Mr. Peter Joseph Achilles joined St. Anthony’s School in 1993 as an English Teacher. He was born in Vijayawada in Andra Pradesh and was raised by a Swiss nun Sr. Elizabeth. He was sent for his schooling to Goethals Memorial School in Kurseong, District Darjeeling. He completed his Sr. Cambridge in 1968, then his High School from St. Joseph School, Darjeeling, pursued his English Honours from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata and completed his B Ed from St. Xavier’s. He worked as a Teacher in several Schools in Bhutan and Nepal. He finally came back to Kurseong and applied and worked at St. Anthony’s School in Kurseong. It would be his final home.
Peter Sir, as he was fondly known, was a person who spoke immaculate English, taught well and was a Quizzing genius. He was always solving the crossword puzzles of the English newspaper. He was a meticulous person and remained the School magazine Editor from the start in 1996 till his demise. He was very popular among the students and had gained a legendary status. Every Anthonian visiting his Alma Mater made it a point to meet him. He was loved by all and adored and respected by his peers.
He was a vegetarian, a heavy smoker who knew the after effects of smoking. He had a strong will power and quit smoking in 2016. He was a perfectionist in his job he wrote all the quiz questions and knew every visiting school whenever they were invited to school. A perfect person in the school reception. He was straight forward without no ounce of diplomacy. He made a budget for all his quizzing trips, he was a clean person in his heart and was never vindictive. He had warmth in his smile and had a true sense of humour.
He produced many a batch of Anthonians polishing their English, oratory skills and quizzing knowledge. The students who have brought laurels in quizzing swear by his name to come and do quizzing for their beloved Teacher.
He will be missed by all the faculty members and his dear students. Those we love don’t go away ... they walk beside us everyday unseen, unheard but always near ... still loved, still missed and very dear.
Mr. Sanjay Sir our Art & Craft Teacher, Librarian who left for heavenly abode on 01st May 2019.
It is truly heart breaking no words could express this sorrow and grief we all felt when we heard the news. He just visited us 10 days back elegantly dressed all seemed hale and hearty.
He had a massive stroke in Chalsa a place in Dooars yesterday morning his wife rushed him to the hospital but the Doctors declared he had died. He leaves behind his wife who works in the Land Reform was stationed in Chalsa and his beloved and only daughter Shivani who is working in Delhi in an Agriculture NGO.
Sanjay Rai stepped in St. Anthony’s School in the year 1993 and retired in 2018. He worked as Art & Craft Teacher and later was given the responsibility of a Librarian. He was a man of few words, had a baritone voice which would get scared when he spoke. Inside he was a very gentle person everybody liked him all staff members, his students, his friends, his family and neighbours. We had long memories with him the school picnic, school fete, (his ice cream stall would always get over fast), staff football. He was a person who could be counted weather it was ID card duty he would never allow any guardian to leave the school compound without signing the form or when you needed strick vigilance in discipline, or catching students who would forget to return library books, he would never let you down. His roar was bigger than his bark that’s why Students fondly called him Tiger Sir.
He was very good in craft so with bamboos he used to build miniature ships which used to be displayed for sale in a store called Abhinandan. Many ships he sold and earned a fairly good pocket money in his College days. He was always kind and loving to all his students. We the family of St. Anthony’s will dearly miss him as a Teacher, friend and colleague. We bid him farewell you gave no one a last farewell, nor ever said good bye, you were gone before we knew it, and God only knows why.
A million times we will miss you. A million times we will cry. In life we loved you dearly, In death we love you still. In our hearts you hold a place no one else can fill. It broke our hearts to lose you the day God took you home. I know in a better place. I thank God he made you our brother while you were here on Earth. Now you are gone we pray to God to let your soul Rest in Peace.