ourselves, family and career. Some recalled a few memorable and hilarious incidents during the college days.
A casual reference to our former principal, T.C.Thomas, by Prof. John E Mathew had set the ball rolling about some Principal-centric events.
Notable among the stories were from Lal regarding the suspension of Jacob Mathew (who died recently) for a month from the college for a mischief that Lal himself had engineered.
Appakkodan recalled an incident where the Principal enquired about a drunken student (not you) who frequented the hostel.
KVVK Tampuran narrated how he was rescued from a possible suspension on a wrong case, after intervention of his colleagues.
Good natured ragging and banter were the highlights.
When Mary Kumari walked in late with her doctor-daughter, Dr KVT recalled an incident when she literally stood at the class door, and barred his entry in to the class. (The reason she/he did not disclose). When he explained how he met the challenge, Mathews wondered aloud if it would attract provisions of the Protection of Women from the Domestic Violence Act!
I provoked KRVC Panicker to come clean with some among his several mischieves. After my innocent comment that `the principal had rebuked him once,’ he clarified that it was only a minor aberration.
I said `not that one’.
Then he came up with a few more, and I emphatically said `no, no, no.’
I am sure he would have gone on, had it not been for a gentle reminder from Sheela about time constraint.
We were sad to hear that Thampan Kurien lost a 15 year old son in an accident. He and his family are settled in Bhopal.
Also, we learnt that Achamma George (Mother Molly) is hospitalised, and it would be appropriate if we could support and hold her in our prayers.
We were all thankful to KVT, Abraham George alias Appakkodan, Mathews Mathews, Rev Jacob Philip, Shanthamma John, and Sheela Elizabeth George for their commendable efforts to keep this association alive.
Among our colleagues, I could identify everyone in the batch except Manasi Devi (remember that girl with a big red dot (Bindi) on her forehead, among the non-dot folks?) She also seems to be settled outside Kerala.
I guess we had more girls than boys in the batch, but only six – Mariam George, Sheela - behind Susamma Thomas and Mary Kumari, Manasi and Shanthamma ( L to Right in the pic) turned up.
Our cousin batch-mate Dr George Cheriyan came with his wife; none of us wished to emulate him in this regard, except John Mathew.
We dispersed after lunch.
As always, Joseph John recorded the events for history, despite his busy baby sitting schedule at home.
On return, Panicker gave me and Mohammed Haneefa a lift. While getting off the car at the railway station, Haneefa softly asked me: `By the way, what is your name?’
`There were two K M Thomases in your batch, Haneefo’ I told him: `I am one among them.’
=====================================================
Dear Friends,
If you wish to add, delete, or change anything, kindly email it to :
With a copy to : hpweekly@gmail.com
Report this site as abusive Login