The Founder’s Day celebrations in ATTI

It took us another day to get a couple of more ads and, since the payments had been made by checks, we deposited those with our office and got separate checks issued to pay the printers. Simultaneously I had to generate enough reading material to cover 16 pages – for this I requested our teachers and instructors to write some articles and I myself compiled a few interesting aviation news from magazines.
On the appointed day, I was ready with my bunch of souvenirs – it was a novelty for the guests who began to arrive as evening fell. I was worried because Clive House was an old dilapidated building of the17th century and the wooden floorboards on the staircase reverberated as the guests climbed to the first floor.
They were important people attached to the aviation industry in Kolkata and were employed in the Indian Airlines or the Kolkata Airport or the other small airlines – they came because of the influence that our Principal wielded in the close knit community. As usual, there were a couple of speeches and the unveiling of the souvenir. Then followed a break for tea and snacks and the last item on the program was a movie. In between I took some photographs in my box camera using flash bulbs of the guests enjoying the snacks. The movie was an English movie of 1958 titled ‘I accuse’.
In the course of the program, I tried to impress a couple of the guests and exploit the opportunity that presented itself to my advantage but I was no match in front of my Delhi friend. He had a way with people, thanks to his upbringing in a metro like Delhi where even the girls were known to take the initiative. (to be continued …)

I go ad-hunting for ATTI Founder’s Day souvenir

The Founder’s day of ATTI was celebrated in first week of February and, in my 2nd year, I hatched a plan to do something new. My idea was based on the concept of collecting donations from big business houses to finance the Durga Puja in our neighborhood. In those days, it was a new concept and used to pay rich dividends. Members who collected more donations were held in high esteem by the puja committee and got special privileges.
When I broached the subject to our Principal, he initially laughed it away but I was insistent. I returned the next day with a copy of the souvenir of our Durga Puja and he went through it. I explained to him that he need not spend a single rupee from the Institute because the donations would cover the expenses of printing and the souvenirs would be distributed free.
That caught the interest of our Principal and he agreed.
So, I drew up a contract form for requesting donations from advertisers and, decided upon the amount that would be charged for ads in different locations like cover page, back cover, inside covers, inside full page inside half page and quarter page strips. Then I got some copies of the contract form cyclostyled and obtained the signature of our Principal on the forms.
Armed with this authority, I roped in a classmate who hailed from Delhi – he was smart like all Delhi boys. Moreover, he also was the nephew of an Engineer in India Airlines and had assurance that he would get employed there once he completes the ATTI diploma.
Every one envied him but my interest to have him accompany me was because he had a charming way about him and could convince others - that was important for our souvenir. (to be continued…)