House of Steel, Founder's Issue 2011 by Aviral Gupta

House of Steel

The Tata House Magazine Founder's 2011 Issue

75 years and still going strong ... The Warriors celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Tata House

Contents Editorial House Captain’s Report From the Housemaster’s Desk Captains’ Reports The Warrior Spirit Warriors - On the School Level A Father Figure ... Student Exchange Sneak Peek The Super Cool Form Photo Corridor

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Editorial With Founder's knocking on the door, this year the responsibility of making the house magazine fell on my shoulders. While making this year's issue of the House of Steel, I reminisced my previous experiences of making the house magazine with Arjun Sethi (former Editor-in-Chief of the House of Steel). Between the packed school-schedule and a plethora of other activities, it was truly a challenging task to come out with this magazine in time. But I must commend the patience and the cooperation shown by the editorial board and the masters involved, whose efforts made this magazine into what it is. The inception of the House of Warriors took place 75 years ago; therefore, this issue of the House of Steel holds great sentimental value. Since my C Form, two issues of the House of Steel have come out, and I have always seen that the magazine was more of a House Report, and less of a magazine, in the real sense of the word. This year, to break the monotony in the magazine which is always built due to the numerous reports, we have tried to make it more interesting by graphically enhancing it and adding new sections to it. I am sure that these sections will add humor to the magazine, and will keep you interested right till you reach the last page. This time, we've tried to involve a larger section of the house with the magazine; as with experience I say this, that it is the House where the juniors get trained in various activities and later, it is the House which serves as a platform for them to showcase their talent to the school in those activities. I would like to thank Mr. Arvindanabha Shukla (ASH), who in spite of having a busy schedule, presented his views on the house at a short notice. I would also like to mention my colleagues Arjun Parmar and Vikramaditya Kapur, who helped me with all the reports in the magazine. I believe, if it was not for Mohit Gupta’s constant support and efforts, making this magazine would not have been possible for me. With Founder’s Day being celebrated by all of you present in Chandbagh, I hope this issue of the House of Steel entertains you thoroughly, and gives you an insight of the house. I am sure while reading this magazine, the old boys will certainly be transported back to their days in this House of Warriors.True as Steel!

House Captain’s Report It has been 75 years, but Tata House still remains the 'House of Warriors'. Brick and mortar may have changed, boundaries dividing the house into A and B may have been demolished, but Tata House has not stopped producing men of steel. Truly, if one doesn't come to Tata House, he goes to the Doon School. This year has proved to be a successful one in all possible spheres. In all the major Inter-House sports competitions, Tata House came a close second. Each of these competitions were well contested by the Warriors, unfortunately victory always slipped out of our hands on the last-day deciding matches. In soccer, we remained undefeated, only winning or drawing our fixtures. In the end, our hard work did pay off, as we won athletics, which also brought an end to our dry spell in sports. Apart from the competitions, nobody, who observed Tata House practicing this year, can deny their extreme dedication and immense hard work they put into not only maintaining the high standard of sport that this House is known for, but also live up Avanindra Singh to the expectations of others. Though we were unfortunate in the other major sports, ours stronger sports are yet to come. We hope to maintain our winning streak in boxing and bring the cup back to the House in basketball. Moving from the sports field to the stage of intellectuals, artists and actors; not only did Tata House win most of the co-curricular events in school, but its achievements on and off the field serve to remind us of the all rounded Warrior, that Tata House is known to produce. The House not only won the Inter-House English Debating Competition, but also came a close second in the Inter House Hindi Debating Competition. The House must be further praised for its achievements in music, dance and chess. Lifting these trophies after a considerable period of time. The academic result of the House has improved this year, and this is evident from the increasing number of distinctions and commendations. To top it all, Tata House as a House has become more united in terms of the senior-junior relationship, with special emphasis on both respect and understanding. This fact has visibly contributed in the prosperous results of the House. I would like to end by saying I am proud to be the captain of such a House, where for the boys the House takes precedence over themselves. I hope that we leave those still inhabiting the house with a feeling that we have done our best, and I assure them that we will continue to do so till we leave this House, to ensure that it grows stronger than it already is ,and is still here 75 years from now. Founder’s Issue 2011 • House of Steel

