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.

Whats App Groups of Tantia High School - 1992 batch

The batch of 1992 is still very much in touch. We regularly exchange messages, share moments of fun, and sometimes just chat about anything that comes to mind. At times, we host friendly quizzes, and other times, the messages get more emotional, touching our hearts. Recently, something unique happened that brought everyone together.

Dr. Siddhartha's son is studying at Miranda House in Kankurgachi, and there was an informal competition to see which student could get the most likes on Facebook. Siddhartha made a request, and we all took it as a mission. It was amazing to see how everyone rallied around, religiously promoting his son’s post. The spirit of the group was incredible — we all wanted to make Siddhartha’s son the winner.

In a humorous twist, Sanjay Kulthia advertised it as his own son and received some hilarious comments from his friends! There were also some more serious members, like Vikash, who religiously kept us updated with the latest numbers. You could feel that, deep down, we all would have been thrilled if Mayank won.

Among the most lively members in the group is Sunil Chapparia, who makes sure that no one forgets that we're all still men! He keeps the group buzzing with messages and photos, some of which are award-winning collections.

The main promoters of both groups are Vikash Khattry and Pawan Gupta. Although we chat about a lot of things, school never seems to come up much anymore — but at least we're still in touch. Even after more than a year, we haven't managed to add everyone to the group, and though there was talk of merging the two groups, it never quite happened. The reason for that remains unclear.

The playful banter between Sunil Saraogi and Sunil Chapparia has calmed down a bit these days. Meanwhile, we’ve got a number of drink lovers in the group, constantly sharing photos of themselves with bottles and glasses, their eyes clearly telling us they’re enjoying drinks with old friends.

It’s not all fun and games, though. We also share vacation pictures, celebrate proud moments when our children achieve something, and send condolences when a member loses a loved one. We come together to vote in online competitions, or to sell extra IPL match tickets — these little things keep the group spirit alive.

Of course, there are also moments of tension. Recently, there were sharp arguments between Amit Sharma and Vikash Khattry, which stirred things up a bit.

As the years pass, it seems our friends have developed a habit of posting photos with their drinks — rum, whiskey, wine — and the praise they give each other for those pictures has become almost a tradition.

But in the end, we keep the group alive, and we keep sending comments. It’s all part of staying connected and enjoying the bonds that have lasted over the years.

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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!

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Rendezvous with Old Friends – 15th August 2014

The gathering on 15th August 2014 was nothing short of exciting. I met up with Sunil Saraogi, Chapparia, Ginoria, Prakash, Pawan, Anish, Ashok, Manish Choudhary, Didwania, Thakkar, Sanjay, Rahul, Jitender, Alok, Anand, Ajay, Sandeep, Dr. Sid, Vikash Modi, Khattry, and a few others. A big thank you to Vikash Khattry for inviting me, as I wasn’t on WhatsApp at the time!

We met just outside Bhikharam in Kankurgachi and waited for a few more friends to arrive. The reunion was as lively as ever, with the typical Tantia-style conversations filling the air. In short, everyone was still the same at heart.

A Few Highlights from the Meet:

• Jain brought roses for everyone. Thanks, bhai!
• Anish has managed to maintain his weight — neither gained nor lost any.
• Didwania and Alok still have their charming faces, and they look like they’re still in their twenties.
• Dr. Sid didn’t show off his clinical skills this time, but he seemed to be the same old alumni of Tantia.
• Jitender and Ashok were the hosts of the party. Big-hearted as always!
• Manish Thakkar looked completely different. His appearance had changed quite a lot.
• Anand was hiding behind dark sunglasses, but still looked sharp.
• Sanjay Jain appeared more civilized than during school days — a pleasant change!
• Manish Choudhary was as expected — unchanged, and probably never will be.
• Pawan was busy doing PR and left after the kachori session.
• Samir Saraogi — we need more people like him who can keep everyone connected and bind the group together.
• Sunil Chapparia looked great! He doesn’t talk like he does on WhatsApp, but still had that boyish charm. Congrats, buddy!
• Sunil Ginoria looked fantastic and didn’t recognize me at first — though I’ll admit, I beat him in the weight-gain department!
• Sandeep Bhansali still carries the same warm smile he had in school. It was clear how happy he was to meet everyone.
• Rahul Sonthalia seemed to be recovering from a neck injury. Hope he's fully recovered now.
• Ajay Chaudhary — hahaha, he really needs to ditch the beard. Otherwise, everything else was good.
• Vikash came late, but he was in good form. Note to Vikash: leave Pan Parag or Rajni Sajni Gandha (Ganda)! It’s killing your communication skills, my friend! But he’s definitely more mature now and seems to have gained a lot of experience.
• Prakash — I reminded him that we once had a fight in school, but he forgot all about it. His face hasn’t changed much, though.
• Manish Jalan — Still has the same height and slim waist!
• Vikash Modi — Looked great and pretty much the same as ever.

I’m sure I’ve missed some people — the names are getting blurry, but after one or two more reunions, I’ll update this page with more memories from the 15th of August meet.

Afterwards, Manish Didwania and others suggested going to "Nashta" — the little shop behind Bhikharam — to enjoy Kachori and Jalebi. It was clear that we couldn’t enjoy the full Tantia-style banter in such a confined space, so we made our way to Nashta.

It was a great decision! We had hot, crispy Kachoris with Aloo Saag and steaming hot Jalebis. Jitender and Ashok were the hosts again, keeping everything in order while we enjoyed round after round of snacks.

