Q. Did you have a creative instinct in school or was it realized later?
There’s something truly powerful about our “Never Give In” motto. I have held it close to my heart ever since Sanawar, and used it like a mantra through some of the most testing periods in my life. I have been a real adventurer through life, taking on challenges, multi tasking various roles, and jumping at any opportunity that enables me to learn, grow, be better or simply add an exciting dimension to my journey on planet earth.
At the age of 18 I was all set for Wall Street. A burning ambition post signing the Book of Honour multiple times in School, being part of the debating, swimming, hockey and basketball team made me feel invincible and convinced I was to be part of a world that constituted the movers and shakers.
Little did I know that through twists and turns and quirks of fate I would end up in the world of showbiz and thank the Universe with great indebtedness for it in the years to come.
Films, modelling, brand ambassadorships, dance shows, hosting TV programs and writing columns etc have added wonderful dimensions to my life, but nothing has been as challenging as reality shows. They have tested me mentally, physically, emotionally and given me a new understanding of my own strengths and evaluation of my weaknesses. Be it a Khatron ke khiladi where guts, agility, spirit, resolve and courage to face my phobias and fears were tested through bungee jumps, snake pits, scorpion bites, flipping cars at high speed, jumping from helicopters into freezing lakes, being buried in a coffin and many other heart stopping moments or dance shows such a Nach Baliye 3 and Jhalak Dikhlaja where I developed grooving skills I was clearly lacking in, or emotionally challenging ones like Maa Exchange which was a tough challenge in directly influencing and shaping the life of another family. It was exciting to live someone else’s life for a period of time and though it was wonderful to be able to change someone’s life for the better, it made me incredibly grateful for the world I have created for myself and the life I live. I have learnt so much from these shows about myself and the quote, “ A woman is like a tea bag, to test her strength, put her in hot water” made me at many times feel I was the strongest Assam brew!!!
Bigg Boss season 5 was my latest tryst with reality TV. A bunch of people with contrasting personalities locked up in a contained environment where every possible ploy is used to bring out various facets of each celebrity. There were days we were deprived of sleep, coffee and carbohydrates to see what emerged in us whilst possibly exhausted, depleted, running on reserves and irritable. In direct contrast there were days we were given masses of chocolate cake, caffeine and music and dance tasks to liven our moods and make us bloom.
Some contestants succumbed routinely to moodiness, irritability, gossip, anger, lethargy and bouts of volatile behaviour especially when the insecurity of being nominated overtook them. Others, handled themselves with great dignity, smiled through storms, were gentle, kind, firm and fair despite circumstances.
While these are all generalisations, I must say it was quite trippy being locked up in a home for 2 months with many curious characters. There was a Pooja Misrra who was convinced she was a victim of spyware and black magic, had mood swings that made us dizzy but she was so incredibly entertaining you didn’t really mind the bizarre sometimes infuriating twists that came with her. There were some that were ‘you see what you get’ like Laxmi Tripathi the eunuch who mesmerised us all with her colourful flamboyance and won our hearts with her open attitudes and humanitarian endeavours. Then there was aggressive brat Siddharth Bharadwaj an MTV vj who was convinced he was a youth icon and kept stressing on youth and his being young whilst being utterly disrespectful to all those that had crossed mid thirty. Perhaps he forgot that neither is youth a virtue nor old age an abuse, and that he too would be old one day. There were clusters of people who reeked of pessimism and negativity like Mahek and some like raageshwari that radiated with happiness and love.
What was most challenging to me wasn’t the daily chores of washing dishes, cleaning toilets, cooking, sweeping, or smiling through ridiculous tasks such as being made to act like a 5 year old kid for a week bib, bottle, diaper et al. What was truly difficult was being dignified in situations when every impulse is to yell back at someone who is insulting you, or throw the person who is abusing you with choicest filthiest abuses into the insect infested swimming pool. I learnt a lot in Bigg Boss especially the importance of staying calm, firm, happy and humorous even in the tersest situations. Reality shows like Bigg Boss illustrate your strengths and weaknesses and are an incredible learning curve in human dynamics, people handling and give you an honest assessment of your own character. I’m not referring to the edited 1 hour version taken from 24 hours, where it is possible to vilify or glorify someone, but the reality you are exposed to every hour of those 24 hours and how you have conducted yourself through each day and the true colours you see of everyone around you.
