EXCELSIOR
March 2010
Wynberg-Allen School,Mussoorie
The winding journey through towering hills is barely over when the proud walls of Wynberg-Allen peep
through the forested slopes. As a phoenix rises from its ashes, its eyes sparkling with anticipation at the op-
portunity to live again, the arena of our school comes to life with rejuvenated faces, all ready to fill each
brick and stone with their piquant peccadilloes and jubilant laughter.
This stirring reunion of friends was merely a prologue to a year promising joy and undiscovered adventure.
Attired in coats, mufflers and gloves, we got ready to deal with Mussoorie‟s eccentric weather comprising
brief spells of sunshine and black nimbus heralding turbulence in nature. Amidst the routine school hubbub
were concealed emotions of the I.S.C. batch- a blend of nervousness, perhaps the result of their approaching
examinations, and the excitement of leaving behind a familiar, secure environment and moving across the
threshold to enter a chaotic, competitive world. The days they spent in school will most certainly create
somewhere within the depths of their hearts, a meadow full of the joys of spring- the cheerful childhood
memories that will fetch a smile to their lips in times to come .
The other students about to begin a new school year were like birds ready to gather scattered bits of corn ,
their perked up spirits eager to take up the daunting challenges that this new school year has to offer and to
reach out to new horizons.
As the editorial board, we confess that we have spent sleepless nights pondering over what your reaction will
be as we present to you our very first edition. Every word that fell into place brought forward squeals of
delight that sowed the seeds of an enriching experience. We recall a voyage that began from being in awe of
the brilliant efforts of the last editorial board to eventually embracing the responsibility and acknowledging
the creativity that it calls for.
The Editorial Board
FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY
Mr. Tindale- Breaking new ground!!
Sneaking away during study hour, Mr. Tindale and his accomplices were all
geared up to straighten out a “tattler” on the loose. Stealthily they crept to the
door of this unsuspecting victim and pounced on him. Trapping him in blan-
kets and ropes, they accomplished „Phase 1 of Mission-Kidnapping‟. Unfor-
tunately, their prisoner screamed his head off as they carried him up the steps
of our very own Science Block. They had only intended to leave him there to
burn in guilt and sorrow!!
Mrs. Pundir- Maggi Mania!!
Mrs. Pundir and her friends, like all hostlers, were Maggi
buffs. They would always sneak in delicious food items,
especially Maggi as they loved it the most. All of them
would get together and cook their yummy Maggi and
feast on it in the loo!!
Mr. Mishra-Marriages are made
in heaven!
Mr. Mishra once had a lovely doll „gudda‟
who happened to fall in love with a number
of „gudiyas‟ that belonged to his friend
„Baby‟. So, Mr. Mishra and Baby – the eter-
nal cupids – would actually get the „gudda‟
married to all the poor „gudiyas‟.Now, Baby
had a beautiful blue silk cloth inlaid with
brocade.
This caught Mr. Mishra‟s fancy and he
wanted it with all his heart. He managed,
very cleverly, to ask Baby to give it to him
as dowry, in return for all the „gudiyas‟ his
„gudda‟ had married. As expected, Baby
wouldn‟t hear of it. Left with no choice, Mr.
Mishra quietly stole the cloth and hid it.
What‟s more, when a woebegone Baby
asked him to help her look for it, he actually
agreed and accompanied her in the search.
But through it all, not for a second did Mr.
Mishra let out the secret and Baby only came
to know of the trick that had been played on
her years later.
Mr. Radcliffe- Commend-
able Cartoonist!!
In addition to singing well, Mr. Rad-
cliffe has to his credit the accom-
plishment of being an excellent car-
toonist. He used to encourage his
friends to make hilarious caricatures
of the people around them!!
SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET!
Ms. Mehrotra- Better than the best!!
Ms. Mehrotra had us rolling with laughter as she told us
of her outrageous pranks. Picture ma‟am, trying to keep a
straight face as her teachers walked in to find their desks
full of welcoming spiders and their screams being
drowned by the sound of crackers, cleverly placed under
their chairs, not giving away the identity of those respon-
sible for the prank. Their loving class teacher would have
never guessed what was in store for him when he took
them out for a treat for being their class teacher for three
consecutive years. They in turn rewarded him by flavour-
ing his coffee with a generous amount of chili sauce. Ha-
hahaha!!!!
