Thirty Years Later: ISB Class of ‘97 Travels from 15 Nations for Unforgettable Bahrain Reunion
TDT | Manama
Proving that school ties truly last a lifetime, the Indian School of Bahrain (ISB) Class of 1997 gathered in Manama for a massive reunion, bringing together former classmates from 15 countries, stretching from Australia to the USA.
The journey to this reunion began as a simple idea in November 2024 but quickly snowballed into an “unforgettable celebration,” thanks to an energetic organizing team.
The team included Anil Damodaran, Arun Mukundan, Bijoy Balakrishnan, Chandrasekharan, Deeann Lobo, Pradeep Vasudevan, Divya Das, Elezabeth Zachariah, Manoj Nayak, Mahesh Iyer, Mehnaz Hameed, Melvin John, Mitali Parekh, Radhika Gopinath, Sameera Mohammed, Shaheema Hameed, Sojo Alex, Sreeja Sreenivas, Tawfiq Kader, and Valentina Pires.
For many attendees, this was their first visit back to Bahrain in three decades.
They took time to retrace familiar roads to their former homes and were struck by the island’s evolution since their defining years here — an era marked by the construction of the King Fahad Causeway and the first Gulf War.
The celebration was packed with fun, including lively rounds of antakshari, a dictionary game, and even a light-hearted short-film audition.
Nostalgia
Seena Antony declared, “The organisers missed nothing,” while Sumeet Bhatia summarized the day as “pure magic — laughter, nostalgia, and connection.”
A special shout-out went to Manoj Nayak for his “pivotal role” in tracking down classmates and keeping memories alive with his remarkable recall and enthusiasm.
As the emotional day concluded with a flurry of hugs and photos, the Class of ‘97 made one shared and heartfelt promise: “Let’s not wait another 30 years.”
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