Showing posts with label I D Singh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I D Singh. Show all posts

Saturday, 4 May 2019

Antakshari: A Cherished Tradition at Tantia High School

Antakshari was one of the most beloved inter-house competitions at Tantia High School. It wasn’t just a fun event—it was a celebration of music, teamwork, and school spirit. Every year, between the first and second term examinations, the school would come alive with excitement as preparations for the Hindi Antakshari competition began.

We participated in six such competitions during our time from Class V to Class X. Each year, the announcement would come about a month in advance, and from that moment, the energy shifted. House teachers, students, the Principal, and other faculty members would pour in serious effort to make the event a grand success.

The anticipation was palpable. Rehearsals began, song lists were curated, and strategies were discussed. It wasn’t just about winning—it was about representing your house with pride and enjoying the spirit of healthy competition.

The Selection Process

The first step was identifying the right candidates, and this was never a challenge for the house teachers. They knew exactly which students had the flair for public speaking, a love for Hindi poetry, or a knack for singing. The selection process was thoughtful and fair, and typically followed three key criteria:

  1. Academic Excellence:
    Top-ranking students from Classes V to X were often the first to be considered. Bright minds like Om Prakash DamaniRabindra AgarwalManish DidwaniaDinesh VyasRamakant HolaniVinod Singh RathoreAjay Singhi, and Nigmanand Ojha were obvious choices—known for their intellect and discipline.
  2. Musical Talent:
    Students who frequently sang in class—especially film songs and bhajans—were also shortlisted. Teachers had a keen ear and would often listen in during free periods (as long as I.D. Singh wasn’t on his school rounds!). They knew exactly who could earn points with their voice.
  3. Poetic Memory & Oration:
    Those who could memorize and recite Hindi poems with flair were highly valued. The final group was a diverse mix—some were academic stars, others were gifted singers, and a few were simply passionate performers. But one thing united them all: a strong determination to give their best.

Typically, 8 to 9 boys were selected for initial preparation, but only 4 from each house made it to the final stage. That meant 16 students would take the stage to represent their houses in the grand event.


House Teachers and Their Styles

Each house teacher had a unique approach to selection:

  • Shivaji House – S.K. Bhattacharya
    A strict selector, he often invited students from Classes V to VII but ultimately favored those from Classes VIII to X. He was known for telling juniors, “You’ll get your chance next year,” while always keeping a reliable backup team ready.
  • Vidyasagar House – S.P. Pandey
    More liberal in his choices, he preferred juniors from Classes VI to VIII who could charm the judges and captivate the audience.
  • Raman House – A. Pandey
    Less involved in inter-house affairs, he leaned on senior students but was fortunate to have talented orators like Pawan Bhatia and Dheeraj Khattry.
  • Pratap House – R. Singh First
    Known for his unwavering loyalty to Manish Didwania, who never disappointed. Singh was firm in his belief that Manish was the best choice for any competition—except sports!

Unforgettable Personalities

  • Dheeraj Khattry
    A surprise star in 1988, Dheeraj was short in stature but big in presence. With mischievous charm and captivating delivery, he quickly became a favorite. His elder brother Vikash was our batchmate, and Dheeraj went on to shine in Antakshari, debates, and other school events.
  • Pawan Bhatia
    A permanent fixture in the Raman House team, Pawan’s rise to fame came unexpectedly. During a Hindi debate in 1987, a power outage disrupted the event—no lights, no microphones, and rising heat. As the audience lost interest, Pawan stepped up and delivered his speech without a mic, projecting his voice so powerfully that the entire hall fell silent and listened. He won first prize that day—not just for his speech, but for his courage and presence. Later, he joined me in the daily prayer team on stage.

These stories are more than just memories—they’re reminders of the spirit, camaraderie, and creativity that defined our school years. The Antakshari competition wasn’t just about winning—it was about discovering talent, building confidence, and creating moments that would stay with us for life.