"If you lose your temper, you‟ve lost the argument."
Mr. Champa- Splashing
All The Way!!
Even during early years of
childhood, Mr. Champa was an
athlete at heart. He would run
out of school, now you would
probably think that he was
watching movies or enjoying at
his favourite hang-outs. But that
was not to be , for our sports
star would have a gala time
splashing about in a nearby
swimming pool!!
Mrs. Mishra- Interest-
ingly ill!!
In spite of being a simple and
sober girl, Mrs. Mishra too
gave in to her mischievous
impulses. Informing the
school that she was suffering
from severe illnesses (all con-
cocted), Mrs. Mishra would
run out to have a jolly good
time of her own!!
Mr. Choudhary- Fun with words!!
When questioned during Russian classes, Mr.
Choudhary tactfully converted “Butter Brat”
which means “butter and bread” in English to
“Kabuter Brat”, causing the audience to laugh
uproariously, much to his teacher‟s exaspera-
tion!!
Mr. Wilson- Helpless or hopeless!!
Of all the seasons it was the monsoon downpour
that Mr. Wilson and his friends looked forward to
the most. They would soak themselves silly in the
rain, splash around in the filthiest puddles and
arrive at school looking like „Mudmen‟ come
alive. “Poor children cycling to school in spite of
the torrential downpour!”said the unsuspecting
teachers. They got the perfect response from
their principal, who promptly sent them home to
get out of their wet clothes. Oops! Correction re-
quired- not „home‟ because Mr. Wilson would
happily run off to his favourite haunts and enjoy
his day off from school.
Mr. McFarland- Day scholars beware!
Mr. McFarland casually told us that he would help
himself to some of the delicious homemade food of
his friends. After all, we must share and care!!
Mr. Kurian- Mission movies!!
Guess what happened when Mr. Kurian, a die-hard
Amitabh Bachchan fan was kept from watching his
latest hit?? He actually stuffed pillows in his bed,
sneaked out of his boarding school and took a bus to
the nearest theatre to fulfil his heart‟s greatest desire.
He always managed to return to his hostel unno-
ticed. The best is yet to come- 20 years later he tells
his warden of his escapades, leaving him com-
pletely astonished!!
Mr. Kailash Singh- Merry Mimicker!!
Mr. Kailash Singh, our very own indisputable
Mathematician was a leading actor in his school
days. With a captivated audience surrounding
him, he would imitate his teachers.
Mr. Teron- Botany Brainstorming!!
A favourite of all, Mr. Teron was his jolly self even
during the days he spent in his Botany lecture hall…
or rather…did not spend in the hall!!! Once atten-
dance was marked, the lecturer would turn towards
the board. That very moment, Mr. Teron and his
friends would walk quietly to the huge windows and
leap out into the arms of freedom!!
Mr. Sharma- Teachers Beware!!
An unfortunate teacher is never going to forget the
roller-coaster ride that Mr. Sharma once took him on,
metaphorically speaking. Handing over some money,
the teacher had asked him to get something from the
market. Now, for some reason, Mr. Sharma really did
not like the responsibility given to him and decided
not to attend school for ten whole days! His panic-
stricken teacher investigated the matter , only to dis-
cover that Mr. Sharma was having a lovely time pur-
chasing tickets to his favourite movies !!
Mr. Bhatt- General Footing!!
While the cricket season was in full swing, Mr.
Bhatt and his friends would often write the let-
ters „G.F.‟ (General Footing) on their board.
Like some secret language, these letters actually
indicated that study time was over. Within mo-
ments, they would all run out of the classroom,
most excited to go and watch the matches taking
place!!
Ms. Edgar- Anything For Papayas!!
Unbelievable as it may sound, Ms Edgar was
once a most daring little girl. She actually
hopped across the boundaries of her strict con-
vent school and tiptoed to a tree full of the most
ripe and juicy papayas. After the most difficult
part of this top secret mission had been success-
fully accomplished, Ms Edgar and her friends
would eat these papayas in their secret headquar-
ters- the laundry room!!
Mr. Chandra Singh- Perfect Prefect!!
