Read the latest Doon School Weekly (PDF). The issue includes an interview with Deputy Headmaster Jayant Hari Har Lal as he finishes his tenure at The Doon School. Also included are recommended movies, computer games and books for the winter break.

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Read the December 2005 Rose Bowl (PDF). The issue focuses on the Dosco Summit which was held in Dubai recently. It also includes the Headmaster's and the Chief Guest's founders day speeches. This year Mr. Kamal Nath (366-H '64) was the Chief Guest.

Posted at 3:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anish Kapoor (259-K '60) is considered one of the world's greatest living sculptors and that position was further recognized when he was recently appointed a trustee of the Tate Gallery in London, UK. To learn more about Anish Kapoor visit the spotlight on him.

Kapoor is Trustee of UK’s Tate Gallery
Financial Express

London, December 22: In recognition of his outstanding achievements in the fields of art and sculpture, British Prime Minister Tony Blair today appointed Mumbai-born Anish Kapoor as a trustee of the well-known Tate Gallery in London.

The term of appointment will be for a four-year period with effect from November 22, 2005, an official announcement said.

Winner of the Turner prize in 1991, fifty one-year-old Anish Kapoor is an internationally successful and immensely respected sculptor.

Born to a punjabi-Hindu father and an Iraqi-Jewish mother, Kapoor attended the prestigious Doon school in Dehra Dun.

Kapoor who moved to England in 1972 works in London, although he frequently visits India and has acknowledged that his art is inspired by both western and eastern cultures. His art historical influences include: Mantegna, Beuys,Barnett Newman and Yves Klein.

After studying at Hornsey College of Art and then the Chelsea School of Art, he went on to teach at Wolverhampton Polytechnic. His first solo exhibition was in Paris in 1980, and from that point he rapidly gained an international reputation, with a succession of one-man shows held annually throughout the world.

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Doon may need to allocate 22.5% of its admissions for backward classes as determined by the state government according to a new law enacted by the Lok Sabha. This means that Doon will no longer be merit based. Read The Economic Times article on the issue and tell us what you think.

Elite schools may have to open doors to hoi polloi
Economic Times

NEW DELHI: The country’s elite schools — DPS, Doon School, Maharani Gayatri Devi School for Girls and Springdales, among others — may soon have to open their doors to hoi polloi, reports Urmi A Goswami in New Delhi. The constitutional amendment to reserve seats for socially-backward classes, SCs and STs in private educational institutes will apply to the elite schools as well.

All private educational institutions — schools, colleges and any other institute of higher learning — will have to reserve a certain percentage of seats for socially-backward classes as determined by the state government.

Though the idea of introducing reservations was originally limited to private professional colleges, the constitutional amendment widens the scope by including all educational institutes, including private aided and unaided institutions, except minority institutions.

Given that the list of socially and educationally-backward classes varies from state to state, the constitutional amendment will make it possible for each state to notify classes considered socially and educationally backward. The amendment will allow states to legislate the percentage of seats for reservation in educational institutes.

However, it seems that the fate of the proposed amendment Bill is uncertain. Despite initial support from all political parties, exempting minority institutions from being asked to reserve seats for socially and educationally-backward classes, SCs and STs has resulted in denting of this united front.

The leading Opposition party, the BJP, along with ally Shiv Sena, has opposed the amendment Bill as it exempts minority institutions from its purview. Both the government and the NDA claim they have the support of members to take the Bill their way.

The NDA claimed that all its constituents unanimously decided to oppose the amendment Bill. Meanwhile the Prime Minister met OBC leaders of all political parties on Sunday to assure them that their interests were already protected by the Constitution and that the proposed amendment will only extend their rights.

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The Rajasthani Foundation in collaboration with the Barefoot College, Tilonia (Rajasthan) brings you an evening of dazzling sights and sounds from the deserts of Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Barmer. Bunker Roy (125-J '62), who founded Barefoot College, invites all Doscos to attend the performances.

An Open Invitation to All Doscos
The Rajasthani Foundation in collaboration with the Barefoot College, Tilonia (Rajasthan) brings you an evening of dazzling sights and sounds from the deserts of Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Barmer.

Over 10 artists from India will perform classical Rajasthani music and dance at Nehru Centre, London on 13th January 2006 from 7.30pm to 8.30 pm. There will be a glove puppet show too, full of humour and satire to keep our young ones on their toes.

There will be a unique Exhibition of Photographs taken by rural men and women from Rajasthan who have never handled cameras in their lives! It will be in the Exhibition Hall of the Nehru Centre from the 12th January to 20th January 2005.

For the early arrivers, there is a Rajasthani handicrafts exhibition cum sale from 1pm to 7.30 pm. You will also be able to see 3 min.profiles of amazing stories how Barefoot College, Tilonia founded on the Gandhian philosophy, have transformed the lives of rural women in Rajasthan.

All of you and your friends are welcome. Seating is based on first come first serve basis. More space will be made available if required.

RSVP: Sanjay Aggarwal Secretary Rajasthan Foundation 0774 7841 149

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Govind Dhar (192-TB '97) has written a accountof the Dosco Summit for Doon Online. By reading his captivating account and seeing the photographs that he took, you'll feel like you were at the summit yourself. Okay, maybe not exactly, but you should definitely read it to learn what happened.


The Dosco banner that everyone signed

Dosco Summit, December 2005

The first night got off to a breezy start with people having just arrived in Dubai in the afternoon of the 17th but their spirits rejuvenated on getting together at Rakesh and Salony Wahi's house for a welcome dinner in the evening. It didn't take long for the ha ha-ing and ho ho-ing to get going amongst the plenty tidbits and spirits being served and what was fantastic to see was the immediate bonhomie that erupted between the boys and masters as they caught up on each other's recent whereabouts and escapades.

Headmaster Kanti Bajpai at the social

Present from the old school were some usual suspects and legends in the form of Sheel Vohra, Gurdial Singh, RP Singh, Gursharan Singh and RP Devgun (to name a few). A host of Old Boys from the batches of 75, 66 and some in the 80s were present and Billy Bishnoi and Rajiv and Sunanda Lal were on hand to make sure that everyone was in sync for the forthcoming events and entertainments. Mr John Mason, former HM of the school and Kanti Bajpai too were amongst the crowd and overall, this assured me that over the next few days some pertinent issues were going to be dealt with not only by Old Boys who had taken the time to come to Dubai for the summit, but with the combined expertise and sagacity of some of the stalwarts of the School. What was best about the occasion was that it was a refreshing reminder of the the way relationships evolve with teachers and alumni after one has left school; a lot of the inherent hierarchical denominations of our day become reassuringly faint and everyone gains a more equal voice and footing within the fraternity.

A panel discusses fund raising efforts

The highlight of the evening (aside from the food) would most certainly have to be the serendipity of overhearing an Old Boy ask Mr Vohra how it was that he came to be called Bond. Firsthand, I was able to glean (and capture on camera for the archives of Doon) that Mr Vohra's famous moniker came from none other than a Maths Class with SC4. Incidentally Mr Vohra had assured his students that he didn't miss a thing and so to test this a bunch of boys' in the third row' decided to start a kind of disturbance in the classroom that would be executed in a certain sequence, meaning that one boy or other would have to take up the call as it was passed on. Mr Vohra says that he was writing on the board and without turning around (as he'd worked out the sequence) was able to preempt the next call and ask that it be stopped. Whispers of 'how did he do it' began to emanate from the bewildered classroom and as a result, the name 'Bond' was tacked onto SKV for good. Other theories were also heard but this one came straight from the horse's mouth. If I've got any of the details wrong, feel free to clarify them with Mr Vohra.

