1
H
editorial
1
a note on the house
2
house reports
5
sc section
15
valediction
23
from the editor’s desk
abhayraj jain & yash dhandhania
This issue of the Nizam was published after a 5-year hiatus - and the last issue served as a guideline for us, for we truly were flummoxed! The inspiration to reincarnate this magazine seized us after BKC gathered our batch into a room, and gently told us that he planned to leave school. He stopped our interjections with a wave of his hand, and spent the next 20 minutes explaining the reasons behind his decision, and well-reasoned they were. We swallowed our consternation and went on with life; for after all, life goes on. It would be a lie of omission, however, to state that this issue of the Nizam has a sole purpose. Mr Chamola may have provided the inspiration (something he excels at), but as always, the magazine is also a catalog of the House’s exploits through the year. It is also a memory of the two terms we 20 SC-Formers shared, and will remember for years to come. Life in Doon, after all, is a communal experience. What you hold in your hands is not just a revenant, it is our farewell message to a man who made all 20 of us the men we are today. His depar ture from school almost coincides with ours, and for that, we are thankful. This may seem selfish, but we are glad to have spent our SC Form with him as our guide. The school has truly lost a great teacher and housemaster; one who will live on in the hear ts of the hundreds of lives he touched in his time at school. Mr Chamola has been an integral par t of our lives for the last 5 years. This cliché aptly sums up the man who has been with us through our disappointments, celebrated with us in our triumphs, spurred us on to greater heights when we needed it most, and brought us down to ear th when we flew too close to the sun. He has been the fire that has tempered us from idealistic C-formers to hardened ‘SCs,’ preparing us for the unfair life ahead. Simply put, he has been a Nizam in full. Mr Chamola, we bid thee adieu, tearfully, but bravely, knowing that the memories will never fade.
The Nizam
from the housemaster’s desk
mr biren chamola
Words are not enough to encapsulate over 11 years of my association with the Hyderabad House as the Assistant Housemaster and later, as the Housemaster. I have been very for tunate to have had the company of the boys of the House in my life all these years. With them, I have received much more than I have given. I have shared their smiles and blues, laughter and tears, successes and failures, aspirations and apprehensions, and above all, have watched them shape from little boys to responsible and caring young men. My thanks to all the boys of the House, both past and present, for giving me the privilege of being a par t of their lives. My thanks to all the parents too for entrusting me with their most precious ones and for having suppor ted me these last few years. It was in my role as a housemaster that I felt truly complete as a teacher. Life in Hyderabad House, has been about everyone having the space to discover themselves and find their purpose, and everyone feeling that they belong and that they have made a difference. The contribution of the assistant housemaster Mr. Samik Das, the Dame of the house, Mrs. Tripathi and all the tutors added to the overall well-being of the house. For the House, 2015 will go down as a year in which the boys stretched themselves in their personal endeavours and reinforced an environment of trust and harmony in the house. A special thanks to the Class of 2016 for having led the house in 2015 so conscientiously. They have been remarkably strong individuals who, I am sure, will go on to lead meaningful and significant lives. I am sure that whenever and wherever we meet, there will be many memories to share, poignant as well as amusing! For me, the House was an extension of my home and not just literally! This was the reason why I could work so effor tlessly. I would like to express my deep gratitude for giving me this sense of ease and acceptance. I would also like to thank the entire H House community on behalf of my family for making our stay here so meaningful and special. You all will be missed immensely and remembered fondly. May the House of Nizams grow from strength to strength! 2
H
the year gone by
daksh bhatia
This year has been much the same as any other, with the House excelling in a multitude of fields. We were off to a good star t with cricket, with the House winning both the House Cup as well as the Senior’s Cup under the able leadership of Vivek Sinha. Following this, the house gave a remarkable performance in hockey, placing third in the overall house cup standings. Later, under Yashar th Goyal’s direction, Hyderabad House produced a stellar performance in the one act play competition with “Toba Tek Singh”, which left the audience in awe. In the Inter House Music competition, the house dance troop and band wooed the audience with their expression. To conclude the term, we received some of the best ICSE and ISC results in the recent past. The autumn term kicked off with the football season. With an able team filled with school team players and led by Rishab Badhwar, the team rightly proved itself on the