Let me start this blog by wishing all of you a very Happy Puja.
I had not visited this page for quite some time now. Neither have I posted any reflections also for quite some time. But as one of the founding members of the alumni association and as the current secretary, I thought it was time that I went on record with an attempt to provide a semblance of sense to the aspirations zipping across the electronic space and the dejection at the Baranagar addas.
The positives first: We must realize that this association started with the school calling its alumni in to celebrate its 50 years. And on that fateful day a few from across the batches came together and decided to form this association. Since that day to the present we do not even have a permanent office. (With Gopeswar da offering a room, this problem may just become a part of history though). So the meetings were held at Surojit da’s office at the ESI Hospital, with Debansu and I brainstorming and setting tasks over mails and Debansu, Binoy and Pradip with Dibakar delivering the goods at the ground level. And Indranil Sen providing his academic inputs and holding us together with his strict stance over issues. Subsequently, with Surojit da’s transfer, Binoy’s house has catered to our needs.
Folks, we must understand that if the alma mater shows constant reluctance to accept its alumni, it becomes difficult for the association to generate a source for its sustenance. In no enlightened institution would one find such an attitude. E.g. St Xavier’s, South Point, IITs, IIms. You name it and they have it.
Unfortunately, however, the same cannot be said about our alma mater. It is a shame. But then if the institution concerned refuses to leverage the skill of its alumni to move forward, it cannot be helped.
But irrespective of the constraint we have moved on. Gathering funds to honour our past teachers, and current successes. A reunion every year and finding new glories from the alumni and to bring them into our network has been our sustenance. But it has not been easy.
But what next? That is a point that bothers me. It is not good for any organisation/association to depend on one single source for a specific activity. It infuses boredom. It forces a recurrence of of same ideas. But as of now, there seems to be no one willing to take up the cudgel of carrying the activities forward.
As for Amit’s appreciation of Debansu’s effort I have an agreement and a disagreement. Folks, for any organisation raising funds is a major issue. Though there are people in the association itself whose generosity would definitely see us through these tough times, we have yet to get any positive response from them.
Amit and rest of the folks should know that barring a few there has not been any substantive response to funds regeneration. So much for the philanthropy.
However, reading this least one gets a negative impression I must hasten to add that I am writing this to give you an idea about the ground level constraints that we work with.
An association of this nature can only survive and prosper, if all of us put our efforts in. Everywhere else, there are people to push others into action. But there has to be actions. There are unfinished agenda. Like funding a few students, standing by our gurus in their times of need. These agenda have to be operationalised by institutionalising them. It is a big ask because there are a few willing souls. It would have been nothing had the soul been willing. But let us not despair. I am sure we would succeed through dispassionate introspection and incremental growth as we have witnessed since the birth of this association. A faster growth would have pleased us all. And that really is the issue.
Regards.
Suparna Pathak
