Cathedralites - Say “Goodbye Bill”

I have posted details of the funeral on our Seventh Heaven Blog

Annikki and I would like to say our fond farewell to our dear friend, my physics teacher from my days in Cathedral and John Connon School, Bombay (Mumbai).

Bill passed away yesterday at the age of 98. His wife, Pushpa was with him.

Bill introduced me to physics and the basics he taught me, starting with the first experiment on measuring specific gravity, stood me in good stead especially when I had to master the subject of Polymer Physics.

Bill was on the staff of the school and introduced us to Physics.

Boys' School Staff 1958

Bill was the Assistant House Master of Wilson House which was Cock House in 1956

Bill was a powerful singer and sang as tenor in the St. Thomas Cathedral Choir where I was also privileged to sing under late Charles Velu.

The portal of the St. Thomas Cathedral church.

Bill also sang the lead in the school annual musical operas.

He and his wife, Pushpa, took part in our 2009 Golden Jubilee Reunion of the Class of 59 in Bombay. He also visited the reunion of the 1964ers Reunion, with me and 59er class teacher John Billington, held the same year.

Bill in the group photo of the 59ers after the Founders Day Service

Our contact with Bill and Pushpa was kept alive by the late Hasnain Chinwala (Chinnie), our dear classmate, who also lived in Toronto, Canada, and visited Bill and Pushpa as often as they would have him.

This photo album below with inputs from late Chinnie, compiled by me, shows how dear Bill and Pushpa were to us 59ers. 

Family photo of Bill and Pushpa

We celebrated Bill's 85th birthday via late Chinnie.

We were also there, in spirit, for Bill's 90th birthday, thanks to late Chinnie.

Bill, Pushpa and late Chinnie with Viney

Bill, Viney and late Chinnie

Pushpa lays out the dinner table for Viney

Bill, Viney and Pushpa

Their doors were always open for us 59ers. 59er Viney Sethi from California and late Chinnie visited him in Toronto and they called me on the phone from there.

59er Dr. Narsys Irani, who was also his student, living in Toronto also visited Bill.

We will miss our dear Bill. 

I am greatly indebted to 54er Gracie Hayeem for updating me of this news. Pushpa had informed me of the situation, after 64er Basil Colaco had informed me that Bill was slowly fading.

I attended the Annual General Meeting of our school alumni today and informed the participants of the passing of Bill. Shyla Boga Patel said she would carry this news on our Cathedral School website.

May Bill rest in peace. 

May our Lord bring peace to Pushpa and their family at this time, knowing he was greatly loved by all of us. 

Condolences from every single 59er who have loved Bill from our first interaction in 1954 (70 years ago).

Thanks to Shalu

Anand and me

Many thanks to Shalini, wife of Anand (son of the late George Matthan Sr.) and daughter of the late Dr. Nainan Varghese, for providing me with the name of her daughter-in-law (Kavita) and also correcting me that Pushpa's only son's name is Rohan George. Pushpa is the second daughter of Jacob Matthan Sr. (me being Jacob Matthan Jr., but not the son of Sr., only a nephew). The Dewan Bahadur Kuriyan Matthan page has been updated.

One small story about Shallu's late father, who was one of the most famous haemotologist that India has ever known. He met me at a party one evening in Madras where my parents were also present. We were all standing together and my dear mother was ranting about how much dessert I was consuming and that I would soon become a diabetic like my dad.

Dr. Nainan Varghese chipped in and told my mom that I would never become a diabetic!!

Coming from such a renowned expert, I was taken aback, as were both my mom and dad. He went on to explain that as both my mom and dad were considerably shorter than me, I am 6 foot 2 and half inches (191 cm) while both of them were below 5 foot 6 inches, the level of inherent growth hormone in my system would always keep me from becoming a diabetic as I had the natural anti-dote.

We all laughed, but he was deadly serious, as he had made this a serious study and was convinced that the immense volume of data he had collected had no exceptions till that date!!

And, in truth, I have been a borderline diabetic for many many years. I have never reduced my sugar intake, usually in the form of chocolates, biscuts, ice creams, barfi, sweet curd, and every other delicious form of sweetmeat that I can lay my hands on (my mouth just waters when I think of carrot halwa, jelebi, gulab jamuns or a tin of condensed milk), and I remain as such, a borderline diabetic. The moment I do some gym work, within two days my blood sugar will fall well below the borderline!!