Enclosed among loose pages
A peacock feather dwells.
Somewhere in some corner
Nestle age-wrinkled roses.
The faded flower unfolds
Vivid memories of yesteryear.
The wrinkled roses retain
The smell of days bygone.
A fanatic desire to preserve,
Reminders of the reverence they deserve,
Clutching at the elusive strands
Of memories, binding them at their cores.
Vaishali Dhage
(Class of ’85)It feels like a dream when I look back recollecting my association with
In 1957, I enrolled as student here and my love affair with the college started. In those days, 1957-1963 that I was here as a student, the academic excellence was the hallmark of the college. Every professor who came to class was erudite, competent, strict on discipline and emphatic on the academic aspect. The classes used to be full with proper roll call and every lecture a test of our alertness and comprehension. Professors flew at jet speed and expected students to follow and keep up with them. The staff common room used to always be full and one could hear very heated debates on economic development issues, accounting practices, the legal cases or at times very hilarious arguments on current affairs. The Principal of the college used to be a very common member in the discussions. Most of the professors were such masters of their subjects that they participated in national debates, worked as advisors to the National Planning Commission, various committees of the Govt. of India and the Universities. One could grab the benefit of their expertise and knowledge.
Very rarely if ever, we could skip classes. Every professor insisted on every student attending classes and then in the time left to the students, all other extra curricular activities could be pursued. The College Annual Day was a function to witness. Even back then the college had a posse of societies and each was very active. The literary societies were the most active ones and would put up excellent programmes like dramas, poetry reading sessions, lectures of eminent authors etc.
It was very common for the Urdu Mandal to organize a shadow play at the Annual Day. The Gymkhana was active with the annual sports event. There were some very eminent sportsmen visiting the grounds on the day. I remember Shri Vijay Merchant, a chief guest, who participated in a walking race for the ex-students of the college. The stands of the University grounds or Cooperage used to be brimming with students on that day.
The Students' Union was the top student body with public election of the representative and eventually the election of the Chairman of this body. It was primarily the
Now times have changed, personalities have changed, the problems have changed and all institutions have to adapt to these changes. I have enjoyed Sydenham as a student. But more than that, I enjoyed the college as a professor. The college has shaped my approach, my capacities and my personality. When I look back, I realize how much Sydenham has been to me. It is an integral part of me which is impossible to erase or forget.
Partings are sad and it had been the saddest event for me. But everyone has to play his innings and when the umpire lifts his finger one has to walk back to the pavilion.
I walked back to the pavilion with a great sense of content and satisfaction that I have played my innings to the best of my abilities.
All I say now is "Long live my Alma Mater and let it grow from strength to strength."
Prof. S.K. Belsare
Five days of ‘organized chaos’...
Months of preparation...
Days and nights of bonding...
Loads of colour and life all over the place....
The never-ending buzz close to the "base."
The inter department competitions and the controversies!
The elation one feels on being able to shout “brou-haha brou-haha” all over the campus and even outside it!
Well that’s Brouhaha in a nutshell!
Our college festival gives the students a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose. It’s the confluence of many minds working together in harmony to create and innovate. Brouhaha is the religion of Sydenham. You are either in Brouhaha or you are not happening.
Having being a member of the organizing committee myself, I fully realise its demands and difficulties. The complexity involved in making a “Brouhaha” possible is immense. From
This is an article I'd written when I was in college...and felt very strongly about a lot of things that were an everyday part of the Sydenham Life. I was proud of my College yet disillusioned at the way it was treated! It's a bad place to be, when you're 20.
I'm posting it again, for the young 20 somethings of my beloved college...who may have felt these things sometime. Guys, if you believe in something...DO IT!
YOU make Sydenham...and make it the best that it can ever be!
Lets take pride in saying, "I'm proud to be a Sydenhamite!" :)
To Sydenhamites…with love!
"Call it small, call it dusty, call it cramped but 'SYDENHAM' has an aura bigger than the size of the building gives it credit for... the name itself evokes a plethora of reactions from common people; 'the first commerce college in Asia', 'the first female commerce graduate', 'The best Institution to the east of Suez Canal' (The Time Magazine, 1990) et al. This name strikes a deeper meaningful chord among people who have had the honour of being associated in any way to this fine institution of learning."
It's been 96 years that this august institution was born. Mr. K. Subramani Aiyer's dream of establishing an institute totally devoted to education in commerce became a reality on 22nd October 1913, with merely four part time lectures and a hundred students.
Sydenham. The name itself means excellence. Sydenham has enjoyed the monopoly of being the best commerce college in Mumbai and all over for a very long time. Sydenham today has become widely synonymous with extra – curricular activities. That is our forte! With more than 20 unique societies functioning simultaneously, its amazing how there is a society for every talent a person could possibly possess. The college literally inspires creativity. The extra curricular activities give the students an edge above the rest.
We seem to have it all don't we? The education, the exposure, the interaction, the extra curriculars and the attitude. Well then why is it that the glory that Sydenham once had is getting lost? Why is it that inspite of being good in academics, we do not produce toppers or rank holders at the university level? Why is it that inspite of being one of THE most active college in extra curriculars we don't end up winning most of the inter-collegiate festivals? Why is that we don't want to attend lectures? If we really delve deeper into our system, when was the last time we didn't give an excuse for not winning a competition or for getting low marks? When was the last time we really did something for the college except lurking around the campus blaming the management and the faculty for the declining repute or worse wearing the, "I care a damn" attitude on our sleeve.
Today, we look at Sydenham and we know that something somewhere doesn't fit. Something really went wrong along the way. When and where, no one knows. Yet the answer lies with us. All we really need to do is look into ourselves and question!
The students' blame the professors, the professors blame the management, the management blames some one else. It’s nothing but a vicious circle. When, we ask, when will we stop giving excuses and really do something? Why don't we realize what we are messing with a reputation that takes ages to build. Have we really become so indifferent to the situation around us? No, the truth is that we not motivated enough. Only half of the thousands who are part of this college have a feeling of belongingness towards it.
As the popular saying goes, "don't see what Sydemham can give you, see what you can give Sydenham"
This has to be the attitude
We won't offer any solutions here. We ourselves are the solution. All we need to do is wake up.
Sydenham is a place beyond compare.
All it needs is your commitment. Sydenham provides its students with the platform to display their talents but ultimately it is up to the students to exploit this opportunity. The least we can give our college is the respect it commands not only in words but in deeds. We are all like bricks in this superstructure; its glory is like the paint. With a wrong attitude and no sense of belongingness towards the structure the paint will start peeling off. All we really need to do is restore the structure's peeling paint…and it'll be as good as new!
Let's take pride in saying, "I'm proud to be a Sydenhamite!"
