Our first batch (1954-60) met at Raj Darbar Hotel, Bodhgaya which has just concluded on October 23 and 24,2010. Twenty four of our batchmates came with their spouses with a few exceptions. Besides wives and siblings of Late Devendra Sinha and Late Dharnidhar Srivastava also attended the meet. Shriman Mithilesh Kanti and Mataji Smt.Nirmal Kanti graced the occasion with their presence. The occasion was marked as the passing of 50 years of leaving our alma mater in 1960 which captioned as “SWARNIM SNEH-MILAN”
The idea of this get together was conceived and conceptualized by our batchmate Dr.Vijay Kumar Karan,a paediatric physician settled at Gaya some couple of years back. Since then he has been in contact with all of our batchmates by holding meetings at Delhi/NCR, Ranchi and Patna besides contacting on phones individually. Initially, there was a plan to hold at Netarhat but later the executive committee at Patna decided the venue at Bodhgaya. In spite the all efforts and arrangement made by Dr.Vijay Karan, he could not attend the meet as his wife had to be admitted in Max hospital due to some serious chest/breathing problem.
It was a great time meeting, chatting, eating and sharing experiences post-Netarhat days and also remembering our days at Netarhat during 1954-60. For a couple of days (October 23& 24) we were in the fifties in the age group of 10-16 years, Besides sightseeing of Mahabodhi Temple and other places at Bodhgaya, we also visited places like Vishnupad Mandir and Mangala Gauri, a Shakti Peeth at Gaya. It was also lots of chatting and sharing experiences among wives of our batchmates all the time in lobby, dining hall and rooms. As a matter of fact, we lived in Netarhat for these two days.
In our batch there were 54 persons actually took admission among 60 selected from the whole state of Bihar. 13 persons of our batchmates have gone for heavenly abode to whom we paid our Shradhanjali/tribute to departed souls. We also began our programme with school song ‘VANDE HE SUNDAR MAM SAKHA NETARHAT SADA’ and ended with ‘HAIL HAIL NETARHAT YOU ARE OUR GREAT SCHOOL’. A memento depicting our motto, school building and Mahabodhi temple was given to each of our members by Mataji Smt.Nirmal Kanti. The book ‘Netarhat Days” authored by Trinath Mishra was released on the occasion by a noble Dr Shiprakash based at Gaya.
Shriman Kantiji gave concluding speech and vote of thanks by Dr Chandra Mohan. The whole programme from arrival to departure was monitored and compered by Mr.Ravindra Kumar. He was assisted by young Nobites Vikas and Naveen besides the staff of Dr.Vijay Karan. Our batchmates came all the way from USA, Mumbai, Vizag, Kolkata besides Bihar and Jharkhand.
A souvenir comprising profiles of our batchmates and teachers of our time besides memoirs, articles are also being brought out by three of us Ms.Balram Sharma, Rabindra Kumar and Ram Nath Singh. This will be released on School Day and will be sent to all our batchmates and teachers.
