Mumbai
Ex-students will be carrying tiffins, attending lectures; plan to raise Rs 10cr for school's restoration
Updated : Dec 21, 2014, 06:10 AM IST
Alumni meets always take you back to your school days. But the ex-students of R M Bhatt school in Parel plan to literally relive their times in the classroom. On January 18 next year, IAS officers, police officers, actors and builders among others will be at the reunion wearing uniforms, carrying tiffin boxes and even attending classes.
The grand event has been planned with a special motive in mind. Around 4,000 students from the SSC batches from 1975 to 2005 plan to generate Rs 10 crore to fund the restoration work of the private school, which is in an abysmal state, over the next three years. The idea behind the event is to gather all students under one roof, so that they can chalk out a plan to raise enough money by 2018, when the school turns 100. The 40-member core committee, which has been working on this event for the past three months, has even contacted the erstwhile chatwala and pani-puriwala for the alumni meet so they can enjoy snacks during recess.
R M Bhatt School was established at Parel in 1918. It is one of the few private schools in the area that charge a nominal tuition fees per month. It is mostly attended by lower and middle class students. While the school has a batch-wise alumni group which meets once a year, this time they have decided to get all students to attend the event, 'Punha Ekda Shalet Javuya' (Lets go back to school), together.
Apart from restoration, the committee also plans to design a futuristic classroom with high end technology.
"Its a very unique day for all of us. There are some senior citizens who wish to join us to that day. The school will complete 100 years in 2018, so from this event we are planning to build up funds for the restoration. Currently our aim is to raise Rs 10 crore," said Sanjay Ghagre, one of the core team members and student from the 1983 batch.
The core committee has even given the alumni homework, making a painting each, which will kept as a part of the exhibition.
Ajita Salvi, a HR executive in private firm and student of 1992 batch said, "I stay just a few metres away from my school. So unfortunately I did not have the privilege of making excuses like saying that I forgot my homework at home. My teacher used to tell me to go back home and return with the homework. Those were the golden days in my life. Through this gathering, we will reunite again, which makes me very happy."
The local tailor has been contacted to stitch school uniforms for the ex-students. Hemant Kadam, a 1988 batch student, said, "The old tailor still has a shop at Bhoiwad known as Ramesh Tailors. Some of the students have already bought new uniforms. We together went to the shop for measurements. We have also contacted our old teachers who are going to take our class. My school teacher only fixed my marriage. I am indebted to my teachers in more ways than one."
The convenor of this event is the current principal of the school, S M Kamble, who said, "It is really great that all students are coming together for the school's improvement. Every body is eagerly waiting for the big day."