To the majority of us urban residents facing congestion, traffic bottlenecks, and pollution, among others, the lure of the sea or the hills is irresistible. And thus it was that the PGP batch of 1968 gravitated to Mahabalipuram, the ancient trading cum temple town on the Coromandel coast, a short drive from the bustling city of Chennai, and hosted from January 27 to 30, 2026, a gathering marking the 60th anniversary of the group entering the portals of the hallowed institution.
The venue, Coral Beach Resort, just outside Mahabalipuram village, was chosen to accommodate the varied limitations and requirements of the group, consisting of many octogenarians and a few nearing the milestone. The venue admirably served the needs of the group.
The organisers laid stress on drawing up a programme that served the primary purpose of renewing contacts and nurturing the bonds that were established sixty years ago. There was thus a loosely knit program providing ample time for “idle gossip” along with sightseeing that would not be physically strenuous. The post dusk sessions were marked by freewheeling discussions, which, apart from coming up with solutions to sticky global problems, led to the sharing of personal and professional anecdotes. Gastronomic needs of an ageing group were also well catered for.
Day 1 was arrivals and just reconnecting with sometimes long-lost batchmates. The half-day sightseeing programme on Day 2 of the event took the participants to the architectural heritage sites – the Shore Temple, Arjuna’s penance, and the Five Rathas. The visit to Dakshin Chitra on the forenoon of Day 3 offered a glimpse of life in the Southern states. The participants also witnessed a folk dance programme.
Lunch on Day 2 at the Wharf Restaurant at the GRT Hotel right on the beach front was an exhilarating experience. It was a unique mix of good food, courteous service, amazing ambience, and a magnificent setting by the seashore. Lunch on Day 3 provided a different option. Presented at an indoor setting were the culinary skills of the ITC Hotel staff. On Day 2, drinks and dinner by the seaside, under a magical near-full moon, and the sight and sound of the waves provided the ideal locale for a leisurely evening of indulging in unabashed nostalgia. A taste of local flavour was the theme of the dinner on Day 3.
Amidst all the back slapping and catching up over time, the opportunity was grabbed to have a few of the batchmates relate their post-professional-career activities. Ela Mehta, Vinod Ladia, Seethapathy Rao, Kiran Karnik, and S Madhavan shared their experiences. Biji Kurien, who was unable to join the Reunion, met the batch at lunch at the Wharf Restaurant and regaled the audience with his exploits in “Half a Century and Still at the Crease”.
There was a little sense of disappointment that the headcount just exceeded 25. Solace was found in the few who made special efforts to be present. Nayanendu Vyas and Kamini flew in from New Jersey to be in our midst. Pradeep Desai was motivated and assisted by Gargi to attend. Mayura, daughter of our batchmate Bala Iyer, made sure that she fulfilled her mother Mohana’s desire to be in the midst of Bala’s batchmates and their spouses, whom she had met at previous Reunions.
As the participants left Mahabalipuram with fond and affectionate memories of a four-day journey into the past, they were beckoned with an invitation to Udaipur for the next Reunion in March 2027.
