As Shabana Azmi and Shobhaa Dé hugged backstage, carrying the shared sentiment of two little schoolgirls in pigtails who once walked the same classrooms and corridors decades ago, the NCPA hall was packed with Queen Mary School alumnae. The air was charged with palpable emotion as the school marked a milestone of 150 years—a celebration that unfolded with resounding success. Reaching a sesquicentennial is not merely an occasion for celebration; it is a moment to pause and reflect on the enduring spirit of an institution and the lives it quietly shapes.
Shabana Azmi in Broken Images |
That spirit was evident throughout the celebrations—in the warmth of alumnae reconnecting with their roots, and in the presence of those who returned to honour a school that had shaped their early years. As an alumna returning after decades, I was struck by how immediately familiar that spirit felt. This spirit first found tangible expression at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, where an art exhibition curated by Pravina Mecklai showcased works by alumnae Brinda Miller, Nandita Chaudhuri, Kahini Arte Merchant, Ayesha Taleyarkhan, and Sooni Taraporevala. Adjacent to the exhibition, a fashion presentation by Shaina NC unfolded with quiet elegance, heightened by strong emotion. As alumnae ranging in age from their 30s to their 80s walked the ramp, the audience responded with thunderous applause—cheering on classmates, friends, and familiar faces. The moment moved beyond fashion, becoming a collective celebration of memory, confidence, and enduring bonds.
Immortality at Artwalk by artist Nandita Chaudhuri |
Among the evening’s most resonant moments was Shabana Azmi’s return to honour her alma mater, flying in briefly from a film shoot in London and returning immediately after the event. Her performance, Broken Images, was as emotionally layered as it was exacting in technical craft. It reflected not only her artistic discipline but also a deep-rooted loyalty to the institution that had shaped her early years. She did not leave the stage until she had sung the entire school song verbatim, joined by a standing audience that sang along with her.
Equally affecting was the presence of Shobhaa Dé, whose reflections bridged past and present with grace and sincerity. As familiar hymns echoed through the auditorium, she wiped tears backstage, later sharing her journey in a frank and heartfelt chat with Bhavna Somaya, revealing glimpses of the young schoolgirl she once was alongside the influential writer and public voice she is today. Even the sandwich from her lunch box came to life in her recollections, a heartfelt, tiny yet vivid reminder of her school days. Her emotion resonated deeply, capturing the intimate, almost familial connection that Queen Mary School continues to foster, and the quiet resilience it instils in its students.
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Back on the school campus for Founder’s Day, the ceremony carried a dignity that was both formal and deeply stirring. In a procession marked by music and pageantry, students and staff, accompanied by Principal Grace Mathais, escorted Chief Guests Shobhaa Dé and alumna-artist Nandita Chaudhuri from the main gates to the stage. For me, the moment carried a quiet personal resonance—as a shy, unassuming child, I could not have imagined returning one day to be felicitated and honoured by my school. In an unscripted moment, Shobhaa Dé and I joined the choir to sing long-forgotten nursery rhymes, including Grandfather’s Clock—a reminder of how instinctively words, like memories, effotlessly return.
From art and performance to ceremony and remembrance, the celebrations echoed Queen Mary School’s enduring philosophy: that learning is continuous, formative, and transformative. The sesquicentennial was not simply a commemoration of the past, but a celebration of an institution whose impact continues to resonate, long after the school bell has rung.
(Nandita Chaudhuri is an artist, poet, and an author)
