Batch of 1975 He is presently an advocate in the Supreme Court of India. He was designated as a senior advocate at the age of 34 and became the youngest additional solicitor general at 38. He was the youngest Vice-President of the Supreme Court Bar Association at 39. After his schooling he studied at St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi and later at Cambridge. He is a member of the Indo-British Legal Forum, a member of the Governing Board of the International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution and the International Institute of Human Rights. He is also actively involved in politics and briefly taught Constitutional Law at the Cambridge University in UK. According to Worldlink, he is rated as a “Global Leader for Tomorrow”.
Batch of 1967 Presently the Chairman of Reliance Entertainment Ltd., completed his higher education from St. Stephen’s, Delhi. He has been involved with media since his school days. Has worked in theatre, radio, television, journalism, and films. Began his career as an Executive Producer with actorproducer Dev Anand’s “Nav Ketan” in 1971 and subsequently produced films “Man Pasand”, “Sheeshay Ka Ghar” and “Shesh”. Has written over 400 film and non-film songs and several film scripts. He began actively working in television as a producer-director in the eighties and set up PLUS CHANNEL in 1990 which was India’s first entertainment conglomerate and the largest independent producer of TV Programmes. He left PLUS as its Managing Director to launch Reliance Entertainment. His other achievements include editing the magazines Tempus and Take-2 and writing in various magazines and newspapers. He has served on the Central Board of Film Certification and the Film Import Selection Committee, as a vice president of the Film Producers Guild of India and has been on the committees of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, Indian Music Industry and Film Federation of India. He has helped to found the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image.
Batch of 1959 Presently an Air Marshal with the Indian Air Force, holding the position of Senior Air Staff Officer of HQs of the Central Air Command. He graduated from the National Defence Academy in 1973 and was commissioned as a fighter pilot in April 1964. Undertook air defence and strike missions as a part of the air operations conducted during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, subsequently became the squadron commander of MiG 25 aircraft and was later deputed abroad on an instructional assignment with the Air Force of Iraq. He has commanded two Major IAF fighter airbases of Suratgarh and Pathankot besides commanding the Jaffna airbase (in Sri Lanka) during the Indian Peace Keeping operations in Sri Lanka. He has attended the National Security Course at Haifa, Israel and is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. His major assignments include Director of Air Force Plans, Asst. Chief of Air Staff (Intelligence) as Chairman of the Joint Services Intelligence Board. He also held charge as Deputy Chief of Air Staff at Air Headquarters and was responsible for procurements and future planning of the Air force in that assignment. He is also a sportsman having represented the Air Force in Yachting at National Levels during 1968-71. He was awarded the Vayu Seva Medal (VSM) for gallantry by the President of India in 1988 and was conferred with Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM) for distinguished service by the President of India in 1997.
Batch of 1963 Presently the CEO and founder of the Chopra Center for Well Being in La Jolla, California, USA.This one time endocrinologist is today guru to the likes of Michael Jackson, Demi Moore, and Beatle George Harrison. He has become famous for his discourses and has written books like ‘Ageless Body, Timeless Mind’ and ‘The Perfect Health’. He has been selected as one of the Top 100 Icons and Heroes of the Century by the Time magazine describing him as “the poetprophet of alternative medicine.” He has written twenty-five books and CD-ROM programmes which have been translated into thirty-five languages and published in every continent. He had been a guest faculty member at the Update in Internal Medicine 1997 lecture, sponsored by Harvard Medical School, Department of Continuing Education and The Dept. of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He has been designated as one of the top 10 motivational speakers by the Esquire magazine and was awarded with the highest honors for communication excellence and leadership by the Toastmasters International in 1995, a recipient of Golden Gavel Award in 1997, he was also awarded the Medal of Presidency of the Italian Republic by the Pio Manzu Centre chaired by Mikhail Gorbachev. He had been the chief of staff at the Boston Regional Medical Center and also taught at the Tufts University and Boston University Schools for Medicine.
Batch of 1967 He is presently the Chairman of Pearl Global Limited, one of the largest companies in the industry in the field of garment exports. The Company also owns one of the premier fashion institutes by the name of Pearl Academy of Fashion in New Delhi, an Academy having a very market-oriented course curriculum. He is also on the advisory board for Fashion Retail Management Programmes of the same academy.