Mr. Chandra Singh never missed a single opportunity
to play hooky from school to catch the latest movies.
His teachers, unaware of his jaunts, chose him as a
responsible school prefect! A big mistake! While His
teachers believed him to be monitoring the other stu-
dents, he would happily be treating himself to their
yummy food. He did this so regularly that by the end
of the year he was the „Google Search Engine‟ – ex-
tremely adept at getting to the exact location of all his
favourite dishes!!
Mr. Mani- Food, Fun and Frolic!!.....and yet more Food!!
Mr. Mani‟s favourite pastime was stealing food.However, he was most selective as far as his victims were concerned. He most enjoyed emptying the lunch boxes that belonged to inno-cent girls. Now it so happened that once during a campaign trip, he and his friends were asked to prepare a meal entirely on their own. They obviously had no idea where to begin and were completely trapped. But these genius minds could wriggle out of every difficult situation. So, they jumped over their camp boundaries and hurried over to a nearby restau-rant. Without any guilt whatsoever, they ordered a perfect meal and proudly presented it as their own.
Internationally Acclaimed Chefs!!
„The Hawker‟
The day started on a perfect note. A crisp winter morning - no sign of the dreaded NIF- North Indian Fog. Birds chirping in uni-
son, children being seen off by mothers, daily wage labourers rushing off with lunch boxes in their hands to their sweat shops,
budding cricketers hammering wickets into the hard and parched ground to begin a game of cricket and myself getting ready to
embark on a train journey. Let me trade a little secret with you all- train journeys have always fascinated me since I was a little
child. It is the journey and not the destination which has satisfied and entertained me in all my living years. The flood gates
open and old memories come pouring out whenever I travel by train. This day was no different. I hurriedly threw in my clothes
and belongings in a duffel bag and headed for the railway station. I had to catch a train from Panipat Junction for New Delhi
and then board the Lucknow Mail to the Lucknow .
The familiar sights and „smell‟ of the railway station hit my nostrils as I prepared myself to somehow reach the enquiry counter
which was already crowded with passengers straining to read the indecipherable handwriting of the railway clerk. Miraculously
my connecting train was only two hours away ,which further reinforced my belief that it was indeed a perfect day. After procur-
ing my travelling ticket I proceeded towards Platform Number 2.
A railway platform is a true indicator of the disparities that exist in our country. One can see the difference in front of one‟s
eyes. The elite ilk waiting for a porter who will haul their luggage on a trolley up to the comfort of the air-conditioned coach
and the poor hauling their own load into the second - class compartments -cramped with sweaty, tired and emaciated people.
In our country the poor dream all their lives of getting enough to eat and imitate the rich while the rich spend a lot of money
to look like the poor- I mean lean and thin like the poor. They first put on oodles of weight due to their opulent and sedentary
lifestyle and then spend millions trying to shed that extra weight.
Anyway, my train arrived exactly two hours late-on time and I hurriedly jumped on to the compartment which stopped in front
of me. It was a three -tier sleeper coach. By the grace of God ,I got a seat and after settling down I engaged in a friendly con-
versation with a gentlemen sitting on my right side.
“Oh! I tell you, nowadays train journeys have become such an ordeal. No train runs on time. Each train is 4 to 6 hours late. I
don‟t know what will happen to this country .Only God can save this land.”
Well, I agreed fully with this gentleman , a businessman from Ludhiana ,who was returning from New Delhi after making a
business deal. We Indians are certainly the blue-eyed boys of God because 99% of all train journeys are completed safely with-out any major accident.
Two little children were jumping and climbing, climbing and jumping from an upper birth below- oblivious of their antics two
ladies sitting on the lower berth were animatedly discussing a plot of some popular TV serial. Suddenly, the younger boy fell
with a loud thud on the floor. This put an end to their conversation. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a gentleman jumped down from
the berth above my head and began to console the bawling child. After the commotion died down ,this gentleman realized that
I was on his seat and ordered me ,rather rudely, to sit somewhere else .A gangly dishevelled young man seated on the oppo-
site berth offered a place to me. I thanked him for his generosity and made some polite conversation with him which I don‟t
remember now , but I distinctly remember the conversation he had with his mother over the cell phone.