  

The Grand Stage

All 16 selected participants—four from each house—would take their places on stage, seated behind the special invitees. The event always began with S.K. Mishra, our ever-reliable compère. A man of few rewards but immense responsibility, he was the Principal’s first and last choice to anchor every school program. His role as sutradhar was consistent, year after year.

He would begin by inviting:

  • The Principal to the stage.
  • Mr. K.N. Singh First, our senior-most History teacher.
  • Two judges—our revered Hindi teachers N.N. Mishra and K.P. Mishra—whose seats were placed strategically to observe the performers.

These two were legends in teaching Hindi, though their strict and formal style often made the subject intimidating rather than enjoyable. They could have made Hindi more engaging, but perhaps they saw that as beneath their scholarly stature.

Every year, S.K. Mishra would also invite Mr. K. Pandey, a retired teacher known for his encyclopedic memory of poems. A former Mathematics and Physics teacher, his love for the school kept him returning as a guest judge. His presence added gravitas to the event.


Rules of the Competition

  • Each house could field a maximum of four participants.
  • No student could recite more than four poems.
  • Each poem had a time limit of 3–4 minutes.
  • Film songs were strictly prohibited.
  • Participants had to begin by stating their name and house.
  • Though S.K. Mishra always requested the audience not to clap, applause was inevitable for standout performances.

Moments of Fun and Drama

  • Some students forgot their poems mid-performance, leading to penalties and lost points for their house.
  • Objections from rival houses were common—especially around the rule that the next poem must begin with the last letter of the previous one. This was a hotbed for manipulation.

One memorable incident involved Dheeraj Khattry from Raman House, who began a humorous poem with:

“Gadhe hi gadhe hain, udhar bhi gadhe hain...”

But the correct starting line was:

“Idhar bhi gadhe hain, udhar bhi gadhe hain...”

He was stopped mid-recitation, and another student took over. However, Dheeraj returned the following year and completed the poem to roaring applause.

The judges, being purists, rarely favored junior students. They valued pronunciation, oratory skill, and poetic depth over popularity.


Standout Performers

  • Ajay Singhi from Shivaji House impressed N.N. Mishra with his mastery of Gadyatmak Kavya—modern Hindi poetry that’s spoken rather than sung. He won the individual first prize in 1991, helping Shivaji House clinch victory.
  • Anshuman Singh from Pratap House recited:

“Ranbhir chaukri bhar bhar ke Chetak ban gaya nirala tha...”

His powerful delivery earned him a spot in the daily prayer team, selected by Pawan Bhatia.

  • Om Prakash Damani, a brilliant student, was known for his flawless memory and poetic recitation.
  • Rabindra AgarwalVinod Singh Rathore, and Damani were favorites of both S.K. Mishra and N.N. Mishra, winning multiple prizes for Shivaji and Raman Houses.
  • Vidyasagar House struggled to make an impact. In 1990, Nigmanand Ojha fell ill during the competition and was replaced by Krishna Bihari Ojha, but the house couldn’t recover that year.

Poems That Left a Mark

Some of the most frequently recited and admired poems included:

  • “Himalaya” by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar
  • “Kalam Aur Talwar” by Dinkar
  • “Din Jaldi Jaldi Dhalta Hai” by Harivansh Rai Bachchan

The Results and the Restlessness

Once all performances concluded, the judges took about 30 minutes to finalize the scores. Meanwhile, students had to endure speeches from the Principal and Mr. K. Pandey on the importance of poetry. By then, patience wore thin, and the crowd grew restless.

S.K. Mishra, despite his eloquence, rarely got the chance to deliver a full speech. He was the glue that held the event together, but he knew well—students only wanted to hear the results.

The score sheets, prepared by the judges, were handed over to the school’s permanent auditors—D.N. Jha and Y. Singh. Their integrity was never in question; we always felt the scoring was fair.

Finally, S.K. Mishra would announce:

  • Third Place
  • Second Place
  • First Place

The winning house would bask in glory—not just on that day, but for weeks to come. Discussions about performances, speakers, and prizes would echo through the corridors.


The True Purpose of Antakshari

Beyond competition, Antakshari aimed to:

  • Introduce students to great Hindi poetry.
  • Cultivate interest and appreciation for literature.
  • Encourage confidence, expression, and creativity.

