Sanskrit Prayer of Tantia High School

ॐ विश्वानि देव सवितर्दुरितानि परासुव*। *यद् भद्रं तन्न आ सुव*

ॐ हिरण्यगर्भः समवर्तताग्रे भूतस्य जातः पतिरेकासीत ।
स दाधार पृथ्वीं ध्यामुतेमां कस्मै देवायहविषा विधेम ॥

य आत्मदा बलदा यस्य विश्व उपासते प्रशिषं यस्यदेवाः ।
यस्य छायामृतं यस्य मर्त्युः कस्मै देवायहविषा विधेम ॥

यः प्राणतो निमिषतो महित्वैक इद्राजा जगतो बभूव ।
य ईशे अस्य द्विपदश्चतुष्पदः कस्मै देवाय हविषाविधेम ॥

येन दयौरुग्रा पर्थिवी च दर्ळ्हा येन सव सतभितं येननाकः ।
यो अन्तरिक्षे रजसो विमानः कस्मै देवायहविषा विधेम ॥

परजापते न तवदेतान्यन्यो विश्वा जातानि परि ताबभूव ।
यत्कामास्ते जुहुमस्तन नो अस्तु वयं सयाम पतयोरयीणाम ॥

ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

:)

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Tiffin Time of Tantia High School

जैसा कि पहले बताया गया था, हमें चौथी अवधि के बाद 45 मिनट के टिफिन ब्रेक की अनुमति दी गई थी। कक्षा 5 से 7 के छात्र खाने के लिए 10 मिनट के रूप में टिफिन समय का उपयोग करते थे और खेलने और बातचीत के लिए शेष समय का उपयोग करते थे।

कभी-कभी, हम अपने वर्ग में क्रिकेट खेलते थे, हल्के बल्ब और प्रशंसकों को स्विच ऑफ मोड में रखते थे। एक रूमाल को एक क्रिकेट गेंद में बदल दिया गया और एक स्केल को क्रिकेट के बल्ले की तरह इस्तेमाल किया गया। मैं नहीं बता सकता, यह बहुत अच्छा समय था। हालांकि, 45 मिनट के बाद, पहले से ही, घरों के कप्तान ने कक्षाओं में प्रवेश करना शुरू कर दिया और उनका हमेशा मतलब था विशेष रूप से कक्षा 5 से 8 के लड़कों के साथ।

कुछ प्रीफैक्ट (Prefects) विद्यार्थियों से घबरा रहे थे, जो उनके सहपाठी थे, अर्थात् ऐसे सहपाठियों (छात्र जो पहले असफल रहे) को समान वजन और लड़ने के कौशल मिले। इसलिए प्रीफैक्ट्स उन्हें केवल अपनी आवाजों के माध्यम से या चरम मामलों में प्रबंधित कर सकते हैं . वे प्रीफेक्ट्स कप्तान या उपाध्यक्ष लड़के के हस्तक्षेप का उपयोग कर सकते हैं।

हेडबॉय हमारे स्कूलों के बॉस होते थे। हेडबॉय हमारे स्कूल में बहुत सम्मान पाते थे। मुझे याद है कि जब मैं कक्षा 5 में था तब हमारा हेड बॉय राम गोपाल बजाज था। १९८६... सर्वश्रेष्ठ मुख्य लड़कों में से एक... उसके बाद कोई हेडबॉय कभी भी उनके व्यक्तित्व से मेल नहीं खा सकता था। हेडबॉय के चयन में कमियां थीं . किसी अन्य लड़के में कहानी सुनाएंगे . चलो हमारे लंच ब्रेक पर ध्यान केंद्रित करते हैं।

तो वे मेरे जैसे बच्चों पर अपने कौशल का उपयोग कर सकते थे... जो न तो उनसे लड़ सकते थे और न ही मेरे पास जा सकते थे।

मुझे एक उदाहरण याद है कि 1988 में 9 सी कक्षा के प्रदीप सिंह हमारे कक्षा के एक साथी से कुछ शिकायतें मिलने के बाद हमारे कक्षा में आए। आरोप यह था कि कुछ लड़कों ने कक्षा में सुपर सोनिक वॉइस (असाधारण आवाज) बनाई जो हमारे स्कूल के अनुशासनिक सिद्धांतों के खिलाफ थी। उन्होंने 7 से 8 लड़कों को सजा दी। प्रदीप मंच पर मेरे प्रार्थना साथी थे . इसलिए मैंने पूछने की हिम्मत की... भाई मेरा क्या कसूर है...... बदमाशी किसी और ने और मेरी और पिट गया माई . तब मैंने पहली बार एक कहावत सुनी। मैं एक कहवत है... Gehu के साथ Dhoon भी वैसा ही चलता है . मैं उस अर्थ को समझ नहीं पाया।

So ... Tiffin time....