Two very familiar faces! Sheil Vohra and Gurdial Singh

The next morning got off to an early start. There was a welcome address and then a speech by Mr Dhruv Sawhney who talked about the school and the issues that the DSOBS had been particularly concerned with such as the funding of the school and the need to take The Doon School to a higher, more befitting level, viz a vis improvement on the infrastructure of the school and the subsequent progress that would come in academics and sport. Mr Sawhney said that if Doon was going to reach its full potential, which had been lower than expected, it was going to have to have a more globally oriented outlook. He stated that an overhaul in the curriculum was in the pipeline and that the International Baccalaureate was going to be made available as an option at the school. He stated the need for an increase in the number of scholarships offered etc.

Doscos pay attention to a speaker at the summit

The issue of the diminished quality of teaching at the school was brought up. Mr Sawhney reiterated the need for the school to have more funds to be able to attract good teachers. Furthermore he said that there needed to be a mentoring programme for teachers at the school too. The issue of the current 'Friends of Doon Board' was also brought up and the question asked of whether this and other practices of recognizing donors was not creating distinctions based on monetary contribution within the school. Mr Sawhney in response suggested that we needed a reality check and that the decision to allow the recognition of donors in this way was a tough one. He stated that the practice of recognizing donors in this way was something that was done globally at Harvard, Cambridge or Oxford and that it was something that we needed to do if we were going to not only stay afloat but also progress. He said that if donors would drop money to the school without wanting recognition, he would be only too happy.

Chairman of the Board of Governers, Dhruv Sawhney on the right with Jamshed Marker

The issue of the current public schools bill was brought up. The bill broadly states that every private school would have to accept 25% of its students from communities in their neighboring areas that were considered to be below the poverty line. Many sentiments were expressed about the complexities of the bill and the implications it would have on the school, its current financial situation and its functioning. It was concluded however that whatever the outcome, it was the desire of the School and its community to ensure that any students who would come to attend Doon as a result of the bill would be incorporated fully and without bias at the School by all concerned. It was reiterated by many that it would become our duty as a responsible and forerunning educational institution of India to lead by example and comply with the bill fully.

Doscos from all descended upon Dubai to attend the summit

Mr Gurdial Singh was then given the floor. What followed was a heartfelt and memory-filled discourse on his time at The Doon School and remarkably, his interactions with a rather impressive Mr AE Foot. Gurdial said that Mr Foot espoused the principle that at school even the 2 of clubs could beat the Ace of spades, suggesting that even the smallest of children at Doon was as important in his sentiments as the Headmaster himself. He said that this was a particularly important lesson that Foot imparted to his young teachers. He said that Foot was ahead of his time as an educationalist and had tremendous foresight because although the Raj was at its height in India he led the school with the belief of a free India in his mind. He remarked on Foot's determination and drive to lead the school. He said that Foot encouraged his climbs into the foothills and mountains so long as Mr Singh's Tutorial duties were fulfilled.

Mr Vohra said much the same of JAK Martyn's encouragement of his Ranji Trophy tours in his address. Mr Vohra told us that he had started teaching at Doon because Mr Nair was once unwell and that his time at Doon only grew longer and longer as he was asked not only to carry on teaching Maths, but to also take on cricket from Mr RL Holdsworth when he retired 2 years after SKV joined. He told us that RD Singh and he had joined Doon on the same day, 22nd August, 1959, which got both of them rapturous applause. SKV also mentioned JAK Martyn repeatedly stating that not only did he leave himself open to any and all questions from his junior staff, but that he was also rather playful and fun with the boys of the school. He told us of stories where Mr Martyn got his nose pinched for making faces at a short junior boy and others. Mr Vohra said that when he was once asked to leave the school to join a new Sports school in Lucknow he politely declined saying, 'I started at Doon so I will finish at Doon'. Bond also told us that if his life came round full circle and he was faced with having to do it all again, he would do it all in exactly the same way.

Mr Jamshed Marker, the oldest Old Boy spoke to us next of the importance of diplomacy in India. He stated that diplomacy was the cornerstone of a developing society and that it was something that Doscos ought to take up if they were going to take the country forward. He urged us to join the UN and support it through its current period of being lambasted for being an anachronistic organization.

Mention was made of the Doon credit card and how more boys should take it up. Only 700 out of 5000 currently hold the card. It is free for life (no renewal fees) and available overseas from ICICI Bank. 0.3% of all transactions go to the DSOBS so get one today.

Kishore Lahiri spoke about the Rosebowl and stated that it was becoming increasingly difficult to run the magazine. For each issue it seemed we were having to go to all the Old Boys and try and get donations to get an issue printed. Charging subscription fees had failed in the past so this was something we would have to look at seriously. Kishore said that The Rosebowl was the invisible umbilical cord that connected all of us to the School and the community and that it was something we really ought to make an effort to keep going without having to resort to donations each time. He said they were looking at starting a fund for the magazine.

A round up of all the Old Boy sporting activity was done by Ranjan Bhalla where our numerous successes and losses against other boarding school alumni were noted. More details of this may be found on the dsobs.org website and it was agreed that more sports such as squash and tennis, etc ought to be included in the Old Boy sporting calendar.

A banner of the summit was signed by all the Old Boys present and was to be auctioned at the end of the 2 days to raise money for the DSOBS.

A desert safari was organized for the evening where belly dancing, sheesha and camel were the agenda.

Posted at 6:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Doscos won both the matches against Sanawar at the annual Old Boys Cricket tournament. Read Donny Singh and Nalin Khanna's interesting account to learn how!

DOON vs SANAWAR - Old Boys Cricket
Report by Donny Singh & Nalin Khanna

Sometimes matches are won before they actual start. The annual Doon vs Sanawar Old Boys cricket turned out to be one such event. In a practice game, Vipin Malhotra hit the strike bowler of Sanawar for four 4's and a six. As part of the opening ceremony the DSOBS President (Anoop Bishnoi) sent the stumps of the Old Sanawarian Society President (Omar Abdullah) cart wheeling with an off-spin that would have done Harbajan proud. It appeared that the captains of the two DSOBS teams (Donny Singh & Nalin Khanna) took a cue from Anoop's bowling and between them accounted for 13 Sanawarian wickets at a cost of 34 runs.

Match I - DSOBS 'A' vs Old Sanawarian 'A'
Arun Khanna won the toss and shrewdly put Sanawar into bat. Asheet Lanba struck in the opening over getting Kim Sinha LBW and had the batsman hopping with balls rearing from a length on a placid wicket. Mohit Bawa supported him ably and only 28 runs came off the first 9 overs. Manas and Sahil Vohra (who flew in from Bangalore) swung the ball like yo-yo's. Manas took 3 wickets for 34 - of particular note was a brilliant leg side stumping by Shashi Vaish off a wide delivery. Ambuj and Nalin kept the batsman on a tight leash. Asheet Lanba led the fielding effort with a brilliant one handed diving catch. As if taking a cue from Asheet, Dhruv Rathore (coming specially from Mumbai) made difficult catches look easy on 2 occasions. Inspired ground fielding by Arun Khanna and Pranav Sahai ensured that the Sanawarians got only 6 boundaries. Nalin was a chief beneficiary of this effort and his 6 wicket haul off 15 runs ensured that the Sanawar team scored only 136 runs.

The DSOBS reply was swift and sharp. Dhruv Rathore fell early after 2 Inzimam type hits to the fence but Jhonny Singh and Arun Khanna made the game look as if they were playing on Ground no 4. Jhonny's 48 off 43 deliveries and Arun's 44 off 39 deliveries ensured that the game was over in the 16th over (before Mohit Bawa or Ambuj could finish their beer). Pranav sat outside with his pads on demanding a stronger opposition the next time.