Batch of 1975 He graduated from St. Stephens College, Delhi and later on completed his LL.B from Delhi University and LL.M from Harvard University. He is also a Doctor of Juridicial Sciences (S.J.D.) from Harvard. As a senior advocate, he appeared in several important cases involving Public Interest Litigation, Rights of Bonded Women Workers, Rights of HIV positive workers in the work place etc. He has taught International Law at the Oklahoma University, USA in 1983 and has also been a Paper setter and Chairman of the Board of Examiners for the LL.M. examination. He was appointed as Additional Solicitor General of India in the year 1998. He was appointed as the Additional Judge of the High Court at Bombay on 29th March 2000 and is presently the youngest High Court Judge in the Country.
Batch of 1947 He was selected for the Indian Navy in 1949 and went to U. K. for Naval training at Dartmouth College specializing in Marine- Engineering. Returned to India in 1956 alongwith 4 ships purchased by the Indian Navy from U. K., later on was involved with Commissioning and bringing of ships from U.K. and Russia. He also completed Defence Management from Russia specializing in repair technology pertaining to submarines and submarine frigates. Was posted in the Eastern Theatre during the 1971 war with Pakistan as the Command engineer officer of the Eastern Naval Command. Later on he was posted to Moscow (USSR) as Deputy Naval Attaché and was concurrently accredited to Poland, served in the Naval Dock Yard for nearly 7 years and was responsible for repairs and maintenance of surface ships, Missile Boats and submarines. Subsequently, he was promoted as a Rear Admiral in 1983 and as Director General Naval Projects – Bombay. He retired from the Indian Navy in 1987 with a commissioned service of over 35 years. He was awarded Vishist Seva Medal (VSM) by the President of India for his contribution to the success of 1971 war with Pakistan.
Batch of 1968 Is a member of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, India. Completed his M. D. (Doctor of Medicine) in Psychiatry from AIIMS in 1978 after completing his MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Delhi in 1974. He is currently a director of AASRA : An Association for Scientific Research on the Addictions. Has designed four therapeutic communities for the treatment of about 700 drug-addicts at Central Jail, New Delhi, is a National Training Consultant of UNDCP (United Nations International Drugs Control Programme) and is a consulting/ visiting psychiatrist to various hospitals such as Aashlok Hospital and the Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi. He is a consultant to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. He has been a visiting psychiatrist to National Heart Institute, Central Jail Hospital, New Delhi, etc. and been a Senior Resident, Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS and also has various papers and publications to his credit. He is also a Co-founder, Executive Committee Member of Sanjivini, Society for Mental Health, an NGO based in New Delhi and also a co-founder of AASRA and a fellow of the Indian Psychiatric Society. He has got many awards to his credit like Delhi’s Prison’s Award for appreciation for AASRA drug rehabilitation programme, 2000; Navjyoti Award 1993-94; certificate for Outstanding contribution for success of the Smallpox Eradication Programme in India awarded by the WHO and the Government of India. His varied interests include Music, Theatre and Sports.
Batch of 1960 He is presently the Congregation Leader of the Congregation of Christian Brothers in Rome. Was principal of St. Columba’s School from 1982 to 1987. He is very fond of reading and writing. In his congratulations message to the OCA to commemorate the Diamond Jubliee of the foundation of St.Columba’s School he has recalled the achievements of all those men who have quietly passed through the portals of the school and lived good lives faithful to the values they learnt in this school: “No one notices them, because simple goodness is not a media event! But it is people like these that form the backbone of civilized society. They are the good fathers, good husbands, good sons and brothers that make family life still a value in our country. They are decent businessmen and government employees that keep the wheels of commerce and administration moving. Many of them are unsung heroes, because it is very hard to hold on to traditional values in a society that is rapidly casting them off. I would hope that these men are not forgotten.”
Batch of 1963 Presently the Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Hotels Limited, a company owning seven deluxe hotels in the company under the name of “The Grand Inter- Continental Hotels” in various parts of the country and has recently been elected to the Rajya Sabha. Obtained an Honours Degree in Commerce from SRCC, Delhi. Later on he undertook a 2-year specialization in Automobile Engineering with Vauxhall Motors, England. Before coming to the hotel line in 1982 he was spearheading the specialized division for automobile body fabrication on buses, station wagons, trucks and armed forces vehicles in his family run company, Delhi Automobiles Ltd. He is also the President of the Hotel Association of India and a key member of the World Travel & Tourism Council. He is a recipient of various excellence awards both in the field of business and public services. In November 2002, he has been honoured with the WTM (World Travel Market’s) Global Networks award for excellence in all fields related to tourism thus becoming the only Asian who got the award considered the biggest in the industry. He was awarded with the State’s highest award for promoting tourism in the State by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. He was also conferred with the Rashtriya Samman Parta for being the highest tax payer in the country for assessment years 1995-96 and 1999-00. He was also conferred with the prestigious award for his outstanding accomplishments in business and leadership at the International Millennium Convention in New York by the then First Lady of USA Mrs. Hilary Rodham Clinton. Besides hoteliering, his companies also deal in aviation, exports, automobile ancillaries, real estate, telecom, IT, and newspaper publishing. He is also an avid art collector and philanthropist and has helped build various places of worship in the country.
