Kirit Shah, who runs a multi-million dollar company in Thailand, travelled to Shimla for his alma mater Bishop Cotton School’s sesquicentennial celebrations in his private plane, 37 years after he had left.

But sadly, after the long-awaited reunion, it’s time to get back to the grind for some. “I think we have become a part of history. Perhaps none of us will return to the school again but it will always remain the same,” Shah said. But he added that the school needs to upgrade its infrastructure.

Arun Bhumitra, Chief Executive Officer of a US telecom company, is among the four Bhumitra brothers, who were here to revive the memories of their school days. “BCS has given us much more that we ever thought possible. That’s why we took a complete break from work to join the sesquicentennial celebrations. We are returning with a lot of memories. I hope the school continues to follow its traditions and keeps producing the best citizens,” said Bhumitra.

IPS officer G S Gill, who is the Director General of Police of Himachal, returned to the school for the first time since he had passed out. “It was a rarest of rare occasions. I got to meet all my classmates at such a fabulous ceremony,” he said.

Major (Retd) Vijai Singh Mankotia, former tourism minister, recalled his school days as fantastic. “Those formative years were great. What I achieved in life — getting straight into the IMA, winning a sword of honour and my career as an Army officer — was because of the school.”