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The rigorous physical exercises in the mornings and evenings have made me tough to withstand the physical strain I have to go through in everyday life. As far as I know, there is no other school that can offer the kind of education that is imparted at St. Jude’s. When I left school and moved to my college, I remembered my teachers and my school with gratitude because the experience I had gained at school helped me to excel in college. I remember every teacher who worked to make me an able student. I quite often recall my good old school days and relish those fond memories. What we used to call ‘henpecking’ by teachers, is actually nothing but their care and concern for our bright future.
I would like to conclude by wishing all my fellow judians the very best. I pray that all of you at St. Jude’s will relish every moment of your stay there and avail every opportunity that comes your way to make yourself fit to step into this competitive world

St. Jude’s at first was a new place for me, strange and confusing and every step was a learning curve. Initially, like every new comer the problem was getting used to school routine, mannerism and etiquettes. Right from getting up at 5 am to getting back to bed at 9.00 pm, the school routine was new and filled with various activities. At home, getting out of bed by 9.00 am was a herculean task and at school waking up before 6.00 am was indeed an achievement, a sheer act of bravery.
It was tedious to hold the knife and fork together at the breakfast table, since home gave you the liberty to use your hand. Nevertheless, we learnt to use them and today when we step out into the wide world, people regard us with dignity assuming we were born with excellent table manners. Teachers were our mentors, the backbone of St.Jude’s. They burn their mid light lamps to help us realize the essence of education. They have helped us tread the crooked paths and this complex world with confidence and courage. I did not like being insisted upon speaking the world’s common language at school because it sounded strange to me. Today, I am grateful that I have mastered that language because it has become the language of convenience, working in a multinational environment. Strange and difficult theories were taught to us with clarity and simplicity. Knowledge gained never goes waste is what I have now realized. We as engineers, make living a convenience to the world outside.
We were asked to choose a preferred sport, learn to play a musical instrument, to go to stage to read the morning news, etc… all these extra curricular activities have helped to go that ‘extra mile’ in life. ‘S.S’ at home meant ‘sound sleep’ but at St. Jude’s changed that to ‘self study.’ Slowly but steadily, the winter ice within us were thawed away and today we enjoy the warmth of spring.
Now, I realize that we are successful today because of the contribution of my Judian family and the extra curricular activities that we took part in. All these activities have not only helped us to succeed in professional life but also make valuable contribution to the society at large. The relationships that we built and the friendships that we nurtured during our school days are golden ties and they are important to us even now. A mere mention of ex-school mates brings a natural smile to our lips and joy to our hearts. Self Reliance, the independent approach has made us self made individuals who are now facing the world with confidence. Setting standards, creating bench marks, changing lives and making dreams come true are the hallmarks of St. Jude’s. I wish my Alma Mater the very best! May you continue to shape the lives of children to shape the destiny of our nation.

We had to wake up very early (which I dreaded), get dressed and run to the ground for P.T, run for our morning studies, stand in line to enter the dining hall, get to the classrooms for our lessons and wait eagerly for the final bell to run to the ground for games. Though some of the routine was very tiresome then, give us some of the most cherished memories today that will always last in our memories. The disciplined that was instilled in us is the only reason we are a class apart compared to our peers from other schools.
The values that were instilled in me by St. Jude’s has taken me a long way personally and professionally. I have learnt to respect individuals in spite of our differences and never to move ahead at the cost of somebody else. St. Jude’s provided me the perfect scenario to imbibe the best. With diverse culture that is present in the school, we learnt to love and respect others. As the school emblem depicts three birds flying out with wings spread, I slowly learnt to take flight. I joined St. Jude’s as a little kid and now I am part of one of the leading corporates in India. Today as a youngster, I am able to shine in my profession and in all other spheres of life and the credit goes to all my beloved teachers back at school. They have played a major role in my life by giving me a strong foundation. We were taught that ‘hard work and prayer should go hand in hand,’ and I can affirm today that it is a winning combination.
The greatest asset of St. Jude’s is its teachers. They are not mere teachers but beautiful human beings who teach you to live and love life. Every teacher in the school has played a part in making me what I am today. Apart from imparting knowledge, they took care to see my all round development. Where would you find teachers who sit up with you late into the nights with your speech so that you turn out to be the best in the competition? Teachers who sacrifice their holidays to get you ready for the board exams? Only at St. Jude’s you will find teachers who are dedicated to the cause of children placed under them. You find the best domestic help here at St. Jude’s. All the akkas and annas work very hard from early morning to late night to make us comfortable.
The school has also given me some of my best moments in life. I was fortunate to have the best of friends here with whom I have played many pranks. I will never be able to forget ‘the bada khanas,’ the camp fires after victories in games and sports, the wonderful farewell parties, the election campaigns for the post of the Prime Minister, the Sunday afternoons watching movies in the auditorium, the wonderful football matches and shouting the victory slogans still remain vivid in my memory. School days are definitely the best days of our lives and I am glad mine was at St. Jude’s. All I want to tell all my juniors at St. Jude’s is that these days will never come back, so live everyday to the fullest. I would like to thank all my juniors at school for making all of us proud by lifting the school to great heights in the national and international arena by winning some of the prestigious competitions. Just as the school anthem goes, “ Diamond are we cut and polished, in St. Jude’s we toil hard, to light the nation with thy torch, with self reliance on we march,” I believe this is what you need to do. Given a chance to go back in time, I would love to spend a few more years in this beautiful town and relive my days in this beautiful school.