Match summary
Sanawar 'A' 136 all out - Rohit Roy 33, Manpreet 31. Nalin Khanna 6 for 15,
Manas Aggarwal 3 for 34, Asheet Lanba 2 for 12.
DSOBS 'A' 137 for 2 - Jhonny Singh 48 n.o, Arun Khanna 44 n.o

Match II - DSOBS “B” vs SANAWAR “B”
Donny won the toss and elected to bat first. Vipin Malhotra(who is in rousing form, scored 16 of 21 balls) and Pepe Dugal (27 of 20 balls) opened the proceeding with a run rate of 8 per over. Unfortunately, Vipin had to retire hurt, going for a cheeky single (Imagine the swiftness !!!). Uday Bawa came in and scored at run a ball (17 of 15 balls). Donny (49 off 34 balls) and Raghav Mallik (105 off 48) put together a good partnership for the 4th wicket, laying the foundation for a formidable score. Raghav went ballistic with 16 boundaries and 4 sixes. Sandeep Vij (all the way from Pune), Indushekhar, Vivek Seth, Sanjay Mediratta and Jayant Gaur, all chipped in with useful contributions, to get us to 283 in the allotted 30 overs.

The task of chasing the mammoth score proved beyond the Sanawarians. Nischay (2 for 13) and Gaur (1 for 7)opened the bowling. They were right on the spot and gave nothing away. With the quick fall of wickets, the Sanawarians found themselves under severe pressure. Vinit Khanna, coming in all the way from Philadelphia, fielded ala Jonty Rhodes. Donny came on first change and had a haul of 7 for 19. Vij was simply brilliant behind the stumps, effecting 3 stumpings. Shobit put in a steady spell and Medi also chipped in with 1 for 6. Finally, the Sanawarians were bowled out for 69 in the 18th over, giving us a comprehensive victory.

Match Summary
DSOBS “B” 283 FOR 6 – Raghav 105, Donny 49, Pepe 27
Sanawar “B” 69 all out – Vinayak 12, Sandeep 11, Donny 7 for 19, Nischay 2 for 13, Sanjay Mediratta 1 for 6, Gaur 1 for 7

Thanks to the efforts of Asheet Lanba and the Malhotra's clan (Vipin and Vikram), the event was well funded by ABN Amro and Daks. The next major cricket event is the DSOBS Inter House slated for Feb 25, 2006. See you all there.

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We all know that we had phenomenal teachers at Doon. Teachers to whom we're indebted to for the rest of our lives. Dev Lahiri was one of them. Read this inspiring article about him and how he confounds doctors with his survival skills. Also, add your comments about your favorite teachers to the comments section at the end of the article.

An amazing battle for life
By Shishir Prashant for The Deccan Herald

This man is in the throes of an amazing battle that has baffled many a person. Doctors are puzzled by the sheer grit and determination shown by 51-year-old Dev Lahiri, principal of Welhams’ Boys School in Doon Valley.

Lahiri underwent 12 heart operations, some of them very complicated in the past decade, but he is still very much alive and kicking. Every time the doctors lose hope about his survival, he makes a tremendous comeback. Doctors are puzzled about his surviving instinct but not him.

Only a few months back, Lahiri suffered a simultaneous multi-organ failure, that of the kidney, heart and liver, but he made an incredible recovery at Escorts Hospital in New Delhi, where the doctors dubbed him as ‘the man who refused to die’.

Lahiri, the man of courage and conviction, had literally gone through hell all these years but remarkably he never feels sorry for himself. “I am determined to live life,” says Lahiri. This is perhaps the mantra that keeps Lahiri ticking.

An alumnus of St Stephen’s College, Delhi and Oxford University, Lahiri has also been the headmaster of Lawrence School in Lovedale, Ooty. Horse riding was his passion, but not anymore. “I am missing horse riding these days; due to my heart problems I have not been able to continue. Otherwise I am feeling fit,” says Lahiri, who has tremendous faith in love and affection of his wife, Indrani. “I owe my life to my wife. It is she who is a pillar of strength for me all through these trying years,” said Lahiri.

Lahiri may be living on medicines as of now. But he has amazing willpower that has become an inspiration for several persons, especially those who give up hope after suffering diseases. School kids look upon their principal as new role model - a man who can even fight death! “Death may be certain, but our Principal is a big fighter,” says a school kid.

For Lahiri, there is hardly any problem in performing daily chores but he gets askance when he recollects the days when even his doctors had given up hope. “I still remember the doctors asking my wife to call my sons so that they can see me for the last time. But Indrani refused to do so, stating that I will not die,” he says. His sufferings began in 1993, when he was implanted with a pacemaker at Chennai. And four years later, Lahiri again suffered a heart attack but was delivered from the jaws of death by doctors at a Bangalore hospital.

“I want to tell the world never to lose hope in life,” says Lahiri as gets up from his chair to take a round in the school premises.

Posted at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This has come from the DSOBS executive committee. It was another wonderful initiative and one that we felt important to promote on Doon Online too. As you read the message, note that you can still contribute if you haven't already. On a separate note, next week is the Dosco Summit in Dubai. Expect updates from the summit here on Doon Online.

A word of thanks - The DSOBS Kashmir Earthquake Relief Efforts
(From and by the Executive Committee of the DSOBS)

The largeheartedness, spontaneity and speed with which this small alumni of about 5000 odd ex-Doscos respond whenever duty calls never ceases to amaze us. And so it was when we issued an appeal for funds to help in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake which ravaged Kashmir on 8th October this year with its epicenter in the Pakistan administered region of the disputed territory of Kashmir and registering 7.6 on the Moment Magnitude Scale. It was a major earthquake of similar intensity as those of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, 1935 Quetta earthquake and the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. Though this fury of nature was felt more in the Pakistan administered territory of Kashmir but whether in Pakistan or in India, it left thousands dead, injured and homeless. On the Indian side 1,500 houses were destroyed in Uri alone and more than 1,100 houses were flattened in Jammu & Kashmir. In terms of heritage loss, the main minaret of Hazratbal Shrine was damaged while the 200 year old Moti Mahal fort in Poonch district of Kashmir collapsed. The tremors spread wide enough to damage buildings in Delhi and Amritsar and far enough to cause panic in Gujarat. The tremors were felt as far away as Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

In consonance with the larger role the DSOBS has adopted in not only being an alumni association but being one with a social purpose (amongst others) to bring succour to those in distress, we decided to contribute our mite and lend a helping hand to the large scale operations already mounted by various governmental agencies and NGOs in rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts of and for the victims of this natural calamity in Kashmir. Hence the appeal to our brethren for contributions.

Contributions came in thick and fast and within a couple of months we had received Rs.1.70 lakhs from nineteen ex-Doscos and six friends and family members of Doon/ex-Doscos. But what was touching was the cross-section, the donors represented. Amazingly, the first donor was none other than the current Headmaster of the Doon School, Dr.Kanti Bajpai (264-T'72). His leadership qualities are evident from the speed with which he reacts and rises to any occasion. The cross-section also covered donors from the vintage Classes of the 1940's and 1950's including Mr.S.L. Mehta, (124-J'42), Mr. Saroj Kumar Mehra (122-K'44), Mr. P.K. Vishwanathan (120-H'50), Mr.Lalit Mathur (27-H'51) and Mr. Rashid Arshad (233-K'54). On the other end of the spectrum were donors from the Classes of 2000, 2002 and 2004 as also donors from across the globe including Aditya Rana (107-T'79) from Hong Kong and Mr. Nikhil Roy (650-J'75) from Australia. Our thanks to one and all.

