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Mrs. Suman
NarainDPS 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
trancesendental
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!"
Suman Narain
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