A Fellowship Across Generations
The Sasonian Alumni Association, Kalimpong — SAAK — has long provided a meeting point for former students of St. Augustine’s School. Founded in 1996 during the school’s Golden Jubilee year, the Association grew from a simple idea: that the friendships, values and sense of belonging formed at SAS need not end when a boy leaves the school gates.
The early leadership of Mr. Anmol Prasad and Mr. Pasang Dorjee helped establish that foundation. Nearly three decades later, Sasonians are spread across professions, cities and countries, yet the connection with the school and with one another continues.
That connection is reflected in the wider Sasonian network that has developed over time, with alumni chapters and groups in Kalimpong and beyond.
The early leadership of Mr. Anmol Prasad and Mr. Pasang Dorjee helped establish that foundation. Nearly three decades later, Sasonians are spread across professions, cities and countries, yet the connection with the school and with one another continues.
That connection is reflected in the wider Sasonian network that has developed over time, with alumni chapters and groups in Kalimpong and beyond.
A New Executive Body
The present Executive Body brings together a broad team of office-bearers, advisers and executives who will take forward the work of the Association.
President
Lhundup Gyalpo Tshering
Senior Vice President
Dr. Sonam Tsewang Bhutia
Working Vice President
Dawa Bhutia
General Secretary
Phuntshok Sangpo Sherpa
Treasurer
Sahil Ahmed
Administration Head
Ajay Singh
Assistant Administrators
Karma T. Gyarong
Phahensy Rai
Assistant Treasurer
Thinley Bhutia
Assistant General Secretaries
Jigme Dukpa
Prayash C. Thapa
Pranai Thapa
Advisory Head
Mr. Bhernone Britto Lepcha
Dr. Sangay Zimba
Mr. Eugene Moktan
Mr. Lalit Kumar Roka
Mr. Kadir Quraicy
Mr. Sanjay Verma
Executives
Mr. Anil Ramtel
Mr. Lobsang Chodak
Mr. Benoy Jogi
Mr. Bibhuti Gazmair
Mr. Shikher Lawer
The size and composition of the present team reflect the amount of work involved in keeping an alumni association active. Behind every visible event are meetings, communication, administration, finances and the less visible work of keeping members connected and involved.
President
Lhundup Gyalpo Tshering
Senior Vice President
Dr. Sonam Tsewang Bhutia
Working Vice President
Dawa Bhutia
General Secretary
Phuntshok Sangpo Sherpa
Treasurer
Sahil Ahmed
Administration Head
Ajay Singh
Assistant Administrators
Karma T. Gyarong
Phahensy Rai
Assistant Treasurer
Thinley Bhutia
Assistant General Secretaries
Jigme Dukpa
Prayash C. Thapa
Pranai Thapa
Advisory Head
Mr. Bhernone Britto Lepcha
Dr. Sangay Zimba
Mr. Eugene Moktan
Mr. Lalit Kumar Roka
Mr. Kadir Quraicy
Mr. Sanjay Verma
Executives
Mr. Anil Ramtel
Mr. Lobsang Chodak
Mr. Benoy Jogi
Mr. Bibhuti Gazmair
Mr. Shikher Lawer
The size and composition of the present team reflect the amount of work involved in keeping an alumni association active. Behind every visible event are meetings, communication, administration, finances and the less visible work of keeping members connected and involved.
A Message from the President
President Lhundup Gyalpo Tshering has placed unity and participation at the centre of his message to members.
His appeal is simple: Sasonians should look beyond individual differences, set aside unnecessary pride and ego, and think first in terms of the larger alumni family. For the Association to remain meaningful, members should not remain passive observers but should acknowledge, support and participate in its activities whenever possible.
One of the practical challenges facing any alumni body is that its members are busy and often widely dispersed. Personally contacting every member before every meeting, event or programme is not always possible. For this reason, SAAK increasingly relies on its WhatsApp group and other shared platforms to keep members informed and connected.