A significant development in the DSOBS' Relief Efforts is that we have been noticed. We received a letter from the Small Grant Programme of Sir Ratan Tata Trust, Mumbai, offering us an initial explore support to the extent of Rs.5 lakhs. As usual, it was an ex-Dosco, who rose to this occasion. Our thanks to Mr. Arun Pandhi (576-T'__) who wrote from the Trust's Small Grant Programme. We have kept this offer on hold till we resume work on this front, which will be towards rehabilitation. Arun - our heartfelt thanks. We will be taking you up on your offer shortly.

While collections were in progress, we purchased 1,900 blankets at a cost of Rs.2 lakhs. Of these, 1600 blankets were sent to the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu for distribution in Poonch and Uri. The help of Spl. Secretary to the CM of J & K was obtained to ensure these were actually picked up by State relief agencies and were distributed to the needy.

The balance 300 blankets were lying at our Secretariat. In addition, we had received a generous contribution of 150 blankets through Avinash S. Alag (160-H'84) from the students and staff of Blossom School, Meerut. We had approached the Resident Commissioner, J & K to Airlift these 450 blankets to Uri and Baramula. However, we were advised by him that presently it was not logistically possible for them to arrange proper distribution. Therefore we have given these 450 blankets to "Ritinjali" - an NGO run by Mr. Arun Kapoor (former Master at Doon), who has assured us that these would be distributed equitably in J&K.

As we mentioned earlier, we had spent Rs.2 lakhs in purchasing these 1,900 blankets while we collected Rs.1.70 lakhs. The shortfall of Rs.30,000/- between collections and purchase cost for 1900 blankets is being met from the "Navodaya Fund" which was set up after the Tsunami initiative to be available for such natural calamities. However, we would still welcome donors to contribute to the extent of Rs.30,000/- so that we do not have to dip into the Navodaya Fund. We have, for the moment, paused in our collections for the Kashmir Earthquake Efforts since we have been advised that the concerned agencies would first like to ensure proper distribution of the material already available before accepting more contributions.

However, our thanks once again to one and all for so spontaneously and generously contributing to this noble cause. We, at the Executive Committee, are as always, forever in your debt.

Posted at 7:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sati Puri (49-K '52) has written to us with an update on the "Pledge to Power It" campaign. To date, the fundraising efforts have been successful though the school continues to need more funds. Read his note to learn more. And remember, it is not too late to contribute and contributions of all sizes are welcome.

A Campaign Update
Sati Puri, Fund Raising Committee, IPSS

In our travels over the past year to meet old boys in various parts of the world, we have seen their great love for school and desire to give something back to the institution that gave them so much. Firm commitments of over Rs. 8 crores have been received of which Rs. 5.20 crores is in hand. This is remarkable support from the old boys and some select companies. The committee is continuing with its task of collecting a further Rs. 17 crores in the next two years.


The New Foot house

Much has happened in school over the past year to improve infrastructure. Two holding houses, Foot and Martyn have been rebuilt. Additional masters houses have been constructed. They are modern and comfortable. Plans are afoot to extend the rose bowl from its present capacity of 1500 persons to 2300 persons. A new cricket pavilion is to be constructed at a new site near the main field. The art school is to be demolished and reconstructed at a cost of approximately. Rs.1.70 crores. The old tennis courts to the south of the main building have been abandoned and will be replaced by a landscaped garden. The CDH is to be renovated and refurbished from a donation of Rs. 1crore received from Hutch so that it blends with the other buildings in Chandbagh and does not stick out like a sore thumb at it presently does.

The Cricket Pavilion

By constructing a new music school and providing enhanced facilities for music, 160 boys played a variety of Indian and western instruments and were a part of the choir at founder’s day this year. Sports facilities have been enhanced and two new state of art basketball courts have been constructed in the sports complex behind Kashmir and Hyderabad houses. Modern Astroturf tennis courts are also a part of this complex. All this construction and enhancement of facilities has taken place in the last two years.

The new Martyn House

Old boys will be pleased to know that of the current student strength of 500 boys in the school about 125 are receiving financial assistance from the scholarship/ bursary funds. Old boys in the US and UK who have generously donated to our fund raising drive have specifically indicated that a part if not their entire contribution should go to the enhancement of the scholarship fund. This is most laudable and I am delighted to say that there has been a substantial increase to the scholarship fund.


The Central Dining Hall

The rewiring of almost the entire campus with fiber optic cables has been completed which will enable all housemasters and the houses to be connected to the Internet. A number of classrooms in the main building are now ‘smart classes’ equipped with projectors and modern tools to replace the black boards, which we had in our days. There is a crying need to update master’s accommodation, not only to attract, but to retain the best faculty. A thrust is being made to collect funds for this purpose.

A further example of the love that old boys have for school is the refurbishment of the masters’ common room in 2004 by a donation from the class of 1979.

Friends of School

Posted at 9:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

And this one of Gulab Ramchandani dining with students, certainly is.


Send us your memorable photographs of school.

Posted at 7:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The home of the world’s biggest plant conservatories will showcase the innovative work The Barefoot College of Tilonia has undertaken to develop traditional skills in poor, self-reliant communities in India and around the world. Barefoot College was founded by Bunker Roy (125-J '62).

Barefoot artistes stride across the globe to bring Rajasthan to Cornwall
Press Release

The amazing sights, sounds and tastes of the Indian state of Rajasthan come to the Eden Project today (Saturday, December 10) with the opening of Barefoot at Eden, a fusion of Indian art and music with the best of Cornwall.

The winter-long celebration will be opened by Mr Kamalesh Sharma, the High Commissioner of India, at 4.45 pm, with a fire finale at 9pm. Among the major sponsors are Rolls Royce, British Gas, Air India and Lord Raj Kumar Bagri.

The home of the world’s biggest plant conservatories will showcase the innovative work The Barefoot College of Tilonia has undertaken to develop traditional skills in poor, self-reliant communities in India and around the world.

Barefoot at Eden brings the exquisite Barefoot Photographers exhibition and traditional musicians and puppeteers working with Cornish artistes to create a fusion of cultures at Eden’s A Time of Gifts festival.

The inspirational exhibition, curated by Varda Polak Sahm from Israel, features photographs taken on simple cameras and chronicles the college’s activities since it was founded in the small village of Tilonia, 500 miles South-West of New Delhi, in 1971.

Themes running through the compelling show include community education, recycling, women’s empowerment, solar power, rainwater harvesting and sustainable development.

The Eden store will be brightly decorated with textiles and gift items shipped especially from Tilonia, including many made at the Barefoot College. School visits during the festival will include stories and images of the Barefoot College.


Eden believes that the fusion of the Rajasthani artists, chefs and communicators with home-grown artistic talents will provide the most powerful connection for visitors drawn from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds.

Eden’s chief executive Tim Smit said: “The participation of Rajasthani musicians and puppeteers is crucial in making the leap from a passive ‘walk and gawp’ experience to an active one.“

The Barefoot College is based on the principles of Mahatma Gandhi, who said: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you and then you win."

Barefoot College founder Bunker Roy said: “It is the only College in India built by the poor for the poor and, for the last 34 years, managed and controlled and owned by the poor, following the life-style and work-style of Gandhi.

“It is based on very simple living, eating, living and working on the floor where people come for the challenge rather than the money. No one in the college can get more than £50 a month.

“It’s the only college where degrees and diplomas and doctorates could be a disqualification because the worth of the person is judged by his or her honesty, integrity, compassion, practical skills, creativity and their ability to work with people without discrimination.”

Posted at 5:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

He won the Asian Television Award for the Best Current Affairs presenter for the third time. Karan won it for an interview with Arun Jaitley that was part of his Hardtalk India series on BBC.