From the Housemaster’s Desk The Housemaster, Mr. Skand Bali, reports on the year gone by. I want to start by congratulating the entire TATA House family on th the 75 year celebrations of our House. TATA “True as Steel”, this phrase means a lot to those who have been associated with this great House. The most important thing which separates TATA House boys from the rest of the School is the spirit with which they face challenges, the spirit of camaraderie, the spirit of caring, the spirit of possessiveness, the spirit of fighting like a warrior and getting up every time they fall with the same force and energy which describes a true sportsman and a warrior. Like in the past, this year has also brought laurels to the House. Our warriors have excelled in almost every field. Their performance on and off the field has been commendable. Boys have done very well in Cricket, Hockey, Soccer and Hindi debates, where they came second by a fractional margin; at the same time they were the winners in Athletics, Music, Dance, English debates and Chess. I want to particularly mention that the SC form, led by our House Captain Avanindra Singh, have been one of the most talented SC form batches I have seen in my school life so far. Their spirit for the House has been really great. They have taken the entire House forward with a lot of care and affection. They have always been confident at facing their opponents on the field. It was a pleasant sight to see them participating in every event with great enthusiasm and energy. Their involvement motivated others too. I also want to commend them for playing the game in the right spirit. It was a pleasure to see all Boys-in-Charge and Captains doing exceptional work in their respective areas. It was in the summer holidays that my predecessor Mr. Harendra Chakhaiyar left for his new assignment and I took over the House. It was a challenge to step into the shoes of someone who kept the welfare of his House and boys above his own family. I want to thank Mr. Chakhaiyar for all the hard work and tireless effort he put into the House. All of us in the House are missing him. I wish him all the success in his new assignment as the Principal of G. D. Goenka International School, Surat. I would like to welcome Mr. Ashish Dean to the House, who has been appointed as the Assistant Housemaster. It is my duty to mention our House Dame, Mrs. Ranjit Kaur, who has been a mother away from home for these boys. She is the first person they see in the Dame: Mrs. Ranjit Kaur morning, and also the first one they can approach late in the night, for help. Mrs. Kaur's efforts in the smooth running of the House cannot be explained in words. We are all indebted to her for all her support and care. The tutors of the House have been a great support throughout the year. I have no hesitation in saying that our tutors are putting in timeless efforts in grooming these young and energetic warriors into true gentlemen and true TATA House boys. I have always found them standing by me and the boys in every hour of need. Thank you all for all that you are doing. Last, but by no means the least, I want to appreciate all the boys of the House. They all have made me proud as the Housemaster of this great House. They have all put in a great effort in making this year a memorable one for the House. I have received compliments for our boys from the school teachers throughout the year. I want to tell all my boys, that as Housemaster, I am proud of them and I can say with great belief that our House will move from strength to strength and touch greater heights in years to come.

House of Steel • Founder’s Issue 2011

Cricket: The House Cricket Captains, Pranoy Bohara and Sumaer Sandhu, report on the House’s performance in this year’s Cricket Season Cricket is one of the major sports in our school. A game in which team effort and spirit is of utmost importance. Dedication and determination is a must in all sports, but cricket needs it the most as all three major parts of the game need to be perfected. A player without strong hand and eye coordination doesn’t stand a chance in this challenging sport. This year's Inter-House competition was a tough one, Tata House had put in a lot of effort and practiced hard in spite of testweek as a major hurdle. In the senior competition, we had geared up well and had prepared a good team. There was a lot of pressure on us as we the previous year we had lifted the cup after 13 odd years. Rohan Gupta (the School Cricket Captain) was a great motivation to our side. Some great feats were achieved by our cricketers, with a few half centuries being made. Creditable performances were seen by Udit Kapur , Arjun Midha and Siddharth Sethi . In the T-Twenty championship, there was a well fought final against Hyderabad House, but unfortunately we lost at the last moment. We had a great team that had practiced and put in a lot of hard work, and though we lost the trophy, each member of the team must be complimented for his skill and determination. The junior captain, Ashutosh Goyal, led the team well and showed immense leadership qualities. Ishaan Sandhu was the highest scorer and continuously boosted the teams morale while pacers such as Yasir Iqbal were the most economical. The leading wicket taker in the team was Sayuj Dhandhania. This year, though we didn't have the chance to pick up either cup, the House showed determination and enjoyed. Coming first is not as important as giving in your best and knowing that you tried the hardest. That is what Tata House did and we’re glad to have had the chance to lead the Warriors in their 75th year.

Soccer: The House Soccer Captain, Udit Kapur, reports on the House’s performance in this year’s Soccer Season

Soccer is a sport which requires a high level of skill, determination, passion and the desire to succeed. Practices began in early August in order for the teams to gear up for the much awaited Inter House competitions. Training was held with seriousness and dedication towards the sport, and by the time the competition came around, the teams looked to have shaped up adequately to put up a strong fight. This year's Inter House Competition saw the senior teams create history, by going through every round of matches without once tasting defeat. Unfortunately, due to some calamitous defensive lapses and wasteful finishing, the house drew more matches than was required, which relegated us to the second position in the cup. One of the highlights of this year's competition surely must be our House XI team's comeback from one goal down against Jaipur house to level the game, even though we went through that particular match with only 10 men on the field for large portions. Still, though the end result was slightly disappointing, the players put in some splendid individual performances, and Arjun Parmar, Pranoy Bohara, Aditya Gupta, Arjun Midha and Ashish Rao must be commended for their efforts, showcasing splendid skill and teamwork, as well as giving the juniors something to take inspiration from in the following years. Recognition must also be given to Nikhil Bhushan for the excellent show case of his goal keeping skills. Credit must also be given to the juniors. Ably led by Rishi Raaj Khan, they fought hard throughout and earned a worthy second position in the competition. Promising talent was seen in the form of Ishaan Sandhu who scored five goals, as well as Arjun Sharma for his superb defending in Juniors 1 . D Formers, like Angad Shergil also showed keen interest in the sport, showing promising signs in the years to come. Juniors 2 had the potential to win all their matches but unfortunately were unable to match up to the high expectations set for them, but some impressive performances from Yuvan Kumar, Rishikant and Nikhil Saraf were on display. As House Football Captain, all I can say that I was proud to lead the Warriors out onto the field for not only every match, but every practice, and though we may not have won the cup, we have certainly won our place in the memories of everyone who came and watched us play. The potential to better this year's performance is definitely there, all that is left is for next year's teams to unlock it and keep the flag of Tata House flying high. House of Steel • Founder’s Issue 2011

