It's a school founded by Jesuits with a shloka from the Hitopadesa on its shield, vidya dadati vinayam (education gives humility) and an anthem that starts with "hats off to thee".
Contrary to Kipling, east and west did meet in De Nobili School, Digwadih in Dhanbad, the first private school of the coal belt set up way back in 1956. And, the results were nothing short of spectacular, say the 500-odd alumni who are now here in Dhanbad for a weekend De Nobili reunion fittingly titled Homecoming 2015.
"We rehearsed for dances under the eyes of CCTV cameras installed way back in 1968 that helped us rectify our mistakes when the recorded footage was replayed on TV sets," said Brigadier S.B. Choudhary of the Class of 1978, who came from Dehradun. "Go on, beat that. And, we played rugby matches in 1971. But, above all, we imbibed values."
His classmate Anindya Kudu, now Calcutta businessman, said: "Tucked away in the coal belt, we had the best books, latest gadgets and world-class teachers."
"The quality of education we received at De Nobili was unmatched in India during those days and even on a par with the western world," said Anindya Mukherjee, "Andy to friends", of the class of 1968, who has worked as an engineer around the world in Algeria, Bahrain, South Africa and Canada, where he is now settled as a consultant. "We used to have stage programmes, including elocution and debates. I'm grateful to my parents (Arunava and Arti Mukherjee) for putting me in this brilliant school," said Andy, who came with brother Anjan (class of 1966, ex-director, engineering of LIC).
Gratitude ruled the sprawling campus as over 500 alumni of De Nobili School arrived from across the globe, including US and Canada, on the two-day diamond jubilee celebrations on Saturday and Sunday. Many of the old boys - De Nobili became a co-ed as late as in 2008 - brought wives along.
On Saturday and Sunday, present-day school students presented scintillating cultural shows, the musical opera Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat being among the most talked about, as well as set up snacks counters and organised a walk down memory lane on Sunday. Amid much laughter, the alumni staged their blast from the past and took part in sack, three-legged and other races.
Like everyone else, chief guest Rear Admiral Sudharshan Y. Srikhande, a De Nobilian from the 1972 batch, who came from Mumbai, was enthralled to be back on campus.
Amarnath Pandey of 1974 batch, who runs a firm Hospitality Synergy in Dublin, Ohio, in the US, said he studied in Indiana University in the US, but it was De Nobili that laid the foundation of their characters. "Can't forget Father Hess (second principal who served from 1963 to 1979)."
Vivek Sahay of the 1975 batch, now the inspector-general of CRPF in Calcutta, confessed he was quite the law-breaker in school. "De Nobili is known for its discipline. But, sometimes, we locked up our teacher in lifts or burst crackers on school grounds ahead of Diwali," he said. "Father Hess didn't take me in ISC because of my naughty reputation! But, I owe everything to Father Hess and my teachers."