Karan Thapar wins Asian Television Award
Times of India

NEW DELHI: Well known media personality Karan Thapar has won the Asian Television Award for the Best Current Affairs Presenter for a record third time.

The award for 2005 was presented to him at a glittering function in Singapore on Thursday. He won the award for an interview with former law minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Arun Jaitley that was part of his Hardtalk India series on BBC, an ITV release said.

Thapar won the same award also in 1999 and 2003 for the same series. This year there were almost 1,500 entries from a total of 14 different Asian countries for the award, the release said.

Hardtalk India, which started in 1999, is BBC's principal political programme covering current affairs events in India. Thapar has been presenting the programme since it inception .The most famous of his interviews that he conducted was the one with Kapil Dev in May 2000, where the former cricketer broke into tears talking on match-fixing charges labelled on him.

Other prominent personalities interviewed by Thapar for Hardtalk India include Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Posted at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It is being played on Sunday, December 11th between teams from The Doon School & Mayo College at the Classic Golf Resorts. The event will be followed by a prize distribution dinner at hotel mariott on Monday, December 12th at 8 p.m. Doscos with their significant others are invited. Contact Ranjan Bhalla (98 112 71428) or Vivek Narain (98 183 80019) for more information.

Posted at 11:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

He passed away on 5th December, 2005 in Budapest. Sunil is survived by his wife Melissa, son Raoul, daughter-in-law Catherine and daughter Tamara. The funeral will take place in London later this week. Condolence messages can be sent to raoul.sreenivasan@citigroup.com Doon Online extends its condolences to his family and friends.

Posted at 6:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Doon Online was recently highlighted in an Agencyfaqs article on how the internet is changing higher education. In giving leading examples from schools, government and universities in India, it mentions Doon Online.

To quote the article, " A website that does stand out is the blog of Doon School maintained and owned by an independent organization. Besides the interesting blogs posted by former ‘Doscos’, it features a forum (Virtual Doon), an email account and memorable photographs of the school and its events." Click to read the article.

Wire Up! Your Degree is on its way
By Tarana Khan, agencyfaqs (December 6th, 2005)

There was a time, not so long ago, when getting higher education involved much more than merely sitting down to study. After eagerly scanning newspapers for the announcement ads on admissions by major universities, we needed to trek to ‘authorised’ banks to collect the forms. Followed by endless formalities requiring visits to the far ends of the earth (or so it seemed). These included visits to the post office for the self addressed stamped envelope, getting a DD made at a bank, and the dreaded gazetted officer attestation. And for all this, when you did get admitted to a course, all you could rely on for study material were the famous ‘notes’, made in class, and in some cases, notes made by ‘toppers’ (God bless them) , which were seemingly recycled for ages.

But times change – and at ‘googlean’ speed (there’s no faster term) at that. Like everything else, the education sector has finally discovered the internet. Gratifyingly, India has moved quickly to the stage where right from admissions, exam results and even career counselling have quickly moved online. Peer group knowledge sharing is also big now, thanks to sites for the purpose.

A number of institutions are now accepting entrance examination forms submitted through the internet. Right now this includes institutions like IIMs, XLRI, S.P Jain Institute of Management and Faculty of Management Studies; universities like GGS Indraprastha University and BLS University, besides a whole host of private universities. Surprisingly, none of the IITs accept admission forms online for IIT-JEE. With online admissions, students are spared the trip to the institute or university, a blessing for outstation aspirants. In fact, some institutions also provide the option of online payment, saving a trip to the bank as well to get the demand draft made. The websites of most of these institutions provide detailed information about the courses, syllabus and other facilities. Some even offer a ‘virtual tour’ of the campus, like the National Institute of Technology - Tiruchirappalli. Their website includes not only a bird’s eye view of the campus, but 3D movie clips too.

A few schools are also testing the online waters, though on a smaller scale. Reputed schools like GD Goenka Public School and DPS International do have websites, though the effort seems tentative at best. Technical glitches abound, and there is hardly any information beyond the prospectus.
A website that does stand out is the blog of Doon School maintained and owned by an independent organization. Besides the interesting blogs posted by former ‘Doscos’, it features a forum (Virtual Doon), an email account and memorable photographs of the school and its events. The government is also in the process of developing a website in collaboration with UNICEF and National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), which will contain a database of schools in India. The portal will display information about the number of teachers, academic performance, infrastructure, facilities and credibility of the schools.

A breakthrough in the way educational institutions interact with their students has come in the form of websites created for declaring results online. The exam results site developed by government-owned National Informatics Centre (NIC) is creating waves in the student community, and has been adjudged the best for IT usage by the Computer Society of India (CSI).

Earlier this year, Malaviya Regional Engineering College, Jaipur gave the task of publishing its exam results to a software consulting company. As an outcome, IndiaResults.com was born. The results of the College were viewed by over 80% of its students on its first day. During April-July 2005, India Results claims that it received 4 million unique visitors. Though the primary visitors of this site are in the age-group 15-24 years, it is also visited by parents and relatives of the students. According to Saurabh Agarwal, Managing Director, India Results.com, “With large number of cyber cafes, increasing number of PCs in homes and availability of computers in schools, colleges and universities today, almost every student has access to the computer and internet. Instead of queuing up in never-ending rows for notice boards or searching through heaps of news prints and gazettes, students can find their results at the click of a mouse.” Commenting on the popularity of the site, he adds, “We have published results of about 35 million students. We estimate the total number of candidates appearing in exams (school, universities, entrance exams, recruitment exams etc.) to be about 200 million throughout India.” This represents a goldmine for advertisers desiring to communicate with the youth, including product marketers and service providers; universities, educational and coaching institutes.

With the advent of online results declaration, universities have had some unexpected fallouts. Now, they don’t have to manage hoards of students and endless paperwork. Mr. Rajendra Bhanawat, former Registrar of Rajasthan University, which published its results on India Results, says with satisfaction, “This was the first year when we really did not feel the stress of results declaration, otherwise every year we had to call the police to ensure order and manage the crowd of boys and girls whenever results were declared.”

Besides results, admission procedures are also a stress-point for most universities and students. With numerous universities and over 20,000 higher educational institutions offering more than 5,000 courses, the need for a single source of information is evident. Websites like Admission News and Admission Help provide students up-to-date information on the admissions scene. Explains Dr. S.K Acharya, Director, Admission News, “Students get daily admission email alerts from us. They get to know about courses and admission-related information on a daily basis. Institutions send their information to us, which we send to our users in different categories.”

The internet is also transforming the educational procedures of open universities and institutes providing correspondence courses. The largest open university in India, IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University), has a comprehensive website that provides everything from admission status, exam results, material despatch status and online catalogue of study material; to downloadable assignments and previous years question papers. As a result, students don’t have to suffer if the assignment sheets fail to reach them on time through the post. The site also provides an e-Hall Ticket for students appearing for exams.

If that’s not enough, students can now take advantage of a number of websites offering online counselling and homework help. eGurucool offers online programmes and tutorials for CBSE students. ‘Class on the web’ is a website providing online counselling and educational information for students, teachers, parents and schools. It has also developed software for schools to create an intranet providing educational content, without the need for internet. Other similar sites include eVidyarthi, YoungBuzz and Vidyakash.

There’s no doubt that the education sector in India has taken giant strides in adopting IT. However, one look at the portals of any of the American or British universities puts things in better perspective. Besides exclusive online courses, they are rich with multimedia support like videos and even links to their FM radio stations. The online libraries also offer free access to the study papers and reference material, besides help with assignments.

