The theme on the Rector’s Day for 2010 was: At North Point Every Child Is a Winner We continue the winning School. In a way this sums up what we have been doing over the last few years and this year in particular. Staff and students are bemoaning the fact that the year has passed by so quickly and I for one found it on fast mode. The reason, I am sure, is that everyone is enjoying his or her work and is happy at North Point. No doubt, there is an occasional aberration but the ideal of making every North Pointer a winner is much achieved. When I say a winner I don’t mean it in a quantitative way whereby one is first and second, in comparison to another, but excelling to achieve one’s individual potentiality. How do we do it? Last night a boy came to my room because he could not sleep. He broke down and cried. He has been struggling with tobacco since class 6. He wants to give it up before he leaves school or he will never succeed in doing so! This morning a boy returned late from his Puja holidays and the reason was that he was trying to patch up his parents because they were headed for a divorce. Another boy does not want to continue at NP because he feels that he will fail the year. Another is worried that his parents will withdraw him because his father’s business has failed and he would love to continue. These are just a few of the incidents that are big issues in the minds of these boys. Our staff, each in his or her way journeys with the boys and helps them to come out as winners. There is so much to relate here but due to confidentiality, let this much only be said. As an institution, every year we upgrade our care of the students in this matter. We have not only instituted in the past the senior and junior headmasters, but this year also we have appointed a coordinator for the Lower Division so as to better monitor and help the students. Mr.Suraj Tamang is the Co-coordinator who does his job diligently. This also frees the Jesuits from administrative work so that we can attend to this “inner world,” of the challenges the children face where they become winners or losers of life. In this matter I am grateful to Fr. Van who is available for the students twenty-four hours a day as a counsellor. I am grateful to the teachers who not only teach the lesson of the class but also the lessons of life. This is the reason where by we make bold to say, “Every child is a winner.” Yes! The children have been winning both on the field and off the field too. The recently concluded Inter School Sports of our 11 Anglo Indian School of the Darjeeling District saw NP sweep away 5 divisions out of 6 for the boys. Mr. Evan Gurung and Mr. Pravesh Pradhan saw to it that this major event held at North Point was a trend setter. The ISC boys were major winners having won the inter school carnival in basketball, football, volleyball, swimming, badminton, athletics and runners up in table tennis. The ICSE boys were champions in volleyball, swimming, badminton, table tennis, athletics and runners up in football and basketball. North Point also won the first every Inter Jesuit football competition. The old adage that, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy does not apply to us. Every boy who is not in the school team is encouraged and does play some games. At this juncture I want to put on record my sincere appreciation to all the coaches who have given so much of themselves for these boys to excel. As you go through this annual you can see who they are. The years of grooming off the field, right from the Primary division is paying rich dividends. This year the school walked away with gold in all the four categories of the NM Masters Elocution Contest held at Mount Hermon. Our students have been repeatedly coming first in the debates and speech contests held in and around Darjeeling by different NGOs and Clubs. We stood second in the prestigious Inter Jesuit Elocution Contest, hosted by us, conceding by a point out of 13 schools. Mr. Andre Lefevre, Mr. Manuel Coutinho and Mr. Julius Santiago are the spirit behind these successes. The inter class singing, elocution, debate keep the calendar full and alive. A major high light was the opera, Love Never Dies, adding to our repertoire of performances over the years. Miss Anne Santiago has been the inspiration for all the major productions and is dutifully helped each year by Mrs. Kakoli Chowdhury, Mrs. Gita Bhutia and Mr. Julius Santiago. The highlight of the play will be when we go to Katmandu in December to perform for alumni, parents and friends of NP. This year, NP played host to both the major events of our Associations, the ISC Fest and the  Inter School Sports The ISC Fest was a spectacular success and much enjoyed by all. These events have all been resounding successes because of our wonderful teachers. The staff have all pitched in unstintingly and this is what makes NP unique. This is why every year we honour two of our teachers as outstanding teachers on the Rector’s Day. This year, the honour rightfully went to Mrs. Kakoli Chowdhury and Mr. Suraj Tamang. Both these teachers who are not only good at the subjects they