field, losing the shield by a mere 4 points, and winning all their House XI matches. Next up was swimming. Though we lacked experienced swimmers, we made up for it in terms of determination. In the Inter House Athletics Competition, Hyderabad House saw exceptional talent emerge in the likes of Kar tikay Garg and Yash Mishra. Despite losing out on some trophies, Kar tikay and I shared the award for the Best Athlete. Then came the concluding rounds of the Inter House Music Competition. Siddhant Gupta inspired the younger musicians in the house to put in brilliant performances in all the categories, which earned us an overall third rank in the house cup. In badminton, Akarsh Tibrewal led by example and won the House Cup. Rohan Chaudari captained the tennis team to yet another exceptional year, only losing out on the House Cup by a few points. In squash, the mediums team secured a well-deserved cup, while the house finished third. To end the term, the House boxing team showed us the results of extreme rigour and continuous practice. Under the leadership of Yash Mishra, we managed to win the seniors cup, and come third in the house rankings. Moreover, I feel that this was a perfect finish to a well-rounded and successful term. It has cer tainly been an eventful year, and the limited space I have cannot do justice to the lessons I’ve learnt. Nonetheless, I shall give it my best shot. I’ve learned to love a place that I once despised. Seeing things from the perspective that I have been given, I have seen for myself what this place can do for students. The oppor tunities it gives and the memories it makes are unprecedented. I’m glad I was for tunate enough to be given the responsibility that I currently hold, without which I may never have realized the impor tance and relevance of not only Hyderabad House, but also this school. Honestly, there is only one man to thank for this wonderful experience. Mr Biren Chamola, your depar ture will truly leave a permanent and gaping hole in the Doon School, regardless of those that come and go. I would not be who I am today if it were not for you, and I just want to take a moment to thank you for everything. I guess we’ll both be a par t of the history of such a prestigious institution. The difference, however, is that your influence has extended beyond the walls of this school and into the lives of almost every boy that studied here during your tenure. To you, we are forever indebted. The Nizam
house reports 4
H
dramatics
yashar th goyal
Our play, ‘Toba Tek Singh’ which is a very acclaimed work of drama as its writer – Saadat Hasan Manto is one of the 50 most acclaimed writers to have ever lived. The play was very difficult to pull off due to its intense level of emotion and poignancy. However, our house succeeded in doing so with great success. The acclaimed role of Bishan Singh has received critique as being one of the greatest characters in dramatic history. His role in the play was one of a lunatic, imprisoned at a Lahore mental asylum during the par tition of India into two new dominions- Hindustan and Pakistan. When news of such a par tition reached the lunatic asylum, its inhabitants were shocked by the decision of the country’s leaders to separate them. The irony of the situation was that these people weren’t inherently insane, but had been confined to the lunatic asylum because they were sent to escape imprisonment and away from their home. It was their confinement that had made them insane. The play’s exposition provides an introduction to the resentment by common Indians towards the par tition of India. It ‘plays’ with our emotions wonderfully, and was par ticularly effective on the night of our performance; coupled with the commendable acting of our play’s cast. The jailers and prison guards of the mental asylum provide a very serious and straining effect to the whole scenario, in contrast to the strong emotions and exultant nature of the lunatics. Throughout the play, the underlying story of Bishan Singh – a man who hadn’t slept for fifteen years – is clearly por trayed. He seeks to return to his village of Toba Tek Singh. He is unable to remember its exact location, and is torn apar t while searching- for he doesn’t know whether it lies in Pakistan or Hindustan. He doesn’t care though, for it is his home, and refuses to enter the allotted Hindustan despite being a Sikh. The play’s climax shows Bishan on the Line of Control - burying his lantern (or toba) in the sand before his slowly passes away: ending a life of misery and suffering. This play wouldn’t have been possible without the hardwork and dedication of our cast and crew, two having struggled for months to ensue a successful production. Dues are also necessary to be accorded to all masters who supervised our rehearsals and gave their necessary feedback. The production was a success and attracted applause and laurels for our house in spite of the close 2nd position. The cast and crew thank the director – Yashar th Goyal and producer – Akarsh Tibrewal for their relentless effor ts over an interminable period of preparation and rehersal. Though not the winners, we are confident of our newfound acting abilites and are, as always, proud to have put up a good show. Toba Tek Singh Sarkar!