Athletics: The House Athletics Captains, Aditya Gupta and Mohit Seth, report on the House’s performance in this year’s Athletics Season Tata House is known for producing great sportsmen, and usually the best athletes in school. There are a number of warriors who have always raised the standard of the sport, living up to the expectations of the House; some have also gone on to represent the school at the state level. As the last year’s issue could not cover the last year’s Athletics competition, as the competition was post-Founder’s, first I would talk about last year’s competition. The previous athletics season was a great success with athletes like Karanbir Dhariwal, Rajdeep Deo Bhanj and Aditya Gupta outing in their best efforts and bagging Tata House the second position. In the mediums section, the house was led to victory by Adhiraj Thakran. He showed us his immense skill and stamina in his respective events. Arjun Midha, also a mediums participant, proved his worth by coming second in the 1500 m race. Jai Khanna though only in B form, deserves praise for coming among the top 5 in the 5000 m race. In the juniors section, we went on to win the cup. Led by Yasser Iqbal, the team had various contributors who helped us win the cup some of them include Sidharth Sarin, Ashutosh Goyal and Ishan Sandhu. In the recently concluded Athletics competition, the Warriors emerged victorious, winning the Athletics Cup by a big margin. The credit for this success is due to the some really dedicated and talented athletes like Arjun Midha, Adhiraj Thkaran, Banda Mann Singh Lamba, Yasser Iqbal and Kartikey Kardam. The juniors section, led by Kartikey Kardam and Nikhil Saraf, emerged victorious, while mediums section led by Ashish Rao came second. Their immense skill,, stamina and effective leadership got us a good lead in the House cup. In the open section, Arjun Midha and Adhiraj Thakran made us proud by leading the 1500 m run. Even in the 5000 m run, we were able to secure some points as Aviral Gupta and Mohit Gupta managed to secure the 5th and 6th positions. In seniors, we led the house to a close second position that eventually got us the House Cup. In Marching, we came second after Oberoi House only by half a point, which put a smile even on Mr Thapa's face, without whose help we wouldn’t have stood anywhere. This year the dedication from the warriors and their desire to win is what has brought us to this point today. These practices have greatly helped improve the athletes which can be seen with their decreased timings and their improved results in the field events. It has been an honor for us to lead the house in its 75th year to victory.

Hockey: The House Hockey Captain, Aditya Gupta, reports on the House’s performance in this year’s Hockey Season Hockey, keeping in mind the spirit with which warriors play the sport, is played by boys with great vigour. It is interesting how people evolve as players after practicing, both at the junior and senior level. This year too, I was able to see both juniors and seniors worked on their weaknesses to become even more skillful. They were all not only helped by the more senior players in the House like Prannoy Bohara (the School Hockey Captain), Mohit Gupta, Arjun Midha and Rohan Gupta. This was accompanied by ASH, who came to work more on our fitness than our skill. It seemed as if the loss of a few players due to their Exchange Programme cost the House the Sup, Even still, our performance was respected and even praised. This was reflected by the final score tally, where we lost to Jaipur House by four points. Apart from Pranoy at the defence (for whom any praise is not enough), Sumaer Sandhu played exceptionally and was the highest scorer of the season. Ashish Rao and Jai Khanna were noticed as those who would keep the spirit of the sport high in the house. I must also commend Saptarshi Biswas and Avinendra Singh who played well in the Leagues I. The junior teams led by Ishaan Sandhu were also remarkable on the field. Ishaan, apart from his leadership also emerged the highest scorer of the Junior leg. I can see that we had an eventful Hockey Competition, though we were a little disappointed finishing second. But, I am sure that we will see a bright future for the sport in the House. Founder’s Issue 2011 • House of Steel

Music: The House Music Captain, Pranoy Bohara, reports on the House’s performance in this year’s Inter-House Music Competition The Inter-House music competition was a great success as the House emerged victorious in two categories and won the House cup. The House saw participation from all forms, including D form. The music competition was spread over a month's time which gave the musicians ample amount of time to prepare and practice. I must add that the house practiced very hard right from after lunch till midnight at times. The results of the hard work were shown when we lifted the music cup. I must give special mention to Kartikey Pandey for his winning the Tabla category. Had it not been for hist staggering win and the great lead that he gave us, the House would have found it difficult to win the competition. Abhijeet Nagar, Yash and Harsh Singhania, Krishna Lohiya and Arjun Sharma also made commendable performances. It was an honor being the House Music Captain and lifting the music trophy. I hope the House continues to lift the cup in the years to come.

Dance: The House Dance Coordinator, Gursehej Singh Oberoi, reports on the House’s performance in this year’s Inter-House Dance Competition In the six years that I've danced for the House, two things have changed. Firstly, people no longer dance only for House Colours (as was the case); they dance because they enjoy it. The majority of juniors in the troupe proves this. Secondly, the house doesn't take dance as just another 'cup-tobe-won' any longer, but this year, at every single dance practice, every dancer put in his best- for the love of dance and keeping nothing else, but that in mind. Due to my absence, we had about a week lesser than the other houses, but the troupe was ready to go that extra mile to cover up. With 13 days of practice, amid a packed Autumn Term schedule, time was not very much on our side. Practices were intense, but since strict lights out were to be followed, we mostly got nothing more than an hour of night practice every day. I must add here that punctuality was impeccable and every member took this task up very seriously. Seniors were ever- willing to teach juniors and at times, it was also the other way round. We performed five songs under the theme 'One World' with the last performed as a torch sequence, something the school had never seen before. The house saw some great new talent in Rishikant Das, Paramdeep Singh, Shiv Cheema and Pranav Kothiwal and from the seniors, Aviral Gupta, Arjun Midha and Pranoy Bohara performed very well. With an immense amount of practice, dedication, josh, and well, fun, we emerged victorious amid some tough competition, and all credit for the victory goes to the hard work of the troupe.