हमें अपनी कक्षा में खाने की अनुमति नहीं थी... हमें असेंबली हॉल में, या गलियारों में या ग्राउंड फ्लोर में खाने की अनुमति थी। हालांकि, जब हमने 10th ki वरिष्ठता प्राप्त की है... कक्षा 10... हम कभी खाने के लिए नीचे नहीं गए जब कुछ कछोरियों या सिंघार या मोडी की आवश्यकता थी... अन्यथा सभी 3 वर्गों के छात्र दरवाजा बंद करने के बाद कक्षा में खाते थे।

एक Mudi वाला, एक फलवाला, एक Idli वाला और एक कचोरीवाला था। Kachodiwala बीकानेर का रहने वाला था . वह दही और मसाला मिलाकर कचौरी बेचता था . मुझे लगता है कि हमें कभी भी किसी अन्य स्थान पर यह स्वाद वापस नहीं आया। हालाँकि, कभी नहीं भूलना चाहिए... स्कूल के बाहर एक आइसक्रीम विक्रेता था और हम उन आइसक्रीम को स्कूल के साथी के कोने से खरीद सकते थे... यह एक तस्करी थी। लेकिन उस आइसक्रीम को स्वाद मिला।

आस-पास के इलाकों के छात्र आईडी कार्ड बना सकते हैं और टिफिन घंटे बंद होने से पहले वे अपने घरों में खाने और वापसी करने जा सकते हैं। अगर कोई देर से आता है तो उसके घर के निशान काट लिए जाएंगे और उसे हाउस मास्टर के सामने पेश किया जाएगा। उन बातों का उल्लेख मैंने पहले के ब्लॉग में किया है।

इसलिए, पांचवें अवधि की शुरुआत में उपस्थिति की समीक्षा की प्रक्रिया थी अर्थात लंच के बाद। शिक्षक अपने तरीके से उपस्थिति लेते थे, विशेष रूप से एस एन पाठक जो एक संस्कृत और हिंदी शिक्षक थे, लेकिन हमेशा अंग्रेजी में उपस्थिति लेते थे। हमारे जीवन विज्ञान शिक्षक की एक अनूठी शैली थी . वह हमेशा कहते थे . ‘Apne Daaye aur Baaye dekh lo अगर कोई लापता है, तो कृपया मुझे बताएं, मेरी कक्षा में कभी भी अनुपस्थित रहने की हिम्मत नहीं की गई थी . इसका मतलब है कि हमने कभी ऐसी घटना नहीं सुनी जो किसी ने टिफिन घंटों के दौरान स्कूल से बाहर चली। पाँचवी अवधि की उपस्थिति का सख्ती से पालन किया गया ।

जब हम टिफिन घंटों के दौरान नीचे जाते थे . यह श्री एस राम (राम बाबू) थे जो हमेशा सीढ़ियों के अंत में खड़े थे . हम उन्हें सेना के जवानों की तरह सलाम करते थे और उन्हें लड़कों को देखकर खुशी होती थी। यह तात्या का अनुशासन था कि हम एक दिन भी लाइनों को नहीं तोड़ सकते थे। जब राम बाबू रिटायर हुए, श्री के एन सिंह सेकंड (पी टी शिक्षक) ने राम बाबू से जिम्मेदारी संभाली और जब छात्र जमीन पर लंच करने आए तो वह वहां मौजूद रहे।

1986 से 1992 के दौरान दोपहर 12:45 बजे से 1:30 बजे तक टिफिन समय था . और यह अगले 10 से 12 वर्षों के लिए समान था . जहां तक मैं जानता हूं और प्राथमिक खंड (दिन) के टिफिन समय 1:15 बजे ब्रेक होता था। तो मैं ऐसा क्यों कह रहा हूं। प्राथमिक छात्रों को महिला शिक्षकों द्वारा पढ़ाया जाता था. कुछ ईएम बहुत युवा थे. उनके बीसवें दशक में और कुछ अपने तीसरे दशक में थे. हमारे स्कूल के कुछ शिक्षक उन महिला शिक्षकों को देखने या उनसे बात करने के लिए टिफिन घंटों के दौरान मौजूद थे। मैं किसी को दोष नहीं दे रहा हूं . सभी युवा थे और इसमें कुछ भी गलत नहीं था। कुछ शिक्षकों की आदत थी और उन्होंने हमेशा हमारे प्राथमिक वर्ग की महिला शिक्षकों को प्रभावित करने की कोशिश की। मैं उन शिक्षकों का नाम बताऊंगा... लेकिन उनमें से एक महिलाओं को प्रभावित करने के लिए काफी स्मार्ट था।

जिन छात्रों को दोपहर का भोजन लेने के लिए घर जाने का विशेषाधिकार प्राप्त था... छात्र कुछ पैसे या रुपये का भुगतान करते थे कुछ सुपारी, पैन पराग, या बाहर से चॉकलेट खरीदने के लिए... जाहिर है एक अनिवार्य कटौती के साथ।

वहाँ कुछ और दिलचस्प व्यक्तिगत कहानियां हैं...... बता देंगे ... आनंद . और भगवान आशीर्वाद यू.

