Modern High School’s batch of ‘83 walks down memory lane

The reunion meet, titled '40 Saal Baad' was attended by about 200 students of the '83 batch, a few juniors, seniors and most importantly their teachers.

The Batch of ‘83 felicitated their teachers and faculty members to acknowledge their contribution. (Express photo)

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Written by Sneha Bhave & Avani Khare

The school bell rang as the students gathered on the premises. They sang the national anthem and it was almost time for class. Only this time, they were 40 years older and much more experienced.

Around 200 students from the batch of 1983 reunited on Saturday at Progressive Education Society’s Modern High School off Jangali Maharaj Road to rekindle memories of their school days.

“We have been preparing for this reunion for the past four months. Nitin Deo and I contacted many of our classmates through various platforms. Initially, we used to meet in small numbers. This is when we decided to host a reunion for the entire batch,” said Sandeep Gokhale.

The reunion meet, titled ’40 Saal Baad’, was a play on the famous 80’s film ‘Bees Saal Baad’. The event was graced with the presence of a few juniors, seniors and most importantly their teachers.

The veterans got another chance to teach their favourite batch after four long decades.

P K Joshee, one of the teachers who is now 94, said, “The batch of ‘83 consisted of some of my brightest students in my 38 years of teaching. Even though I am not able to meet people in person, I make sure that I keep in touch with them over WhatsApp. I am grateful to still be remembered by these students.”

The Batch of ‘83 felicitated their teachers and faculty members to acknowledge their contribution. The toppers of all five divisions of the batch cut a cake to celebrate this milestone. The dignitaries included Gajanan Ekbote from the 1977 batch, Suhasini Abhyankar and a few of the alumni expressed their sentiments about the event.

One of the speakers, Makrand Tillu, a laughter therapist, said, “I still remember the fights we used to have among divisions. Rulers and chalks were our weapons. I strongly believe that you will never find such pure happiness outside this school.”

Another alumnus Manoj Wadekar said, “I am a well-established lawyer today. However, since my father used to teach in this school, I am still known as ‘Wadekar sir’s son’. My identity is strongly tied to my teachers and I feel that we should teach the younger generation to be grateful to their teachers.”

Some of the alumni shared interesting anecdotes with The Indian Express. “I used to barely pass my exams as I used to never study. Me and a few of my backbencher friends used to bunk multiple classes as we always wanted to go out and play,” said Rajesh Baheti, now an accomplished businessman in Dubai.

Yogesh Yewale, a Mallakhamb champion in his school days, said, “This was an only boys school at the time. But we had a girls’ school right across from here. So, we used to only admire them from a distance.”

After all these years, the student’s love for the school remains. The alumni have gifted five computers to the school as a token of their appreciation. They intend to help the current generation to help the students gain a holistic education. “We are also thinking of starting a scholarship programme for the students to help them financially and excel in life,” said Baheti. The school is home to some of India’s most proficient doctors, engineers, bureaucrats, and businessmen.

“This school has provided a foundation for my life which has shaped me to be who I am today. Whatever I have achieved is because of the way I was taught. These teachers have had a great impact on my life,” said Dr Sachin Mahajan, a medical officer at National Chemical Laboratory.