However, I should proudly admit that the Judian in me lives on and helps me excel at various levels. It is a known secret that every judian excels in various fields even after their school days. The life at St. Jude’s has taught me to excel or at least make a difference in any given situation.
Accountability, self-motivation and reliability are some of the traits that are expected in a professional environment. I have realized that these qualities were integrated into me to a very great extent during my schooling at St. Jude’s. It has been a tremendous asset to my career. There have been times when I face problems and find myself helpless. At such times, I’ve tried to equate the problem to a school scenario and have solved it the Judian way and trust me, it has helped. That’s when I look back and say, ‘Thank You Jude’s, ‘I have been in numerous such situations.
No doubt we had excellent education and other wonderful activities at school. However, I feel that the Judian way of approach to life is a lifetime gain. I have met many people from various prestigious institutions like IIMs & IITs, but none of them carry the amount of pride that I have at heart as a Judian. Wow! The teachers were wonderful. They taught slowly with care and always made sure that we understood the content before moving on. They were flexible and varied their instruction with outings, different teaching aids, visuals and personal conversations. In short, St. Jude’s is a great crew, each with their own talents that they so generously share with students to make their tomorrows better and brighter.
It was a delightful experience in Jude’s for eight years. All these eight years were fruitful years of my life when I learnt basic principles and ethics of life. I would certainly assure that any student who manages to enter the school will be in for an adventurous journey of a life time, a journey that will never be forgotten.