The Nizam
football
rishab badhwar
Through the years, the Nizams have always been the ones with the most valor and energy on the pitch, be it any spor t. Football however, being one of the concluding spor ts of the year, holds a special place in a Dosco’s hear t. In Hyderabad house, the same holds true. This year, Hyderabad House bagged first place in the Seniors Cup. The House XI team, led by Rishab Badhwar, gave an exceptional performance and achieved a clean sweep, winning 32 out of 32 points. Great performances were seen from Aarya Tamrakar, Daksh Bhatia, Nikhil Chauhan, Ajatshatru Singh and Kar tikay Garg, the 12th man of the Hyderabad House Team. The juniors of the house also gave in a good fight, standing third overall. Similar to the House XI, the Juniors II team put in a splendid performance, having received 7 out of the possible 8 points. Commendable performances were seen amongst Viksit Verma, Tarush Bansal, Aaditya Gupta and Mayank Sojatia. You don’t win silver; you lose gold. We managed to come second in the House Cup. As Captain, I felt that our main strength in the senior teams was incredible speed on the wings, along with unbelievable coordination in the mid-field. While, in the juniors, I believe it was their spirit to win that motivated them to put in their best, despite facing tough opposition in multiple cases. Strength comes hand-in-hand with weakness, in most cases. In our case, I feel that the lack of pace in the defense turned out to be a hassle for the senior team. In the junior team, dependence on individual players proved to be the major setback. Nonetheless, the House this year put up an excellent performance and as captain, I am truly proud. All the boys of the house, on and off the field, displayed the true spirit of the House and showed what Nizams are made of. We may not have won this year, but I’m cer tain that this spirit of ours will (sooner rather than later), bring the Shield back where it belongs. 6
H
english debating
yashar th goyal
“I disagree with what you say, I’ll defend to the death your right to say It.” – Voltaire The above maxim complies with the essence of public speaking, where one can voice his mind and views. To cultivate young minds with the eloquence and ability to think and speak one’s views is an invaluable skill, an area where competitive debating serves purpose. This year, Senior English Debating in Hyderabad House took off on firm ground. From the early days of February, the Captain and other senior members on the school debating circuit formed a team after selection and tryouts. Practices for the team were held every night for one-and-a-half months, with motions being carefully selected for focus on specific areas. A bulk of the team being A-Formers, policy-motions and derivative motions were specially chosen for the practices in order to hone their skills and knowledge in these areas. Impromptu speaking in the form of JAM (or Just-AMinute sessions) was also included in the training course. Throughout this time, the constant guidance of Pulkit Agarwal, the school’s sterling debater-emeritus was heavily appreciated. His critique proved invaluable in areas of improvement, allowing us to fine tune the team’s oratory skills. In April, the Inter-House Senior English Debating competition, our hallmark event, began with the first round. Though the House was not a par t of these rounds, the team was present in full attendance to witness these debates; furiously taking down notes and observations of their future competitors. Arjun Singh and Yashar th Goyal were also given the exposure of chairmanship: the task being both arduous but enriching. Sadly though, this round’s results were declared invalid on the account of no available time to host the second round. Instead, an Oxford-style round ensued that would determine the competition’s results. Another unfor tunate occurrence was the prohibition of A-Formers from par ticipation, a move that prevented our House from fielding its best team for the crucial debate. Nonetheless, the Oxford-round’s representation from our House comprised Yash Dhandhania and Nihal Singh Mann. Both speakers showcased their credible skill and wit as Lead Speaker and Leader of the Opposition respectively. The final position of fifth was dismal, but not dishear tening, for our preparations throughout the term had molded our debate abilities, now stellar as a result of the rigorous training. The long program wouldn’t have been successful without our Captain: Yashar th Goyal, who despite his abilities, worked hard to ensure the survival of a debating in Hyderabad House. Though not triumphant, we are confident of our newfound skill at debating, which will prove useful in training our junior team. In addition, it will help us live up to our legacy left by fiery orators from previous years, and drive us to success in the future that lies ahead.
