MY SCHOOL LIFE - A SUMMARY

Middle Years (Class V- VIII) 1987 - 1990

Mr Lefevre, a new teacher joined TNA in 1987. Apart from being our class teacher and Biology teacher, he used to perform magical tricks for us -- of course it was different when a student (Sonam Palden) or two would catch his trick once in a while. In the middle of the year, our class teacher was changed to Mrs Kesang Yanzom. As in the previous years and in the years to come, I was actively involved in organising the Teachers' Day. After buying foodstuff and paper for decoration, we just had around 15 rupees left. Mr Lefevre that year got a shaving razor and Mrs Yanzom a Boroline cream for their gift. For the first time, we invited the principal, Mr F J Fanthome to our Teachers' Day celebrations in the class. It was also in Class V when I first participated in an Elocution/Debate. Having recited 24 paragraphs of the Hindi poem Jhansi Ki Raani with all enthusiasm and patriotic spirit, I bagged the first prize (despite Animikh sitting in one of the front rows and trying to make me laugh by moving both his hands above his head).

Class VI: collected a lot of specimens (flowers/insects) for our Biology project. Chewang Rinzing (Babala) even managed to get a huge lizard in a bottle. Mr. Fanthome himself taught us General Knowledge. This was one period we couldn't afford to be late. Hondala and Chewangmit used to sit behind me. Spent a good deal of time talking with them and teasing the former with Karma Samten.

Class VII: Mr SD Bhutia taught us Maths and was the class teacher. We had one of the best Teachers' Days ever. Reza joined TNA and soon became a good friend.

Class VIII: Mr Lefevre was back again as our teacher. We performed a Dandia dance for the Teachers' Day celebrations -- tried to make do for the Gujarati dresses with Mrs Roslyn Namgyal's kurtas. Siddhartha joined TNA. During the pre-jubilee celebrations, many Bollywood stars (Rakesh Bedi, Sudha Chandran, Kumar Sanu, Anupama Deshpande, Raju, Farha, Vindoo) performed in our school. Entry to the show was free for few that included us, as we sang The Magic Mountain before the show concluded. The song was to go a long way in reminding us of our TNA years:

All the mem'ries that surround us

Come to life embracing warmth in ev'ry room.

Ev'ry stone, ev'ry step, draws us nearer to the truth

That Tenacius lives on in me and you.

These are the best years of our lives

All the fun we had, all the joy we shared

Happy faces, happy smiles

Do you remember? Yes we remember.

How can we forget the best years of our life.