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Memoirs of our school Breaks

During our school days, we had two short breaks and one tiffin break that we eagerly looked forward to. The first break came after the second period in the morning, and the second one followed the seventh period, just before the final class of the day. Each break lasted around 10 minutes—brief but always refreshing and much needed.

 The first break was often a lifesaver, especially for completing last-minute homework that could be checked in the third or fourth period. But beyond academics, these breaks were a playground for mischief and bonding. The real charm lay in:

• Sharing jokes—ranging from silly to wildly inappropriate—with close friends.
• Catching up with friends from other sections.
• Sneaking in comic books, despite school rules strictly forbidding them.
• Gossiping about teachers and inventing hilarious nicknames or impersonations.
• Peeking through classroom windows to spy on others.
• Chatting with school peons and playfully teasing them.

Our peons (office boys)  were quite the characters: Satyanarayan (a notorious troublemaker), Pandey, Shaw Ji, Suraj, and Kishori Lal—each with their own quirks and stories.

The second break was even more action-packed. It was our time to:

• Play cricket or other games right inside the classroom.
• Aim chalk pieces at students sipping tea and munching toast at Sheetal Toast—a legendary snack shop. The toast was unforgettable, and even today, I make it a point to visit whenever I’m nearby. His son runs the shop now and still remembers me fondly.
• Occasionally, we’d hurl random abuses—just for laughs.
• Dance in the classroom, using our mouths for music and benches for drums. One of our classmates would mimic Madhuri Dixit from Saajan, or Shilpa Shirodkar dancing in the rain (Kehni thi ek baat...), while another friend would grab him like Mithun Chakraborty in full dramatic flair.
• Sing together—4 or 5 boys belting out classics like Aane Se Uske Aaye Bahaar from Jeene Ki Raah. Though the song was from an earlier era, it was still a hit in the 1980s and 1990s.

This break was also notorious for settling scores. If someone had complained about us to a teacher, this was the time for revenge. From Class V to VIII, our monitors, prefects, and captains were often the party poopers—trying to enforce discipline and spoil our fun. Some of them were truly annoying. I still remember their names, but now they seem like elder brothers, and I can’t bring myself to curse them anymore.

By Class IX and X, we had become fearless. No prefect or captain dared to challenge us.

From Class V to VIII, the last period was usually reserved for additional subjects like General Knowledge or Moral Science. Since marks weren’t counted, teachers rarely taught seriously. But after 1994, the rules changed—if someone scored above 34, the marks would be added, which made things a bit more serious.

In Classes IX and X, the final periods became important—subjects like Hindi, History, Bookkeeping, and Additional Mathematics demanded our full attention. And yes, we did study seriously.

Even today, I miss those breaks deeply.
Do you?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

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BHULE NA BHULAYE - Class VII Hindi Story Book of Tantia High School (भूले ना भुलाये - कक्षा सात की कहाँ की किताब )

टांटिया हाई स्कूल ने हमेशा मूल्य आधारित शिक्षा प्रदान करने का प्रयास किया है। कक्षा V में, हम बाल रामायण पढ़ते थे और कक्षा VII में हमारे पास एक किताब थी - भूले ना भुलाये , जो हमारे स्कूल के संस्थापक और राजस्थान और कोलकाता के प्रसिद्ध सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता श्री रामेश्वरलाल टांटिया द्वारा लिखी गई थी। पुस्तक की प्रत्येक कहानी किसी भी बच्चे के चरित्र निर्माण में सहायक है।

सबसे अच्छी बात यह थी की हमारी क्लास में ,यह  पुस्तक श्री एस एन पाठक द्वारा पढ़ाई गई थी। उन्होंने पुस्तक को पूरी निष्ठा और पूरी गंभीरता से पढ़ाया। प्रायः प्रश्न पत्र बनाने वाले टीचर्स पहले ही चैप्टर (जीवन की उपलब्धि) से सिर्फ एक ही प्रश्न हर परीक्षा में पूछते थ।  अर्थात बाकी चैप्टर ना भी पढ़े तो कोई फ़र्क़ नहीं पड़ता थ। 