The Nizam
swimming
yashar th goyal
Swimming in Hyderabad is a tradition that has been upheld by each Swimming captain as he comes. This year’s InterHouse Swimming Competition showed a palpable increase in the level of the spor t. The boys of Hyderabad House played a major role in doing so. They surpassed the benchmarks that have been set in the spor t by their extra-ordinary performances in their respective events. Under the captaincy of Yashar th Goyal, whose motivational skills cer tainly got the better of the swimmers, Hyderabad House was placed third in the House Swimming Cup. Although the house was placed third, some swimmers gave very promising performances, and also set a higher level of excellence in the spor t. Out of the seven records that were broken this year, swimmers from Hyderabad House held five new records. In the seniors category, with Yashar th Goyal as the flag-bearer, Hyderabad House stood second for the Seniors Cup. Exceptional performances were given by Raghav Kumar, Nihal Singh Mann and Steve (exchange student). Raghav Kumar, who has an amazing Butterfly stroke, stood first in all Butterfly events and missing the records by narrow margins. Nihal Singh Mann and Steve, who hold their strengths in shor t-distance Freestyle events, finished in top positions of their respective events timing nearly as good as the record timings. Yashar th Goyal did well in his Breaststroke events. In the relays, Hyderabad house stood first in the Freestyle Relay and second in the Medley Relay. In the Mediums category, under the joint captaincy of Nehansh Saxena and Tanay Gopal Agarwal, the house stood second. Nehansh Saxena and Tanay Gopal Agarwal gave scintillating record-breaking performances. Mayank Sojatia also did considerably well. Nehansh Saxena, who is a talented Backstroke swimmer, not only broke all the three Backstroke records, but also the 200 metres Individual Medley. Tanay Gopal Agarwal, who is a very dedicated and gifted swimmer gave brilliant performances in the shor t-distance Freestyle events and also broke a record of the 50 meters Butterfly event. Mayank Sojatia did well in the Breaststroke and 100 metres Butterfly event. In the relays, the house came first in Medley and second to Jaipur House in the Freestyle relay. The Juniors, under the captaincy of Nivedita Ghugtial, unfor tunately stood last. Although their effor ts did not go unnoticed, they could not reach the optimum level in their events and they yet have a long way to go. Aaron D’souza, Krish Agarwal and Nivedita Ghugtial gave decent performances. They have a large scope of improvement though and they shall reach a higher level in the years to come. Overall, Hyderabad House gave quite a commendable performance. Special credits can be given to those who broke records and also those who stood first in their events. In the years to come, the hope is that the already high level that has been achieved will be surpassed. 8
H
hockey
kar tikay garg
With high hopes and expectations, Hyderabad House kicked off the hockey season with a great amount of zeal and enthusiasm. This year’s House XI team, led by Kar tikay Garg, contained a lot of key players and as a result was seen as one of the favorites for winning the cup. At the outset of the tournament we faced Jaipur House, and even though our players put in an immense amount of work, we did not succeed in our endeavors. Next we faced Oberoi House, whose team was known for their discipline and fitness, and proved to be tough competitors. After a long fight and witnessing a plethora of attempts and shots on goal, the game ended in a draw. Taking it in our stride, the House XI team geared up to meet its next rivals - Kashmir House. Having faced two defeats, the players vowed to put in all they had to make sure that luck was on their side. When the day finally arrived, the result was indeed in our favor. With exceptional performance from the team as a whole, we outsmar ted every move they made and played a flawless game. Having tasted victory, we continued working hard for the tournament. Concurrently, the Junior team led by Aaditya Gupta trained constantly, and even though they lost the cup, it would be safe to say that they put in all they had. Exceptional performances seen in the form of Viksit Verma and Mayank Sojatia helped keep our heads high. The final House XI match was against Tata House, and while we gave in our best, it did not prove to be good enough. Despite all this, great performances were given by Fateh Singh Phoolka, Hamza Khan, Ajatshatru Singh, and Deep Dhandhania. Great agility was also shown by our keepers, Leonardo Pamei and Archit Bhargava. The House teams walked away from the tournament better players than before, having learned from their mistakes and confident of being better next time around.