Eleven years and memories refuse to fade. Today I would give anything to be woken up to the sight (sometimes the feel) of Mr. S.S. Pillai’s stern face or to go jogging on the ‘top ground’ to hear Mr. Sukumar blowing his shrill whistle on one of those misty mornings or to do the pranayama to the tune of ‘inhaaaaale’ & ‘exhaaaaale’ so sweetly sung by Mrs. Kasthuri. I would love to raise my hand for another serving of hot ‘idlis’at the breakfast table or to happily give away my ‘Tuesday brinjal porrial’ only to part with my helping of ‘Wednesday night chicken’ with a heavy heart. To fake the ‘faint’ only to sit down for a few moments during the long morning assembly. To be upset about losing the first rank, yet again to Subin. To count and pray a thousand times to be able to see my parents on parents’ visiting day and experience the joy of meeting them and dread the milestones on the drive back to school. I would love to sit in class and listen to all my truly wonderful teachers.
When Mam called me up referring to me as a ‘successful lawyer’ and asking me to contribute to this editorial by taking some time off my ‘busy’ schedule, I was surprised. For one, I have a long way to go before I can admit and accept that I am successful (humility is a virtue that I have been taught by this school). Two, however successful I may be in the future and however busy my schedule may be, my priority will always be to this school, Sir, Mam and all my teachers whom I fondly remember.
I must admit that it took me a while to decide the theme of this article. I could have written about all my teachers who have ensured that the foundation of my life is set on a strong footing. I could have written about the wonderful days that I had spent at school. I am sure that my friends would have sufficiently covered what I had to say on this in their articles. After a lot of approbation and reprobation I decided that I must write about those simple traits, value-add to my personality, which have played a significant role in moulding my life. Those moments when I encountered difficult situations and when I thanked God with all my heart that I am an alumnus of St. Jude’s.
I consider myself to be extremely God fearing. This school has taught me the importance of prayer in one’s life and the need to trust in God. It is the virtue that I place amongst the best in my life. Faith in God makes you want to be a better person. I have always faced difficult moments in my life successfully with prayer and I am always grateful to this school for having instilled this virtue in me. The school has also taught me to respect other religions. I have made friends without ever discriminating on the basis of caste, creed or religion. The school has taught me to be tolerant and broad minded on this aspect which is very essential today.
The ability to communicate and communicate well is an art. Eloquence in speech and the ability to effectively present what you wish to say plays an important role in developing your personality and advancing your career. This is particularly true when you are able to communicate in a language like English that has been universally adopted. With regard to my profession and my place of practice (Bombay), I would have been handicapped if I was unable to persuade the target (person/group) to understand my point of view. I remember that the school imposed a fine on students
who spoke in their vernacular language within the confines of its premises. Such a stipulation seemed unreasonable at that time. But today I am and will always be grateful for the efforts made by the school to implant and cultivate the need for good communication skills in its students.
“To finish what I have started” – an annoying habit that I picked up at school but, one that has helped me on numerous occasions. I consider this to be one of those ancillary traits that I developed though I find it hard to pin point the source. I assume this was incidental and a remote consequence of the strict timelines set by the school for the submission of homework, projects, etc…Two months of winter vacation and I invariably chose the last week before re-opening to commence my work on all such homework and projects. Realizing the futility of my efforts and the consequent inability to complete and submit the same on any stipulated date, I remember having decided to start work on the first day I reached home and ensuring its completion (or at least substantial completion) if it meant having to sit for ten days at a stretch. I have managed to nurture this trait through the years and it plays an important role in my profession today.
The importance of etiquettes in one’s life after school is often underestimated. I have learnt and continue to learn the role it plays in personality development, social acceptance and career advancement. I address people I meet with a crisp ‘Mr’ or ‘Mrs’ and with a confident good morning/afternoon/evening. I always ensure to be polite in my interactions with the people I meet. The effective use of fork and spoon with elan at the dining table during meetings at fancy restaurants with clients from around the world elevates my dignity. I make it a point to dress neatly with shoes well polished that you ‘are able to see your face in it’ (as required by the school). The school has trained me to be disciplined enough to stand in queue even when every other person ignores it. I always ensure that waste is disposed in waste baskets and not to dirty the surrounding. I will always remain grateful to the school for foreseeing the importance of etiquette and general mannerisms in a student’s life and the efforts made by
the school to cultivate them in its students. I know for a fact that these efforts have saved me from numerous embarrassing situations in my professional life.
I remember having read somewhere that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. The 90% reflects your attitude. This school has taught me that I have control over my feelings and that I have the ability and power all through my life to choose a positive attitude. This school and the friends that I have made here have taught me to be emotionally strong. The school has taught me how kind words and sometimes silence could prevent hurtful confrontations. I have been unable to decide if it is the confidence that decides your attitude or your attitude that determines your confidence. All that has been discussed above have always been a value –add to my confidence and consequently my attitude.
No article on the school would be complete without the mention of the teachers of this school. I have met and known a lot of people on my journey till today. But I have never met nor have I come across greater personalities who have dedicated their lives for the betterment of their students. They have taught me the value of education and instilled in me the curiosity to learn and an undying passion to keep learning, something that is very important in my profession. They have taught me the value of respect and integrity which has given me the courage to approach life with dignity. They have taught me the value of responsibility and that my personal actions could have consequences and that I am responsible for them. They have taught me the value of perseverance and I am grateful to them.
Before I sign off, there is a small incident that I must relate. They say that the difference between parents and every other relationship is that our parents love us unconditionally and other relationships expect something in return. After eight years, I visited school in May, 2008 feeling scared and worried thinking about the reactions of Sir, Mam and the teachers. I have picked up the phone a thousand times to speak to them in all these years but never got around to completing the call. I was worried and guilty that I had never done that in the preceding years. I repent not having done so considering the love and affection that was showered on me all through my years in the school. For reasons I am unaware of, I had almost disconnected my life with the school since I left in 2000. With all these mixed emotions of acceptance and rejection toying in my brain, I walked into the office and in an instant, all my fears vanished. I saw Mam walking towards me with a smile on her face and with a hug, she welcomed me back to school. I had forgotten the last time I cried, but with a gesture as simple as a smile and a hug from Mam brought tears to my eyes and I was on the verge of breaking down. I definitely would have had it not been for the presence of my friends and parents in the room. Then, I went to meet sir. I’ve always pictured Sir to be the strict personality that he was during my years at school. A towering figure walking down the auditorium on a Monday morning depicting the strength of the school. But that day I saw sir in a different light. I will never forget the expression of joy on his face when he saw me. Holding my hand and walking me around the school. I couldn’t believe that even eight years later they could still love me as much. I never deserved any of the love and affection that was shown to me that day be it from Mam, Sir or Shobhana Miss, my favourite teacher during my years at school. But that is what St. Jude’s Public school preaches and practices, to love unconditionally.