लेकिन यह एस एन पाठक ही थे जो पूरे पाठ्यक्रम की प्रत्येक पंक्ति को समय के भीतर पढ़ाने के लिए बहुत गंभीर थे. उन्होंने सिर्फ अपना पाठ्यक्रम ही नहीं शेष किया , अपितु हर कहानी के मुख्या पत्र का चरित्र चित्रण पूछा बताया और याद कराया  | अगर वो गंभीरता से ना भी पढ़ते तो शायद उन्हें कोई कुछ नहीं बोलता। परन्तु शायद वो जानते थे की अगर वो अपने छात्रों को मानवीय मूल्य के ऊपर कहानियां पढ़ा रहे हैं तो उन्हें भी वैसा ही बर्ताव करना पड़ेगा 

यह व्यावसायिकता का एक सर्वोत्तम उदहारण ह।  अगर हम यह शिक्षा उनसे ले लें तो हमारे जीवन में बेहतरी ही होगी 

भूले ना भुलाये अगर आपको कहीं भी मिले तो अपने बच्चों को दे।  कम से कम मैंने अपने जीवन में कुछ शिक्षा तो ली ही है, उससे मुझे कहीं यशा मिला है | रामेश्वर लाल जी ने अपने जीवन के अनुभव और सुनी हुई ऐतिहासिक कहानियों को रेखांकित किया है।

A few pages for your lovely recollection .and on demand ... I have posted one chapter of the book

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 Damani, Rabindra Agarwal, Manish Didwania, Dinesh Vyas, Ramakant Holani, Vinod Singh Rathore, Ajay 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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 Agarwal, Vinod 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.

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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

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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.

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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.

 

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..

Mr. J K Singh

A Tribute to J K Singh – A Teacher Who Inspired a Lifelong Journey

The full name of J K Singh was "Jhar Khande Singh." It was a peculiar name, and when I first heard it, I could hardly believe it was his. Most people had affectionately given him the nickname "Jalebi Kachodi Singhara." In hindsight, I can now correlate the name "Jharkhand" with his own.

When I entered the secondary section in Class V, J K Singh was the class teacher of 6B. He was a man of very short stature, always with a smile on his face, and dressed in a dhoti and kurta. His heart was pure, and he was always clean in both appearance and demeanor. Though his core subject was History, he also taught English to the junior classes. One day, when our 6C and 6A classes were combined and seated together in the 6A classroom (on the first floor) while most of our teachers were away preparing for the Annual School Sports at Victoria Ground, J K Singh was teaching us History. The topic that day was "Pharaohs" — the kings of Egypt, part of the chapter on "Misr Ki Sabhyata" (The Civilization of Egypt).

For the first time in Class 6, I heard a teacher present history in his own words, rather than just reading directly from the textbook. In our section, 6C, R S Rai taught history by simply reading the book as it was, with no additional context. Perhaps he felt that a Class 6 student wouldn't be able to grasp much more. But in the other section, 6A, J K Singh brought the topic of Egypt and the Pharaohs to life. I vividly remember how he explained that the Pyramids were built long before Christ, and that the Pharaohs worshipped different gods — they weren’t Christians.

It was his storytelling and unique way of teaching that sparked my interest in visiting Egypt and seeing the Pyramids. That lecture stayed with me, and in 2008, I finally fulfilled my dream of visiting Egypt, spending time exploring the Pyramids. It was an experience that was directly inspired by his teaching. Tantia High School was fortunate to have such dedicated teachers, who went beyond just completing the syllabus to ignite a passion for learning in their students.

J K Singh, without a doubt, was pure at heart. Though he was known to discipline students when needed, he did so without fear, always with the goal of helping them improve. He truly loved his students. Despite his short height and bald head, senior students often teased him with mockery, but no one ever criticized him. I don’t think he had any enemies.

One moment that stands out in my memory was when J K Singh delivered a speech the day after General Zia Ul Haq, the then-President of Pakistan, passed away. The students were not particularly sad about it, and neither was he, but he still felt it was necessary to express his condolences, as a gesture of respect. After briefly acknowledging the death, we students couldn’t help but smile and laugh at the awkwardness of the moment. He acknowledged our reaction with good humor, accepting that Indians weren’t particularly affected by Zia’s death. He continued his speech, seamlessly transitioning to other topics.

Looking back, J K Singh was a teacher who truly left an impact on me. His approach to teaching, his integrity, and his sense of humor made him unforgettable. I'm grateful for the lessons he taught me, both inside and outside the classroom.