The balance in his phone was running low and he pleaded with his mother to get it recharged but to no avail. Mother had no
time to get this task done as she was hosting some party.
-I guess maybe a “kitty party”!! Anyway, no prizes for guessing that I was enjoying my journey thoroughly.
The train stopped with a screeching halt.
Continued on page 9.
IN CONVERSATION WITH MISS SEN
When did you join W.A.S? What were you doing for the first seven years in Mussoorie?
I joined W.A.S in 2003. Before that, I was working at Mussoorie International School – right across on the other end of
Mussoorie.
Ma’am, I am sure you have heard all of us say that you have betrayed us and ‘ditched’ us ever since we came to know of
your leaving. So, how are you taking this accusation? Well, there is a twinge of guilt every time I hear that. Sadly, at times, these decisions need to be taken in spite of the heart-
ache they might cause. “For everything there is a season...” as they say. That‟s life.
Have the children in the other school also heard your ghost stories that were meant for us?
Ghost stories are custom-made. In any case, most of the stories I told you‟ll were from Bengali storybooks which these chil-
dren have already read. So, perhaps, one day, I will tell them about the wild-haired spectre that the girls in Wynberg insist
makes her appearance every Diwali night.
So, you have always caught us talking in Hindi but you love Bengali. Do you stop students from talking in Bengali there?
Of course! Old habits die hard! And these students have already mastered the fine art of switching into English – even mid-
sentence – when they see me approaching.
What would you miss most about Wynberg-Allen? Could you narrate some of your most memorable moments during
your seven years in Wynberg-Allen?
The 30th of June, 2006 has left an indelible mark for more reasons than one. That was the day we were bidding farewell to
Mr. and Mrs. Phillips. I was the M.O.D on that day. And then, I think many yet remember what happened later on in the day.
If you ask me about moments, there are too many to list – our morning assemblies – the waylaying of students for the „compo‟ register – stealing moments to practise for a debate or a class assembly – waiting at Big Bend for buses to take us
away on all those exciting excursions – singing Easter hymns in the golden glow of a rising sun – practising late into the
night for a play in the darkened Sir Kirby Laing Auditorium – the frantic hunt for the elusive piece for Elocution – the strains
of the hymn „Abide With Me‟ echoing in the mountains – the Christmas carols sung together as the year draws to an end –
these are just a miniscule fraction all those times that I will always remember. Like the infinite number of patterns in a kalei-
doscope, these memories are too myriad to describe.
How would you say you have grown personally and professionally during your seven years in Wynberg-Allen and four-
teen years in Mussoorie?
Mussoorie is where I began my first job – and my teaching career. There was a time when the thought of having to teach
senior students who towered above me even when they were seated filled me with an indescribable dread. I miss the dais in
our old classroom that put this apprehension in proper perspective. As far as personal growth is concerned – fourteen years is
a long time. One meets people who impact one‟s life in ways that one hasn‟t foreseen. There are situations that open up new
dimensions of experience. At the end of the day, it is difficult to plot one‟s personal growth on a graph, isn‟t it?
In W.A.S, you were so involved with the lives of students. You were with the children the whole day. In Kolkata, the inter-
action does not stretch beyond the classroom routine. Do you find this different? Working in a day school is very different from working in a residential school. I do miss spending time with the children
beyond the normal classroom routine – but, truthfully, there are many opportunities to do so should I wish to.
In spite of this, do the students connect with you on an equally one on one basis as we do?
In spite of differences in background and environment, children everywhere are basically the same. Similar things will excite
and enthuse them or hurt and upset them. If only one is able to place a finger on that pulse – the rest falls in place.
And do you promise to always remember each one of us when you leave?
That goes without promising!!
ARTICLES TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE NEXT ISSUE.
INTERVIEWS OF THE NEW TEACHERS.
CLASS 7‟S VIEWS ABOUT THE SENIOR SCHOOL.
ANOTHER CARTOON STRIP OF NISTHA‟S PHERBIE
AND LOUX AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
Flight of the Robin The sun opened its eyes,
And benignly smiled upon the earth.
Its pleasant warmth touched infinite lives,
Flowers blossomed and life burst forth.
A little robin sat in her nest,
Her tiny heart joyously beating against her chest. She wanted to soar high in the sky,
But her loving mother told her it was too early to fly.