“Yes sir, I’m a Judian.”
There was a genuine look of quiet admiration.
The alumni of St. Jude’s stand out no matter where they tread. Life at St. Jude’s was everything that we looked forward to as youngsters. We were instilled with a passion for Science and Mathematics, thanks to the wonderfully creative teachers that we had. After the regular classes, some of us were busy in the music club or the rifle club while the others sweated it out over a good game of football or basketball. We were always training ourselves with the Inter School Competitions in mind. The Inter House Competitions that we had every weekend were a different ball game. Fiercely loyal to our houses, we battled royally on stage in every literary and cultural event. Some of us even broke down to tears when we had let our house down. Those were good old days and I too was trained intensively in public speaking and I did my part for the Equality house whenever I was called upon. I am still a knight of the Equality house no matter where I go.
Through sheer hard work the administration of St. Jude’s has created a very healthy student culture. Let us call it the Judian culture. We learn to maintain decency and decorum on every occasion. We learn to compete with dignity and learn the value of sheer hard work and devotion. I still remember the Sub – Junior Football team that won the championship for the first time in decades, snatching the trophy from the football giants in the Nilgiris. It was determination, faith and hard work that made this victory possible for them. From then on, there is no turning back for the Judian sportsmen. Year after year, I hear glad tidings of the Judian victories in all arenas, doing all of us proud. I am transported to the days when the grounds reverberated with our cheering, “People want to know, who we are … so we tell them… we are the Judians.”
Let me end with a few words to the present bearers of the school flag. The years spent at school are very crucial to shaping one’s personality. And there is no better place to grow up than St. Jude’s. Everything that goes into making a wonderful childhood is available in the school. It is now up to you to hone your skills in your areas of interest. Today, if I am given an opportunity to go back to St. Jude’s again, I will learn to play a musical instrument and participate a little more in sports than I used to. But today is your day and you have the power to shape your future. Participate and learn something new from every activity that is organized in school so that when you step out into the world, you will stride as a proud self-reliant Judian.

In the year 1988, as a naughty, mischievous but a bright lad ( I take the liberty to brag a little because the school did send me out into this open world to be recognized as a bright student), I stepped into the premises of the school that would forever be ‘my home away from home.’ Everything around me was new; the dormitories with bunker beds, the big dining halls, boys and girls from places never heard of (those days I was only familiar with Kolkata), a new mom called ‘Mam’ and a new dad called ‘Principal Sir. ‘Just like all my other naughty fellow brothers and sisters, what I liked the most were the big play grounds. I took time to settle down but soon without my knowledge, I had developed a liking for the place and had made some good friends. I was now a part of a new fraternity called ‘Judians.’
Days flew by with the daily school routine, weekend trekking, bada khanas, excursions, Inter School Competitions, etc… Like my fellow Judians, I too loved and enjoyed all the wonderful activities that were full of fun and merriment. There were times when I was corrected and punished for disobeying the school rules and crossing the line of mischief. I cursed my teachers then for all the corrections that came the hard way. Today, I recollect my acts and have a good laugh but at the same time I feel all those corrections were necessary and were a part of my grooming to make me a gentleman.
Time travelled faster than light and soon I was a grown up kid. I was elected the captain of the Fraternity house, which indeed was a great honour. For the first time I learnt all the essential qualities that go in to make a good leader. During the nine years that I spent at school, the school has helped me identify my talents and helped in grooming them through different ways. Be it the cultural activities, memory test, spell bee contest, sports day, music competitions, etc… the accolades were the motivation for me to find my talent and strive to excel in it. The teachers were the whet stones that helped me sharpen my talents. Today, I terribly miss those whet stones because the competitive world we are placed in expects us to perform and deliver the goods with no guidance to sharpen our capability.
With the help of top class education and grooming for nine years, I passed the 10th board exams with flying colours. It was then time for me to leave this ‘home away from home’ and bid a tearful farewell to the Judian fraternity. With excellent education, sharpened skills and the blessings from ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad’ I stepped out of the gates of St. Jude’s to face the world outside and to chase my dreams.
Thanks to the memory tests, All the memories are fresh and vivid.