teach but also contribute to NP beyond the call of duty and mentor the students. The theme for the Year 2010 was “NP NURTURES NATURE”. It is needless to say here the importance of this theme. The staff and students have done justice to this theme amply. They planted over 3000 trees in and around the school. NP adopted an endangered species, the Blue Sheep or Bharal at the zoo and held a major exhibition both by the senior and primary division. The weekly assemblies were well utilized by the classes for this purpose. I am sure all are environmentally sensitive by this year repeated reminders throughout the year. I am grateful to Mr.Umesh Tiwari, Mr. Jitesh Ojha, Mr. S.K.Gupta, Mr. D.Dewan and Mr. Lekhraj Guring for maintaining a high standard in these exhibitions and also to the primary teachers who guided their class along the same lines and theme. Our school trip to China was an eye opener for all of us. The 38 of us enjoyed climbing the Great Wall of China and were mystified by the Terra-Cotta soldiers at Xian and the fabulous city of Shanghai. Like our visit to Egypt last year which was unique in its own way, these tours opens the frontiers of the minds of the students. The students learn about the universality of the world, appreciate other cultures and their history. Even the students who are unable to go for these tours learn from their friends. This in a way prepares them for the world they will have to engage in the future. Not only have North Pointers been going out to places but old North Pointers too have also been coming to visit us. This year we were delighted to have the batch of 1965 and 1975 visit us. The batch of 1965 was senior men who have done themselves and NP proud. They were delighted to reminiscence over the past and one of them was the Chief Guest at the Rector’s Day, Dr. Om Pradhan whose CV and speech for the day is included in this annual. The batch of 1975 are of my vintage and I was personally delighted to see so many of the classmates of my own batch. It was a happy occasion to meet their spouses and children. They have all promised to come back again in 2013 when we will celebrate the 125th Year of our foundation. Here I want to mention the yeomen service put in by Mr. Sajid Ahmed to coordinate these events and act as the secretary of the International Alumni. The Primary Division of our school needs a special mention. It is the pride of NP, where the youngest members of our family are taken care of in a special way as they should be. Mr. Andre Lefevre, the Junior Headmaster will give his own report separately here. I am happy that both in class by the teachers and out of the class by the boarding staff, the children are loved and cared for. It is not possible for 140 students in the boarding to get one on one attention and some don’t even need that, but every effort is made to take them along in the right direction and in the right atmosphere. Mr.Andre Lefevre and the Primary staff and Miss Rosemary Gulapi, our Matron need to be specially commended. Mr. Lefevre, in spite of his busy schedule has authored a book on Grammar and Composition published by Pearson and Longman. The other activities of the school continue with the same rhythm and vigor. The NCC continues to attract new recruits under the watchful eye of Mr. P. K. Pal and Mr. Lekhraj Gurung. The Scouts are growing in number and have been very active. Five of them got the President medal. The camps and regular meetings keep them busy under the watchful eye of Mr. Suraj Tamang, the Scout Master. The Club that surprised everyone with its lovely photographs was the Photography Club that has rejuvenated themselves with the help of Mr.Saran Gurung, Mr.Allen Lepcha and Mr. M .Yusuf. Being the first school in the hills to be associated with the HMI, the Adventure Course continues each year with enthusiasm and much expectations for the students of class 10. Our winter outreach programme for the underprivileged children has been improving each year in quality of service. Fr. Alex Beck, in spite of being very busy throughout the year, with the boarding, generously gives himself the whole winter for the poor children. He with his band of volunteers keeps the winter warm with classes, games, picnics, movies and programmes. This year, Abhishek Rayamajhi who got the award for social work, the “Cardinal Picachy Silver Medal worked the whole winter for these children. There were many other volunteers who did part time work and this is what makes NP a giving school. In today’s world there is wanton consumerism, self appeasement, indulgence and instant gratification. Our students must learn to give and be socially responsible. They must learn to wait and be patient. They must learn to distinguish the good and the bad and do something about it. It is for this reason I consider the Winter Camp a big learning process for our students, living out what they learn in the value education classes. Our infrastructure continues to grow. This year we added another Pavilion on the UD flat. Now, each division has its own Pavilion. We have a new dormitory and wash rooms for class eleven since the senior corridor