Shivinder Bir Singh, or Shivi, was a dapper sardar, always with a perfectly tied turban, not quite sure why, but Shivi, never had a problem tying his turban, always neat & spot on, unlike a few other Sardars in the dormitory scrambling to get their turbans tied. Shivi was also an artist, he could draw very neatly. In the run up & in preparation of my biology exam, Shivi drew me an “eye”, in colour. Shivi drew the eye, I labelled it in my scrawl.. Shivi and I were good friends, in a house social, he came up to to me one time, & asked me how he could ask one of the girls for a dance, I said, just walk across the floor, with your head held high, approach the girl you have in mind, as say, “may I have the pleasure of this dance with you”. Shivi said, “is that all”, “that’s all” I said. A few minutes later, I saw Shivi, adjusting his tie & jacket, & off he went marching across Barne Hall, approaching the clique of girls sitting in a wide semi-circle. I am quite certain the girls saw Shivi approaching them purposefully. Shivi stopped at girl number 3, and facing her said, exactly what I had coached him to say, “May I have the pleasure of this dance with you”. “No”, just one word, Shivi froze, unfortunately I had not coached Shivi what to say to, “NO”. Shivi stood there dumb founded, and just as he was about to turn around he said, “You bitch, born in a dried up ditch”, turned around and marched off. The girl in question needless to say was left rather dumbfounded. This is I guess one of the rare outcomes wherein both the players to an act are truly left dumb founded.. I was standing near the Barne Hall steps, Shivi came to upto me & recanted what had happened, Shivi was scarlet in colour, very angry, and totally stressed out, I asked Shivi what made him think of what he said, I don`t know, that`s what instantly came to mind. After our ISC exams gave over, Sixth Form went to Pinjore Gardens for the Sixth Form Picnic, under the aegis, and command of Mr B.P. Joshi, Siwalik House Master. In the Pinjore gardens, there were only a couple of shops selling coke & ice-cream. Shivi & I were standing outside the shop, he challenged me to swipe a bottle of coke, needless to say, I gallantly accepted the challenge.

 Shivi & I both entered the shop together, Shivi went to the cash counter and was engaging the shop attendant in conversation, I in the meanwhile was circuitously approaching the freezer where the coke bottles were stacked. I picked up one bottle of coke, so far so good, unfortunately, two coke bottles had frozen together, they both were picked up together conjoined by ice, I had barely got my hands around the top bottle, when the lower bottle fell back, there was a click of a sound, of breaking ice. I now had one coke bottle in my hand, I decided to continue, and put the small coke bottle in my trouser pocket & walked out, closely followed by Shivi, and the shop assistant running closely behind Shivi, screaming blue murder.. I turned the corner & immediately took out the coke bottle & hid it amongst the floor beds. The shop attendant, found the coke bottle, & went in search of the, “teacher in charge”. The shop assistant told Mr B.P. Joshi what had happened, that one student from Sanawar had stolen a coke bottle, which had been retrieved. To assuage the shop assistant, a formal parade of the students had to be called. Everyone was called and asked to fall in line. Since Mr B.P. Joshi was the Siwalik House Master, he instructed Shivi to do the head count. I was hiding behind some trees in the distance, watching the events unfold. Himalaya, Nilgiri, & Vindhya Senior Prefects, said all present, then it was Shivi`s turn, he too did a Siwalik house head count, & said all present. The shop assistant, went up & down, the line of boys, & quite obviously was unable to pin point the errant boy. Shivi stood by me. 

In 2012, in our 40th year of passing, I was walking up the steps from Barnes Field, going towards the top, where many of the 72 batch were sitting, & there sitting all by himself was Shivi, dapper as I always remembered him, neat turban & beard, tweed jacket, trouser & tie, its as if 40 years had vanished, he looked exactly as I knew him. “What are you doing here”, “I did not know anyone from 72 was in S`na:, and so Shivi joined in the 40th year melee. About 5 years ago, Shivi sent me a message that he was coming to Goa for a wedding. We must meet I said, yes we will. We shall meet day after tomorrow, after the wedding. I am staying at the officers mess he told me in Vaco. Two days later on cue, I called Shivi, but could`nt get through, I decided to drive down to Vasco anyway, which I did, & with great difficulty, I found the officers mess, as there are 3-4 messes in Vasco. I called Shivi`s number & presto, he picked up, “where are you, I am at your mess in Vasco”, “I am in Hospital”, “what are you doing in hospital”, “no no, I am okay”. I am getting discharged soon, & will come to the mess, please stay there, but we do not have conveyance” I have a car, will come & pick Vinny and you up, thus I arrived at the Naval Hospital, to find Shivi sitting up in bed, all dressed and ready to party ! “Over did it last night”, he said, “oh yeah” I nodded. We went out for lunch, booze; was strictly off the menu ! Shivi & Vinny proudly told me about their son who was working in Shanghai. We had a great eventful afternoon… Shivi was my senior prefect, I shall always remember him fondly… We were friends, I was good to him, & so was he good to me, he did not shirk it. Go well old chap, adios & shake it up… Eulogy by: Sanjiv Lal OS '72 Shivi was a good friend right up to Upper V, when we became fierce competitors for the impending house prefect’s position. It became the kind of silly rivalry of school boys… he won it hands down, becoming the head prefect, and I didn't even make it to a prefect! I recall how that rankled, and how it ruined an earlier strong friendship. Silly & petty, but thats how it played out. Shivi, the gymnast, the one with the bulging biceps who won all arm “panja” contests, Shivi the meticulous one who as a junior rarely ever got into trouble with the prefects, unlike the rest of us who always had to face the dreaded “see me tonight” death warrants, Shivi the gutsy one, ever ready to accept a schoolboy dare. His leadership qualities were apparent at a young age, and he was the lively one in any group mischief & activities. An accomplished cricketer (opening bat), and a decent hockey player too, Shivi was a wonderful human being. Rest in peace my old friend… how I wish we had kept in touch and not the latter years school boy rivalry come in the way. Eulogy by: Sarabjit Sonny Chhatwal OS '72