The BBC Learning portal goes a step further. It provides ‘Bitesize’ downloads for mobile in the form of games and quizzes. Written in simple language, the brief Q & A format helps students grasp concepts easily. The mobile service is only a part of the portal’s resources, consisting of tutorials for any course under the sun, including foreign languages, computing and playing cricket!

As they say, you never stop learning. The same holds true for the online medium. We have already entered an age where education is virtual, but with real benefits. This spells better opportunities not only for students, but adults who have always wanted to get back to the classroom, but couldn’t. Hopefully, sections like women in some areas, kids in distant places and even the handicapped will also benefit in a bigger way as the net makes further inroads in enabling education.

Still, it would be too optimistic to say that the online revolution will put an end to classrooms, because nothing can replace the thrills and adventures of school life – morning assemblies, surprise tests, art & craft, P.T sessions, et al.

Some useful links:

http://results.nic.in/
http://www.indiaresults.com/
http://doononline.net/
http://www.ncst.ernet.in/vidyakash/

Posted at 2:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Third Health Summit was held between November 22nd and 23rd, 2005. Analjit Singh, CMD, Max Healthcare addressed the summit along with Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister of Health; Shiela Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi; Prasanna Hoda, Secretary, Ministry of Health and other luminaries.

A study conducted by CII and Escorts Heart Institute revealed that if India has to meet the target of taking healthcare to all parts of the country, it would need Rs1 trillion or US$150bn, which was short by about 60%. Read more at Infoline.

Posted at 9:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We hear about some Doscos via the press, some through their friends and in other cases from themselves directly. Pratik Basu (442-TB '93) is one dosco that we hear from regularly. Why? Because as a film major and someone with a continued keen interest in movies, he publishes witty reviews of movies that are showing in the theatres. Anyone can subscribe to receive them. Just email him at basu@pratikbasu.com. Below is a sampling.

Movies Now Playing Somewhere Close To You

39 Pounds of Love
Directed by: Dani Menkin
Starring: Ami Ankilewitz
Plot: A young man suffering from Muscular Dystrophy travels across the country to confront his doctor who said he would not survive. My-Left-Foot-meets-The-Straight-Story type complications ensue.
The Buzz: You know, life-affirming true stories of protagonists striving to overcome multiple obstacles while driving towards a seemingly unreachable goal always get me. Plus, it will give me a chance to see what March of the Penguins will be competing against in the Documentary Oscar category next year.
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Stevie; Brother’s Keeper; My Left Foot

Breakfast on Pluto
Directed by: Neil Jordan
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson, Stephen Rea, Brendan Gleeson
Plot: A young Irish man tries to gain acceptance as a transvestite growing up in the 1960s. My-Life-in-Pink-meets-Alfie type complications ensue.
The Buzz: Try as he might, I don’t think Jordan is ever going to escape the formidable shadow of The Crying Game, the movie that practically built Miramax. This is too bad, because he is a talented director capable of making some darn good movies.
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; The Crying Game; Mona Lisa; Tootsie

Chicken Little
Directed by: Mark Dindal
Starring: Zach Braff, Joan Cusack, Garry Marshall, Amy Sedaris
Plot: A cowardly young chicken discovers that the sky is, in fact, falling. Shrek-meets-Disney-desperation type complications ensue.
The Buzz: Here it is, the first non-Pixar CGI film from Disney animation. And by the looks of it, I don’t believe Steve Jobs has anything to be afraid of. The film is fairly amusing; there are tons of pop culture references; the frame is practically bursting at the seams with all the visuals that are thrown at you; and the 76 minutes fly by with a minimum of fuss. However, all of this is not enough to distract you from the fact that it lacks everything that elevates a Pixar film from others of its kind. If I were Bob Eiger I would mend all the damage done to the Pixar-Disney relationship by Michael Eisner – if Disney had to depend on films like this one, then Mickey may have to get a brand new bag.
Bottom Line: People with Kids: Theatres – Eventually; Other, More Sensible People: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; The Incredibles; A Bug’s Life; Toy Story 2

Derailed
Directed by: Mikael Håfström
Starring: Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, Vincent Cassel
Plot: Things take a turn for the worse when two adulterous business executives find themselves being blackmailed. Strangers-on-a-Train-meets-Red-Rock-West type complications ensue.
The Buzz: Okay fine, so there is no reason to watch this film in the theatres, but I am still going to anyway. Why? Well, because I’ll be interested to see Aniston play a borderline unsympathetic character; I always like seeing Cassel (though it seems that the poor chap will be forced to play European baddies for the rest of Hollywood eternity); and a solid, well-made thriller is always fun…okay fiiiiiiiiiiine…the truth is that I am devastated that Owen is not going to be Bond. All right? Happy? The only reason that I will watch this film in the theatres is to watch Owen and think of what might have been. Too bad, too da*n bad.
Bottom Line: Me, and Other “Devoted” Fans of Clive Owen Still Living in Denial About the Next James Bond: Theatres – Eventually; Other, More Sensible People: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Croupier; I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead; Closer

Domino
Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Keira Knightley, Mickey Rourke, Christopher Walken, Edgar Ramirez
Plot: A beautiful model turns to a life of bounty hunting. La-Femme-Nikita-meets-Man-on-Fire type complications ensue.
The Buzz: The real life Domino was the daughter of the original Manchurian Candidate Laurence Harvey, a model, a bounty hunter and was eventually felled by a drug overdose. I think her real life story is probably a lot more interesting than this stylistic nightmare. I remain a devoted fan of Scott and Walken, so I’ll probably waste my money on this movie, but that’s no reason you should as well (no matter how much you think it’s great that Knightley decided to take a role this far beyond what she normally gets offered).
Bottom Line: Bart Jenniches, and Other “Devoted” Fans of Keira Knightley: Theatres – First Week!; Me, and Other Devoted Fans of Tony Scott, Mickey Rourke, and Christopher Walken: Theatres – Eventually; Other, More Sensible People: Pass
Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Man on Fire; True Romance; Revenge

Elizabethtown
Directed by: Cameron Crowe
Starring: Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst, Susan Sarandon, Alec Baldwin
Plot: A disgraced business executive must return home for a funeral. Garden-State-meets-Jerry-Maguire type complications ensue.
The Buzz: It’s very sad when someone as talented as Crowe flat out bombs. Just bombs. After his disastrous screening at the Toronto Film Festival, Crowe promised everyone that the film he had shown was just a rough cut, and he would keep working on it. Work he did, though the film has not gotten much better. Sometimes southern deep-fried whimsy is better left to the likes of Fried Green Tomatoes. And Bloom, man I am so over Bloom that it’s not even funny. 16-year-old girls across the world may be mad for him, but he isn’t quite ready to step into the shoes of Russell Crowe and Tom Cruise just as yet.
Bottom Line: Chris McCarley, and Other “Devoted” Fans of Kirsten Dunst: Theatres – First Week!; Me, and Other Devoted Fans of Cameron Crowe, Susan Sarandon, and Alec Baldwin: Theatres – Eventually; Other, More Sensible People: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Say Anything; Jerry Maguire; Garden State

Get Rich or Die Tryin'
Directed by: Jim Sheridan
Starring: 50 Cent, Terrence Howard, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Joy Bryant
Plot: A young man dreams of making it as a rapper. Hustle-&-Flow-meets-8-Mile type complications ensue.
The Buzz: There is a wonderful movie starring Howard that deals with a man on the edges of society who dreams of making it as a musician and must deal with all kinds of pressures to try and make his dreams come true. That movie is Hustle & Flow.
Bottom Line: Pass
Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Hustle & Flow; 8 Mile; Flashdance