These events left behind a treasure trove of memories—and I look forward to sharing more.

 


Sunday, 14 May 2017

I D Singh - The person who left impact on us !! - Part 1

Whenever I think about a headmaster or the Principal of a school of my kids or we see a principal in movies, talking about teachers... its quite natural that I do remember our very own headmaster Mr. I D Singh of Tantia High School. The baton of the school was transferred from Mr. H S Sharma Ji to Mr. I D Singh during late 70s (correction required). We all heard that , Mr. H S Sharma was very popular in non Bengali schools of Kolkata. He was a personality with a good speaking ability, an idol of discipline and one of the best education guide. When he retired, it was a tough decision to transfer the burden to a person who could run the show and get fit in to the shoes of Mr. Sharma. But, what we heard and experienced, I D Singh was proved to be a person of different league and he created his own shoe and his retirement has filled up a vacuum which could never be filled up and till now the school is suffering. Forget about post I D Singh era, we may discuss some other time, but currently I am motivated to write something about our great principal. I dont know his current status but I am using past tense to glorify him :


  • Full name of I D Singh is "Indra Dev Singh" but how could he be an exception ... school boys gave him another name ...Idli Dosa Sambar... but nobody dared to call him by this name.
  • We heard that he was an ex serviceman and had a military background. A tall and handsome man. Always used to be the first person to arrive at school and the last person to leave the school. But there were great students like Sanjay Chamaria and Prakash Das of section C who sometimes used to reach school prior to ID Singh. Those students had different objectives to arrive school at first. Will discuss later...
  • I D Singh never came to school in chappals. He was the teacher with least absence on account of bad health or any other reasons. His best outfit was cream Safari and it suited him most.His shoes were always polished. 
  • During H S Sharma ji's reign, he used to teach History but later on he confided himself to Hindi Sahitya Ka Itihas. Our senior boys used to be his students. From class V to X , I never saw him taking any class or setting any paper for exams. He was a full time headmaster and left teaching for his last 10 to 15 years of service. 
  • He was a voracious reader and a regular subscriber of Dharmyug. He used to sit in the second floor and his entire office was visible from staircases. Either he used to read a book , magazine , talking to teachers, guardians or used to prepare for a lecture. 
  • I D Singh was a great orator. Monday morning was fixed for him to speak in the assembly hall after the prayer. His speech was always long and I could never understand the inner meaning of his lecutres. Only our teachers could understand the gravity but those were also least interested to listen but they were forced to be present in the hall and listen to Headmaster. Although I could not understand the meaning of his speeches in Hindi but yes... there was a feel that our principal was a great speaker. He used to speak on current issues like "Kaveri Jal Vivad" , " Kashmir Conflict" , " Saddam Hossain" , "Gulf War -1 " , some great noble persons, Disciplines..etc etc. etc. 
  • I was one of the team members of the morning prayer team. Only we could see, that our Headmaster also used to sing all the prayers with us with no exception. His lips always used to sing " War De Vinavadini", "Watan ki Raah me" , "Himadri Tung Shring Se" , "Saare Jahan Se Acha" , "Chisti ne jis Jami ko" and on Saturday .... our National Anthem. Prior to these poems we used to chant 7 Sanskrit Slokas .... and those were also sung by I D Singh. May be some ex students do not believe.. but it was an established fact.My fellow team members are witness.
  • Our school was Hindi medium but the rules, regulations, discipline were not lesser than a convent school. Every year school used to visit a hill station or somewhere else. It was the period of I D Singh during which the school visited Kashmir. He took school's students and teachers to the residence of the then chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir , Dr. Farooq Abdullah. We saw the picture in annual magazine "UDAY". In that picture, Rajeev Khandelwal was also visible ... hope he remembers. I would be glad if Rajeev can bring such picture. 
  • He used to start his speech by saying "Pyare Bachoon" ... he always believed on his students like his family members. He knew the internal abilities of his children. His most loved students, what I saw, were Ram Gopal Verma ( our Head Boy of 1986) , Rama Kant Holani, Rabindra Agarwal, Pawan Bhatia, Vinod Singh Rathore, Vineet and Vikash Khaitan, Manish Didwania, etc etc. 
  • His favourite teachers were S K Mishra, D N Jha, Y Singh, P Tripathi, K Singh, B Pandey , N N Mishra, K P Mishra. We could see :) nobody liked him.. I D Singh could play with anybody at any point of time. He could burst out at any student or any teacher. He was a shrewd leader and a perfectionist, never compromising character but most caring person in Tantia. I remember sometimes water supply could be suspended by corporation due to repairing of pipes or any other reasons, But it was the respect of I D Singh .. our senior boys used to bring drums and buckets of water from nearby buildings like 3 No. or street tube wells. All senior boys used to bring water for junior students and we used to drink from Jugs without touching lips. I think most of my friends could have forgotten such stories. 
I D Singh's story cannot be finished in one page... I shall write the blog in parts... Enjoy this one , Refresh your memory , Do remember your Principal ..... till next blog page..