“I am old enough and I can fly!” protested the bird si-
lently,
She perched morose on the highest branch of the tree. A tiny voice said, „Come on , little one , You‟ve got to give
it a shot.”
She jumped off the branch and gave it all she had got.
The Robin fluttered her wings
frantically.
Disappointed! She thought she would die instead of being free.
The bird hit the ground,and everything went blank.
She thought of her mother-then in darkness sank.
But then a miracle happened and she opened her eyes
again, She was in her cosy nest ,but her body was in pain.
She faced her mother with head bowed and face red,
But the mother put a kindly hand on her baby‟s head.
„There is a time for everything, my dear,” she chirped,
Hugging the little one to her heart, as the former had
hoped. Finally, the day came when the Robin did fly,
She unfurled her glorious wings and soared in the sky!
Ayushi Mishra
GOODBYE I.S.C !
What I am feeling right now does qualify as pain,
Though it is too muddled for me to explain. This heart of mine is too little,
For such great emotions to be contained.
Though it is a wonderful thing,
To be back here once again.
Something heavy is burdening my heart,
And happiness I can‟t seem to feign.
Deep within I am aware,
Of all that I am going to miss. But the bond that had strengthened over the
years
Will provide an eternity of bliss.
People leaving are not just friends,
Siblings would be a better word. Sharing secrets, and current trends,
Powerful memories these words have stirred.
With their wings spread , they are ready to fly,
All set for a different way of life.
Go ahead and face the world,my friends,
Life „s journey continues, but never ends.
Ankita Ranjan
10 B
The final countdown has begun for the ISC 2010 batch - only few days left for them to leave school. They were asked to share their thoughts and feelings with us, and some of them responded immediately in spite of their busy study schedule. Here are some of the responses to the questions asked to them.
PRACHI
I will really miss
the meals at
Wynberg and the
Class 1 and 2
corridor.
My Alma Mater
has given me the
confidence re-
quired to voice
my opinion.
I can never forget
the Class 10 ex-
cursion to Jaipur
and the overnight
outing to Brent-wood.
Don‟t shy away
from opportuni-
ties and responsi-
bilities.
PRERNA
KHULLAR
I will really
miss my
friends and the
childhood
memories that I leave behind.
My favourite
haunt was the
box room and
the roof (?).
My Alma Ma-
ter has given
me the strength
to face any
kind of chal-lenge and diffi-
culty in life.
I cannot forget
the strike when
the teachers
cooked for us.
MANSI
I will miss
Mr. Cash-
more‟s
food and
SUPER GREAT
PALS and
the winter
line!
My Alma
Mater has
taught me
to be inde-
pendent .
Unforget-
table mo-
ments.
Midnight
birthday parties,
„Yo Fidah
Jokes‟ and
Mc B vis-
its.
ISHA
I will miss
Mr. Cash-
more‟s
food.
My Alma
Mater has
taught me to
be tolerant .
I will miss
„Midnight
Birthday
Parties‟,
„Yo Fidah Jokes‟ and
hikes.
ANISHA
I will really miss Mr.
Cashmore‟s food
(drool!) and sleeping
in the chapel area and
asking a friend to wake me up in five
minutes but... never
being woken up.
My Alma Mater has
taught me the value of
companionship.
My unforgettable mo-
ments.
When I joined in
Class 1 I thought that
the monkeys were pets owned by the
school.
Running out wearing
one slipper when an
earthquake shook
Mussoorie in the early
hours of the morning.
Watching the movie
„Gandhi‟.
Class I assembly.
Make the most of life
in school and make us
proud.
YASHAA
I will miss
the
yummy...y
ummy
food and fun with
friends.
My fa-
vourite
haunt was
my cosy
bed.
Anchali
I will
miss the
food at
Wyn-
berg and my
friends.
My fa-
vourite
haunts
were the
chapel area and
the cafe-
teria.
Hold on
to the
good
things in
life while
they last,
for you
never
know
how
long
they will
last.
YASH
I will miss
teachers scold-
ing me , the
Headmaster‟s
and Principal‟s office.
My school has
taught me disci-
pline and how to
tie my laces.
Everything
about my school
is the best.
Morning runs
were good but
some times I did
not feel like
getting up.
