<p>This photograph was taken in 1962, of the St Joseph’s Indian High School first-level cricket team, at New Fields (the present-day location of the school) on Vittal Mallya Road. We were a very good cricket team, and reached the finals of most of the inter-school competitions, but lost out to either Bishop Cotton Boys’ School or St Germain School, who were our main rivals. On the days of the cricket matches, the school would have a holiday and the students could be found cheering the team.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Our wicket keeper was Syed Kirmani, who became a well-known name in the cricketing world. Even at a young age, he was a brilliant keeper-cum-batsman. After I stopped playing cricket, he continued to play with my younger brother, Raghavachar. Though I have lost touch with most of the people from that team, I meet Kirmani once in a while. <br /><br />The captain of the team was Mir Kasim; his brother was the great Karnataka cricketer Najjam Hussain. Mir’s cousin Abbas, who was an opener, is also in the picture. The two of them come from a family of sports persons. Venkata Krishna Sharma and I were leg spinners, and he was my main competitor. Madanlal was also an opener with Abbas, so that’s why they are padded up. And V Jagannath was the opening bowler. Our sports teacher was Mr Shankar, and our coaches were KK Tarapore and Saluz Nazerath. <br /><br />I have very good memories of my time in St Joseph’s — I joined the school in 1954, after my family shifted from Shankarapuram to Shantinagar. As I came from a Kannada-medium school, it took me a while to get used to everything, but I formed a close bond with my classmates. When a person joined school, they inevitably joined the Scouts or Guides, as it helped build character, and then moved on to the NCC. Another thing about the school is that we travelled all over India on excursions. <br /><br />Those days, school started at 10.30 am and ended by 3.30 pm. So, as soon as school got over, we’d either rush to cricket practice or to watch an English matinee movie. There were many theatres close by — Rex, Imperial, Plaza, Liberty and BRV. Sometimes, we would rush out even before school ended but the principal would be waiting for us at the gate and would send us back to class. I remember watching ‘Ben Hur’ and ‘Ten Commandments’ on the first day, first show, and till now, they are the best movies I’ve seen. A friend actually kept count of how many movies we watched that year and number was as high as 263! We had to reach home by 6 pm or else our parents would get wild, so we would cycle back after the movie as fast as we could. <br /><br />Those days, we used to walk everywhere we went and later depended on cycles. Even then we had rules and regulations for vehicles — cyclists weren’t allowed to take doubles, ride three abreast or travel without lamps after 6 pm.<br /><br /> After graduating from school, while my classmates went to St Joseph’s College, I was sent to National College. My father said that I used to loaf around Brigade Road and MG Road too much! After National College, I studied in MS Ramaiah College and BMS College, where I did my civil engineering. During college days, our regular meeting spot was Koshy’s, which was then located on Brigade Road. It was one of the only places that had a jukebox so we’d make sure to meet for half an hour, drink a cup of coffee and head out. Parade Cafe (now Koshy’s Parade Cafe) was more for the working crowd. <br /><br />After cricket, I began to play tennis and I continue to even today. Everyday, I go to Bangalore Club at 4 pm. Unlike cricket, you can play it even when you are 90. My father used to play it at Century Club and I started going with him in 1962-63 to knock around a few balls. Whatever my father liked, we took to it too. That’s how I won four silver medals in shooting — every Sunday my father and I would go practice shooting in Hebbal. <br /><br />Bengaluru has changed a lot since those days — there is a price you have to pay for affluence. But I will never give up on my passion for sports. <br /><em><br />PR Ramaswamy<br />Joint Secretary of KSLTA<br />(As told to Ananya Revanna) <br />(PR Ramaswamy can be reached on 9845079208.)</em></p>
<p>This photograph was taken in 1962, of the St Joseph’s Indian High School first-level cricket team, at New Fields (the present-day location of the school) on Vittal Mallya Road. We were a very good cricket team, and reached the finals of most of the inter-school competitions, but lost out to either Bishop Cotton Boys’ School or St Germain School, who were our main rivals. On the days of the cricket matches, the school would have a holiday and the students could be found cheering the team.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Our wicket keeper was Syed Kirmani, who became a well-known name in the cricketing world. Even at a young age, he was a brilliant keeper-cum-batsman. After I stopped playing cricket, he continued to play with my younger brother, Raghavachar. Though I have lost touch with most of the people from that team, I meet Kirmani once in a while. <br /><br />The captain of the team was Mir Kasim; his brother was the great Karnataka cricketer Najjam Hussain. Mir’s cousin Abbas, who was an opener, is also in the picture. The two of them come from a family of sports persons. Venkata Krishna Sharma and I were leg spinners, and he was my main competitor. Madanlal was also an opener with Abbas, so that’s why they are padded up. And V Jagannath was the opening bowler. Our sports teacher was Mr Shankar, and our coaches were KK Tarapore and Saluz Nazerath. <br /><br />I have very good memories of my time in St Joseph’s — I joined the school in 1954, after my family shifted from Shankarapuram to Shantinagar. As I came from a Kannada-medium school, it took me a while to get used to everything, but I formed a close bond with my classmates. When a person joined school, they inevitably joined the Scouts or Guides, as it helped build character, and then moved on to the NCC. Another thing about the school is that we travelled all over India on excursions. <br /><br />Those days, school started at 10.30 am and ended by 3.30 pm. So, as soon as school got over, we’d either rush to cricket practice or to watch an English matinee movie. There were many theatres close by — Rex, Imperial, Plaza, Liberty and BRV. Sometimes, we would rush out even before school ended but the principal would be waiting for us at the gate and would send us back to class. I remember watching ‘Ben Hur’ and ‘Ten Commandments’ on the first day, first show, and till now, they are the best movies I’ve seen. A friend actually kept count of how many movies we watched that year and number was as high as 263! We had to reach home by 6 pm or else our parents would get wild, so we would cycle back after the movie as fast as we could. <br /><br />Those days, we used to walk everywhere we went and later depended on cycles. Even then we had rules and regulations for vehicles — cyclists weren’t allowed to take doubles, ride three abreast or travel without lamps after 6 pm.<br /><br /> After graduating from school, while my classmates went to St Joseph’s College, I was sent to National College. My father said that I used to loaf around Brigade Road and MG Road too much! After National College, I studied in MS Ramaiah College and BMS College, where I did my civil engineering. During college days, our regular meeting spot was Koshy’s, which was then located on Brigade Road. It was one of the only places that had a jukebox so we’d make sure to meet for half an hour, drink a cup of coffee and head out. Parade Cafe (now Koshy’s Parade Cafe) was more for the working crowd. <br /><br />After cricket, I began to play tennis and I continue to even today. Everyday, I go to Bangalore Club at 4 pm. Unlike cricket, you can play it even when you are 90. My father used to play it at Century Club and I started going with him in 1962-63 to knock around a few balls. Whatever my father liked, we took to it too. That’s how I won four silver medals in shooting — every Sunday my father and I would go practice shooting in Hebbal. <br /><br />Bengaluru has changed a lot since those days — there is a price you have to pay for affluence. But I will never give up on my passion for sports. <br /><em><br />PR Ramaswamy<br />Joint Secretary of KSLTA<br />(As told to Ananya Revanna) <br />(PR Ramaswamy can be reached on 9845079208.)</em></p>