The Nizam
athletics
kar tikay garg & daksh bhatia
The Inter House Athletics Competition witnessed spectacular performances put in by various athletes across all the categories. This year, the Nizams were led by Daksh Bhatia and Kar tikay Garg. Much was expected of Hyderabad House given the fact that we had the some of the topmost athletes in the school. The junior team was captained by Pradyut Narain who put in a fine display in the 400m and 800m events. But, it was Adhiraj Palaitha who really stole the show when he threw an impressive 11.64 m in the Shot-put event. The juniors’ stood third while Tata House came first. In the Mediums category, Udayveer Sekhon, Ajatshatru Singh and Viksit Verma put in stellar performances. Vatsal Bora shone in the Javelin Throw event coming second. Ajatshatru won the Long Jump event and came second in Triple Jump, losing narrowly by a few centimeters. Viksit came second in 100m, 200m whereas Udayveer finished second in 400m. Hyderabad House finished runners up in this category losing to Tata House by a mere margin of four points. In seniors, Daksh Bhatia left everyone in awe of his admiration by winning all of his sprinting events. Kar tikay Garg enthralled all with his Javelin throws where he won and almost set a new record. Kar tikay showed what all he is capable of by winning the Pentathlon Event in a convincing manner. Nikhil Chauhan finished first in the 1500m and 3000m events impressing all the spectators. Yash Mishra was a delight to watch as he managed to come second in the High Jump Event. Yajawin Tandon also did well, coming second in the Javelin and 5000m events. The House finished second in this category. Daksh Bhatia and Kar tikay Garg deservedly won the Best Athlete Trophy after they astounded everyone with their athletic prowess. Hyderabad House came third in marching. In the overall House Cup positions, H House secured the second spot while Tata House bagged first position. All in all, this year’s Inter House Athletics Competition was a joy to watch and one can only see Hyderabad House going from strength to strength with the budding talent at display.
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H
music
siddhant gupta
The year kicked off with the dance fever prevailing over the house from all the funny auditions to the surprising talent found in the Nizams. The troupe led by Sharat Nambiar and Prabhsharan Singh Mamik put in huge amounts of hardwork and dedication. Even the AT-Formers put in a lot of effor t with boards over their heads. The troupe succeeded in por traying their theme mannequins perfectly and left the crowd wonderstruck. We did not manage to bring the cup home but won the hear ts of the audience. Next up was the popular band led by Aarya Tamrakar . The band’s effor t is truly commendable as they took out time to practice even during trials. The band’s success could not have been possible without Daksh Bhatia’s magic on the guitar and flawless singing of Siddhant Gupta. The band pulled off an exhilarating performance but missed the first position by a very small margin. Aarya Tamrakar won the award for the best instrumentalist. The Autumn term witnessed the true music fever as the nizams could be seen practicing since the beginning of the term under the leadership of Siddhant Gupta who continued to motivate and inspire the musicians. In the piano category the house was represented by Lakshman Santhanam. Despite being a debutant he managed to perform like a true professional. In the Hindustani Instrumental category Mahir Kasewa played Raga Rageshri on the Santoor and left the crowd dazzled. In the drums section Anirudh Bazari, another debutant, managed to give the big guns a tough competition and finished third in his category. In the Tabla category Aayshman Narayan gave an amazing performance of tala Rupak. Siddhant Gupta, in the Solo Vocal category, gave a mesmerizing performance of Raga Malkauns. The House Choir led by Siddhant Guupta and conducted by Daksh Bhatia, enter tained the audience with the brilliant performance of Punjabi Folk song ‘Jhalla’. This year the house was blessed with great performances from Siddhant Gupta, Daksh Bhatia and Aarya Tamrakar. All of them, in spite of their busy curriculum did not let the house down and kept inspiring all the young musicians in the house. This year’s competition was not in great in terms of achievements but it was an experience we will never forget.
