Bridging Borders: Indian Guests Arrive in Lahore for Aitchison College's 140th Anniversary
LAHORE: In a heartwarming display of cross-border camaraderie and shared heritage, a delegation of guests from India has arrived in Lahore to join Aitchison College as it marks the 140th anniversary of its founding. The milestone, observed around November 3 the date the college's foundation stone was laid in 1886 has brought together descendants of Aitchisonians who walked the halls of the institution before the Partition of 1947.
The arrival of the Indian guests marks a significant moment for people-to-people diplomacy, highlighting the deep-rooted connections that transcend modern political boundaries. Among them are family members of Old Boys who studied at the college in undivided Punjab, including Kanwaljit "Babli" Kaur Brar, daughter of Harcharan Singh Brar, who travelled from Chandigarh to unveil a classroom named in honour of her father a tribute to his lifelong friendship with Syed Babar Ali, a bond that Partition could not divide.
The November festivities follow the college's main three-day Founders' Day celebrations held from February 13 to 15 earlier this year, which the college had timed to the anniversary of its establishment. For that occasion, Aitchison invited all 15 living Old Boys residing in India, most of them now in their nineties. Where age or distance kept the veterans themselves from travelling, their children and grandchildren have answered the call, making the reunion one of shared history and legacy across generations.
The February celebrations had already produced a moment of rare symbolism: for the first time in nearly 80 years, a keertan was held at the college's historic gurdwara, with all four of its doors opened to people of all faiths. The service, attended by Punjab Provincial Minister Ramesh Singh Arora and college Principal Dr. S.M. Turab Hussain, set the tone for an anniversary that has consistently reached across the border. Among the Indian visitors at those events was Ajaybir Singh Sodhi, whose father and three generations before him studied at Aitchison.
Much of the bridge-building has been championed by Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, the college's Honorary Envoy and himself the descendant of a family of Aitchisonians his father, grandfather and great-grandfather studied at the college between 1906 and 1947. His counterpart in spirit, Yadavindra Public School in Patiala an institution with sisterly ties to Aitchison marked the 140th anniversary on its own campus, honouring four living alumni who attended the Lahore college until 1947 and presenting a commemorative shawl for the Lahore celebrations.
Organizers have emphasized that the anniversary is a purely people-centric initiative, focused on "One Platform, Two Nations, Countless Friendships."
Speaking ahead of the November 3 observance, the organizers reiterated the importance of looking forward rather than dwelling on turbulent history. "This is a platform for ordinary people of India and Pakistan," a representative stated. "It does not represent any government or official position on either side. Our goal is to keep the dialogue positive and people-focused, avoiding controversial topics to build a path toward peace and understanding."
As the guests from India settle in for the festivities, the atmosphere is one of warmth and mutual respect a hopeful sign that the bonds formed in the classrooms, houses and playing fields of one of the subcontinent's most historic colleges endure long after the borders that divided its alumni.
