Mrs. Suman Narain
DPS was Church School in 1945, when I joined. Housed in the Church of Redemption, the Rev. JD Tytler, the priest in charge of the Church also officiated as the Principal of the school. I was 9 years old and the school was to my second home for 7 happy years. I formed friendships and acquired memories I treasure to this day.

Every morning the school assembled in the magnificent Church of Redemption. The Rev. Father in his priest's habit led the prayer. The high ceilings, the glow of the stained glass, the beautiful proportions of the hall, the resonance of the prayer from a 100 young throats, and the peal of the church organ, made the daily prayer a never to be forgotten experience. The beauty of the Church continued to surround us during classes too. There were tents around the grounds but classes were held in the church also.

This transcendental state ended too soon. A disagreement between the Church authorities and the Rev. Tytler resulted in the Rev and his school having to leave the Church compound. The tents increased in number and moved into vacant land outside the church and we became Navin Bharat High School.

In 1949 the school acquired land on Mathura Road but was not able to build on it. We remained in tents, the Rev. Tytler remained its Principal, and the students with all their memories came to Mathura Road, the site where the school School now stands. We became Delhi Public School.

Principal Tyler loved children and encouraged fun. Classes were of course held but somehow there was opportunity for picnics in the adjoining unfenced Sundar Nursery, repeated visits to the Canteen for its delicious pakoras and to the Carryhome Keventers ice cream cart that was forever parked within easy access. It has been a source of delight that I am able to see friends I made then. Since moving back to Delhi in 1983 we picked-up where we left off at the end of school These friends include Nirmala Singh now Mehta, Indira Khanna (now Dandekar), Prem Ved Prakash (now Gupta), Dhira Chatterjee (now Merhra), and Usha Chopra (Now Bhasin), (US) Ambassador Bowies' children, Cynthia, Sally, and Sam, joined. I formed a close friendship with Cynthia, revelled in having an American friend and the experience of dressing American as Cynthia adopted Salwar Kamiz. We kept in touch. Cynthia visited me in Calcutta in the 70s and my husband & I visited her in Martha's Vineyard in 2000.

We never seemed to miss a major sporting event. There were Cricket Matches in Feroze Shah Kotla Grounds, the Delhi State Athletic meets, also known as Delhi Olympics, where I lead a March Past. We attended the 1951 1st Asian Games en mass. Sport was important activity. I remember playing in the Throwball, and Netball teams and I played hockey also. DPS had a strong rivalry with Convent of Jesus and Mary, St Thomas's Girls school. Cheer Leaders group was formed and found in me the most enthusiastic leader. "Who are we for? Yea DPS!"