The President has therefore encouraged members not only to read announcements, but also to respond, participate and remain involved.
SAAK has also recently created a YouTube channel, and members have been encouraged to support it. The aim is not simply to increase subscriber numbers, but to create another platform through which activities, memories and the work of the Association can be shared with the wider Sasonian community.
The present leadership has emphasised three principles it hopes will guide its work: sincerity, honesty and transparency.
These may be simple words, but in any voluntary organisation they matter. Alumni associations depend on trust, goodwill and the willingness of members to give their time without personal gain. Transparency in decision-making, honesty in administration and sincerity of purpose are therefore central to maintaining that trust.
His appeal is simple: Sasonians should look beyond individual differences, set aside unnecessary pride and ego, and think first in terms of the larger alumni family. For the Association to remain meaningful, members should not remain passive observers but should acknowledge, support and participate in its activities whenever possible.
One of the practical challenges facing any alumni body is that its members are busy and often widely dispersed. Personally contacting every member before every meeting, event or programme is not always possible. For this reason, SAAK increasingly relies on its WhatsApp group and other shared platforms to keep members informed and connected.
The President has therefore encouraged members not only to read announcements, but also to respond, participate and remain involved.
SAAK has also recently created a YouTube channel, and members have been encouraged to support it. The aim is not simply to increase subscriber numbers, but to create another platform through which activities, memories and the work of the Association can be shared with the wider Sasonian community.
The present leadership has emphasised three principles it hopes will guide its work: sincerity, honesty and transparency.
These may be simple words, but in any voluntary organisation they matter. Alumni associations depend on trust, goodwill and the willingness of members to give their time without personal gain. Transparency in decision-making, honesty in administration and sincerity of purpose are therefore central to maintaining that trust.
“ Let us keep our egos and pride aside and think as true Sasonians. Let us focus on how we can work together, support one another, and make SAAK successful in everything we undertake. Togetherness is oneness. ”— Lhundup Gyalpo Tshering, President, SAAK
More Than Reunions
SAAK’s work has increasingly gone beyond social gatherings and reunions.
In recent years, the Association has been involved in activities undertaken in association with the school community, including the Annual Marathon, an Inter-School Chess Competition and Teachers’ Day celebrations.
Each of these activities reflects a different side of what an alumni association can contribute.
The marathon celebrates endurance, participation and community spirit. The chess competition encourages concentration, discipline and healthy competition among young students. Teachers’ Day gives former students an opportunity to acknowledge those who played a formative role in their lives.
Taken together, such activities help ensure that the relationship between alumni and school remains active rather than merely sentimental.
In recent years, the Association has been involved in activities undertaken in association with the school community, including the Annual Marathon, an Inter-School Chess Competition and Teachers’ Day celebrations.
Each of these activities reflects a different side of what an alumni association can contribute.
The marathon celebrates endurance, participation and community spirit. The chess competition encourages concentration, discipline and healthy competition among young students. Teachers’ Day gives former students an opportunity to acknowledge those who played a formative role in their lives.
Taken together, such activities help ensure that the relationship between alumni and school remains active rather than merely sentimental.
The Value of an Alumni Network
An alumni association becomes truly valuable when it allows experience to move between generations.
A Sasonian who has spent years in business may be able to guide a younger member entering the same field. A doctor, teacher, engineer, entrepreneur, civil servant or tradesman may have knowledge that can help someone else. Younger alumni, in turn, bring fresh ideas, new technology and a different understanding of the world.
That exchange is one of the greatest strengths of an alumni network.
It also gives younger Sasonians a clearer view of life beyond school. Careers are rarely straightforward. People change direction, make mistakes, begin again and learn along the way. A strong alumni community can make those transitions less isolating by allowing one generation to learn from another.
Just as importantly, SAAK need not be defined only by professional achievement. Every Sasonian carries a different memory of school, Kalimpong and life after SAS. Those experiences, ordinary and exceptional alike, are part of the larger story of the institution.