My greatest take home from Bigg Boss was the reality that deep, solid and true friendships can be made on a show where everyone is out to outsmart, outdo, and elbow out the competition. Raageshwari, Juhi Parmar, Sunny Leone and Sky are people that I know I will be great friends with for a lifetime. We loved each other for being the people we are and believed that to have a friend you have to be a friend. We stuck by each other in the home and the friendship continues unabated post the show too.
I’m just back from a 10 day holiday in Dubai with Juhi and Sky. In an industry where the adage “the show must go on” is one to live by, we firmly believe that,”the show is over, but the cherished bonds we developed must live on”. Much like my years in Sanawar J. School is long over, but the friendships I developed in school still live on rock solid and have stood the test of time and distance.
Wish the same for all of you.
Cheers and warmth.
Lt Gen Rajinder Singh(OS68) has been awarded the Param Vishisht Sena Medal on 26 Jan 2012. He is already the recipient of Uttam Yudh Sena Medal(UYSM) and Sena Medal (SM). Currently posted at the Army Headquarter Delhi as Master General of Ordinance.
Gen Rajinder Singh was the chief guest at Sanawar in December 2011 for the unveiling of statue of 2nd Lt Arun Khetrapal at Peacestead. Photos on homepage.
Heartiest Congratulations from the OS Fraternity!
Monty Khanna(OS79) has been promoted from Commodore to Rear Admiral. He recently returned from Washington USA ,where he was a Naval Attache and now posted at Naval Headquarters in Delhi. He was awarded the sword of honor of his naval batch commissioned in December 1982.
Ajeet Bajaj(OS83) has been selected for the Padma Shri for adventure sports. He is the first Indian to have completed the polar trilogy by skiing to North Pole, South Pole and across Greenland. In May 2011 he and his 17 year old daughter Deeya became the first Indians to ski across Greenland ice cap.
Heartiest Congratulations by the OS Fraternity!
OS Newsmaker - Shiva Keshavan(OS99) won the Asia Cup Luge competition gold medal in Nagano Japan in Dec 2011. He set a speed record of 131.9 kph. In the process he relegated the defending champion Takahisa Oguchi of Japan to second position and became the first non Japananese to win the title. Heartiest Congratulations from the OS Fraternity!
In order to view the clippings of unveiling of statue of Late 2nd Lt Arun Khetrapal please click on the link:
http://www.sanawar.edu.in/Unveiling.html
‘Sir, I kept my promise’
by Praveen Vasisht
During our last annual ‘Founders’ in October at Sanawar, we put up a play, “Remembering the Legends”, on the life and sacrifices of our freedom fighters, in particular Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukhdev. It was well received by parents and old students which encouraged us to stage it at Delhi and Chandigarh during the winter vacations.
The risk was that all the cast of more than 100 children and many staff members would have to return to school right in the middle of their vacation for almost five days to rehearse, as it would be a good three months after they had staged it early in October. Not only did this mean sacrificing a bit of their holidays but, more so, to come in the middle of a severe winter, at a time when it normally snows and the winds are chilly. Anyway, we floated this idea with the children first, then took their parents into confidence. The response was encouraging and thus we took it up as a challenge. All I told these children was that our country at this time needed to know once again about the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters. Most of all, I got encouragement from a small Sardar boy, a member of the cast who shouted on top of his voice while I was addressing them saying, ‘Sir, Bhagat Singh maange kurbaani’.
Before our school closed for winter vacations I spoke to one senior boy to see that most of the cast comes to school on time to practice during the holidays, and certainly the lead players. He said they would. He is a quiet, unassuming boy, but one who always ‘stood out’ to me as different and with substance. Not even in the seniormost class whom we had kept out due to their board exams in March.