English Debating: The House English Debating Captain, Vikram Kejriwal, reports on the House’s performance in this year’s Inter-House English Debating Competition

The years Inter-House English Debating Competition also involved a cross-examination round, which made it even more challenging. In the senior debates, spread over the summer term, Tata House began the season with a victory, though the remaining debates of the Preliminary Round were not as promising as we lost a couple of the debates. But it was essential to learn from our mistakes after several sessions of practise before and during the competition, we emerged a stronger and more mature team. The outliers in the senior team included Shashvat Dhandhania, Sumaer Sandhu, Revant Nayar and Vikramaditya Kapur. We battled quirky topics including the infamous: “This house believes in Lady Gaga” and fought till victory in intense arguments. We subsequently reached the finals of the competition and had an competitive debate against our long-standing rivals, Kashmir House. We came runners-up in the competition for the second year and have surely emerged wiser and more confident debaters. In the junior debates, held this term, Tata House emerged victorious. Sayuj Dhandhania, with his use of humour and Krishna Lohiya, with his diplomatic style won us the preliminary round, as they bagged the Best Speaker and Most Promising Speaker respectively. We focused on our D-formers and practised relentlessly on a plethora of topics along with the aid of the unswerving SEDS Secretary, Shashvat. Our junior team's hardwork was evident from their fine debating in the competition. The team won the Final Round to win the Junior debating competition in a more competitive Final Round, held in the Cambridge format. Immense talent was displayed by Smayan Sawhney, Ishaan Sandhu, Sayuj Dhandhania and Hussain Haider, and I can see that with their different styles, and our impeccable training strategies, they will prove to win more debates for the House. On a concluding note, Tata House won the House Debating Cup after distinguished performances in both the categories. The standard of debate was commendable and we hope to see them rise in the future. House of Steel • Founder’s Issue 2011

Chess: The House Chess Captain, Mohit Gupta, reports on the House’s performance in this year’s Inter-House Chess Competition Chess, though played on a small chessboard, is a game that sometimes baffles even the most brilliant minds. Not only does it require strategy and complex moves, but also patience and the ability to plan ahead, predicting your opponent's moves simultaneously. Seeing the minor level of participation in this mind game, I am of the opinion that the due importance is not given to this brilliant game. Anyway, I must commend the way warriors enhanced their skills by playing each other almost everyday, improving on their strategies and tricks. In this year's Inter-House Chess Competition, Tata House boasted some of the schools most formidable players like Abhijeet Nagar, Shorya Aggarwal and I. On the very first day of the competition, I realized that my dream of lifting the chess cup would be achieved as we beat Jaipur House 10-0. In the end, the cup was ours with Shorya playing seed 1 and winning 3 out of 4 matches, with Nagar remaining undefeated throughout the tournament. As far as the celebrations are concerned, nothing beats a lavish dinner followed by a house feast. I think that the House has an amazing future in chess with players like Arjun Midha and Shorya Aggarwal ready to lead it. I believe that the Chess cup is going to remain within the House for several years to come.

Hindi Debating: The House Hindi Debating Captain, Pranoy Bohara, reports on the House’s performance in this year’s Inter-House Hindi Debating Competition This year the House debating team did extremely well in the Inter-House competition. The team comprised juniors as well as seniors. The team won their first three debates of the preliminary round and qualified for the finals directly. Unfortunately, we lost to Jaipur House in the finals by a very close margin. We could bag the second position only because of the hard work and efforts of all the debaters who practiced for hours and hours. Revant Nayar, Sanat Kumar Thakur, Udbhav Aggarwal, and Abhijeet Nagar made some commendable performances. I think the house has a very good future in Hindi debating with young budding debaters in the house.

One-Act Play: The House One-Act Play Director, Abhijeet Nagar, reports on the House’s performance in this year’s Inter-House One-Act Play Competition This year's One-Act Play competition was an interesting and entertaining one. With a Hindi medium, it saw a display of plays with great varieties and creative improvising. The House started working hard on the play from the beginning of the term. The boys showed intense dedication and determination. This was a very good sign that worked towards keeping our hopes and expectations high. The House presented the play 'Inspector Matadin Chaand Par', a popular Hindi play that was made even more interesting by some great changes in the original script. Directed by Abhijeet Nagar and produced by Aditya Gupta, the play ran a story that revolved around a respected, but stereotypical policeman Matadin (Pranoy Bohara), and his expeditions to the moon. The main aspect of the play included satirical remarks on the inefficiency of the Government and Police Forces of India, highlighting the lazy and corrupt police officers through inspector Matadin. Despite the House's full efforts and dedication, an unfortunate change of venue altered our results entirely. The winning factor became our weakness. Nevertheless, our basic aim was still achieved, that is to entertain the school community. Creditable performances were given by Sumaer Sandhu, Arjun Midha and Kushagr Singh. Budding talent was seen in juniors in the form of Aditya Dhingra, Arjun Sharma and Sayuj Dhandhania. Though luck did not favor us this year, I believe that with the kind of talent and potential that the House inhabits presently, Tata House has a bright future in the coming years. Founder’s Issue 2011 • House of Steel

