Please pay your contributions towards reunion Dinner through RTGS/ cheque at any HDFC Bank Branch. Savings A/C No. 50100055857431Name of account : OLD COTTONIANS ASSO INDIA MUMBAI CHAPT (Please note the exact name including the truncation to Asso & Chapt)IFSC : HDFC0000666Branch Area : ANDHERI WEST – SEVEN BUNGALOWS, MUMBAI

Mr. Chetan Singh won the Best Gross from BCS, and Mr. Simran Grewal secured the Best Nett. Overall, BCS finished 6th out of 9 reputed school golf teams of old students, comprising a total of 108 players.

OC Players:

1. Mr. A. K. Aukta

2. Mr. Gaurav Misra

3. Mr. Sanjiv Chadha

4. Mr. Jaspreet Sokhi

5. Mr. Hitesh Chauhan

6. Mr. Anil Singha

7. Mr. Madhav Singh

8. Mr. Chetan Singh

9. Mr. Rajan Gupta

10. Mr. Prithvi Singh Nat

11. Mr. Ronald Das

12. Mr. Simran Grewal

BCS – Life – Golf – The Phoenix 

Esquires:
Chetan “Sunny” Singh ( I -1971)
Gurnir “ Niri” Gill ( L-1971)
Prithvi Prem (R-1971)
Prithvi Nat( I-1971)
Vivek “Bonnie” Bhasin (L-1970)
Sanjiv “Sunny” Chadha (L-1974
Atamjit Singh ( R-1974)
Sharat Bhasin ( L-1975)
Amarjeet Kuki Kukreja ( C-1988)
Hitesh Chauhan (I-2006)
Rajiv Sood (L-1979)
Gurnihal Mann ( I-1974)
Kanav Monga ( I-1989)
Manpreet Minhas ( L-1998)
Jaspinder Kochhar ( R-1998)
Simran Grewal ( C-1998)

When Cottonians meet…
The Sky turns cobalt
The Sun’s warmth is complimented by the brotherhood
bonded 163 years ago
..7000 feet
on the Mighty Divine Himalaya…
And …C O N T I N U I N G…

It is indeed amazing how our togetherness as young lads at our fabulous BCS…be it 3,5,10,11 and even 13  years instilled in us the spirit of A “Cottonian” creating a bond stronger than the mightiest steel. We left to follow our destinies, navigating the jungles of this world.

I at least with butterflies in my gut….
but slowly the power of BCS won over and conquered my nervousness, anxiety, hesitant nature..

Every one of us met many others along the way whom we befriended…
but the umbilical cord of our Alma mater held on ..when crossing a street, running through an airport, entering a restaurant, a corporate office, a hotel, at myriad social events, overcoming tremendously dangerous storms on the high seas, walking 900 km on the Camino to Santiago de Compostela… even navigating between Tierra del Fuego and Argentina, it was the force of our great school that made us survivors…as global citizens…

A car zooms by with a BCS sticker .. you accelerate wishing to catch up with him at the next red light and shout across…
…you  meet another, after years, crossing the street .. familiar face, faint recognition, a few changes…but his BCS vernacular makes you stop and skid in your tracks .. you’re that speed boat that suddenly drops revs from 20,000 to zero! ..
then it all comes back …you become young Cottonians again.

Perhaps I am meandering, slicing, drawing, fading along my trajectory path just as when addressing the ball on the first tee… I shank it with my windmill swing and it’s gone out of bounds “OOB”..the mulligan I took,  signified .. never give up, stand up and rise ….like the Phoenix  ( tattooed on Sunny Chadha’s left chest )..

Well.. Golf was not a sport during my days though Naldhera Golf Course was close at hand .. they say it is a sport for gentlemen and gentle ladies; a sport that makes you understand yourself, analyse yourself, readjust, compensate your swing so that the next stroke connects with that little white dimpled speck as it shoots off like an imbecile, a missile towards its next destination .. finally arriving dropping in the hole, sort of exhausted, exhilarated, frustrated … but up again …just as our lives….onwards, upwards.

