(An email sent by Ghanashyam Mishra (Mining 1961) to the organizer of Silicon Valley Meet. He could not attend the meeting due to personal reasons. However he wrote an emotional letter to the Silicon Valley Meet and it was addressed to Siddharth Gupta-Electronics 2005)
Dear Siddharth:
Congratulations for organizing a get-together of the Silicon Valley BHU-IT Alumni Chapter. I am not a very computer savvy person. Only today, I browsed through itbhuglobal.org/chronicle sent to me my classmate Mr. M.S. Nagar from New-Delhi several weeks ago. As I read about the reunions and write ups about our younger generation, I was filled up with pride and joy. I would have loved to to travel to Palo Alto and attend your meeting and visited my son Vijay in the Bay Area. But I have prior commitments. I have to pass this time.
About myself. I am a 1961 graduate of the College of Mining and Metallurgy, BHU. You might have heard about our recent reunion last November at BHU. It was a very emotional and magical event to meet so many of our classmates at Dhanrajgiri Hostel, where we met as teenagers half a century ago. We plan to do it again in 2011.
As you all know BHU was the first Teaching and Residential University of modern India established by Pundit Malaviya, and other freedom fighters. In my lifetime, I have travelled across the globe, visited dozens of famous university campuses. But I have never seen one so well-planned like our Alma mater. The founder's imagination of blending Gurukul like atmosphere with the teaching institutions of modern science, technology, medicine, music and fine arts is indeed unique and unparalleled. In my opinion, it is only BHU that embodies the history, culture and the heritage of India.
Now the purpose of my writing. After almost a century of existence, several old buildings in the campus showing signs of deterioration. During my last visit, I found the campus fairly clean. But many of our college and hostel buildings need pressure-wash and a new coat of paint. We need more flower beds, water fountains and road side dust bins. During the dry months, we need water trucks to sprinkle the berms. There has to be a very coordinated effort from the former students to give a face-lift to BHU on the eve of its centennial celebration in 2016. Our slogan should be, "Keep our BHU Beautiful". I am writing this for the first time to you, so that all your young friends can discuss and act.
Siddharth, my generation is old, many of us are having health problems. But we can help. Also, I am sending this message to my good friends, the Nagars at New Delhi.
And finally here is an ancient quote:
"When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extra-ordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds, your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents come alive, and you find yourself to be a person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be"
Hindu Sage Patanjali, 2nd Century B.C.
Wish you a very joyful Reunion.
Sincerely,
Your Old Brother Ghanashyam Mishra (Class of 1961)
College of Mining and Metallurgy, BHU