Friday, 4 September 2015

Top five exciting events of Tantia High School : A tradition of success

Our school was always successful in organizing events, and students were thoroughly trained to participate in and manage everything from small gatherings to large celebrations. The Principal also took an active role in both organizing and participating in events, no matter the size.

Here are the top five events that were always highlights of the school year:

  1. Annual School Sports
  2. Annual Function
  3. Independence Day / Republic Day Celebrations
  4. Saraswati Puja
  5. Antakshari Competitions

These events were not just well-organized, but they became a part of the school’s tradition, bringing the entire community together. They are still fresh in our memories, each one filled with excitement, participation, and school spirit!


Friday, 7 September 2012

Tantia High School : Our Golden Years (टांटिया हाई स्कूल: हमारे स्वर्णिम वर्ष )


यह ब्लॉग मेरे टांटिया हाई स्कूल के पुराने दोस्तों, इसके पुराने और नए शिक्षकों,  वर्तमान और पूर्व छात्रों को समर्पित है। मैं काफी भाग्यशाली हूं कि अधिकांश महत्वपूर्ण घटनाएं, स्कूल शिक्षकों के नाम और उनके चेहरे आज भी मेरी स्मृति में हैं। मैं टांटिया हाई स्कूल यानी अपने स्कूल के गलियारों और क्लास रूम में बिताए अपने बचपन के सुनहरे वर्षों के कुछ अविस्मरणीय क्षणों के बारे में लिखने की कोशिश कर रहा हूं। मुझे विश्वास है आप सभी को यह पसंद आएगा 

मैं भास्कर चौमल हूं , मैंने 1992 में माध्यमिक परीक्षा उत्तीर्ण की थी। मुझे अपने स्वर्णिम साल में टांटिया हाई स्कूल का पूर्व छात्र होने पर गर्व है | उन वर्षों में, हमारे स्कूल ने कक्षा 10 के लिए 100% उत्तीर्ण परिणाम प्राप्त करना शुरू कर दिया

1986 से 1995 के दौरान अधिकांश छात्रों ने हमारे महान पुराने अच्छे शिक्षकों के साथ बहुत अच्छा समय बिताया। 1996 के बाद मैं ज्यादा ट्रैक नहीं रख सका, हालाँकि मैं अक्सर स्कूल जाता था। यह अफ़सोस की बात है कि, मुझे पिछले कुछ वर्ष स्कूल जाने का अवसर नहीं मिला


खोज इंजनों में, मुझे हमारे स्कूलों, शिक्षकों और छात्रों के बारे में वर्तमान गतिविधियों और अतीत के बारे में बहुत कुछ नहीं मिला। यह हमारे स्कूल को वेब पर डालने का एक छोटा कदम है।


https://www.instagram.com/bhaskarchoumal5/ 

A Poem on Bhasha

 The Poem is written by Dr. Ram Prahlad Choudhary, one of the ex- Teachers of Tantia High School. Hope you will like it.