Enjoy your
years in school
because after
you leave you
will miss them.
GURJEET
I will miss the audi-torium and games.
My Alma Mater has taught me innumer-able and invaluable lessons. Also, it has
made me proficient in handling all elec-tronic items.
You can keep com-plaining about what the school hasn‟t given you or not
taught you, but re-member what you are is because of the school.
Morning runs were
good.
PETER
I will miss
games, teach-
ers scolding
me and time
spent with friends...also
the Headmas-
ter‟s office.
My favourite
haunt was the
dormitory and
the balcony.
My school has
taught me
discipline, to
never give up
trying and to brush my
teeth in the
morning.
Don‟t trouble
the staff too
much!
Morning runs
were annoying
and good at
the same time.
SIDDHARTH
My favourite haunts
were the gym and the
dormitory.
My school has taught
me to be independ-
ent.
PUNTSOK
I will miss cross
country and
football prac-
tices , the swim-
ming pool and the music equip-
ment.
My favourite
haunt is the
room behind the
Science Block
(though I have-n‟t been there
much).
My most unfor-
gettable experi-
ence includes
each minute of
the last four years I spent
here.
Message to
other students.
Do not sleep
during class or
assemblies.
FAIZAN
My school has taught me the
value of discipline and to re-
spect others.
Have fun and respect your
teachers.
GAUTAM
My favourite
haunt on campus
was the lounge.
AMRINDER
I will miss the Junior School baker.
My favourite haunt was my classroom
( after tea).
My school has taught me to be independ-
ent.
My favourite activity in class was sitting
and listening attentively to the teacher.
Boys, turn up for the morning and evening
runs because they will help you a lot.I
wish I could attend more of them.
HIMANSHU
I will miss the wonderful
people of the school .
My favourite haunt was my
bed.
Morning runs were good.
Siddhart Marwaha
“Saar saar pakdo, mera chips lekar bhag gaya!!!”
Johnny
Fitness Quack! Can destroy lives with his advice related to
weigh training!! Johnny is Injurious to health! Gill
Sly boy! Plays an active role in inciting Dhanraj!!! Sunny
Deol of ISC… STAR OF GADAR 2!!!
Phuntsok
Silencer!
Yadav
(Poli‟s comment for Yadav.)
Chota sa hai aur din bhar logon ko marne ki baat karta hai!
Favourite line –Mein „smart‟ hoon na??
Himanshu Singh (Poli)
Mal-nutritioned barbarian from budbuda! Enjoys hot water.
Vishesh Pathak(a.k.a HP)
He‟s really happy that his school is between Saharanpur and
Sister‟s Bazaar.
Hamza
„Mussoorie ki slope pe endaavor (Endeavour)lana mushkil
hai!‟
jawad
Lazy camel-wants everything on his bed!!
Lama
Hydrogen bomb that is dropped everyday in the ISC and
ICSE dorms. Mosst important thing for him….KHANA!!!
Anisha
The Dimple Goddess! Cute and sweet. Correct
description of SUPERWOMAN…swimming… basketball…table tennis…multi-tasking…huh…
all in one!!
Isha
You‟ll catwalk all the way from Punjab to Haali-
wood!!
Insha(a.k.a Kashmir Beauty/Exercise Freak) “ After lunch walk awhile ,after dinner walk a
mile.”
Fidah
You‟re winning the marathon all the way to
laughter challenge .Even Mr.Bean will roll
over with laughter after an encounter with
you.
Yashaa
“Girls ya, please switch off the lights!”
Prerna
(a.k.a LITTLE MISS MUFFET)
Mansi- Minsiee! You’ll beat Sajid Khan at mimicking people.
Anchali
Strawberry Shortcake Girliee!!
“Mirror Mirror on the Wall”
It‟ll break if you don‟t stop….”
We count it one of the sweetest privileges of our lives to have known and conversed with the students of ISC 2010. Their smiles and words
have sunbeams in them, so that interaction with them has always warmed our hearts.Here are some thoughts and one-liners gathered through years of our comradeship.