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Directed by: Mike Newell
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Timothy Spall (whew!)
Plot: A gifted young magician comes face to face with his arch nemesis. The-Empire-Strikes-Back-meets-Carrie type complications ensue.
The Buzz: Newell is just a fabulous, fabulous director, and he was the right choice for this very grown up installment in the unstoppable franchise. It’s hard for anyone to upstage the actors on display here, which must explain why Smith, Rickman and Coltrane are given very little to do. On the other hand Gambon does wonders with his role, making Harry’s mentor not quite the cute and cuddly figure we would envision him to be; Gleeson steals all the scenes he’s in (which he pretty much does in every movie); and Fiennes is so brilliantly, creepily evil as the One Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken that I can’t wait to see him go all out in the remaining films. The only thing scarier than the embodiment of pure evil is the inexorable onset of adolescence, and it is this aspect of the characters’ lives that truly makes the film (and one hopes the continuing series) really come alive.
Bottom Line: Theatres – Eventually
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Donnie Brasco; Into the West; Enchanted April

In the Mix
Directed by: Ron Underwood
Starring: Usher Raymond (yes, that Usher), Chazz Palminteri, Emmanuelle Chriqui
Plot: Sparks fly when a deejay is made to guard a mobster’s daughter. The-Bodyguard-meets-The-Godfather type complications ensue.
The Buzz: Once upon a time there was an actor named Chazz Palminteri who shot to some acclaim when Robert De Niro picked his one-man play to make into his feature directing debut (A Bronx Tale). Everyone marveled at this new discovery, and he even went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Bullets Over Broadway (possibly the last great film Woody Allen will ever make? His upcoming Match Point may say otherwise, but we’ll have to see). Now he makes movies like this. Poor guy.
Bottom Line: Pass
Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Four Weddings and a Funeral; The Godfather; The Bodyguard; A Bronx Tale

The Ice Harvest
Directed by: Harold Ramis
Starring: John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielsen, Randy Quaid, Oliver Platt
Plot: Two partners in crime find themselves in over their heads when they try to steal from a mob boss during Christmas. Blood-Simple-meets-A-Simple-Plan type complications ensue.
The Buzz: As the great, great Peter O’ Toole said in My Favorite Year: “Dying is easy, comedy is hard.” Well Pete, black comedy is harder still (as the Coen Brothers now seem to be demonstrating) and all the big names on display here can’t quite pull it off. Everyone involved has been in better, funnier films, which is a pity considering how good this could have been. Still, it may be worth a rental when the weather outside is frightful, and that fake gas fire inside is so delightful…
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Grosse Pointe Blank; Bad Santa; Groundhog Day

Jarhead
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris Cooper, Lucas Black
Plot: Soldiers in Desert Storm wait for the action to come to them. Catch-22-meets-Three-Kings type complications ensue.
The Buzz: I like Mendes. I like Foxx. I like Sarsgaard. I like Cooper. I like Black. I like the subject matter. Too bad then the movie apparently just does not live up to the hype generated by that awesome trailer. I don’t like Gyllenhaal, though he does star in the most buzzed-about movie of the year: Brokeback Mountain.
Bottom Line: Me, and Other “Devoted” Fans of Sam Mendes, Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris Cooper, and Lucas Black: Theatres – Eventually; Other, More Sensible People: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Three Kings; Catch 22; Platoon

Just Friends
Directed by: Roger Kumble
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, Anna Faris, Chris Klein
Plot: A serial womanizer is forced to confront the one true love of his life – his high school friend. When-Harry-Met-Sally-meets-National-Lampoon's-Van-Wilder type complications ensue.
The Buzz: Don’t look now but it looks like Mr. Alanis Morissette himself, Reynolds has compiled a nice, diverse little career for himself. Teen comedy? Check (National Lampoon’s Van Wilder). Big budget comedy? Check (The In-Laws). Indie slacker comedy? Check (Waiting). Comic book action film? Check (Blade: Trinity). Remake of a 70s horror film? Check (The Amityville Horror). Now he steps up to romantic comedy leading man status. All his agent has to do next is get him into a remake of an old TV show; a relationship drama; an Oscar-baiting true story of a protagonist striving to overcome multiple obstacles (hopefully with an Oscar-baiting prosthesis/disability of some kind); a period epic; and a vanity project about an obscure Canadian comic and he can retire to a rich life of living off Morissette’s royalty checks from “Jagged Little Pill.”
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; When Harry Met Sally; Say Anything; She’s All That

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Directed by: Shane Black
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer
Plot: A thief finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation in Hollywood. The-Player-meets-The-Cheap-Detective type complications ensue.
The Buzz: Are you kidding? With so many Hollywood bad boys on the marquee, how can you not want to watch this sardonic, post-modern film noir? Black shot to fame as the obscenely well-compensated screenwriter of such action movies as Lethal Weapon and Last Action Hero, only to see his career implode in a presumably drug-fueled haze. Downey Jr. hit the big time with his mesmerizing portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin, only to see his career implode in drug-fueled haze. Kilmer became world-renowned for his eerily authentic channeling of the Lizard King himself, Jim Morrison, in The Doors, only to see his career implode in an ego-fueled haze. With so many juicy back stories competing for tabloid attention, dedicated Kilmer fans like me can luxuriate in yet another eccentric, one-of-a-kind performance from the Master.
Trivia: Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was the Japanese nickname given to James Bond at the height of Bond Mania.
Bottom Line: Me, and Other “Devoted” Fans of Val Kilmer: Theatres – Eventually; Other, More Sensible People: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; The Doors; Chaplin; Lethal Weapon

The Legend of Zorro
Directed by: Martin Campbell
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rufus Sewell
Plot: A retired vigilante in the Old West is forced to return to his swashbuckling ways when his family and country are threatened. Wild-Wild-West-meets-Spy-Kids type complications ensue.
The Buzz: The original film was one of the few truly “four quadrant” movies I had seen. People of all ages, ethnicities, genders, household incomes (HHIs to the uninitiated in the ways of marketing) and tastes came together to watch a genuine old-fashioned rip-roaring adventure, as well as see a star be born before their eyes in the form of one Zeta-Jones (handpicked for the role by none other than executive producer Steven Spielberg, after he saw her in The Phantom – a movie that I had thought only Indians who had read the comic books growing up and “devoted” fans of Billy Zane like myself had bothered to watch). Sony has made the dual mistakes of waiting too long in making this sequel, and positioning it squarely as a family film with the addition of an annoying child. Too bad, they really could have made something good of this franchise, instead of watching it peter out like this.
Bottom Line: Those with Families: Theatres – Eventually; Other, More Sensible People: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; The Mask of Zorro; The Count of Monte Cristo (2002); Robin and Marian

The Libertine
Directed by: Laurence Dunmore
Starring: Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton, John Malkovich, Rosamund Pike
Plot: A 17th century poet indulges in all manner of debauchery before finding posthumous acclaim for his work. Quills-meets-Restoration type complications ensue.
The Buzz: I liked it the first time when it was called Quills.
Trivia: The poet’s title was the Earl of Rochester!
Bottom Line: Pass
Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Quills; Dangerous Liaisons; Dangerous Beauty

Nine Lives
Directed by: Rodrigo García
Starring: Kathy Baker, Amy Brenneman, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Sissy Spacek, Robin Wright Penn, William Fichtner, Jason Isaacs
Plot: Nine women struggle with the relationships that define their lives. Magnolia-meets-Steel-Magnolias type complications ensue.
The Buzz: Ah, the pleasures of well made independent film. Apparently the short with Isaacs and Penn are the best of the lot. I wouldn’t doubt it. The two of them are fabulous actors who just haven’t been given enough opportunities to showcase what they are truly capable of. Too bad they are only allowed to do that here in a vignette, a full-length feature with the two of them would be wonderful to see.
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Real Women Have Curves; Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her; Steel Magnolias

