There was a meeting of the Campus Development Committee (CDC) earlier this week which I attended by video-conference (trying to reduce my carbon footprint and time out of school as much as possible). This was the last meeting with Sumanjit Chaudhry (‘63) in the Chair; Arun Khanna (‘73) has now taken over that responsibility. What has been achieved over the last four years by the CDC is a remarkable list of work by any standard: The renovation of Jaipur House, the restoration of the main buildings and renovation of its classrooms and work spaces, the creation of the new masters’ housing and renovation of the old MCR and Chestnuts houses, the creation of the new chemistry labs, the refurbishment of K House Villa and the refurbishment of the bedrooms and common areas in H and K Houses that will be completed with the final phase of the top floor this winter. These were the very visible projects that the CDC undertook to support the work and the lives of the boys and the staff in school, but in all there were 37 projects including some of the more invisible, though no less essential, things like plinth protection for every building that has been worked on, drainage, rain-water harvesting and recharge pits around the campus, water-proofing all of the sub-ground level spaces in school, installing fire fighting systems into every building and providing spaces to sit and be around the campus for everyone. Each of these projects has been led by a member of the CDC who, like all of our board members too, takes on the responsibility and gives their time and their expertise on an entirely voluntary basis. Thank you to each of the projects leads and to Sumanjit for all of his work.

The results from the International Mathematics IGCSE also came in this week. There are a few subjects that our students study which are currently assessed in the May examination session rather than March (this will change from 2021). Of the 57 students who took the examination, 65% were awarded A*- A, 89% A*- B and 100% A*- C. These are excellent results for the boys and for the masters who helped them along the way; they worked hard for this. I think the results also reflect the seriousness with which the boys take the subject and took the process of preparing and exam taking. In introducing the Cambridge Assessments, we have ushered an approach that requires understanding to be developed and practised over time and the careful reading of questions that require a process led response rather than just an answer; a cultural shift that is gradually taking hold.
 
Independence Day started with some internal service in the houses to tidy up some of the more neglected corners. I joined Martyn and Tata Houses during their work and got to put to the test David Orr’s hypothesis, in Earth in Mind, that our children recognise 50+ brand logos, but will not recognise 5 plants by their flowers or leaves; in Tata house the SC Formers I was tidying the quad with were able to recognise only two. After baths and breakfast we assembled in front of the main building for the unfurling of the flag and to sing the national anthem. We were joined by Ambassador (Retd.) Nirupama Rao, former Ambassador to China and the US as well as former Foreign Secretary. She read from Tagore’s hand written copy of The Morning Song of India and talked to us about the human aspect of patriotism that comes from working to ensure that the justice, liberty, equality and fraternity enshrined in the constitution are being delivered; fraternity particularly that comes from us knowing and understanding one another. After being interviewed by the Weekly and being asked about just this sort of work in the wake of last week’s removal of Article 370, we learned about some of the work that she has been doing with the South Asian Symphony Foundation which brings youth and musicians from the region together to build just that fraternity she was talking about.
 

I will take this opportunity to remind the community that Night outs begin at 6:00 p.m. and boys will only be permitted to leave after that time, once the school day's commitments are met. This means that the outing that falls over Diwali this year will run from Saturday, October 26 from 6:00 p.m. till 9:00 p.m. on Monday, October, 28. Thank you for recognising the school’s calendar and planning.