The DBPPA Fun Car Rally and Beer Lunch. Fun Reloaded!

What a Sunday... It took the time and effort of the School Management, the Executive Committee, Sponsors, Teachers and all the Past Pupils (Who made it) to make it happen. And here's a quick recap:

• 7:30 am: The Cars start queuing up at primary school for the rally (A whopping 45 cars showed up)
• 7:45 am: Rajesh briefs the participants (Rajesh and Kasi are both ex-DB and made the rally possible with their professional guidance and involvement. They were backed by a team of marshals)  
• 8:05 am: Armaan Ebrahim flags off the first car after the briefing. Rev Fr Vice Provincial, Rector and Principal also grace the occasion with their presence. Past Principals Rev Fathers VV Abraham, John Santosham and Michael also make it for the rally
• 10:00 am: The scene shifts to a private beach on ECR as the first cars start arriving.
• 11:00 am: The private beach comes alive with beer, music, games and unlimited fun and the whole beach gets drowned with the DB Spirit!  (Its great to see over 200 past pupils and their families and teachers come together for a fun Sunday). There are a series of fun games, DJ and dancing, face painting for the kids, rides along the beach in a cool 4x4. Everyone had a blast
• 12:45 pm: Yummy Lunch is served and soon after that the winners are announced. The first three cars won fabulous holidays. The winner - Naveen Alexander and the boys from the class of 1997. 

It was an unforgettable day. Pity was we all had to go home after that! View the pictures on DBPPA's Facebook page or on the slideshow panel on this site. 

August 29, 2008: Annual Tea Meeting and Crocker under Lights at School

The DBPPA completely rejigged the Annual Tea Meeting that usually takes place at school in the month of August. While the meeting was well attended and the high tea more than adequate it was the Crocker under floodlights that made it one helluva evening. More than 200 past pupils were there that evening and large numbers of DB guys who had passed out of the school in the 2000s. Most of them got a chance to play crocker - At one point there were three matches taking place at the same time. Fun Unlimited!! 

September 5, 2008: Mr Selvadoray returns to DB Egmore for a Teacher's Day Special

The stage was set for a great evening - Teachers Day, A peerless teacher and an audience that has always been in awe of this great teacher. For all those present last evening, it was an evening we will treasure for ever and ever! Mr Selvadoray arrived ahead of the appointed time (5:00 pm) to a class room that was packed beyond our wildest expectations. At a rock show you grab any place you get - Chairs, the floor; this event was no different. The DBPPA had organised seating for 85 guys and there must have been over 150 past pupils of Don Bosco who became part of a unique moment in this school's great history and to witness the Return of the King. It was like being back in school all over again - Blackboard and chalk, a lot us in uniform, et all! Mr Selvadoray chose Thomas Gray's poem "Elegy Written in a Country Church-yard" as the lesson for the day. This poem was written when the Industrial Revolution in England in the 18th Century had created a lot of social change, displaced a lot of the weaker sections of the society and made them poorer. Mr Selvadoray drew a parallel between England in the 18th Century and the Indian Economic Liberalisation story which is widening the gap between the wealthy and poor. That was all we needed to get into the Selva Zone - he dissected the first couple of stanzas for us and we already felt like we were back in school and were thoroughly spellbound. But the spell didn't last forever; after an hour of poetry, an interactive session and a lecture by Mr Selvadoray on a wide range of social issues, it was time to go home. Except this time nobody wanted to leave school; almost the same feeling like our last day at school.   

Click on these links for media coverage of the event: The New Indian Express  The Hindu

Crocker - Our very own game!

