Hi Suhas, Harish,
Sorry I couldn't get back to you sooner. I was inundated with work. I work at a college close to home. I started there teaching Chemistry, which was my major, then changed over to IT which I have been doing for the past 20 years or so.
Shamima was a pretty girl in the lower grades. I think they moved before 9th grade. I am so sorry to hear about Alka Tendulkar, she was plump and cute. She used to sing 'Mamancha gavala jau yaa", remember? yes, standing on her tiptoes, always excited and always wanting attention.
I saw Kasturi Shenoy in one of the photographs.
My sister, Nana, and I, made Netra Shirodkar stand on the corridor and sing 'Zara si aahat hoti hai' from Haqueeqat. She had a beautiful voice. In 9th grade she ranked first the first 2 terms. I went home and cried my heart out. I felt that, like 'Swaraj', it was my birthright to come first. Then I came first in the final exams and was so relieved. However, Nana reminded me last week that I came second in SSC and that Suresh Kaul came first. 'Beat you' were her words. I couldn't remember. I had a complete mental block about it!! :)
About songs, Rita used to sing a Bengali song 'Chini ami chini', we would tell her not to sing that song. So she started singing songs from 'Bandini', because her mom was acting in Bandini and she would say 'Nutan auntie said this' and 'Nutan auntie said that'. She sang, 'Jogi ajab se tu aaya mere dwaray'. She also acted with Surjoe, my big brother, in a play in one of the musical evenings. They were pretty good and quite entertaining.
Rebello sir definitely improved everyone's voices, because we were always singing in his class, more than learning Marathi, no wonder my Marathi was so awful.
Also, Rao sir sang 'Likhay jo khat tujhe' during our Farewell party, serenading a girl who shall remain nameless.
Do you guys remember the annual picnics? To Marve beach and Manori Island and even in the 11th standard to Lonavala. We got so tired travelling that we all lolled around in the bungalow beds, bought chikki and came back.
There was also a drowning in one of these picnics and Kamble, Rebello and other 'sirs' came by to everyone's houses to make sure that the kids had gotten back okay. Did you guys love the chutney sandwiches? I still make them.
Krishnadas would say 'sukha bhao' when I passed because we didn't talk to boys. Wasn't that so silly. I mean not talking to boys, not Krishnadas.
You guys must remember Surjoe. I remember him walking up to Father D'Cruz with his 'hands up' along with Anil Sachdev and Manmohan Singh, they were the 'Three Musketeers' and being made to kneel in front of the whole assembly, quite shameless, while Nana and I died of embarassment. No one believed we were his sisters. BTW, Manmohan Singh lives nearby and he and Surjoe were reminsicing fondly about Jayashree and about Mrs. Tellis' ample endowments in my house a couple of years back.
And Pandey sir! Remember viewing his red shorts through his dhoti. One day Ranjana giggled while he was teaching and he walked over and thumped her so hard on the back that she burst into tears and wouldn't stop. He then patted her kindly and said "Nahi rotay baccha!" I guess his heart was in the right place.
Did you'll know that Mrs. Rego liked me very much, translate, I did a lot of her paper work and correcting test papers. I also drew 18 posters for inspection one time for Tellis, in the course of one evening!
My son, Saurav is 28, and Samir, my husband, sings ghazals, was Jagjit and Chitra Singh's close friend in his teenage years. He sang 'Baat niklaygi to phir door talak jayegi' in Husnara's house, a couple of years ago, when we visited her after 39 years. Husnara has a beautiful daughter.
Okay, bye for now, more when I hear from you..
Bina
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