Welcome Golden Jubilee Batch of 1976 – March 2026

The 1976 Batch of St. Joseph’s Academy, Dehradun returned to their alma mater to celebrate their Golden Jubilee – 50 years since passing out, turning the gathering into a truly heartwarming walk down memory lane.

With a combined strength of more than 50 Josephites, the reunion brought back the warmth, laughter, and unmistakable camaraderie of school days. The batch was warmly received by President Mr. Vikas Dewan and Vice President Sanam Kumar of the SJA Alumni Association. The occasion was further graced by the presence of Brother Caroll, whose presence revived the familiar spirit and values of the institution that shaped them all.

Representing the Alumni Association were Harshit Gupta (Secretary), Pulkit Gupta (Treasurer), and Prateek Handa (Senior Member). The event was also attended by Past President Mr. Praveen Chandok and Mr. Randhir Arora, who joined in welcoming the distinguished batch back to their school.

During the gathering, President Vikas Dewan and Vice President Sanam Kumar addressed the batch , delivering remarks that beautifully took everyone down memory lane. Their words reflected not only the nostalgia of school life but also the remarkable journeys taken over the past five decades.

As one of the lighter moments in the address captured perfectly:
“When we passed out in 1976, we thought we knew everything. Today, after 50 years, we have realised two things — we actually knew nothing, and our teachers knew everything… especially when we were lying.”

The speech drew laughter as it contrasted the worries of school days with the realities of today:
“Back then our biggest tension was homework and discipline masters. Today our biggest tension is blood pressure, cholesterol, and remembering where we kept our reading glasses.”

And another line that had the audience smiling:
“Earlier we used to compare report cards… today we compare who remembers the most stories from school — though the stories seem to get longer every year!”

Yet beyond the humour, the message carried a deeper sentiment that school friendships remain the purest kind, formed long before titles, professions, or achievements, when everyone was simply a group of boys sharing tiffin, mischief, and dreams.
A particularly special moment was when the batch assembled in the school auditorium a structure that was built after their passing out. Sitting there together, many of them experienced for the first time what a modern High School and Intermediate examination setting at SJA looks like today.

But the most memorable and laughter-filled moment came when one gentleman fondly recalled a familiar line from their school days when fee reminders were sent home through students:
“Chandna, papa ji nu kehna… fees bhej denge…”
The sentence instantly transported everyone back decades, filling the room with laughter and nostalgia.
Over plates of the timeless bun samosas, stories of teachers, classrooms, and youthful mischief resurfaced, proving that while the years may pass, the Josephite bond remains unchanged.

A special thanks to Maj. Gen. Sanjay Sharma for being a wonderful local pivot in bringing the batch together for this memorable reunion.
Once a Josephite, always a Josephite.