“TO SIR WITH LOVE”

Eulogy at the Funeral-Mass for

SIR AMARANTH FERNANDES

At S.F.S. Cathedral on February 7,2002

By

Rev. Fr. Ivan Lobo, Principal, S.F.S. High

School & Jr. College.

My dear friends and beloved people of God.

Years ago, 1986 to be exact, a tall and handsome Army Officer visited Nagpur. General Sodhi was his name, Head of Signals in the Indian Army. He told me he passed school from S.F.S. in 1940 and was visiting Nagpur for the first time after 46 years. He requested me to take him to the home of his teacher who had long passed away “to pay my respects to the revered memory of Mr. Peter D’Souza”. Amazing! We then visited his Former boss in the Army, Brigadier Terrence Baretto, after which he wanted to meet his good teacher, Mr. Amaranth Fernandes, a young man in 1940. We knocked at the door. It was opened by Sir Amaranth Himself. Their eyes met after 46 years. “SODHI !” he exclaimed in his inimitable style. The tall mighty Sardarji General bowed, bent low, and reverentially touched the feet of the Master. The towering General was still a “ Chela ” paying homage, seeking blessings from the ‘GURU’. Tears of  emotion welled up in my eyes. That was S.F.S. at its best!

Today, as we share the grief and prayer of his family, on behalf of a countless number of S.F.S. Old Boys, of all castes, creeds and communities, I stand here to bow and to SALUTE – A FINAL AND FAREWELL SALUTE, TO THIS GENERAL OF A TEACHER – GREAT SIR AMARANTH FERNANDES, exactly 10 short of a century, who in his almost 4 decades as a teacher in S.F.S. (He was an S.F.S Old Boy too), produced students who would reach peaks of excellence, be it a Priests – a Bishop, (Sylvester Monteiro), Pastors and Rectors, Provincials and Principals, be it in the Defence as Generals, Air-Marshals and Admirals; or be it as eminent I.A.S., I.P.S. and I.F.S. Officers; World-top Scientists, Doctors, Engineers; great Industrialists and Businessmen; Legal luminaries and Judicial brains; Central and State Ministers and Members of Parliament and Politicians; Artists, Architects, Actors, Journalists and Sportsmen of repute; men great in every walk of life, you name it. But above all, he produced men of Discipline, men of Character, men of God and men of  Others, men all over the globe, who true to their motto would always “DARE TO BE WISE”.

As a young man in his twenties, Sir Amaranth must have reflected on those words of Jesus, THE GREAT TEACHER “Let the little children come to me, of such is the kingdom of Heaven”. “Catch them Young” was his aim, and so he turned to the teaching profession, for him a vocation and mission, saying to himself “Let the young students come to me, I will bring out the best in them”. And indeed the best he brought out! A good angler, he would become a “fisher of young men”, and many of them from all over the world would later in life come back to Nagpur only to visit S.F.S. and the Grand Old Man – Sir Amaranth. Sir Amaranth belonged to a generation of great teachers, long since no more, and among them, he stood out as a Giant of a Teacher!

A loving husband and father, a gentleman to the core, Sir Amaranth was a TEACHER PAR EXCELLANCE! Simple in attire but immaculate in suit and tie, he entered the class – room at the stroke of the bell, he departed at the stroke on time. Perfect Planning! Well-prepared, his classes (English Language and Literature, Mathematics and Geography) were a feast of delight to the minds of boys-enlightening and exciting, interesting and absorbing, thought-provoking and stimulating ! We wanted him to go on and on and on. The students just worshipped him at the temple of learning. The weakest and the naughtiest were rewarded with the greatest of care and attention. In those days of Birch-Discipline- “Spare the rod and spoil the child:-- , Sir Amaranth was unique, far ahead of his time, in never even being seen with a cane, let alone using one. He commanded respect, never demanded it. Action speaks louder than words, Example better than Precept, and Sir Amaranth’s life was a life of good example. The perfect role -model --- sincere and honest, faithful and loyal , dedicated and committed, enthusiastic and energetic --- rare adjectives in today’s scholastic world. Philosopher, Friend and Guide, he was a teacher without wealth, he lived and died without it. His only wealth was that of mind and heart and spirit , and the love of his students – in abundant measure.

We Old Boys of the S.F.S. of his days, will never forget his power, not only in the class-room but also on the field, where like a Field-Marshal he commanded a battalion of the whole school at the Annual Drill and March –Past, even at 60 demonstrating exercises with youthful agility, his eloquence on the mike still ringing in our ears (We had to check our smiles at the “British-Hindi” he used for the Hindi-medium students!!)… his training of young pugilists in the Boxing arena. A talented artist, can we forget the perfect circles, geographic and geometrical figures he drew “free-hand” with perfect ease? He contributed verses and paintings to our bulletin - board till a couple of years ago!!! As for Elocutions and Dramatics, he was “THE MASTER”. The Tehmuras Doongaji Inter-school Elocution Competition started by him close to 60 years ago, he trained , organized and conducted this festival of oratory year after year till retirement.

Here I may sound a personal note if you will excuse me. I had the rare privilege of having him as my Class-teacher for 2^1/2 years – 1 year in Pre- senior and 1^1/2 year in the Senior Cambridge. I also had the rare privilege when I returned to S.F.S. after 10 years, as a priest and Teacher, of working as a colleague alongside the GURU from 1971 till he retired in 1973. But my proudest privilege was in being selected  (and trained ) by him to represent the S.F.S at the Inter- School Elocution for 5 years from Class VII  to XI . I still remember those passages. The first at the age of 10 –11 years was the first “Sermon “ I ever preached !!A very humorous one titled “Advice to the Unreliable on Church–going“.

Dear Sir Amranth , I hear the School Bell ring. This time it tolls, tolls for you. The final going reminds me it is time to say a tearful goodbye, GOODBYE  TO SIR WITH LOVE. And as we lay you to  rest, as we pray you rest in peace eternal, we can hear the voice of t THE DIVINE TEACHER, Jesus our Lord and Master, say  : “Well done, Good and Faithful Sir, enter into the Joy of the Lord “ where so many of your dear-departed  students, now wait at the Gate, to greet you and lead to your seat in the School of HEAVEN --- AMEN.

P.S. : I Shall sadly miss my visit to you, Sir, and the many occasions to accompany or direct Old-Boys visiting Nagpur from India and abroad to your home for your benediction. But bless us from above, and till we meet again, Thank you and ADIOS!

                                                                                                Fr.Ivan (Ex-student, 1961)