A Sasonian who has spent years in business may be able to guide a younger member entering the same field. A doctor, teacher, engineer, entrepreneur, civil servant or tradesman may have knowledge that can help someone else. Younger alumni, in turn, bring fresh ideas, new technology and a different understanding of the world.
That exchange is one of the greatest strengths of an alumni network.
It also gives younger Sasonians a clearer view of life beyond school. Careers are rarely straightforward. People change direction, make mistakes, begin again and learn along the way. A strong alumni community can make those transitions less isolating by allowing one generation to learn from another.
Just as importantly, SAAK need not be defined only by professional achievement. Every Sasonian carries a different memory of school, Kalimpong and life after SAS. Those experiences, ordinary and exceptional alike, are part of the larger story of the institution.
Staying Connected
One of the continuing challenges for any alumni association is participation.
Many former students remain deeply attached to their school, yet work, family responsibilities and distance can gradually reduce day-to-day involvement. The challenge for SAAK is therefore not only to organise events, but also to make members feel that there is value in remaining connected between events.
The Association’s WhatsApp group, meetings, programmes and newer initiatives such as its YouTube channel are all part of that effort.
Participation does not always require a large commitment. Sometimes it means attending an event. Sometimes it means acknowledging a message, sharing useful information, mentoring a younger Sasonian, helping organise a programme or simply reconnecting with someone from school.
Small acts of participation, when multiplied across a large alumni community, can become significant.
Many former students remain deeply attached to their school, yet work, family responsibilities and distance can gradually reduce day-to-day involvement. The challenge for SAAK is therefore not only to organise events, but also to make members feel that there is value in remaining connected between events.
The Association’s WhatsApp group, meetings, programmes and newer initiatives such as its YouTube channel are all part of that effort.
Participation does not always require a large commitment. Sometimes it means attending an event. Sometimes it means acknowledging a message, sharing useful information, mentoring a younger Sasonian, helping organise a programme or simply reconnecting with someone from school.
Small acts of participation, when multiplied across a large alumni community, can become significant.
Looking Ahead
The new Executive Body now inherits both a history and an opportunity.
The history is the goodwill built over nearly three decades since SAAK was founded in 1996. The opportunity is to make that connection more active, more inclusive and more useful to Sasonians of different generations.
The Association’s future will ultimately depend not only on those who hold office, but on how widely members themselves choose to participate. Leadership can organise, coordinate and communicate, but an alumni body becomes strong only when its members feel some ownership of it.
There is room for SAAK to strengthen links with other Sasonian chapters, encourage mentorship, support younger alumni and create more opportunities for former students to contribute to the wider school community.
There is also an opportunity to preserve stories, photographs and memories that might otherwise disappear with time. An alumni association can serve not only the present, but also as a custodian of institutional memory.
The current team begins its tenure with a clear appeal for unity, cooperation and openness. If that spirit is matched by participation from the larger Sasonian community, SAAK can continue to serve as a bridge between generations — connecting those who walked through the school gates decades ago with those who have only recently left them.
The history is the goodwill built over nearly three decades since SAAK was founded in 1996. The opportunity is to make that connection more active, more inclusive and more useful to Sasonians of different generations.
The Association’s future will ultimately depend not only on those who hold office, but on how widely members themselves choose to participate. Leadership can organise, coordinate and communicate, but an alumni body becomes strong only when its members feel some ownership of it.
There is room for SAAK to strengthen links with other Sasonian chapters, encourage mentorship, support younger alumni and create more opportunities for former students to contribute to the wider school community.
There is also an opportunity to preserve stories, photographs and memories that might otherwise disappear with time. An alumni association can serve not only the present, but also as a custodian of institutional memory.
The current team begins its tenure with a clear appeal for unity, cooperation and openness. If that spirit is matched by participation from the larger Sasonian community, SAAK can continue to serve as a bridge between generations — connecting those who walked through the school gates decades ago with those who have only recently left them.
“ Once a Sasonian, always a Sasonian. ”