Swimming: The House Swimming Captain, Suyash Agarwal, reports on the House’s performance in this year’s Inter-House Swimming Competition Every year the autumn term commences with the highly anticipated Inter-House Swimming Competition. Swimming is not really Tata House’s cup of tea, but being Warriors, we gave it our hundred percent . Immense hard work and dedication was shown by our juniors - Nadir Singh, Nikhil Saraf and Nasir Iqbal. Our mediums team performed the best out of the three categories, colossal talent was shown by Abhishek Pai,Yasir Iqbal, Siddharth Sarin and Jai Khanna. Our seniors played a tremendous role with breathtaking skill and perseverance shown by Udit Kapur , Aditya Gupta , Vikram Kejriwal , Sagar Karnavat and Karan Chhabra. Though we didn't come first, the warriors put in their best effort and must be praised for that. The results of the long periods of practice were seen on the final day when many warriors showcased their skill. Being the Warriors of Tata House, we will never stop trying, and if the boys go will keep going at this pace, I am sure that victory will surely kiss our feet someday.

Boxing: The House Boxing Captain, Vikram Kejriwal, reports on the House’s preparation for this year’s Inter-House Boxing Competition Tata House has grown to show outstanding achievements and victories in the boxing ring every November. For three consecutive years we have won the Boxing Cup, and the warriors have the potential to keep this fantastic streak going for another year at least. Our senior team has been undertaking daily practice and constant sparring sessions in the ring. We have focused on stamina, mental agility and dominance on the ring. As always, great involvement and undying support is provided as always from our veterans of the boxing ring; Pranoy Bohara, Aditya Gupta and Siddharth Sarin. Other S and SC formers like Mohit Gupta, Saptarshi Biswas and Banda Maan Singh Lamba are also a constant presence to oversee training. Our junior team has been training on skill development and stamina building. Great talent to perform and execute has been shown and much is expected of Kartikeya Kardam, Rishiraj Khan and Rishikant Sharma amongst others. This year we have worked along with an unparallel large number of boxers in the both categories and each boxer has the potential to win his weight category. Hard work should hold us in good stead, and as the Greatest of All Time, Muhammad Ali once said, “I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” All going well, Tata House should emerge victorious and lift the House Boxing Cup once again.

Basketball: The House Basketball Captain, Mohit Seth, reports on the House’s preparation for this year’s Inter-House Basketball Competition

Basketball is the one of the fastest sports in the world. It is a sport which requires a high degree of skill, determination, speed and game-sense. Basketball is emerging as one of the most popular sports in school, particularly in the 'House of Warriors'. This year's basketball season is a relatively short one, but our House is practicing its level best in order to keep-up for the competition. Practices are being well-managed and the teams are practicing hard, raising our expectations for the Inter-House competition. There is massive involvement from both juniors and seniors which is a very good sign. The house is banking on the seniors A and B teams especially, making us strong contenders for the competitions. The presence of school teamers, such as Adhiraj Thakran, Arjun Midha and Kushagr Singh, along with other experienced players, such as Aditya Gupta and Suyash Agarwal, is sure to make us strong contenders for the coveted cup. Juniors are showing potential and practicing hard, which is a good sign for the present as well as for the years to come. The House has its hopes high and looking towards giving a tough fight to all other houses and keep the flag flying high. House of Steel • Founder’s Issue 2011

PT: The House Senior and Junior Pt Leaders, Pranoy Bohara and Sapraishi Biwas, report on the House’s performance in this year’s Inter-House PT Competition This year, Tata House started practicing PT regularly from the very first day. The senior squad was led by Pranoy Bohara, and the junior squad was led by Saptarishi Biswas, and constant support was given by Aditya Gupta, who was the third PT leader. PT being the first physical activity of the day, it not only awakened the boys, but also laid stress on the fitness of the house. It was good to see that the warriors did PT with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Like every year, the challenging task of introducing PT to the C formers had been looked after with great maturity. The senior squad, on the other hand, were to master newer and tougher exercises. After the initial days of practice, it was seen that both the squads were coordinating well amongst themselves. The marker's task, which is to coordinate and lead by example, was done well by Yasir Iqbal and Harshvardhan Singhania. The squads coordinated well with them. After a well worked season of three months, the final showdown was spectacular as the junior squad bagged the second position, by a faint margin of 1.5 points and senior squad, despite its ground-breaking efforts, were placed fifth due to unexpected reasons. Nevertheless, the house was placed fourth overall. We expect that the house works harder in the coming years and achieves brilliant results in the future.

