“One of the greatest titles we can have is "old friend". We never appreciate how important old friends are until we are older. The problem is we need to start our old friendships when we are young. We then have to nurture and grow those friendships over our middle age when a busy life and changing geographies can cause us to ne-glect those friends. Today is the day to invest in those people we hope will call us 'old friend" in the years to come.”

Grant Fairley

“Old Friend,” yes, aren’t we all of one another? Our friendships started way back in 1971 and continued till 1983, the year we passed out of High school. Some of these still continue to this day, standing the tests of time while, some have taken a back seat, in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives,

To refresh our memories, Nirmala High School was first started on 17th June

1963.Then it had 196 students from Kindergarten to 3rd class. It all started in a cattle shed at Patamata center donated by a local benefactor Mr. Katragadda Raghuramaiah. The cattle shed was then replaced by a rented house and the school started its operations on 8th July of 1963. In 1964 the rented house was given up and the school moved to its present prem-ises. The land on which the present school stands was bought from the Bishop.

The buildings in which we attended our classes were designed by the Italian Br. Giani David. In 1964 the construction was completed and the present day school took its shape and started designing the destinies of its students. The first Headmistress was Sr. Lorenza. Then the strength of the school was increased to 500. In 1965 the school was rec-ognized by the Dept Of Education. In 1969 Sr. Angelica Fernandez took over as the Second Head Mistress. She was a great Head Mistress who did the afternoon rounds with minimum of four scales and with her vision and dedication took the school to greater heights. The School had won an Award for the Best School in 1973 &1974 and Sr. Nancy took over and she remained our Head Mistress until we passed out. Twenty five years have passed since then.

Come July It will be time to meet again –at our Silver Jubilee Reunion. Reunion-We all know what it implies. But why do we need to have a reunion? Twenty five years have passed without us thinking of any of our classmates. We have forgotten the names, the faces and sadly, even forgotten some of them completely. Then why rekindle those forgot-ten memories? We surely need to reawaken these memories, those times we spent for twelve long years in one building built not only with walls but with also our toothless grins.

Contd. on p.8

Invest in Old Friends - Vidya Tadanki

Contributors:

• Vidya Tadanki

• Yamini Chandar Roy

• Saritha Dasari

• Sridhar Babu

• Jyothir Mai

• Hari T.

• Sri Lakshmi Sarath

• Madhu Yetukuri

Inside this issue:

Joy of Giving 2

Health Watch 3

Travelogue 4

Pictures 5

Travelogue 6

Beauty Spot 7

Ugadi 7

Sangamam Times

April 2008 Volume 1, Issue 1

When Vidya wanted me to write as a Business Analyst for Sangamam Times, I was won-dering as to the content that could really appeal to Nir-malites of 1983 batch… Well, I was contemplating on the following topics: Why one should invest in

Gold even when an ounce costs over a grand? Why is the US economy spin-ning into a recession – Is this a temporary phenomenon or a permanent one? How should IT companies in India cope with the slow-down in the US economy? Why are crude oil prices so high? I thought of giving a simplified version as to what the possible answers could be to the above questions but then, are they not available on millions of web-sites? Nevertheless, please let me know if any of you want a simplified version of anything in the financial markets like ROI, bottom line, cost benefit ratios, portfolio management, net asset values, depreciation, etc. You can send me a private message and be rest assured about your anonymity. My col-umn in Sangamam Times will have answers to all your ques-tions. Please remember our motto ‘Truth, Joy & Service”. I al-ways believed in the cliché’ the true joy is in serving the needy. It is a myth that, “Unless we are rich enough we cannot serve the needy”. I firmly believe that in India there is no dearth for donors to give money for the right cause and especially if the people behind the cause are

