On 8th June 2022, Colonel Kumud Ranjan Raj Kumar (retired) passed away at his home in Assam of a heart attack. Raj Kumar was from the Class of 1981 from Siwalik House. I still vividly recall my first meeting with him on my first day in Sanawar in 1977 when I walked into the dormitory. He welcomed me with a shy smile. He was well built, somewhat “stockier” than others of our age at the time, earning him the sobriquet “Tarzan”. 

Tarzan was generally very quiet, gentle and had the kindest eyes that hid a mischievous sense of humor. He seemed to have infinite talent both in sports and academics and was the “complete all-rounder.” In academics, he typically got a “distinction”, and on his worst day a “commendation”. In sports, he excelled, whether it be cricket, hockey, soccer, gymnastics, running the races or the Hodson run. He had the “meanest inswinger” as a left-hand bowler while bowling in cricket matches and was dreaded for his ball that swung into the batsman, just short of a length, and then cut out again – and we, his team-mates, always wondered how he naturally did that, again and again, with incredible accuracy! He also had outstanding reflexes, and as a slip fielder in second slip (that is where he usually stood) produced the most amazing of one-handed catches, once dismissing Mr. Mundkur in a student-teacher match with a low one-handed catch with his right hand (note he was left-handed) that came to him like a tracer bullet. As a soccer player, he had the rare ability of being able to bend the football into the goal in a penalty kick with surprising consistency. He was a born leader, and frequently took the initiative as a senior while representing the House. Yet, despite all this God-given talent, Tarzan remained modest and would often laugh self-deprecatingly at some imaginary shortcoming (I say ‘imaginary’ because he had none). 

Tarzan, for me it was an honor knowing you, to have shared so many adventures with you (even sometimes ‘ducking’ the morning run), to have played cricket with you, to go to camps with you and to have you as a friend. You were a perfectionist. I admired your talent and your achievements, both in school and beyond. You were the best of us in Siwalik House in our batch and, if there were a prize for such a distinction, you would have been awarded that unanimously by all of us. I deeply regret that you went too soon just when your family needed to enjoy your company after your retirement. God bless you and give your soul the everlasting peace you so richly deserve. Farewell friend, till we meet again. 

Anand S Pathak 

Siwalik 1981