Gratitude and New Beginnings: A day of tributes at St. Joseph’s College
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” — Seneca
On the morning of the 1st of July, 2026, the grounds of St. Joseph’s College witnessed a dual ceremony to bid farewell to three members of the community, Rev. Fr. Melwin Pais, Rev. Fr. Gladwin Fernandes, and Mrs. Iris Simon, while extending a warm welcome to the newly appointed Headmaster, Rev. Fr. Gyan Prakash.
The ceremony was steered by the Master of Ceremonies, Aditya Nandan.
The Principal, Rev. Fr. Walter D’Silva, alongside with the School Coordinator Mr.Jyoti Dube escorted the dignitaries to the stage. Subsequent to a ceremonial march past and salute, executed by the College Cabinet and the House Cabinet, the event proceeded with a Bible reading by Jason D’Cruze, which transitioned into a prayer song rendered by the Senior College Choir under the direction of Mr. S. Nayak. The Principal officially greeted the newly appointed Headmaster, Rev. Fr. Gyan Prakash with a bouquet. This gesture was mirrored by the senior staff: the College Coordinator, Mr. Jyoti Dube welcomed Rev. Fr. Gladwin Fernandes; the Primary Section Coordinator Mrs. DarshanaMadnani presented florals to Rev. Fr. Melwin Pais, and Mrs. Saba Khan extended a lovely welcome to Mrs. Iris Simon.
Suyash Srivastava, the Junior College Captain, delivered a welcome speech dedicated to Rev. Fr. Gyan Prakash. The atmosphere shifted with a dance performance by the middle school students, guided by Mrs. Ericka John. In his inaugural address, Rev.Fr. Gyan Prakash encouraged everyone to trust in God. He said that principals, teachers, and parents are the backbone of our lives. He advised students not to fear failure, and to seek knowledge not just to become successful, but to become responsible human beings.
Daksh Talwar, next delivered a farewell speech for Rev. Fr. Melwin Pais, followed by Raghav Shukla, the College Head Marshal, who spoke in honour of Rev. Fr. Gladwin Fernandes. Raghav Mishra concluded the student tributes with an address dedicated to Mrs. Iris Simon. Mr. Abhishek Verma of the 2014 Batch and present Joint Secretary of the Old Boys’s Association expressed his love and gratitude to his former teacher, Mrs. Iris Simon and presented her with a token of his immense respect for her. Following floral greetings presented by the students, each departing dignitary addressed the audience, imparting words of wisdom to all.
The morning’s resonance was amplified by a musical tribute from the Senior Section Students, directed by Mr. S. Nayak. The morning programme concluded with a speech by the Principal, Rev. Fr. Walter D’Silva who commended the departing staff for their years of dedication and service to the institution, noting that their legacy would endure within the college walls. The assembly concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by the College Head Marshal, Raghav Shukla, and the collective singing of the National Anthem.
Continuing with the celebrations, the Hogan Hall bore witness to the second segment of the Farewell-cum-Welcome programme, where Mrs. Anjeeta Singh extended a cordial welcome to the dignitaries for the day. A prayer by Mr. Vijay David and a prayer song by the KG Section Choir followed next.
Mrs. Nandita Tripathi introduced the new College Headmaster, Rev. Fr. Gyan Prakash, to the assembled staff. Post another floral welcome by the College Principal, the Headmaster addressed the gathering, sharing his insights and vision for the future.
A soothing welcome song by the Senior Section Choir, led to the farewell tributes. Rev. Fr. Melwin Pais expressed his appreciation and gratitude towards our Principal Rev. Fr. Walter D’Silva for providing his able guidance for entering a new era of his leadership. The summation of the staff’s gratitude for the Headmaster, Rev. Fr. Melwin Pais, was articulated by Mrs. Pratima Khare. Floral greetings by Ms. L. Moore served to highlight the love and respect for Rev. Fr. Melwin Pais, who then took to the stage to express his joy and gratitude. The final tribute to the departing Headmaster came from Mrs. Darshana Madnani.
On behalf of the staff, Mrs. Tereesa Patrick next delivered a farewell speech in honour of the Middle School Administrator, Rev. Fr. Gladwin Fernandes. To complement her words, the Middle School Coordinator, Mrs. AparnaRanjan, presented him with a bouquet. After Rev. Fr. Gladwin Fernandes expressed his gratitude to the management and staff for their support, the afternoon’s celebrations were augmented by a song courtesy Mr. AnkurArora.
The programme culminated with a farewell speech for Mrs. I. Simon, delivered by Mrs. Priya Peter, and the presentation of a bouquet by Mrs. Zenobia Chandra. In her address, Mrs. Iris Simon conveyed her feelings at leaving the institution she had served for decades.
Needless to say, all the dignitaries were presented with mementoes by both the Principal Rev.Fr Walter D’Silvaand Mrs.Darshana Madnani. This day of transitions concluded with a speech and Grace led by the Principal, Rev. Fr. Walter D’Silva. He expressed his appreciation for the unity of the staff and invoked blessings upon both the departing members and the newly appointed leaders, thus paving the way for a communal lunch.