Ruby Reunion@1985 at Mussoorie

Ruby Reunion @ 1985 at Mussoorie (28–30 April 2025)

Day 1 (28 April)

It was a grand first day of our get-together at LBSNAA, Mussoorie. Meeting batchmates and their families after such a long interval was an experience in itself. We were never separated—only dispersed across different states to serve the public. Therefore, this is not just a reunion; it is a celebration of our joyful forty-year journey through the IAS.

The Academy has transformed over the years, with new buildings added and older ones upgraded. It now has better infrastructure and facilities. The bust of Lal Bahadur Shastri has become a full statue, and the bust of Sardar Patel reminds us of his pivotal role in establishing the IAS, which has kept the Indian Union firmly integrated. The Academy has embraced IT in training young administrators. Elevators in the buildings now save the probationers’ legs. The food remains similar, but improved water quality has eased our stomachs.

Most of us were accommodated in the Monastery Estate building—appropriate for our age, perhaps, but in reality it is nothing less than a five-star facility, with large, well-furnished rooms and even a gym to test our fitness. We enjoyed the day thoroughly, and as we lay down in the Academy’s bed, our journey from 1985 to 2025 flashed before our eyes.

जाम वही, जोश सही; दुनिया जवां, हम गवां।

LBSNAA remains our first and everlasting love when it comes to our career.

Day 2 (29 April)

The formal programme began with a memorial service, paying homage to our ten dear colleagues who left us earlier, leaving behind the fragrance of their achievements and their service to humanity. The batch journey video presented by Ravikant was marvellous, capturing our moments of fun and frolic—especially the ferry scenes where the ladies had their day.

The cadre stage walk turned out unexpectedly well, showcasing glimpses of the cultures of different states against popular backdrop songs of those states. It highlighted how beautifully we adopted the lifestyle, dress, and culture of our respective cadres—our karmabhoomi for more than three decades, even though they were not our home states. It was indeed a vibrant display of unity in diversity.

The musical night revived our joy in the evergreen songs of our generation. Vandana presented herself at her best. Anubha, ever-versatile, sang beautifully. Pawan’s wife Monika sang with perfect sur and taal and was among the finest performers of the evening. UP’s wife Archana also rendered her song very well. The melodious couple, Anita and Ashu, not only sang wonderfully but added emotions to their performance. Mahendra sang his heart out for his friends. Sanjay Ubale and Sanjay Bhatia can light up any stage with their presence. Saraswati is our ‘यादों की बारात’ of four decades. Bhanu sang just a few lines but filled the stage with joy and humour. Renuka’s ghazal came like a pleasant surprise and was loved by all. Tripurari offered his tribute to his favourite K.L. Saigal by singing a 1943 classic. R.K. Tiwari’s tabla added trikit-dhum to the evening. Sangram sang and compered with flair, his presence felt in every performance.

It was a memorable musical night, though it eventually overlapped with dinner time, and the hall thinned out when Ram Niwas’s video song was played.

Dinner at the Academy revived old memories—jackfruit sabzi, mushroom, dal–rice, roti, curd, salad, papad, and mohanbhog as dessert.

The day, however, had one sad moment. Divya, wife of Sudhir Tripathi, was injured in a car accident just 9 kilometres before reaching the Academy. She received 15 stitches on her forehead. The driver lost control of the vehicle, which hit the railing and a pole. The car was badly damaged, but by God’s grace, the railing saved all four passengers from a fall into the valley.

Day 3 — The Josh Was High

The second day of the meet and third day of our arrival began at 6:00 a.m. with PT led by Rana. But, as always, without the fear of dies non, many preferred to rest or take a leisurely walk to Atal (Company) Garden. After a refreshing bath, all members, along with their spouses, participated in the fun hour—lemon-and-spoon race, musical chairs, and tug-of-war.

We thought Mahendra would win the lemon-and-spoon race, but Srikant Baldi moved faster, and Sanjeev Ranjan snatched the victory. As we all know, the lemon cannot stay without the spoon, and the spoon cannot without the lemon! Mrs. Sushila Samariya, despite having a fever, proved herself the dark horse by winning Musical Chairs, though Kavita ran up to runner-up position with a few “faults.” Sushila truly showed she is the power behind Hiralal’s success—never leaving the chair! Winners were awarded dark chocolates, which were happily shared by all. Jyotish was a favourite attraction, but time was too short to check many horoscopes. Breakfast that followed—South Indian idli and North Indian paratha—was delicious.

Under bright sunshine, the formal programme—“Introduction with the Director”—took place, with felicitations, release of memories, and group photographs. Prabhat and Surina shared their life lessons, and Sanjeev Chopra offered words of wisdom. Dr. Prabhat’s Five I’s resonated with many of us. The Director fondly recalled some by name, having worked with them in the past. A silk painting was presented to him as a symbol of our affection for the Academy. The lunch hosted by the Director was delightful.

The evening resumed with the cultural programme. Though we missed our late Ram Niwas, his daughter Tarranum filled the space beautifully with her powerful rendition: “गाड़ी को चलाना बाबू ज़रा हल्के हल्के…” The programme formally began with Ganesh Vandana, followed by a graceful couple dance by Anita and Ashu. Ashu, particularly rhythmic and youthful, won many hearts. Archana and UP entertained the stage with a sweet squabble in shayari—neither winner nor loser.

The medley by IAS women officers captured attention with the rhythmic movements of Usha and Amita. The Safarnama of 1985 presented by Sudhir Tripathi in लखनवी तहज़ीब, अदब और नज़ाकत was superb, filling us with pride for our batch. The journey of our lives as public servants—and the parallel journey of our spouses—was presented through sonic time capsules of Hindi songs, bringing joy to all.

The team led by Archana (wife of UP Singh) performed so well that the group led by Sanjay Ubale tried to match them but couldn’t quite win. The homemakers could bid us सायोनारा, but we dependents could only say, कभी अलविदा न कहना. The Home Ministry is always in the driver’s seat—more so after the men retire!

The grand finale—‘Bele’: the dance of duty with grace—directed by Arun Arya and performed by “the Nine,” was superb, with its costumes, sticks, and stylised dance courtships. Their synchronised movements to the rhythm of drums made the performance captivating. The ‘question mark’ tried to break their courtship, but the touch of “service” reunited them.

Tall R.K. Tiwari, short Girish Murmu, and in between them our thin Mahendra and ever-smiling Bhabu, along with their graceful partners, filled the stage with romance. Renuka, as monitor, compère, and performer, excelled in all roles.

The last supper was delicious, ending with rose kheer. And बाक़ी जो बचा था, all our josh burst out in front of the DJ. Once again, the homemakers outperformed the retired! The dance floor was alive with energy.

Carry Forward 

RRB @ 40 took away 40 years from our ageing bodies and transported us back to our youthful academy days. In 1985, we arrived here with नाना भाषा, नाना मत, नाना परिधान, and the Academy groomed us into efficient public servants—bonding us as a cohesive and stimulating force of the Indian nation. It satisfies us deeply that we served the nation and its people to the best of our ability and contributed to India’s growth over the last four decades.

Kudos to the organising team for making RRB @ 40 successful and memorable. We may be ageing, but our hearts and minds remain young and energetic. We pledge to meet again at RRB @ 50 in 2035.

फिर मिलेंगे। 👋

Mussoorie

30 April 2025