Founder’s Issue 2011 • House of Steel

The Warr

House of Steel • Founder’s Issue 2011

ior Spirit

Founder’s Issue 2011 • House of Steel

A Father Figure ... Mr. Arvindanabha Shukla (ASH), S Form tutor, shares his experience, with Tata House. Joining Tata House as a tutor in 2010 was a remarkable event in my life, especially after serving another house as a tutor and housemaster for a period as long as 15 years. I always thought that it would be a difficult and emotionally demanding task for me to adjust to a new house. Now after spending more than a year in Tata House, as a tutor, I can safely say that all the boys, tutors and housemasters made this transition very comfortable for me. I was received with a lot of warmth, respect, and of course, high expectations. The students have been friendly and open, and it is a pleasure to be a part of the house. Being a tutor of S form, I have seen the house grow, develop and work together this year. When I look at the past year and examine it in terms of success, I am forced to say that it was a fruitful year, the year was an excellent one of planning, endeavor, and outcome. I must admit that I was impressed with the boys' attitude, not only in the classroom or on the sports field, but also in general. The house performed well in all the major sports and narrowly missed out on all the major three -cricket, hockey and football, getting a hat-trick of 2nd positions, but in the end, we got our hands on victory in Athletics. We made up for the close defeats, in the various co-curricular activities, with many memorable performances by the boys involved. The various captains and their teams worked sincerely to attain success, winning music and dance, English debating and chess. Hindi debating was another highlight of the term where the House team cam a close second. On the whole, I must commend the house for mass participation in each activity. I could clearly see the boys giving in their all with an eagerness to learn. I am sure that the housemaster of the house, Mr. Skand Bali, will agree with me when I comment that the prefects and leaders of various sports and activities have performed admirably well, standing out as leaders and helping their juniors to hone their skills to lead the house in the years to come. The student's turnout has also been up to the mark, and their levels of punctuality are also something to be respected. It is very easy to let one's attention drift when a student involves himself deeply in a game or activity, but there has been a major improvement in the academic sphere as well this term with the students achieving much better results in test week. It will get better as the toye time is observed more seriously. Our final goal as warriors is to achieve allround development, and at this rate, we are certainly headed in the right direction. Now the year is coming to an end, and a fresh batch of SC formers will soon be taking charge, all I can hope for is that we continue improving ourselves as we have done this year, maybe even convert all those narrow defeats into wins, and bring back all the cups to Tata House. This year, the bar has been set very high, and it will be an exciting challenge for students and tutors alike to live up to all the expectations we harbor for ourselves. As a tutor, I feel that apart from the house's performance in academics, sports and various co-curricular activities, there is more to this house rather than just mortar and bricks. According to my vision of the house, it is a place which serves as a store of memorable experiences and happiness in the life of a warrior.

House of Steel â&#x20AC;˘ Founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Issue 2011

From Tata i) Arjun Parmar to Millfield School, UK ii) Aviral Gupta to St. Edward's, UK iii) Banda M. S. Lamba to King's Academy, Jordan iv) Sanat K. Thakur to Bridgehouse, South Africa To Tata i) Michael Van Zyl from Bridgehouse, South Africa ii) Vishal Tulsiani from St. Edward's, UK iii) Tristram Coates from Eton College, UK

South Africa Sanat Kumar Thakur (on right) shares his experience as an exchange student to Bridgehouse School in South Africa. Right after my board examinations got over, I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to go for student exchange from 29th March till 20th May to Bridgehouse School, South Africa. When I landed at the airport, I had no idea about what was there in store for me. I was surrounded with a lot of excitement and anxiety. But I must say that I had a very memorable stay there. I want to thank the Van Zyl family, who hosted me. It was a pleasure living with them on their farm home. At Bridgehouse, I got to study the subjects of my choice, and being an exchange student, there wasn’t much study load on me, due to which I could enjoy my stay in South Africa more. Owing to the number of public holidays South Africa has, I got a lot of opportunities for sightseeing. People in Bridgehouse were very welcoming and friendly, and it didn't take me much time in adjusting in their ways. During my exchange I had the opportunity to see a live rugby match, ride an ostrich, watch car racing, go cruising to Seal Island, do ice skating and go up the Table Mountain. I also went around the city of Cape Town and Knysna. I also got to try the South African cuisine which I grew pretty fond of. I made a number of friends there, who made my stay in South Africa memorable. Now I understand why people call their student exchange experiences, ‘once-in-a-lifetime-experience.’

Michael Van Zyl (on left), an exchange student from Bridgehouse School in South Africa, shares his experience in Tata House so far. Michael will be here with us for the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations!

4 Weeks. 4 weeks I have been here, at the Doon School. 4 Weeks I have spent with the Doscos. 4 Weeks I have lived in a boarding house. 4 Weeks of my exchange are gone, 4 are left, and I'm looking forward to it. My first day, I arrived at Dehra Dun airport and immediately found my 2 ‘guides’. We got into a taxi and immediately left for the Doon School. On the way, I couldn't help noticing some of stereotypes that I had heard of. We drove for a while through what seemed to be a city in the middle of a jungle until we eventually found our way to the Doon School. We drove through the gates and past the library, and soon I felt lost in the concrete jungle that surrounded me. After a quick talk with AKS, I met up with my exchange partner, Sanat, and made my way to Tata House. As I walked to Tata House, I could see our soccer boys practicing on the house field, and just as my eyes were set on Tata House, a place I might find some sleep, my dreams were shattered. After 24 hours, worth of traveling and no sleep, I had been asked to try out for the House XI team. I was amazed to know that I had made it into the team, and the next day, early in the morning I had a match against Jaipur House. Later I was acquainted with everyone in the House, and my first day in Doon came to an end. My second day went slightly better with the exception of a soccer match that I didn't play too well due to the previous day’s tiredness. Later in the day, I got to go out of the school and explore Dehradun. I had been in Doon for less than a day, and I had already made a lot of friends. The midterm excursion followed a week later, and I went to Dodital with Sanat, Dhairik, Karan and the others. I must say that the trek to Dodital was truly a unique experience, and one that I will remember for a lifetime. So far, my stay here has been nothing, but endless fun. I have loved getting to know the Doscos, and especially those in Tata House. My form mates are some of the most awesome guys I have ever met. They made me feel at home and comfortable within a few days. Now, I'm looking forward to the Founder's Day Program, and also Tata House’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations! House of Steel • Founder’s Issue 2011