credible. Having stated this, I will cite few examples to support my statement. In a remote village in Rajast-han, an elderly lady (aged 90) who belongs to Marwari community heard about a Ghoshala in Pilani. She went to the nearest post office and sent a donation of Rs.10,000 through a money order ad-dressed to ‘Ghoshala, Pilani’. We had a group leader by the name of Dr.Subrata Ghoshal and that money landed right on his table. He inquired into the whole incident and per-sonally went to the ghoshala and handed over the money to the right person. In another incident, a couple of years back, we thought of building an old age home (Sai Vrindavan) for a group of elderly orphans (average age would be above 75). We had no idea as how and where the money would come from. We talked about the project with a few friends and as of today the project is completed at a cost of more than INR 35lakhs. To be hon-est, we never did sweat to collect such a big amount. So folks, I am sure you will agree with me that money is not a problem for the right cause. The biggest problem is however, time. If each of us can spend quality time with orphans, mentally challenged, or old age citizens, I am sure we can bring a smile to their faces and that, in my opinion, is the real joy of giving. For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to give

something to the needy, I suggest the following. Please go to the nearest hospital, preferably a low cost one and check with any patient need-ing blood of your group. Do volunteer to donate and wit-ness the happiness on the faces of the beneficiary’s relatives. I personally felt very happy when I first do-nated blood way back in 1991. Thus I first experi-enced the joy of giving. Ever since, nothing has stopped me in giving or to put it in a more selfish way, there is no stopping me in enjoying the bliss of giving. Start giv-ing…,start enjoying. Watch this space next week…. Mee Yamini yycroy@gmail.com

Joy of Giving - Yamini Chandar Roy

Page 2

Sangamam Times

Sai Vrindavan—The old age home

I am sure we can bring a smile to their faces

and that, in my opinion, is the real joy

of giving

TIME TO WAKE UP I have been a silent participant of all our reunion activities till i was pulled out by Vidya. She asked me if i could contribute something in the interest of all our friends - something that was important for all of us - Our Health. As a nephrologist with experi-ence in both the developing and developed worlds, I feel there is a need for a lot of awareness to be brought about on kidney diseases, especially in our country. kidneys today are in the news for all the wrong reasons. They are the stuff of transplant rackets. On the occasion of World Kidney day on March 13, i also did an awareness programme in our hospital at Chennai. It is important to learn more about our kidneys. Kidney diseases are common and their incidence is on the rise. 1 out of every 10 people has a kid-ney disease. It is a silent con-dition because unlike the heart, there are no specific com-plaints, like pain in the kidney. Kidney diseases can affect anyone at any age. People with diabetes, hyper-tension, joint pains, repeated urinary infections are more likely to have a kidney dis-ease. Patients with kidney dis-ease are 10 times more at risk for heart and stroke problems. While there are multiple stages of kidney disease, dialysis is the last stage. If diagnosed in the early stages, dialysis stage can be prevented or delayed for several years. If diagnosed late,dialysis or transplant has

to be considered to give any meaningful life. A proper dialysis schedule and quality of dialysis, will give a near normal life. Dialysis in India costs Rs. 20000 per month and so not many can afford it. A legal transplant costs Rs 3-4 lakhs for surgery and Rs. 20,000+ per month for six months followed by Rs. 10,000+ month for the rest of the life of the patient. There is also the risk of rejection and im-mune-suppression. In India, not many can afford it and so not only the patient but the entire family pays, emo-tionally, financially and

physically. Hence, prevention is the best method we have. Eve-ryone should get a health checkup done atleast once in a year - for BP, sugar and kidney function tests. If BP is high, question the doctor about whether your BP is

due to a kidney problem? Early diagnosis is easy. It requires a blood and urine test that costs Rs. 300. Con-trol the known risk factors as BP-120-130/75-85 is the only number acceptable at any age. Anything above is not good. check sugar lev-els HbA1C every three months, should be <7%. Avoid using pain killers on a regular basis.

If you are having urinary infections repeatedly, insist on knowing your kidney function. Blood urea and creatinine are the tests done, to calculate the kidney func-tion. Creatinine above 1mg/dl in an Indian female and 1.5mg/dl in a muscular male, is abnormal. Any protein and blood in the urine is abnor-mal.

As we are celebrating our 25th anniversary of school graduation, we are also enter-ing into our 40's. Can i request you to take care of yourself and your kid-neys by going for a physi-cal checkup every year??? Do not forget to question the doctor – Remember to ask “ARE MY KIDNEYS OK???”

Health Watch—Saritha Dasari

Page 3

Volume 1, Issue 1

Control the known risk factors as BP-120-

130/75-85 is the only number acceptable at any

age. Anything above is not good. Check sugar

levels HbA1C every three months. It should be

<7%. Avoid using pain killers

on a regular basis.

