St. Stephen’s College Alumni Association, the Calcutta chapter, had a warm reunion followed by a delicious dinner at the Tollygunge Club on February 26. Stephenians from all over the country and from all walks of life came together to exchange their memories and indulge in nostalgia. Ex-students from the oldest batch to the most recent one, of the educational institution in Delhi, were present at the reunion. Every student at the reunion was proud of how the 143-year-old educational institution was closely connected to the movements of Indian Independence. The current principal of St. Stephen’s specially flew in from Delhi to attend the reunion and converse with the ex-students. Every ex-student who attended the reunion was given Stephanian batch jackets and caps with the famous Stephanian red star. Later in the evening, fun quiz with questions about the college was held, followed by a group photograph and a Continental cuisine dinner.
“This is my first visit to Calcutta, and it’s such a beautiful feeling coming here for the alumni reunion. It’s been one happy thing after the other and it’s been fun and frolic being here. Being here is a wonderful experience as I get to learn a lot about the history of the college, which is very helpful as I am not a student of this college. We have the largest alumni in the country and have made a difference wherever they go,” said Prof. John Varghese, principal of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi.
Satish Dhall, president of the alumni association, said, “It’s a great feeling and never a dull moment when you have so many familiar faces to look at. Today we had the opportunity to bring the oldest student and the youngest student together in one place. What else could we ask for?!”
Secretary of the alumni association Arijit Ghose with his wife Lata. “St. Stephen’s College is 143 years old and it is a college of great history and traditions. The alumni members of this college are vastly belonging to specific positions. We had a halt due to the pandemic but have restarted the alumni reunion again this year and it’s a kick-off to other events we will be hosting throughout the year. We plan to bring distinctive Stephanians to Calcutta and host talk shows in schools so that the students see them as their role models and apply for the college,” said Arijit Ghosh.
Prof. Varghese felicitates the oldest alumni member, Arun Kumar Sen, who belongs to the batch of 1955. Sen said, “Going to college always made me feel like going home and today I again feel like being at home with so many of my fellow Stephanians.”
Kannita Biswas (left) and Aishwarya Mukhopadhyay were the youngest Stephanians to attend the reunion. “It’s great to be back to a college event after Covid. It’s been five years since I left the college and it makes me really emotional being here. Prof. Varghese joined the college at the same time I joined, so meeting him was very special,” said Aishwarya who was from the 2019 batch. “Hearing Prof. Varghese speak was like being in the college hall again. It was fruitful for me to be here as I got to learn a lot more about the traditions of the college from all the ex-students here, as I’m the youngest of all here,” added Kannita who was from the 2020 batch.
“It’s homecoming! St. Stephen’s has always made a difference. Stephanians have left their footprints in all sectors of life. Excellence and discipline are what we stand for and once you were the Stephanian star it is said that you don’t do things just for the glory of God but you do things for the nation,” said Dr Suman K. Mukherjee, director general of The Bhawanipore Education Society Collge.
Prof. Varghese handed over the S.K. Bose Golf Tournament trophy to R.N. Ghosal from the 1974 batch. The tournament was held on the same morning and is a regular activity at the reunion meeting. “It’s great to be back with all my friends as we could not have the reunion due to Covid. It’s a lovely opportunity to brush through old memories of college,” said R.N. Ghosal, MD of Tide Water Oil Co India.
Just like a class photograph back in college, the ex-Stephanians came together and posed for the group picture.
Parry and Seema Paramshiv are Stephanians and batchmates from the 1992 batch. The couple is famous in the alumni association for their college romance. “We were in the same class. One day I confessed my likeness towards her and she said if I proposed to her she would do the same. And now here we are attending the reunion as husband and wife. We Stephanianas never get old,” said Parry
MD of Medica Hospitals Pvt Ltd, Udayan Lahiry from the 1996 batch with wife Meghali. “College is always nostalgia. Though I don’t have anyone from my batch here, just to know that all these guys were all there and we shared the same campus and classrooms.... This reunion just opened doors to college days memories,” said Udayan Lahiry
Pictures: Biswajit Kundu
