The alumni of St Joseph’s Boys High School felt as though they were back in school once again as many of them came forward to participate in a golf tournament recently organised by the Old Boys’ Association.
The fundraising initiative, conducted at Prestige Golfshire, Nandi Hills, was a part of their endeavour to raise funds for enhancing the sports programme at their alma mater.
From 70-year-olds to youngsters barely out of their teens, the tournament witnessed enthusiastic participation from Josephites belonging to many different batches. Pros Trishul Chinnappa, C G Somaiah and Syed Saqib Ahmed, all belonging to the institution, played a few holes each while leading amateurs David D’Souza and Amitabh Poddar also put their best foot forward in the game.
The tournament, which started early in the morning, was followed by a prize distribution ceremony and networking among the alumni and their spouses. David D’Souza won the trophy for the best overall score. Indulging in food and drinks, Josephites shared light moments with each other and memories of yore.
“Even though alumni of so many different age groups are a part of the event, everyone is the same age on the golf course. It’s nice for each one of us to be on the same page. As I was playing non-competitively today, I was quite relaxed and it was great fun. It was also interesting to hear fascinating stories about school from different people,” said Trishul.
David D’Souza felt that this year, the tournament was even better.
“The facilities have been top-class and everything is very well-organised. We are grateful for the support and sponsorship of the Prestige Group, founded by Irfan Razack and his brothers, all three Josephites and golfers. The weather too has been great and it’s really pleasant catching up with old boys at the golf course,” he expressed.
For Amitabh Poddar, it was an indescribable and nostalgic feeling to be present among Josephites. “Our school colours are blue and white and it feels proud to see them all over the golf course including the clothes and the caps. There are alumni in their 70s and 80s who are present here and even an old boy who’s come all the way from Australia. The tournament is fabulously organised and I hope this golfing tradition of the Old Boys’ Association continues in the years to come.”
Torun Mathias from the batch of 1993 was glad to see the camaraderie during the event. “It’s awesome to be back among schoolmates and compete in a healthy spirit. The tournament began with the school anthem and that was truly like a trip down memory lane,” he said.
Arjun Nambisan, a part of the organising committee, felt that what truly set the tournament apart was that it was not just a regular sport being played but a game of an entirely different stature altogether.
“We have had renowned professionals from our alma mater participating in it which is wonderful. The hospitality and the bonding has been excellent. It’s only grown bigger from last year, which was the first edition.”
Many other corporate and individual sponsors also extended their support for the tournament which ended on a high note.