Do not forget to question the doctor –

Remember to ask “ARE MY KIDNEYS

OK???”

Al Hoota Caves

Wahiba Sands

Travelogue —Muscat

Page 4

Sangamam Times

“According to local folklore, Sindbad came

from Sohar, a port town in Oman that is about 200 kms from

Muscat”

Wadi Picnic Spot

Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, is a beautiful city. It is the largest and the oldest city and still retains the charm of an Arabian town with all the mod-ern amenities. When we see this place, one can recall the story of “Sindbad The Sailor” from our school books. According to local folk-lore, Sindbad came from Sohar, a port town in Oman that is about 200 Kms from Muscat. Many buildings in Mus-cat are of Arabian archi-tecture which blends naturally with the sur-roundings. Some inter-esting places in Oman are Wahiba Sands, Al Hoota caves, numerous small lakes (locally called as Wadis) and Turtle Beach. In the middle Of Wahiba Sands dessert one can spend the night under the tents watching the stars of the desert.One unique thing every tour-ist must experience is a ‘ drive in the desert”.A drive in a four wheel vehicle is called “Sand Bashing”.It is an excit-ing and exhilarating ex-perience where one drives on the sand dunes

in a 90 degree angle. The driver brings down the vehicle in the same angle and it is truly ex-citing! Boys can’t resist drives, can we? Al Hoota caves were formed millions of years ago and photography is prohibited inside the caves. It is a must see

for all the tourists. The lush green grass and small lakes are favorite picnic spots for the lo-cals. Tourists from dif-ferent countries enjoy these destinations . This city looks like a perfect blend between Middle age Arabia and ultra modern Arabia. Culturally, Omanis are active during the Tourist Promotion Festivals. They have their own na-tional dance called the “Razah” and perform this dance form with swords, shields and guns. Even though Omanis dance with

swords they are very peace-ful and friendly people. They are very toler-ant of other cultures and relig-ions. One can find

Churches, temples and Gurudwaras along with Mosques. There are two temples, one of Lord Siva and the other of Lord Krishna. Telugu MahaSabha, Marathi Mithra Mandali, Indian Social Wing and Malayali Association are some of the cultural asso-ciations that celebrate Indian festivals. The Omani women wear Hijabs(veil) and abayas. Aabya is similar to a night gown. Only some Women cover their faces and hands. College go-ing ladies wear jeans and wear a veil over the body. We can find Omani women along with other na-tionalities working in super markets, offices, hotels, and also as air hostesses. In an Omani household only men greet the male guests while women gener-ally avoid them. There are several Indian Schools and they follow the same central syllabus as in India. Our Residen-tial building is owned by our company. It consists of Indians from different states. The best part about the work culture here is that it enables us to have leisurely afternoon naps for 3 hours. Thursday is a half day and Fridays are holidays. Indians comprise the largest expat population here. The lifestyle of those Indians in managerial positions in the Middle East is enviable with luxury apartments, villas and one month annual paid vacation. Isn’t it cool? Overall Muscat is a great place to visit, work and live.

Muscat - Entertaining City—Sridhar Babu K

Page 5

Volume 1, Issue 1

This city looks like a perfect blend between

Middle Age Arabia and Ultra modern

Arabia

Hearty Stuff from Hari T

Page 6

Sangamam Times

Sharing in Madhu Yetukuri’s Happiness: Madhu’s Son Varun got his Blackbelt in

Taekwondo at the World Championship on March 24, 2008. Hearty Congratulations and we

wish him the very best to achieve many more such accomplishments

I have realized the impor-tance of taking care of our-selves only after entering into this beauty profession. Mar-riage, children and work can make us neglect our beauty needs. Most of us think that with the onset of FORTIES we have aged and nobody would give us a second glance. This is totally untrue! All of us have crossed into our thirties, hence this is the time when we really need to take care of ourselves. When we were young we were all gifted with natural beauty. But as we age, our skin shows some changes like wrinkles. We can’t stop aging but we can age gracefully. So, let’s see how we can age gracefully? • Regular facials to pre-vent wrinkles, body massages for relaxation which will drive away stress and regu-lar exercise will keeps us fit. • Manicures and Pedicures will keep ones hands and feet tidy and smooth. • Massage is the key for anything for facials, hands or feet. ο To massage on face we need to do upwards and in circular strokes. ο For hands and feet in circular motions. ο There are multiple prod-ucts, to use for massages based on the skin type like massaging creams, oils or fruit pulp like papaya etc. ο Oily skin----oil control