These two Columbans from the 1995 batch are studying at the International College of Hotel Management at Australia. But the best part about it is that both of them are performing at a very high standard and have gained a good reputation with their peers and lecturing staff. In fact, in a letter to Rev. Br. D ‘Souza, the Principal of the College has requested him to “please send more students of this standard”!
Batch of 1985 He is a great sportsman and an achiever. He has represented India for the past 20 years in the Trapshooting events at the international level and has won many awards and medals. His achievements include: The Arjuna Award in 1994 besides Gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 1994 and 1998. Won silver medals at the Asian Games in 1998 and 2002 and bronze medal at the World Cup in 1997. He is a current commonwealth champion and record holder besides being a national champion 11 times. He also holds the National Record in the event.
Co-star with ex-Miss Universe Sushmita Sen in the Hindi film ‘Dastak’. Mukul started his acting career from school plays. He acted in Wizard of Oz wherein he played the Tin Man with Shah Rukh Khan who played the Wizard.
Batch of 1984 A doctor by profession, but his interest for theatre and music generated by his secret admiration for Elvis Presley dragged him into this field. Started working in a theatre but music overtook all and the band “Euphoria” was born in which he was a band leader. He had to suffer many difficulties when the Euphoria’s original line broke up but instead of weakening him, all this strengthened his resolve to do something by which he and Euphoria would be remembered and the revived Euphoria is the outcome of that. Has very select friends and dislikes frivolous socializing and alcohol. His weaknesses include sweets, good food and superstitions.
Batch of 1959 Completed his Masters’ in Physics from St. Stephens College and LLB from Delhi University. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1967 in the Rajasthan Cadre. Has held several postings in the State Government including Sub- Divisional and District level postings, was also connected with Rural Development and as Managing Director with Small Scale Industries Corporation and with Rajasthan Financial Corporation and as a Director with the State Training Institute. Has worked in the Department of Textiles, Department of Commerce, UPSC, Health Ministry and in the Cabinet Secretariat during his postings in Central Government in Delhi. He is presently posted as Secretary in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting dealing with policies and programmes relating to Print Media, TV & Radio, Cinema as well as Government publicity.
Rajat brought laurels to St. Columba’s immediately after passing the Class XII examinations in 1995. He competed for a scholarship examination held by the International Children’s Excellence Fund in which thousands of students from all over India participated, and obtained a scholarship of Rs. 7200 and a certificate of honour. In the foundation examination conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in May ’96, be stood fifth on an All-India basis and third in the Northern region.
Batch of 1964 Actively involved in social and humanitarian service, since his college days when he sponsored the first orphan child from his pocket money and went on to sponsor 10 children by the year 1981 as his business started growing. He established the “Rajinder Bagga Village”, the first Indo- French village for homeless children at Kahanpur, 30 km from Pune in a record 11 months time with the total cost of the project being upwards of Rs. One crore. It is a home to nearly 100 children, childless widows & destitutes who themselves are looking for placement, love & affection in life. Mrs. Danielle Mitterland, wife of the former French President has been supporting Mr. Rajinder Bagga through valuable contributions and also has been encouraging him in this sacred venture. He has also performed the wedding of the first girl child he sponsored while in college. Besides this he is a successful businessman running a 250 crore company, which, when he began his career, was only a Rs. One Crore company. He believes in giving back to society what he has received from it.
Batch of 1985 A person who needs no introduction, completed his schooling in 1985. He started his career from the small screen with tele-serials on Doordarshan such as Circus, Fauji & Doosra Keval and gradually went on to do commercial films. Today he has achieved super stardom with many hits to his credit and has done almost every kind of roles and also made special appearances in the films. Now a days he is also in the business of producing films under the banner of “Dreamz Unlimited” in partnership with his best friend and Actress/Producer Juhi Chawla. He also loves sports and was a member of the cricket team during his school days.
Also from the 1994 batch, Showbhik is doing computer engineering at Nanyang technological University in Singapore. In May’96 Showbhik and Dilip Krishnan from D.P.S.R.K.P won the worldwide Texas Instruments Digital Signal Processing Challenge in Atlanta, Georgia (USA) for inventing a process to restore old motion pictures. They jointly won a cash prize for (hold your breath) $10000. In doing so, they beat teams from some of the top universities in the world.