“See! I told you. The Indian Railways is not going anywhere. The train hardly moves a few kilometres and is stopped soon af-
ter. At this rate we will reach Delhi in four hours,” complained the businessman. Thankfully, the train started off again with a
jolt and now my attention was caught by the piercing voice of a man- it was a hawker selling assorted wares. He was a middle -
aged man with a stubble , wearing a simple kurta pyjama. He was carrying certain items which were quite unique: a book which taught you to speak in English in 2 months, Rubik‟s cube, digestive „Churan‟, chains for securing luggage, locks, toy cell
phones, combs of myriad shapes and colours, mobile phone covers, potato chips and what not. All of a sudden a loud cry rang
out in the compartment ,“Hey you! Can‟t you see? You better watch your step . Are you blind?” Well, the hawker had stepped
upon the foot of a fellow passenger. Yes, the same gentleman who had asked me to vacate his seat. Divine justice! “Arre, I tell
you these hawkers are real thieves. They divert your attention by such tactics while their assistants take away your belongings.”
The rich businessman judiciously added. “These rascals should not be allowed to board trains. What is the RPF doing?” ex-
claimed another man. “I am so sorry Saheb, but I am no thief ,” said the hawker and shuffled off. We caught his last sentence as
he neared the door . “What can I possibly steal , I have been blind since I was a baby!” There was a stunned silence in the com-
partment. Slowly the hawker made his way through the crowd.
Unwittingly, he had driven home a very hard-hitting message . This man was an epitome of self- reliance, honour and
pride. Instead of taking the easy route out , he had chosen the more difficult option. He was one of the teeming millions who
make India a force to reckon with across the globe, who make the country what it is –a fast developing ,fearless ,modern nation. A nation of winners!
[P.S Who says being Headmaster of a school has no benefits? I want to thank Navneet Singh and Brijjit Bhadoo for their pa-
tience and hard work while typing out this „short‟ but this true story.]
Mr.P.Radcliffe
A B Y C D N E F G H S
I B R J K O L M N T Y
O L R P Q M R P R S R
T U E V U E E A W F R
O E B L X L W P M I E
C B P Y P B Z A S G H
I E S P E A R Y N U C
R R A R S A G A O A P
P R R K H V R N L V Q
A Y J N D O A A E A R
L N B S E C P N M I T
J I W I K A E A E W V
M A C N G D S B A K W
B E R H A O R N P I Y
R Y L O I O K H R C Z
Clues for you!!
1. A fruit rhyming with wig.
2. A fruit that gets its name from a colour.
3. A fruit shaped like an elongated melon, with edible orange flesh and small black seeds.
4. Yellow citrus fruit with a lot of sour juice.
5. Round fruit with a shiny red or green skin.
6. Small Chinese fruit, very popular in Dehradun.
7. Fruit – narrow at the top and wide at the bottom.
8. Soft, round fruit with a purple or red skin.
9. Famous fruit of New – Zealand which shares its name
with a bird.
10. A fruit rhyming with lemon.
11. Three kinds of berries in the puzzle – find them all.
12. A fruit which has the word „cot‟ in the end.
13. A fruit which grows on bunches of a climbing plant. 14. A fruit which can also be a little girl‟s name.
15. A tropical fruit mostly eaten before a meal.
16. A fruit which is added to a pancake to make it deli-
cious.
Mehkash Lalwani
12 C
FRUIT PUZZLE
Jokes
Teacher: David, what is the outermost part of a tree
called? David: I don‟t know, Sir.
Teacher: Bark, David, Bark!
David: Bow! Wow!
A man was found continuously staring at his mar-
riage certificate, much to the irritation of his wife. She wanted to know what he was doing. On being
asked, the man replied, “I was just searching for the
expiry date.”
Teacher: What is the chemical formula for water?
Pupil : H I J K L M N O
Teacher: Have you gone mad? Pupil : Sir, yesterday you told us that the chemical
formula for water is H to O!
It's always darkest before the dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's
newspaper, that's the time to do it. ~Author Unknown
Dear Readers,
This is the first edition of the Excelsior for
the year 2010.We hope to publish many
more and request you to be generous con-
tributors. Our tussle with the „Publisher‟
has borne fruit (although we are still trying
to master some of its applications).
Students and teachers , please hand in your
articles– poems, stories, puzzles , pictures,
cartoons, sketches, accounts of adventures
undertaken over the holidays etc. to Class
12 students.
Thank You.