Pride & Prejudice
Directed by: Joe Wright
Starring: Keira Knightley, Matthew MacFadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland
Plot: The lives of five sisters become exciting when a pair of strangers appear in town. Sense-and-Sensibility-meets-Bride-&-Prejudice type complications ensue.
The Buzz: I think we can all agree that the definitive filmed version of the much beloved Austen novel is the 1995 BBC miniseries which pretty much seared Colin Firth into the minds of hopeless romantics everywhere as the embodiment of Darcy (ironically, he was the model for the Darcy character in the Bridget Jones novels, and was portrayed by…Firth in the films). MacFadyen does what he can, but ultimately he is no match for the mighty Firth (then again, who is?). Knightley has always shown more spirit than actual acting chops, which serves her well here. Expert support is given by Blethyn, Sutherland and the rest of the sisters. While the film itself is not quite the wild re-imagining of the novel which would warrant another Austen film, first-time director (there’s that awful term again) Wright does a nice enough job to at least earn a few below-the-line Oscar nominations next year.
Bottom Line: Bart Jenniches, and Other “Devoted” Fans of Keira Knightley: Theatres – First Week!; Me, and Other “Devoted” Fans of Jane Austen: Theatres – Eventually; Other, Less Sensible People: Theatres – Eventually
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Pride and Prejudice (1995); Sense and Sensibility; Clueless

Rent
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Starring: Taye Diggs, Rosario Dawson, Jesse L. Martin
Plot: Young artists struggle with everyday life in the East Village. La-Bohème-meets-Broadway type complications ensue.
The Buzz: The musical avalanche that was supposed to have been launched by the success of Chicago is finally here, sort of. Many, many years after Jonathan Larson’s contemporary take on La Bohème entered the national pop cultural consciousness (propelled the creator’s untimely death) the musical finally hits the big screen in the big, bland hands of director Columbus. If you liked the musical, you’ll like the film, otherwise, it will probably make for a nice evening in front of the telly. The Producers will be hot on its heels in December, followed by Dreamgirls next year. Now, I wonder who has the film rights to Bombay Dreams…
Bottom Line: Bon, and Other Fanatics of the Original Broadway Musical: Theatres – First Week; Other, More Sensible People: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Moulin Rouge; Chicago; Grease

Saw II
Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman
Starring: Donnie Wahlberg, Shawnee Smith, Glenn Plummer, Dina Meyer
Plot: Some kidnapped people must make their way out of a booby-trapped shelter before it’s too late. Saw-meets-shameless-studio-executive-exploitation type complications ensue.
The Buzz: Not as good as the original, but still worth a rental.
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Saw; The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974); Halloween

Syriana
Directed by: Stephen Gaghan
Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Amanda Peet, Jeffrey Wright, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Plummer, Chris Cooper, William Hurt (phew!!)
Plot: A CIA operative begins to understand the true nature of his work as the wheelers and dealers of the world’s oil markets broker nefarious deals around the globe. Traffic-meets-CNN type complications ensue.
The Buzz: Hype is always dangerous. There have been a few movies this year that have come with all kinds of critical buzz stoked by the famously hermetically sealed worlds of film festivals. However, once these films reach the blinding light of the outside world, they are judged in a completely different context and often cannot hold up to one’s lofty expectations (as evidenced by The Constant Gardener earlier this year). It will be interesting to see what happens with the insanely buzzed-about Syriana. Directed by the screenwriter of the much-admired (though, IMHO, ultimately disappointing) Traffic, it shares with the earlier film the same parallel narratives, the same overlapping storylines; the same melding of plot and civics lesson and the same opportunities for a murderer’s row of actors to really cut loose. Unlike the earlier film, however, the subject matter being dealt with here resides in much grayer shades on the moral compass, which makes it potentially problematic for universal acceptance, especially when the Oscar ballots are filled out. It will be a hoot, all the same, to see if “Fat Clooney” can wrangle an acting Oscar nomination out of this. With the one-two punch of this film and Good Night, and Good Luck, it seems that 2005 is good year to be Clooney. Of course, what year isn’t?
Bottom Line: Theatres – First Week!
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Three Kings; Out of Sight; Ocean’s Eleven

Walk the Line
Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Patrick
Plot: A young country singer is saved from the devastating effects of addiction by the love of a good woman (who just happens to be a great singer herself). Ray-meets-Coal-Miner’s-Daughter type complications ensue.
The Buzz: This year’s Ray; I think it’s all but certain that both Phoenix and Witherspoon have sewn up Oscar nominations for themselves (for the men it’s a two-way race been Johnny Cash and Capote – Philip Seymour Hoffman). Like Ray, it’s a rather pedestrian biopic of the kinds we have seen before, and, like Ray, it truly comes alive when the music is at the forefront. Everyone knows that the stars sing all the songs themselves (which even the mighty Jamie Foxx didn’t dare do in Ray) so they have to get a few extra points for that. Witherspoon, apparently, steals the show from Phoenix and I can’t wait to go out and buy all those Johnny Cash CDs I have been meaning to buy but have put off till now.
Bottom Line: Theatres – Eventually
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Coal Miner’s Daughter; The Buddy Holly Story; What's Love Got to Do with It

Where the Truth Lies
Directed by: Atom Egoyan
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Colin Firth, Alison Lohman
Plot: A journalist investigates the breakup of a famous comedy duo. A-Face-in-the-Crowd-meets-Wonderland type complications ensue.
The Buzz: The only reason I am putting this in here is because I have great affection for Egoyan, Bacon and especially Firth, the original Mr. Darcy.
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Four Weddings and a Funeral; The Sweet Hereafter; The Woodsman; Pride and Prejudice (1995)

Yours, Mine and Ours
Directed by: Raja Gosnell
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Rene Russo, Jerry O'Connell
Plot: Two single parents fall in love, much to the chagrin of their combined 18 children. Cheaper-by-the-Dozen-meets-The-Parent-Trap type complications ensue.
The Buzz: After the surprise success of last year’s Cheaper by the Dozen (the sequel arrives just in time for Christmas) I bet the execs at Sony/MGM decided to get their own large-family comedy out there. Russo does what she can, but I am telling you that if you can get through life without having to sit through a Gosnell film then you should consider yourself extremely lucky.
Bottom Line: People with Kids: DVD; Other, More Sensible People: Pass
Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Father of the Bride (1991); Parenthood; Mr. Mom

Zathura
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Starring: Jonah Bobo, Josh Hutcherson, Dax Shepard, Tim Robbins, Frank Oz
Plot: Two young brothers get more than they bargained for after a game hurls their house into space. Jumanji-meets-2001:-A-Space-Odyssey type complications ensue.
The Buzz: I don’t think that “From the writer of Jumanji” has quite the same cachet 10 years after the release of that movie. This is too bad for Favreau, since he is not attached to the Elf sequel. I wonder what he’s going to direct next? A possible sequel to Made?
Bottom Line: Those with Families: Theatres – Eventually; Other, More Sensible People: Pass
Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Four Weddings and a Funeral; Elf; Flight of the Navigator; D.A.R.Y.L.

Top 10 Movies of 2005

Broken Flowers
Batman Begins
Grizzly Man
2046
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Millions
The Constant Gardener
March of the Penguins
Hustle & Flow
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (new entry)

Top 10 Films Out Right Now That I Positively Have to See

Umm…all of the above

The Worst Movies of 2005

Crash
The Brothers Grimm

Another Reason Why Going on a Diet is Impossible

The Peking Duck (very conveniently wrapped in little rolls) at Tao’s New York, NY.

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