Was commissioned into the one of the oldest Cavalry Regiments of the Indian Army i.e. the 2nd Lancers in June 1959. Graduated from the National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy. Carried out important duties both in war and at peace time. He is also a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He has been an instructor with the NDA and Defence Services Staff College. Has carried out important and critical appointments in the staff as Brigade Major in an independent armoured brigade, Military Operations and Logistics Directorates and was also Director, General Military Intelligence at Army Headquarters. He was appointed as Indian Military Attache at the Indian Embassy in Bonn with concurrent accreditation to Switzerland and Austria. He was awarded with AVSM when he was the General Officer Commanding of an Infantry Division deployed for internal security operations. Later he commanded a strike corps and was the Army Commander of Army Training Command (ARTAC) before retirement responsible for the complete training of the Indian Army. He was also awarded the Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM) for his distinguished service of the most exceptional order to the Indian Army and the Country in general. He retired from the army after 38 years of service.
Batch of 1966 Presently, he is the Chairman of the Onida Group of Companies having a market capitalisation of about $30 million and having brand names like Omega to its credit. He has a vast experience in entrepreneurship in the manufacturing and financial sector.
Batch of 1952 He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Banaras Hindu University and subsequently obtained degrees of Master of Science, and Doctor of Science from M.I.T. in U.S.A., afterwards he joined the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay in 1965 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Later on promoted as a professor and subsequently served as the Head of the Department from 1973 to 1975. Went to Iowa State University, U.S.A. as a visiting professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He worked as a Deputy Director and later on as a Director of IIT, Bombay from 1995 – 2000 after which he took over as a Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. He was a member of the same board from the year 1995. He is known for his outstanding achievements both in teaching and research in the areas of Heat Transfer and Energy. He guided many students for their Ph. D. degrees and published nearly 70 papers, and is an author of two widely known text books in Heat Transfer and Solar Energy. Took the initiative of establishing two new Schools, one each in Management and Information Technology offering PG Programmes when he was the Director of the IIT, Bombay. He is a recipient of many awards and honours, the first being the Prince of Wales Gold Medal when he stood first in Banaras Hindu University; was awarded with the title of Padam Shri by the Government of India in 2001, is the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and received the Om Prakash Bhasin Foundation Award for engineering for the year 2001.
Batch of 1965 He is presently a selector of the Delhi Ranji Trophy and under 25 teams and is coaching young and upcoming cricketers in the capital at his academy. He is currently writing a cricket coaching manual besides commenting and anchoring programmes based on cricket on various channels and magazines. He was the Manager of the Indian Cricket team in its 1998 tour of Sri Lanka in which the team annexed the Singer Nidahas Independence Cup organized to celeberate Sri Lanka’s golden jubilee of independence. He has represented North Zone, Delhi, Rest of India and Board President’s XI in first class cricket matches and was an opening batsman having played against all the visiting international sides from 1970 to 1980. He qualified as an umpire in 1981 in Tasmania, Australia. He has also coached the teams of Railways, Uttar Pradesh and Central Zone teams with significant results. Many of the players he coached are now currently in the Indian Team.
A student from the 1994 batch, Vivek is doing his B.S. in Electrical Engineering at Rice University in Houston, Texas, U.S.A. He has received a Louis Walsh Award in Engineering for the 1996-97 academic year.
E-mail: vivekr@owlnet.rice.edu
Batch of 1974 He is presently the Vice Chairman of Wipro Ltd. and President of its Wipro Technologies division based in Santa Clara, CA, USA. Before joining Wipro he successfully ran GE’s Global CT (Computerized Tomography) scanner business and was a President and CEO of GE’s medical equipment joint venture with Wipro. His efforts in all these companies have been noted in the business media (Forbes, Fortune, Business Week, NYT, WSJ etc.) and have been used as case studies in leading business schools (Harvard, Wharton, Insead, etc.). He is an MBA from University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He received his Bachelor of Engineering degree from B.I.T.S. Pilani, India and Electrical and Electronics Engineering. He is also a portsman and was the captain of the swimming and water polo teams. He is a member of the Board of California Chamber of Commerce, of B.I.T.S. Senate and a charter member of The Silicon Valley Indus Entrepreneurs Organization.
Batch of 1987 Has had an extremely brief but scintillating Test career having played in just two matches for India during the 1989-90 tour of Pakistan in which he took 5 wickets for 79 runs in the second innings of the Sialkot test. A product of the MRF Pace Academy, he was the fast medium bowler in the team. He has represented Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Services in the Ranji Trophy Matches. He is presently coaching Fast Bowlers under 16 and 19. When he played for his school cricket team, Shah Rukh Khan was his wicket keeper and Rahul Dev was a co-fast bowler.