St Xavier's alumni recall golden moments at reunion

The Sesquicentennial Jubilee Celebrations of St. Xavier's High School for boys on Saturday was an evening to remember for its alumni. The school alumni includes an illustrious list: retired IPS officer Julio Ribeiro of 1944 batch, Deepak Parekh, chairman of Housing Development Finance Corporation from 1961 batch, Dr. Ketki Turel a neurosurgeon in Bombay hospital from 1962 batch, Dr. Milind Kirtane an ENT/Otorhinolaryngologist from 1963 batch, Ashok Chavan former Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 1975 batch and Harindra Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of Percept limited from 1975 batch.

The dignitaries were welcomed by Principal Jennifer Dias, and Fr. Francis Swamy, Rector of the school. Julio Rebeiro said, "I was not a good student but my father was a good student of the school. I got Padma Bhushan during my police service which is rarely given to policemen. I think the school was responsible for this as my father expired when I was just eight years old. The school thought me proper values, the value of respecting other human beings, being kind to others, being helpful to others, values of truth and honesty, justice which is extremely important major of success in the police."

Another alumnus, Deepak Parekh said, "You can leave the school, but the school never leaves you. It is 53 years since I left school, but when the principal requested me to come, I said I will leave everything and come. It has offered me the enjoyment, fun, discipline and the learnings keeping you in good steps. I was a bit disappointed that for 17 years between Julio and me you could not find another Xavierite. There were so many Xavierites and I would have been happy to provide them. Because Adi Godrej is not here otherwise Adi would have been here. "