Childhood and Ida Scudder School
Here we go about my childhood. I was born in a place called Pattukottai in the district of Thanjavur, rice bowl of the Nation. But i grew up in a town called Vellore. Even though i was born in Pattukottai and my parents live in Tiruvallur, i consider Vellore as my home town.We lived in Gandhinagar, a small town 3 kms away from Vellore. It was well planned town and housed mostly ppl from middle income group. It was the home of one institution that would transform my world for ever. That was Ida Scudder School.

IDA SCUDDER SCHOOL :

My tryst with ISS started on a very shaky note. The year was 1985 and the month was september. I was supposed to be in my 6th grade. But as fate would have it none of the institutions in Vellore offered to admit me. The reason my application was late and i don't have an transfer certificate for 6th grade. Well children of government servants would identify themselves with me on this problem. Here i was sitting at home doing nothing when my parents decided to move from Vellore to Gandhinagar. As we were walking along with a family friend we saw ISS. My father mom and me just walked in and enquired about admissions. This was in late september when the school was having their quarterly exams. The principal at that time was Mr.Chacko. It was his last year as principal. He heard our story and decided to admit me on one basis, i have to clear his entrance exam. Well i did clear the entrance exam and the rest is history. Those wonderful years. Teachers who didn' t know what strict means but at the same time enforced discipline. Those infatuations and crushes. I can bet that some of the most beautiful girls i had seen were from ISS. I still long for such looks. The syllabus we followed was ICSE. I had the wonderful opportunity of reading classics like Scrooge, The three Musketeers, David Copperfield, Julius Caesar. I still treasure those books and read them whenever i am in India.

How could i ever forget the NBA type basketball matches between ISS and Shishya. ISS ruled inter-icse competitions like the Bulls did in NBA. The samosa paaty (one samosa cost 25 paise) and the cutlets prepared by the SUPW group during the break time were unforgettable. We used to play a game called Land during the breaktime. It was a very interesting game.. Hope our worthy juniors still keep this tradition. The best teachers i think i would see. My greatest regards go to Mrs.Helen Sudharsanam, my mathematics teacher, who took personal care in educating her students. I benefitted a lot. Other teachers include Emma Koshi, Padmini Prasad, Christopher Thambidurai and others. Our principal at that time was Mr.Brian Caszo. Good buddies from here are Rangarajan, Nagarajan and Reboy Elias Cherian. Even though time might have seperated us, i am sure each one of us would be thinking about what the other person would be doing.
 

Social life in Vellore :
     There was no dearth of entertainment in Vellore. I had lot of friends Rangarajan, Nagarajan, Usman, Reboy Elias Cherian, Balaji, Ashwin and lottttttttttttttttttttttttttt.

Woh Sikandhar hi dosthon kehla lata hain.
Wahan ka hum sikandhar.
Woh galiyan apni woh rasthe apne
Kaun aayega apne aage

We did live such a life. I am very nostalgic about that life. All of us used to cycle about 10 kms one way to a hill top everyday. The hill had good Guava trees we used to enjoy them and be back. Well fate has something more for me in Vellore as i would find 3 yrs later.

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