The Nizam
basketball
fateh singh
Yet again, the Nizams have shown the whole school that at the end of the day what really matters, on the cour ts, is the team’s zeal to win and zest for glory. The team this year, led by Fateh Singh Phoolka, put up a tremendous show, and went against the odds to clinch the third position of the House Cup. Despite being packed with experience and having present and ex- school teamers amongst their ranks in the form of Nikhil Chauhan, Tanveer Bal , Aarya Tamrakar, Sajal Bansal and Fateh Phoolka, the team’s situation at the star t of the season was not a favorable one. Barring these thoughts from their minds and keeping their goals in sight, the team practiced vigorously for the whole season and through the course of time, showed an immense amount of dedication and hard work towards the spor t. This season has been one with its ups and downs. The House Seniors B team also proved its mettle and showed tremendous display of skilll and talent. Great performances were given by Prabsharan Singh Mamik, Sharat Nambiar, Kar tikay Garg and Udaiveer Jaijee. For the Seniors A Team, the season began on a high note with a thumping win against Kashmir House. But unfor tunately, by the end of match the Nizams had two of their key players injured. Consequently, the injury stricken team of Hyderabad House was not able to hold out against Jaipur House and fell to defeat at their hands. Taking inspiration from this match the team, still struck with injuries, went into the next match with a lot of ‘josh’. And this time around, fate was on their side as they won the match against Tata House. For the last match of the season, all our players were injury free and available to play. Despite this, the odds of the match were not in favor of the Nizams, as the Oberoi House team came packed with a lot of talent and strength in the form of five school team players amongst their ranks. Barring all this, it proved to be a thrilling match, one that kept the whole school on its toes and enthralled one and all till the last whistle. The team of Nizams put up a remarkable show as they went down 61-62 and it was one match that is to be remembered in the years to come.
12
H
cricket
vivek sinha
The year star ted with the cricket season. The lack of academic pressure and the joy of cricket make the cricket season one of the students’ favorites. For Hyderabad house, this year’s cricket competition began on a low note - with losses against Oberoi House in both the House XI and Leagues XI matches. Both teams learned from their mistakes, and went on to win all the remaining matches, resulting in Hyderabad House lifting the Senior Cup and the House Cup. A moment to remember was when the Hyderabad House XI team defeated the formidable Tata House XI team. Most of all, our wins were team effor ts. All the players had a par t to play from all forms, SC, S, A and B also. Manan Dadhania, Udaiveer Jaijee, Ajatshatru Singh and Viksit Verma gave stunning performances in House XI. Kar tikay Garg and Divij Kapoor gave match winning performances in Leagues XI. Kar tikay Garg scored a century against Tata House, which was potentially the highlight of the cup. Manan Dadhania’s five wicket haul against Jaipur House was also a treat to watch. Overall, the seniors performed as a team to win the cup. The juniors stood 3rd in the junior cup. The junior team, though strong on paper, was a bit inexperienced in their games and sometimes lacked conviction. The junior team still gave it a good fight, especially against Jaipur house, where they were considered the underdogs. The junior team’s win against Jaipur House sealed the House Cup. Overall, the cricket season was a one to remember. H-House lifted the house cup after 3 years, a long wait. It was good to see performances full of josh, full of the never-say-die attitude, full of the Nizam spirit. The Inter House Cricket 2015 was one to cherish, one to remember for the rest of our lives.