A few days after the Annual OCA lunch diehard Kanav Monga, last Friday 17th Feb 2023 set up a 16 ball rendezvous at the ITC Classic Golf and Country Club. This was the second year of this reunion set up, arranged with the positive stubbornness and insistence of Kanav…
….a day away from the madding crowds, the clanking of horns and the grinding of rusty steel, the roar, road rage, discourtesy of road traffic snarling on the NH8….

It felt wonderful to arrive at the oasis!

A lovely day, a splendid setting; amongst us sweet sixteen, the younger lot connected with their sweet spot! I felt great inspite of not touching my clubs since last September… we 4 x 4 balls had the entire course to ourselves as we enjoyed the tranquility of the surroundings… the company of Cottonian golfers and with talks of bunking, whacking and the chicks at Chelsea, Auckies, Tara Hall …!

The following results were declared :

Congrats Winners!

Simran Grewal ( Curzon 1998) with a gross of 5 over,  shot 77 with 3 birdies.

Straightest drive
Manpreet Singh Manhas ( Lefroy 1998) 13 ft from the marker.

Closest to Pin
Kanav Monga ( I (Ibbetson 1998) 3ft from the Pin

* Longest Drive
Kanav Monga ( Ibbetson 1998)
256 yards

We would like to Thank the following OCs for the donating the prizes:

Prithvi Nat for A M&S Golf Shirt
( nearly packed in presentation paper that stated HAPPY BIRTHDAY)

Rajiv Sood
2 prs Golf Gloves

Jaspinder Kochhar
12 year rare JW Black whiskey

We would also like to Thank Sharat for the best one liner..
“ most unchallenging course Man… didn’t lose a single ball”

Y finalmente the Sixteen express their greatest appreciation to young Kanav who besides playing a mean game of golf, a wicked game of Tennis.. eats, thinks, sleeps, sleep talks, walks and never says die…..
for BCS

Vivek “ Bonnie “ Bhasin
Lefroy 1961-1970
18Feb2023

—

Kindest Regards and Best Wishes,

Bonnie/Vivek Bhasin

Captain Vivek C Bhasin

Captions 1-7 ( Prize Distribution by Senior OC Capt Bonnie Bhasin )

1. Prithvi Nat – Sunny  – Niri Gill – Prithvi Prem

2. Mann-Kukreja – Chauhan-Sood

3.Atamjit – Sunny Chadha – Vivek Bhasin-Sharat Bhasin

4. Jaspinder Kochar – “Spartan “ Minhas – Champ Grewal – Hard Core Kanav

5. Grewal !!

6. Kuki

7. Spartan

The Group Photos have all sixteen mentioned at the top of my write up!!

Young OC Kanav Monga is organising ( second time around ) a golf event at ITC Classic Manesar on Friday 17th Feb’23 for OCs. This is a smaller get together but the urgent need to get the numbers up to a max of 30 players… ! So far only 8 have confirmed.

OCs interested are requested to get in touch with young Kanav on
+91 98100 48078

The format for the tournament remains the same as last 3 years.

12 max players, 9 scores including the 2 best gross to be considered in the calculation for the championship.

Kindly message regarding details of the payment made with name, school & reference number, to either 9717756661 or spotlight.gov@gmail.com

Payments can be made via UPI or bank

UPI : spotlight7@icici

Bank: ICICI
A/c name : SPOTLIGHT
A/C # : 157905002769
IFSC Code : ICIC0001579

GST No: 09AHUPV8011B1Z1

NO PAYMENTS TO BE MADE DIRECTLY. ONLY THROUGH TEAM CAPTAINS OF EACH SCHOOL.

Fact Sheet attached for your ref.

Best wishes, Chetan SIngh

chetanpioneersports@gmail.com

18th Feb 2022:

A gang of youngsters from the Class of 1998 led by Kanav Monga Ibbetson organised a lovely day of golf at ITC Classic.

This Young Group arrived by fire and ignited the course! Kanav & Co painstakingly worked the logistics at The Classic not to mention, the personal touch of Brand BCS to the Cottonian Teams with bespoke Golf Shirts each well fitted to our masculine chests and professional Golf Caps embossed with the name of our great Alma mater.