creams ο Dry skin----- any oil even baby oil or cooking oil ο Sensitive skin–Fruit pulps will work wonders . Friendly skin-regular creams . The procedure to follow is to massage for 10 to 20 minutes and then scrub for 4to 5 minutes to remove the dead skin. Then finally put on a facial mask for 15 minutes. This entire process is ideal if done once a week and if not possible, do it at least once in a month.

All these treatments are not to impress our loved one’s or oth-ers around us. They are for our own self grooming .We all de-serve it after all we work so hard and need a little pamper-ing. The fresh and active we are, the younger we look. These remedies are for my male classmates too! Please feel free to question me on the subject of Grooming! Keep Active Be Fresh. Enclosed a document on tips for healthy skin

Ugadi—By Sri Lakshmi Sarath

Beauty at Forty - Jyotirmai Guduru

Page 7

Volume 1, Issue 1

Click on link for web story:

18 foods that make your skin glow

Sangamam Times

Science was an experiment, Social Studies was politically ac-cepted and Math remained a puz-zle while the languages were rela-tively easy. Education was a gift but so were the Values, Social Skills, and Friendships we ac-quired. We spent twelve years to-gether and witnessed changes in each other - growth in height and weight and changes that come

with age and maturity.

Those were the years when we were nurtured by our teachers each of whom were special in their own way. Mrs. Kasturi for her tall stature, Mrs. Rukmini for her knowledge of Telugu, Sr. Cyril for her impeccable Hindi, Sr. Ancy for being so strict while she taught Science, Sr. Lancy for be-ing kind and gentle; Mrs. Jose-phine for her perfect understand-ing of politics and geography and Mrs. Goretti for her dreams of our school winning the medals in vari-ous meets. Needless to say, each one of them left an everlasting im-pression. Years rolled by and it was our turn to say farewell.

Farewell, we did say 25 years ago but now it is time to say hello again? Come July, lets meet and see the changes, listen to the success stories and sympathize with the sad happenings. Let’s all

Contd. From p. 1.

It all started in Nursery School, way back in 1971. We entered the school with baby steps in size 2 shoes, girls with little frocks and boys with their puppy fat thighs showing through their shorts. We learnt our first letter and coined our first word on the black slate. We learnt rhymes which didn’t make sense and took forced naps when we weren’t sleepy. Sometimes the mats were wet and quietly rolled up while other mats replaced them and it was the first we learnt of the art of secrecy. Who wetted in the course of these afternoon naps remains a mystery. Two years of Nursery were truly a period of adjustment, of leaving the comfort of the home and seeking the comfort of the new teacher. The transition truly began!

The tall buildings wel-

comed us into class one and every other class thereafter. Faces be-came familiar and so did the smells of the lunch boxes. Our friendships began and lunches were shared. Water bottles were emptied in a hurry and heavy school bags were lugged back. Some of us became our teachers pets while some of us invited their wrath.

share the excitement of meeting one another. Sangamam Times is our Newsletter and is penned by, of and for the 12th batch students of Nirmala.

In this first fortnightly

newsletter we have articles penned exclusively by our batch mates. We worked very hard to bring out this first issue. We included topics which will hopefully excite you and make you attend the reunion. We want everyone to be part of this event. We urge you all to in-vest in your old friends once again with your thoughts and actions. Lets make this newsletter a plat-form to rekindle our forgotten memories and make our ‘old friendships’ everlasting.

MII Andariki Sarvadari

Ugadi Subhakankshalu. Post your views and pose

your questions to Dr. Saritha (our inhouse doctor) and Jyotirmai (our in house beauty consultant) respectively at Sangamam Times. I remain, Your friendly reporter Vidya

“Come July its our Silver Jubilee

Reunion”