The Nizam
sc section batch of 2016
14
H
valediction a farewell to bkc
the ‘devil’ and i
agni raj singh (ex 38-H, ‘14)
I am quite positive BKC does not remember the first time we actually met. He probably thinks it was one of the first few “Common Rooms” convened in the Fall of 2008, but it was actually on my very first morning at The Doon School. 5th April, 2008. I hung a left from the front entrance of Foot House with my tutor, PKB and my fellow tutees. Relishing my very first tour of Chandbagh, I heard birds chirping, basketballs pounding the cour t and an engine rumbling away in the distance. That latter sound drew closer and closer as we walked along Skinners’. A car pulled up, and the face inside smiled at us, a new lot of Doscos. PKB initiated introductions. “This is BKC. The Housemaster of Hyderabad House.” “Wait a second” I thought. “Was Hyderabad the house on the left or the one on the right? Wasn’t Kashmir on the right?” That thought entered my mind and I heard that all too familiar deep voice for the first time in my life. “Anyone in H House?” I raised my hand with a handful of others, nervously. “Welcome to Doon and to the best house there is, Nizams.” He smiled and drove away. My irrational nervousness faded away. That was my first day at Doon. There were many little things that endeared me to this man over my time at Doon. His wide stepped arachnid-like walk, his instinctive problem-solving on the blackboard with one hand almost always in his rear left pocket, his sudden bursts of energy into zestfully wrestling with students (usually taking them down swiftly, sans effor t) and his formidable, unflinching moral code. BKC was the Housemaster I needed and I am more than just for tunate to have been allotted to the house on the right side of the Main Field (Yes. I finally figured out which side of the field H House was on). The Nizam
Living in BKC’s H House required a Faustian Bargain of sor ts. There were issues, altercations and tensions, but no one realized what this Devil of a man really wanted us to do. In BKC’s H House, we pledged our souls back to ourselves. He never really wanted us to realize anything. He was to much of a Mathematician for that. He just wanted us to “do.” Do everything we could in our power to take us beyond anything we had ever envisioned ourselves to be before. Over the years it usually took a lot of explaining, a lot of fighting and a lot of complications, but he turned us into our own whetstones, eventually removing himself from the process completely. Self-effacing. That is how I describe the man who even the Devil would fear to wrestle with. I have been guilty of not being in touch with him much since I graduated. In my defense, however, there is a perfectly acceptable reason for that. Blaise Pascal once ribbed, “I am sorry I wrote you such a long letter; I didn’t have time to write a shor t one.” I feel like BKC is far above just any instant message or the occasional email. Sir, I hope you know that I feel stronger in this matter than Pascal ever could. Consider this a rather loosely formatted, long-due letter to you from me. Hyderabad House underwent an era of change and there was only one constant always trying to push himself in the background. As that era draws to a close, I want to thank the man who wanted me to dance, who strove to improve my math (to no avail, unfor tunately), who found me defeated, broken, in tears and consoled me while I was at my nadir (he knows exactly what I am talking about). I want to thank the man who never gave up on someone as ostensibly hopeless as I was. Even Gregor Samsa would have been surprised at how much BKC would have suppor ted him that one fateful morning. He believed in everyone and took nonsense from no one, and that is what made him the man I respected. For me, Hyderabad House and BKC are inextricably linked. I will, someday, come back to the house and slowly shuffle along the hallways like every Old Boy ever, seeing familiar names on the house’s Honour Boards. I know, however, that I will slowly find myself gravitating towards the Housemaster’s por traits, admiring this man, imagining his voice doing what it always did – trying to hone us all into better, self-sufficient human beings. Being House Captain under him was just a final flourish after all these years; the real honour was in simply knowing such a man. Hyderabad House will go on, but it will never be the same. You changed the House forever and for that, a generation of Nizams is indebted to you for the rest of their lives. For the rest of all our lives, Sir. Thanks Chams. You’re the man.