Besides the lovely snacks prior tee off, followed by transit lunch, ending with a great “after event”- sumptuous khaana and gentlemen’s drinks, it was the absolutely wonderful bonding of Cottonians, many of us meeting for the first time since school.

We Cottonians ranged from Class of 1968 to Class of 1998 arriving from various cities and countries, yet we jammed on the same wavelength reminiscing of our times.. up in the greens of Simla.

Heartiest Congratulations to you Kanav and your batch; you took the “Bull by the horns “ and presented a Great Show.

May the spirit of Cottonian Brotherhood be alive and strive in our midst.
Well Done Chaps! We look forward to many exciting events down the road..

Cottonians who made this great effort to come together; some amazing golfers in our midst!

Four ball 1
1.     Justice Surinder Saron Lefroy ‘71
2.    Anil Duggal Ibbetson 68’
3.    Capt.Sharat Bhasin Lefroy ‘75
4.    Capt.Vivek Bhasin Lefroy 70’

Four ball 2
1. Kanav Monga Ibbetson 98’
2. Manpreet Manhas Lefroy98’
3. Simran Grewal Curzon 98’
4. Sammy Khangura Curzon 98’.

Four Ball 3
1. Chetan Singh  Ibbetson 71’
2. Gurnir Singh Gill Lefroy 71
3.     Prithvi Singh Nat Ibbetson 71’
4.     Prithviraj Prem Rivaz 71’

Four ball 4
1.      Sanjiv Chadha Lefroy’74
2.     Gursimran Sethi  Lefroy 96’ (Pro!)
3.     Sangram Vijay Singh Rivaz 98’

Justice SS Saron presented the Winners with BCS Umbrellas

Straightest drive :Simran Singh Grewal Curzon 98’

Closest to the pin: Gursimran Singh Sethi Lefroy 96’

Longest Drive Prithvi  Nat 71’ & Manpreet S Manhas Lefory 98’

Kindest Regards and Best Wishes,

Bonnie/Vivek Bhasin

Open to all Old Cottonian Golfers.
All interested can get in touch.

• Chetan Singh at mobile 9811020062 / email chetanpioneersports@gmail.com
• Manav Singh at email manav@imperialholding.in 

This event is scheduled to be an annual event of various Boarding schools.
This event was postponed from the original date of 20th.March 2020 due to the Pandemic.

There is an entry fee of approx.Rs.5000/ per player which includes the green fee, cart,caddy (sharing), oncourse snacks  prize distribution drinks & Dinner.
In Future events approx.1.5 to 2 Lacs is required from each school as sponsorship fee.
The sponsors will get sufficient mileage on various forums.
The final team of BCS ( Old Cottonians) is mentioned below.
All the best

1.Chetan Singh Age 66  L 40 HANDICAP 14 chetanpioneersports@gmail.com  (Captain),

2.Gurnir Singh Gill  Age 65 XL 42 Handicap 18 nirigill@hotmail.com

3.Ronald Das  Age 62 L 40 Handicap 16 ronalddas@gmail.com

4. Col.Malwinder Guron Age.61 XXL 44 Handicap 18 ambyguron@gmail.com

5.Madhav Singh Age 45     XL 42 Handicap 7 madhavindersingh@gmail.com

6.Pranav Roach Age 55  L 40 Handicap 15 pranavroach@yahoo.com

7.Ashim Kapoor Age. 58 L 40 Handicap 18  ashimk@me.com

8.Sanjiv Chadha Age. 61 L 40 Handicap 16 sanjiv.chadha@teamrr.in

9.Prithvi Singh Nat  Age. 65 XXL 44 Handicap 18 prithvinat@yahoo.com

10.Manav Singh  Age.46  L.40 Handicap 16 manav@imperialholding.in

11.Prithviraj Prem  Age 66 XL 42 Handicap 24 bingluprem@gmail.com

12.Kanav Monga  Age.39 L 40 Handicap 19 kanac.monga@virgogroup.com

Kindly pair Player 6 & 7   & 5 & 8

SHOT GUN START 12 NOON 20TH.NOV. JAYPEES GREEN GREATER NOIDA
PRIZE DISTRIBUTION DINNER 6.30 PM AT THE GOLF VENUE.

Regards,
Chetan Singh