Arjun Parmar (on right) shares his experience as an exchange student to Millfield School in Somerset. My month long student exchange program to Millfield School in Somerset was an unforgettable experience, where I learnt a lot, and cannot be more thankful for the exposure that came along with the trip. In the month of April, I left for England. Although I did not have any official exchange partner, the other lads at Millfield who had arrived did their best to make me feel at home, seating me amongst themselves and watching a football match in the Common Room. In the next few days, we met with the teachers who would be co-ordinating our Exchange, Mrs. Dye and Mr. Hallows, who had planned out a rough schedule for the month ahead. The classes which I attended were a tremendous learning experience, as even though I found the standard relatively easy, but the style of teaching was vastly different from what I had previously experienced. In my one month, I did the unconventional thing of not only visiting London on weekends, but going around nearby areas. This gave me a true insight regarding the essence of the United Kingdom, and how things function there, visiting local monasteries, a cider farm, and even the Cheddar Gorge to name a few. I tried my hand at archery as well, a completely new experience for me. Though football was not on as a seasonal sport at the time, I would play every day on the various fields with my fellow house-mates. The biggest advantage was that the sun didn't go down till near ten at night, so after evening prep, a group of us would trudge off to the hard courts for the last game of the day. The school had also organized a trip for us into London, where we undertook the regular tourist activities-Madame Tussaud's, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, the Big Ben, and even Harrods! It was a truly eye opening experience for me. I made friends who I am likely to be in touch with for many years to come, and am sure to drop in for a visit the next time I travel to the UK. I also took part in Inter House Athletics which was when I truly felt like part of the house. Another factor was that people are ever polite and ready to help. When I see an exchange student at Doon next, I am sure to make the same effort after knowing how it feels to come into a different school completely now.

United Kingdom Aviral Gupta shares his experience as an exchange student to St. Edward’s in Oxford. “You might leave a place, but you would take along a part of the people and the place, leaving a part of yourself behind.” I realized the real meaning of this saying when I was leaving St. Edward's, after spending six wonderful weeks there. Six weeks, that will always remain vivid in my memory. The list of the students going for the exchange program came out in November. Next were winter holidays, followed by the board examinations. The wait was over soon and the plane took off for the Heathrow airport in London. My exchange school is situated in Oxford, and I was received with open arms in Teddies. I must say the first week felt different, since everything was new to me, but everyone at Teddies was kind and cooperative, and they made me feel at home. I opted for the IB curriculum, with a unique combination of subjects, which included sciences, philosophy and English. I was highly impressed by the English culture and the English way of living. The long days and the short nights, everything felt different, yet charming. I represented the Teddies in a few athletic meets and the cross-country runs, which was truly an enriching experience. The house I was allotted was a lot like Tata House, because it inhabited talented sportsmen and boys who were very friendly. I got the chance to explore Oxford, Leeds, Liverpool and London. It was a sheer pleasure living in these famous cities. An exciting experience was to meet Doscos in London. While living in these cities, I was fortunate enough to get acquainted with people from different cultures and ethnicities, which broadened my horizon. At the end, I got a chance to live with the Edward family, who took great care of me and made me feel like a family member. They took me around Warwick (where they lived), and showed me around the Warwick Castle.I am grateful to them for everything they did. Studying with Italians, Germans, Swiss, Americans, and of course, British, was a unique experience, and truly international! When I started feeling like a part of Teddies, it was just then that the hour hand started ticking away like the seconds’ hand, and the six weeks of my exchange came to an end. It was an experience that taught me a lot, and it is one experience that I would always tell stories of, in the years to come. Founder’s Issue 2011 • House of Steel

Nikhil Bhushan, House Pool Captain, reports on the performance of the Sc and S Formers AT Pool. This year, a new 'sport', pool was introduced in our house. As we all know, pool is a sport which requires a lot of practice and immense dedication. The Sc's worked really hard for the upliftment of the sport in the House, with players such as Vinayak Bansal and Divij Budhiraja spending their precious time to master every stroke of the game. Upcoming talent was also seen in the form of Adit Handa and Shawn Kapur, be it test week, the athletics Competition or any school event for that matter, they practiced and attained perfection in almost every aspect of the game. I, myself, took a step ahead and tried to nurture future talent for the benefit of the sport and of the house. Now for their immense dedication and their ability to play any shot, it gives me immense pleasure in awarding Pool Half-Colours for the first time to - Gusehej Singh Oberoi, Abhijeet Nagar and Michael Van Zyl! Finally, for their ability to turn the game around at any point, and under the most difficult of situations, Pool Full Colours are awarded for the first time to - Vinayak Bansal and Divij Budhiraja!