cannot contain both classes 11 and 12. I would like to thank Mr. Nilesh Halda (NP Alumnus) and now Director of Singapore International School, Mumbai for donating the carpets for the entire floor of this wing. Our Auditorium which we hoped to complete this year is delayed due to some technical snags and hopefully will be ready when the school reopens in 2011. Our International Alumni under the leadership of Mr. Dinyar Divitre and Ban Am (C M Cho) of the 1965 batch are actively canvassing for a new gymnasium on the UD flat. They hope to raise 150,000 $ for 2013 for this project and present it to the school for the 125th Year. All are actively requested to cooperate with them for this last project of the Vision 2000+. I am glad that almost all the projects of Vision 2000+ are seeing the light of day. Fr. Arun our Minister is largely responsible for the new buildings and maintenance of what we have. I am now completing my eighth year at NP. I came here without a single white hair on my head nor was I wearing reading glasses. In my first year I could play a full game of basketball with the boys and run a marathon with them. I now use reading glasses and my hair is greying. I don’t play basketball nor run the marathon. My spirit is willing but my flesh does not cooperate but I think I am still young at heart. Every night when I go to bed I am satisfied and every year as the year comes to end my heart is filled with gratitude to God for all that has been. My deepest satisfaction comes from the boys as they grow from mere babes in the PD to little urchins in the LD full of mischief and restlessness to moody and sulking UD boys struggling with their age to finally become young adults in the SD. Ninda Tashi, the Depelchin Gold Medalist of this year was just an average brat in PD who often messed his pants. He has blossomed to be a fine gentleman with a strong character without blemish. He is hard working and therefore comes first in class and tries his hand at all the games and won for himself a blue coat in table tennis. He is a lovely child, a son any father would be proud of. Bimal Subba came to us in class nine from Gandhi Ashram on the recommendation of Fr. Paul D Souza and therefore was given a total scholarship. His humble origins did not deter him, they rather endeared him to his fellow SD boys who unanimously voted for him as the recipient of the Stanford Gold Medal for character, games and studies. This year’s batch of ICSE made great effort to be better than last year and I commend them for this effort. I hope they now do well in their exams in March 2011. This year’s ISC batch have stood taller on the shoulders of their brothers earlier. It is definitely one of the best batches I have ever had. This is because of the strong leadership exercised by the Beadles. Thinlay Norbu is a quiet but effective leader, leading by example and gentle persuasion. Diwiz Piya is a leader who wears his heart on his sleeves and will do any thing for NP. Kalzang Loday is a leader who walks his talks. Unfortunately the Laenan Beadle had to discontinue his studies for the year due to poor health, Dhiraj Poudyal was replaced by the energetic Sashank Khaling, a die-hard North Pointer. The leadership shown by these boys was proved in their victories as captains of the teams, basketball (Thinlay Norbu-blue coat), volleyball (Vincent Verma), football (Diwiz Piya – blue coat), swimming (Karma Topden-blue coat), badminton (Karan Ratna Pradhan), Athletics (Prabal Yonzon-blue-coat). Colours were also given to Karan Ratna Pradhan for singing, Ronak Giri and Vikrant Sintury for dancing, Sumit Rudum for athletics. Rewang Bhutia and Vincent Quiah for football. John Lalromowia for basketball. The dayscholar beadles too did well with Arvind Ghimiray getting blue coat in debate. Pratik Tamang, Abhishek Rayamajhi and Devashish Roka also lead the dayscholar boys with dignity. Twelve colours for one single batch is rather phenomenal. I know this batch tried their best not to displease me and I thank them for all the affection they showered on this Rector. I feel blessed not only to have good students who are well behaved and responsible but also a wonderful staff and a fraternal Jesuit Community. Bro. Eric Rudum, after years of running the Comptroller of accounts office, handed it over to Bro. P. D. Vincent. Thank you is not enough for this wonderful brother who continues to serve the community in what ever way he can. Fr. Van and Bro. Eric are the true twin towers of NP whose prayers guard us all. I am grateful to Fr. Arun, Mr. Barua and the entire co-workers of NP for keeping the school well serviced. I am grateful to my office staff for bearing with all my idiosyncrasies. Finally, I like to thank God who, through the intercession of Our Lady of North Point and our school patron St. Joseph, has kept our school from all harm and danger. Imploring the same graces from them, I pray for each one of you my staff and students, my parents and NP Alumnus, and men and women of goodwill everywhere who hold NP dear. I wish you all a PEACE filled Christmas as HE is the Prince of Peace and a Happy New Year 2011.