It had been raining for many days before the children had to return to school for rehearsals, and I was worried and wondering how many would turn up. With us already having spent money on booking the ‘auditorium’ in Delhi for two days, and a guest house for such a large contingent of children and staff to stay in Delhi for three nights, disaster was staring me in the face, and I was silently steeling myself to answer difficult questions from my board. We had spent a considerable amount also on printing invitation cards, passes, posters, transport bookings, etc. More than all this, it was our honour at stake now. Would the shows have to be cancelled at the last moment? This was the question really haunting me.
Lo and behold, when the day arrived, except for a few children, all my cast came on time, and, yes, even while it was raining and very cold. They all looked very happy and excited, and when I inquired about their ‘morale’, the same Sardar boy said ‘Bhagat Singh maange kurbaani’. I am happy the shows at Delhi and Chandigarh were appreciated, and that these children remained true to our school motto, ‘Never Give In’. The boy I spoke to before the school closed for vacation walked up to me in the end in an assured manner and softly whispered, ‘Sir, I kept my promise’.
Heartiest congratulations to Lt. Gen. Rajinder Singh (N)' 68 and Ajeet Bajaj (S)' 83 who have been awarded the PVSM (Param Vashisht Seva Medal) and Padma Shri (for excellence in sports and adventure), respectively on this Republic Day. Way to go S'na! When I spoke to them, almost instantly they ascribed it to their education at S'na.
Recently we successfully staged " Remember the Legends, at Delhi and Chandigarh, a play based on the sacrifices of our freedom fighters, Shaheed Bhagat Singh in particular, which was well received by the audience. Let's continue working together to take S'na to greater heights.
Never Give In.
Praveen Vasisht (PEEKS) Batch of ' 76
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For those of you who missed the play... It was a great effort by the school... the direction and choreography were brilliant.. 3 D effect using video, on stage and troops walking in through the audience.. showcased the freedom movement and the emotion behind why our freedom fighters sacrificed their lives... Jalianwalan Bagh !!
Bhagat Singh's role was very powerful and enacted with immense passion, with Sukhdev and Rajguru smiling till they were hanged... Azad with gang... and his moustache... justifying ..communism... the poor girl that Bhagat Singh did not marry... despite his Bebe's wishes...
Gandhi and all the little BIG Serdy's (preppies) in their pugs and beards... very cute and of course the Sna girls as usual were HOT in the bhangra.. item numbers...
The freedom fighters must be turning in their graves... they did not sacrifice their lives for the kind of India that we have today.. completely corrupt..scams after scams...
Was great to have The Chief of the Army Staff take out the time and encourage the kids ! Vikas Kohli(OS87)
Headmaster, The Lawrence School, Sanawar
Dear Sir,
Congratulations to you and the School for having put up a brilliant play at Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh. It was great to be able to meet yourself and the other teachers at Chandigarh. When I heard that "Remember the Legends" was going to be staged at Delhi and Chandigarh, I resolved to make it to either of the performances. Being a dramatics person myself, it was personally very reassuring to see the cognizance being given to Performing Arts in the school. I am glad that I was able to witness the magnificent act put up by the students and the staff of the school. It was only befitting to find the school engrossed in the Patriotic fervor on the 63rd Republic Day! The play did definitely strike a chord with most of us in the audience. I also am a believer of your view that 'Sanawar is heading the correct way'. Hope to see more of such performances in the future.
With Regards,
Surya Dev Aggarwal OS, Batch of 2008 (Vindhya House) Core Committee, AIB Youth Connect (A.Y.C.) Head - Manthan, Dramatics Club of AIB
The Sanawar kids put up a play on Bhagat Singh on the 21st & 22nd at NCPA in Delhi and on the 26th at Tagore Theater in Chandigarh.
Around 80 children had gone back to Sna during the holidays braving the extreme cold to practise before putting up these performances.
It was a truly memorable performance with video clips and a couple of Bhagras
intertwined. Congratulations to the children who performed so well, to the staff and and the Director Mr Shasta and school administration for putting up this wonderful show and a successful tour.
Panita Virmani
OS-86
Mrinalini Watson (Dimple Dhadha OS76)
mrinaliniw60@gmail.com
Tel- 1818 831 9951.
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