People couldn’t stop talking about how Manish Thakkar’s appearance had changed, and how Anand Sancheti still looked so youthful. There were a few forgettable conversations between Manish Didwania and Manish Choudhary, but nothing too serious.

Most of the group seemed to be more focused on having drinks later in the evening. The talk was about a liquor/cocktail party they were planning at Salt Lake.

Enter Khattry… He was given a fresh plate of Kachori, and we all listened to him with great attention.

Nashta was truly blessed that day!

Afterward, we headed to Haryana Sweets near Phool Bagan for tea. The passersby were staring at us, especially since some of us had returned to our “old form.” Our loud voices certainly attracted attention, and we could feel people wondering who these enthusiastic group of friends were.

The conversation shifted to colleagues from past and current jobs, and we shared information about each other. There was a fun little argument about Shuddh Hindi (pure Hindi) between me and Manish. We reminded him that he was once the head boy of Tantia High School — the only head boy who became head boy mid-year after the expulsion of the previous head boy. Manish wasn’t too thrilled to be reminded of that story.

We took some photos to capture the memories and then parted ways. Those photos are now on Facebook for everyone to relive the moment.

Here’s hoping for more such meet-ups in the near future.

Incorporation of an Alumni association of Tantia High School

Dear Frenz,

Please send your ideas to incorporate an alumni association of Tantia High School . You all must be associated with good and reputed organisation. Kindly share your thoughts to establish a good association for we alumni.

The ideas shall be around :

1. Objectives
2. Name of the organisation
3. Governing Body - name of the members , Chairman , president, VP.
4. Forms
5. Fees
6. Activities
7. Development of School
8. Meetings
9. Scholarships and schemes
10. Ideas to attract more students
11. Honour of our old beloved teachers
12. Help to old teachers in case of need
13. Help to our old freinds in case of need
14. Periodical meetings in our school
15. Events of Alumni
16. Web site
17. Accounts, audit, election , programmes, etc.

etc . etc .etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

The most important thing.......... huge number of members and their presence........

Please send your all valuable suggestions...........

You may keep on sending good ideas. at this blog or at the email ID of Vikash Khatry ..which shall be posted in facebook in coming days.......


:)

Yours Bhaskar

Something more on N.N.Mishra ...

Thanks to my brothers for liking my recollections of Tantia days......Lets share some more memories of our great Hindi Teacher . ............... N . N .Mishra ji

It was only N N Mishra who was hard to be utilised by I D Singh for multipurposes. Hence he was given some more additional responsibilities :

• He is the librarian of Tantia High School Library. We were supposed to get one Hindi Book per year to read and return. But were not issued any book from class eight to ten. However, one book I read " Edison ki kahani  in class V , that is still in my memories. After that I could not get any chance to read about the great scientist "Thomas Edison"
• He was the chief coordinator of Tulsi Jayanti , Premchand Jayanti --- i.e. functions in which there was no inter house competition. We used to prepare for songs at Tulsi Jayanti in his Library in the presence of K P Mishra and S D Dwivedi. However, I never saw him singing and to teach how to sing a particular line. Me, Pawan Bhatia, Kunj Bihari Bhatia, Dinesh Vyas ( Now an Acharya -- I appeal every brothers to take his services for Marriage , Namkaran Sanskar and other Mangalik Functions... he is a good acharya / Pandit) , Vijay Agarwal, Vineet Khaitan ( for lecture on Tulsidas ji ) and others. However, the practice were closely monitored by S K Mishra. Sometimes N N Mishra ji was called by I D Singh to update him on practice of Tusli Jayanti and sometimes we had to sing before him... you can imagine ........the pressure of singing before him in his chamber .......... 
• N N Mishra was also a permanent judge in functions of  Antakshari and Inter house Hindi debate. But he was always unbiased at the time of awarding marks during competition. The result of Antakshari and debates were audited by D N Jha and Y Singh and they always used to produce the report with marks just after the lecture of I D Singh after every functions. 
• N N Mishra had nothing to do with Annual school sports. On that day , he used to mingle with classics like J K Singh.
• It was impossible for us to understand the assembly speech of N N Mishra. I think it was hard to understand by a few teachers too. Impeccable hindi was always a challenge for us. Once I heard the word " DRISHITKONE" , after that the entire speech was a bouncer. It was impossible for S K Bhattacharya to understand anything from the speech from N N Mishra
• In our Annual School function we had one section - Hindi 's one act play i.e. EKANKI .. N N Mishra  was the chief supervisor of that One act play ( Natak ). How he used to handle that , its a life long curiosity for me.
• He was our Hindi Prose teacher in Class IX. First term examinations used to held like class test. He challenged us to write answers from Hindi Guide or taking the help of text books ....... he proposed us to take help.........we took help........but none of the boy could pass in that exam. He wrote one line from the first lesson " Meri Jiwan Gatha of Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi" .. the line was " Mai yadi kisi ka atyachar sahan kar loon , to isse meri sahansheelta ka bodh awasya hota hai , parantu isse mujhe doosron ke uper krodh karne ka adhikar prapt nahi ho jata " ... and he asked the first question from that line " Atyachar kis prakar ka Achar hai" ............. ab kya likhen ????

We realised after leaving the school that we lost a great opportunity to learn a better Hindi. When we were student we did not like some of his lectures, but after I personally felt sorry. 

will update more.............

pls dont consider english general mistakes..........without review I have written everything.

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