Crocker may not be as popular today as it was in its heyday but is still reigns supreme among the past pupils. Even today when DB guys get together a game of Crocker manages to bring back all those wonderful memories. And for those of you who would like to keep the rules handy here we go (A sincere attempt to codify the rules of the game!):

• Equipment: Any Baseball bat and ball (Could be white or red)
  
• Members/Team: As many as you have. Just remember to divide them equally!
• The Stumps: Trees work well! Otherwise any object that you designate will do just fine!
• Distance from Bowler to Batsman: Depends on the space available!
• The Bowler: Has to bowl 8-ball overs and only underarm. Is free to aim at the batsman’s body!
• The Batsman: Has to run every time he hits the ball and run horizontally and return in time to face the next ball. Every return trip earns him two runs. If you want more value for the big shots you can run up to the extended running creases and earn four or six runs!
• Modes of Dismissal: You could get out caught, bowled and also if the ball hits any part of your body. If the ball hits any part of the body you are half out and you could also get half out if you run on the last ball of the over. And it is the batsman’s responsibility to keep track of the last ball – No umpires here!
• Innings: One innings games or double innings games (Like a test match). Double Innings games are preferred so that you are assured of at least one innings of ‘Ghaji’. You could also limit the number of overs to a side.
• Oorutals (Low Bounce) can be kicked: A rule devised to counter the threat of low bounce deliveries rolling all the way to your stumps! If the batsman feels the ball is too low (Bounce), he can kick the ball and the bowler has to re-bowl it. One of the most contentious rules which has seen a lot of disputes. Understandably! 
• The Toss: A very important ritual. The bat is thrown by one captain and the rival captain has to catch the bat where he can. And then both captains begin a cat and mouse game of putting one hand on top of the other till one of them manages to hold the top of the bat – And that captain wins the toss. And usually every victorious captain chooses to bat!
  
  

The School Anthem

Behold the standard of our school
Neath it shall honor reign.
To guide our steps in virtue’s path
Faithful to it remain.
We’ll strive to learn,
Truth to discern.
To play life’s game in honour’s name
And evil always spurn
And evil always spurn.
We’ll do our best, and never will rest
For Virtus in Arduis.
Is on our crest,
Our motto’s the best.
Don Bosco boys will shine as of yore
And as the years roll along, you’ll hear this dear song.
Don Bosco’s ever more.  

Office Bearers and the Executive Committee

Office Bearers (Year of passing out/Batch in brackets): 

• Ashwin Rajagopalan - President (1989)
• Nandanandan (Nanda) - Secretary (1986)
• PS Prasad - Treasurer (1980)
• Giri - Sr. Vice President (1985)
• Ram Narayan Bhat (Bhatta) - Jr. Vice President (1987)

Executive Committee Members

• Ashok Chelliah (1968)
• Ashok Lulla (1986)
• Francis Sebastian (1974)
• Gopalakrishnan (Gopi) (1968)
• Jagdishwar Kota (Juggy) (1986)
• Lakshminarayanan (Lachu) (1980)
• Pradeep Jain (1974)
• Prakash Hemdev (1978)
• Rose Kumar (1985)
• Vijay Vasudevan (1989) 

Don Bosco Past Pupils Association Egmore

There are few schools in the world that evoke the same ‘school spirit’. Call it the spirit of Don Bosco or just the good ole’ DB Egmore bonding, the warmth and the camaraderie that the Don Bosco Egmore past pupils share is truly unique. This spirit binds us and allows past pupils from different backgrounds and age groups to find common ground. And that common ground is Don Bosco Egmore. A place where a lot of us believe we have spent some of the best years of our life. This website is aimed at extending that Common ground to cyberspace where DB Egmore guys from across the world can relive those glory years, keep in touch with other past pupils and also get frequent updates from the school and the Don Bosco Past Pupils Association (DBPPA).

St. Don Bosco envisioned a community in which the past pupils played a vital role. The DBPPA (Egmore) certainly has been a prime example of this vision becoming reality. The association has been working very closely with the school at various levels and is probably the most active school alumni association in Chennai.The DBPPA meets periodically and the association’s activities are a perfect blend of hard work and fun and draw strength from the strong sense of nostalgia. The association is open to all past pupils of Don Bosco Egmore and provides a perfect platform to serve, share, network and have fun! The DBPPA’s wide range of activities include community service projects, fundraisers, periodic meetings, fun outings and interaction with the teachers and the management.