Tag Archives: Woodstock School

Driving in India’s Himalayas

No, I did not drive – I leave that strictly to the experts. And, no, this video is not speeded up in any way. (It is, however, silent – I removed mostly me talking about unrelated topics.)

This was what the drive looked like on our way down (way, way down) to Woodstock School’s Hanson Field for an alumni cricket match.

Learn India’s National Anthem

Woodstock School celebrates Indian Independence Day (August 15th) in a big way, starting with a flag raising and rousing choruses of the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. I happened to attend school assembly the day a preparatory lesson was given for students new to India. It was up to me to uphold the honor of the alumni by remembering the words without any help! But I’ve printed them here for those who don’t.

Jana gana mana

Adhinayaka jaya he

Bharata bhagya vidhata

Punjab, Sindhu, Gujarata, Maratha

Dravid, Utkala, Banga

Vindhya, Himachala, Jamuna, Ganga

Ucchala, Jhaladhi, Taranga

Tava shubha name jage

Tava subha ashisha mange

Gahe tava jaya gata

Jana gana mangala dayaka jaya he

Bharata bhagya vidhata

Jaya he! Jaya he! Jaya he!

Jaya, jaya, jaya, Jaya he!

by Rabindranath Tagore

Woodstock School Memories: The Student Survival Kit

This was the first manual/user guide I ever wrote, a student handbook for Woodstock School, incorporating the school’s rules and policies, survival tips, a fill-in class schedule and diary pages. I wanted to make the rules easier to understand, and more accessible, by applying simpler, clearer language and a sense of humor. Apparently it worked. I heard from students who worked on revisions 20+ years later that my style was still the template for student handbooks at Woodstock.

Unfortunately, I haven’t figured out how to get the pages in order in this gallery.

The cartoon illustrations are mostly by my classmate, Jeet Singh.