Sneak S Formers with potential

Founder Members of Aakash

Parth Gupta Siddhant Gupta Shawn Kapur Himanshu Todi (Arjun Midha & Arjun Parmar .. Sorry)

Budding Singers Vikram Kejriwal Mohit Seth Karan Chhabra Shivank Singh Farhan Anis Mrigank Khemkha

Dhairik Fuletra Parth Gupta Sanat Kumar Thakur Shivank Singh (wanna-be)

Dopplegangers Pranoy Bohara - Suyash Agarwal - Saptarishi Biswas Nikhil Bhushan - ‘Jigglypuff’ in Pokemon Aviral Gupta - Ranvir Singh (’Bittoo’ in Band Baaja Baraat) Arjun Midha - Arjun Munda (CM of Jharkhand) Shawn Kapur - ‘Alan’ in Hangover Adhiraj Thakran - Kunal Kapoor (’Aslam’ in Rang de Basanti) Rishabh Sharma - ‘Ganni Bhai’ in Wanted

English SCHOLARS Nikhil Bhushan Saptarishi Biswas Arjun Midha Ashish Rao Chaitanya Fatehpuria Krishna Dadoo

Budding NEWS REPORTERS Yash V. Singhania Jai Raj Sadana Agasthya Bellad Akshaj Garg Nirvan Dogra

Future ... Albert Einstein - Revant Nayar Sylvester Stallone - Vinayak Bansal Shashi Tharoor - Shashvat Dhandhania Lil’ Wayne - Udit Kapur Shakti Kapoor - Mohit Seth Niladari - Saptarishi Biswas

FITTEST GUYS IN THE HOUSE Avanindra Singh Shawn Kapur Adit Handa Jai Raj Sadana Farhan Anis Arjun Sharma Sayuj Dhandhania

Peek MOST WANTED MOST WANTED

P R O F. N AYA R $50,000 - Dead or Alive

SAPPY BHAI $100,000 - Dead only (Can’t handle him alive)

Name: Nikhil Bhushan Favourite Past-time: Obviously ... Soccer Known for: His dedication to the Weekly for Unquotes (”I said you mine!”) Future Profession: Linesman for Chelsea FC

Name: Divij Budhraja Favourite Past-time: Playing Stick-cricket Known for: His 'healthy' & 'muscular' body Future Profession: Profession ... Waat Profession?

Name: Aditya Gupta Favourite Past-time: Playing FIFA Known for: Building the Pavilion in a record time of 9.58 days Future Profession: Chelsea FC's Ground Mali / PT Instructor

The super Name: Vikram Kejriwal Favourite Past-time: Writing Essays Known for: Saying, “Hello, I went to Eton College for exchange.” Future Profession: An Assistant in the Career Counselling Department

Name: Pranoy Bohara Favourite Past-time: Writing letters ;) Known for: Not having a bath Future Profession: Principal of Welham

Name: Gursehej Singh Oberoi Favourite Past-time: Cracking 'funny' jokes Known for: Being the first one in his form Future Profession: Member of the Doon School A-Team House of Steel • Founder’s Issue 2011

Name: SumaerSandhu Favourite Past-time: Shaving Known for: His way with Bengali women and using Head 'n' Shoulders Future Profession: Owner of a Waxing Saloon

Name: Mohit Seth Favourite Past-time: Going for outings Known for: Running the House his own way Future Profession: Assistant Caterer in the CDH

Name: Udit Kapur Favourite Past-time: Repeatedly saying, “Sorry Baby!” Known for: His high pitch ... irritating laughter Future Profession: President Carter's Secretary

cool form ... Name: Abhijeet Nagar Favourite Past-time: Passing TIME Known for: Saying the wrong things at the wrong time Future Profession: Hosting the TV show 'The Streets of Ddun'

Name: Avanindra Singh Favourite Past-time: Eating Known for: Being the 'fittest' guy in the House Future Profession: Butler

Name: Suyash Agarwal Favourite Past-time: Applying 'creams' on his face Known for: Not being known Future Profession: Skin Specialist

Founder’s Issue 2011 • House of Steel

Name: VinayakBansal Favourite Past-time: Eating snickers Known for: His 'secret' desire to visit Kashmir Future Profession: Gym Trainer

Name: Mohit Gupta Favourite Past-time: Pendiing Known for: His 'pure vegetarian' diet Future Profession: Comedian (Unemployed) Name: Saptarishi Biswas Favourite Past-time: Terrorizing others Known for: Being the “BHAI” of the house Future Profession: IMA PT Leader

... continued Name: Yash V. Singhania Favourite Past-time: Reporting Known for: Being the House's official Back-up Future Profession: Police Informer

Name: Revant Nayar Favourite Past-time: Solving Physics numericals Known for: Being late for everything Future Profession: Managing Director of CERN

House of Steel • Founder’s Issue 2011

Name: Sagar Karnavat Favourite Past-time: Meeting Harold Snedcoff Known for: His good relations with the Teaching Staff Future Profession: Owner of Reynolds 045

Photo Corridor Warriors fighting for the House

Waiting for Victory

Indeed, Victory tastes good!

Brothers for Life

es down Always on the shoulders ... never com

Founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Issue 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ House of Steel

After serving the Community

Back in the day ...

Parting knowledge ;)

The Helping Hand

House of Steel • Founder’s Issue 2011

Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief: Aviral Gupta Editors: Arjun Parmar, Shashvat Dhandhania Senior Editors: Arjun Midha, Himanshu Todi Associate Editors: Banda MS Lamba, Vikramaditya Kapur Correspondents: Hussain Haider, Kartikey Kardam Chief-of-Production: Mohit Gupta Contributors: Shawn Kapur, Ashutosh Goyal, Nadir Singh, Samarth Makhija Special Thanks: Mr. Skand Bali, Mr. Ashish Dean, Mrs. Ranjit Kaur, Avanindra Singh, Vinayak Bansal

Tata House, The Doon School, Dehradun - 248001. Website: www.doonschool.com/tata c

All the information is correct at the time of going to press. The school reserves the right to make any amendments.