I had learnt the most important lesson of life when I first joined St. Jude's in the year 2000 as a student of class VI and that was 'self reliance.' Had it not been for St. Jude's, I wouldn't have turned out to be the independent person that I am today. I was like an unshaped stone that the teachers by applying their perfect skills have carved and polished me to what I am today. They have given me an identity as rightly mentioned in the School Song. (Diamonds are we cut and polished) The school was our world, the teachers, our parents, mentors and guides, our classmates, our best friends and all the Akkas and Annas, our caretakers. There is a saying which states that only when you lose something, you realize its importance and this is very true in my case. The moment I lost the presence of Mrs. Saro Dhanarajan next to me, I realized how much I missed St. Jude's. Even today when I get to speak to my school friends, the one thing that we never forget to discuss is our Judian life. It was full of colour with different mood swings of the teachers, all the picnics, tours and long Sunday walks. It was best educational package I ever got.
There are a few things that are etched in my memory and these very thoughts fill me with eternal joy.Mr. Dhanarajan, our Chairman used to call me 'roti' because I was very fond of chapattis and used to cry for them when I first joined the school. Our meal times were always wonderful because we relished the food and had fun with our friends. The 'Bada Khanas,' the Monday morning assemblies, evening prayers in the library, dorm meetings with Mrs. Shobhana and the counseling sessions with the Principal after the examinations are all unforgettable moments of my school life. My days spent at St. Jude's were the best days of my life and I will never forget the values inculcated in me by my school. I've learnt adaptability, honesty, punctuality, organizing ability, self confidence, etc from my school and I without an iota of doubt I can say that every Judian gets these values inculcated in their system.
I have a message to the present Judians. Take all the advice and guidance in the true sense and learn from your mistakes. Remember these are the little things that will make a difference in your lives. Never give up in life instead persevere like our beloved teachers who in spite of all their personal problems impart the best education possible. Try to get the best of our teaching staff and the patience and care from the non-teaching staff. One secret which most of you may not know is that Mam is the softest person at St. Jude's whom you can easily impress through your sheer hard work, sincerity and good deeds. Both Mam and Mrs. Jessie Sampath are like coconuts, soft within and hard outside. Follow the rules, have fun and do your best, then no one can ever stop you from leaving St. Jude's with tears of joy and sorrow at the end of your tenure there.
Special thanks, regards and love to all my teachers for moulding me to the person that I am today. I will always remain grateful to all of you for all that you have done for me.

Every country is unique with its own distinct culture. In the same manner, there are many differences between India and Thailand. Sometimes what is right for us may be wrong for the others for it all depends on our norms, perspectives, attitudes, environments and situations. Had we not adapted to the culture, rules and regulations of the place where we stayed, we would not have been able to live anywhere in this wide open world. St. Jude's did not only give us fulfilling knowledge and education but taught us life skills. As all things change very fast, we have to be mentally and physically prepared to adapt to the changes around us. St. Jude's enabled us to set our minds and spirits to the new world of globalization.

When I reached India, I found that things were more difficult than what I had expected. I was finding it difficult to understand English, get along with children from other countries and very difficult to adjust to the food. I thought I would never settle down to this new way of life but I did. The school helped me to settle down and to get along with other students. I learnt to be independent and strong. Learning was a wonderful experience and I will always cherish my memories of St. Jude's. The school inculcated discipline and values in me. Today, I am able to thrive wherever I go because the school has given me the confidence to survive even in hostile conditions. I will always remain grateful to the school for having moulded me to the person I am today.

for three years and that's where I picked up my English.” I am very proud to be a Judian and I am grateful to God for placing me there. I was not only well tutored by the teachers there, I was also introduced to Christianity, the true source of light that brightens my entire life. St. Jude's was the beginning of the journey of life that I am living today. Without St. Jude's, my life would have been entirely different from the life I am leading today. I wouldn't have reached the position I am in today. I joined St. Jude's in the year 2002 and graduated in 2005 and I don't regret my stay there for three years. I am over whelmed with gratitude to the school, the Chairman, Principal, all my teachers, my dear agent Mrs. Hansa and my beloved parents. Now that I am a teacher, I try my best to impart knowledge to my students the way I was given knowledge at St. Jude's. My teachers are my role models and I try to be like them.

“Diamonds are we cut and polished,
In St. Jude's we toil hard,
To light the nation with thy torch,
With self reliance on we march.”

The teachers were very strict and made us sit with our books to study most of the time because they wanted us to score good marks. At that time, I felt it was unreasonable to do that but now I have realized the value of their efforts. Right now I have joined the Mahidol University International College in Thailand. This university is considered to be one of the best universities in Thailand. I get very good grades here and all the credit definitely goes to my teachers at St. Jude's. They have taught me patience and self-discipline. Although I am back in Thailand, I sit and revise my lessons every day. This is because of my daily schedule from school days. I really feel I was blessed and lucky to have studied at St. Jude's