24
H
to mr chamola
akarsh tibrewal
Mr. Chamola for us cannot be summed up in just a few words on a page. His adoration for the boys of both Hyderabad House and the School at large was constantly noticed. He is a man in his own right; a bit of his character having percolated down to those around him. Even at the age of for ty-nine he still harbors adolescent pleasures, which are neatly hidden beneath the growing onset of his forehead’s wrinkles. Hands in his pockets, eyebrows raised in a regality of its own, shoulders and strides that move in rhythm with his distinct swagger, Mr. Chamola never looked as though he taught Mathematics at Chandbagh, much less that he was a Housemaster. His sternly impish eyes were somehow always comfor ting to the boys he knew. His hands, known for their agility, never missed their targeted ‘backs’ on the eve of a boy’s bir thday – the characteristic chappal sometimes present. When serious, his shouts would send a jolt throughout the house; a good many of them on holiday nights. Such chiding had grown rather notorious among the Hyderabad House boys and often drew many observers; the juniors huddling around their windows in darkness; the senior boys ‘casually’ walking by. In both cases they anxiously watched the commotion unfold, only to be met with his friendly smile the next morning, devoid of any anger. But above all, he will be remembered for his subtle side, that of a father-figure to the boys of Hyderabad House. He maintained a relationship with them all, and would engage in discussions about their lives and well-being. Surely, every boy under his tenure remembers the warmth of his study over the occasional chit-chat or long deliberations, many lasting into the night. This was a commitment he zealously maintained: to be there for every boy as a father is to his child. Whether stressed, work-ridden or angry, his words reflected wisdom and composure. Even at leisure, Mr. Chamola, an avid squash and tennis player, could be seen in proximity to his boys- making it a point to play with one every day. Considering his age, he always offered a respectable game, showing wit in victory and honour in defeat. As he leaves, it feels as though Atlas has relinquished his burden; our spirits having fallen into that void of poignant emptiness. Mr. Chamola was not just a pillar of suppor t, he was the shepherd that led us unto the quest of growing up. The legacy he leaves will remain etched on the hear ts of all Nizams. On his depar ture, no tears shall ever be able to wash away these memories. In a final farewell : Wherever we are, Whatever we do, You’ll be in our hear ts forever. Sir, Thank You!
The Nizam
down memory lane
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Earlier this year, I injured my knee. I was admitted in the hospital when BKC came to visit me. He asked me how I was doing, and if I wanted anything. I replied that I didn’t. BKC left and returned with a huge chocolate. What stayed with me, however was not the chocolate (though delicious); it was what he said: “If my son was hurt, I would do this for him too.” If nothing else speaks for his character, this incident does, and will stay with me forever.
‘‘
mahir kasewa One Wednesday morning at breakfast, Daksh walked up to me and told me that I was in deep trouble, and that BKC wished to see me. When I probed him for more information, he said something about VSM and hacking and expulsion. Kartikay backed him up, and said expulsion was definitely on the cards. I was terrified throughout assembly, and could barely concentrate. I walked to the House in a cold sweat. On entering his study, BKC turned to me with a stern, grim look. His usually jocund appearance had no trace of humor. He leaned forward and said, “What did you do this time?” I began pleading my innocence, as I was beyond perplexed. He reached for the phone, dialed VSM’s number, and pushed the receiver into my hand. VSM, to my surprise, simply said, “Abhyudaye, come clean before this reaches the Headmaster. Once there, nothing can help you.” I almost considered making up some incident where I played a prank or something, just to get out of the mess with a slap on the wrist. I decided against it, and continued trying to plead my case. Enraged, he sprang up, reached across the desk, and put his hand on my shoulder. In that moment, I said my final goodbye, sure that I would go home in either a bus or a coffin. As I shut my eyes and resigned my fate, I heard a faint voice saying, “Happy April Fools!” and felt him embrace me.
abhyudaye gupta
26
H
For the 3 missing Nizams, Udbhav, Navraaj, and Kismat.
editors-in-chief abhayraj jain yash dhandhania chief of production aarya tamrakar editor sasyak pattnaik cartoonist leonardo pamei