The Old Martinians Association of New England (OMANE) celebrated the 214th death anniversary of its Founder, Major General Claude Martin, a Frenchman born in Lyon, France, by hosting a dinner meeting on September 21, 2014 at Masala Art in Needham, MA. Martin, a Frenchman who came to India as a young 17 year old, made India his home. He served in the armies of the British East India Company, rising from the rank of private to that of Major General, and serving in his later years in the court of the Nawab of Oudh, Asaf-ud-Daula.  He spent his last years at his country estate Constantia, in Lucknow, which later became the La Martiniere College for boys at Lucknow.  

The La Martiniere boys and girls schools at Calcutta, Lucknow, and Lyon were established under the Last Will and Testament of Claude Martin with the large legacy he bequeathed for that purpose upon his death in 1800. The doors to the La Martiniere schools for boys and girls in Calcutta were opened in 1836, after about thirty years of litigation of Martin’s Will in Calcutta High Court. The La Martiniere, Lucknow boys school, earlier referred to as the “Eton of the East,” opened in 1845 and the Lucknow girls school in 1869.

The La Martiniere schools in Lucknow and Calcutta (Kolkata) are among the most prestigious private schools in India, with all the schools ranking among the top ten day schools across 725 schools across India.  These schools have a proud and lasting legacy. The Lucknow boys school is the only school in the world to have been granted battle honors for its role in the revolution of 1857. During her visit to Kolkata as U.S. Secretary of State, the Honorable Hillary Clinton chose La Martiniere Calcutta girls school for interacting with the student body, which was broadcast across the world.

This year’s Founder’s Day dinner celebration coincided with OMANE’s General Body Meeting and election of its Executive Committee for the two year 2014-2016 term. Summaries of OMANE’s activities through the year were presented. They included, among others, OMANE’s registration as a non-profit organization with the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, filing of papers with the Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status, design and construction of the OMANE website, membership and financial status, interactions with the Lucknow  and Kolkata schools to enhance alumni/ae presence/contributions in school matters, highlights of the Spring 2014 High Tea Event held at Lexington’s Carey Library in April 2014, and contacts with Old Martinian Association chapters worldwide.

Mr. Syed Ali Rizvi (Ali Bhai, fondly), OMANE’s outgoing Vice President, who was recently appointed as worldwide President of Vision-Aid, a prominent non-governmental non-profit entity providing need-based services and equipment to visually challenged Indians, briefed the gathering on the aims and programs of the Vision-Aid organization. OMANE congratulates Mr. Rizvi on his well-deserved appointment and wishes him much success in his new responsibility.

Mr. Syed Ali Rizvi served as the Election Officer supervising the elections to the OMANE Executive Committee (EC). The following OMANE members were elected to their respective EC positions for the two-year 2014-2016 term:

Dr. Kaplesh Kumar – President                 
Dr. Ali Ashter – Vice President
Mr. Narendra Mukherjee – Secretary             
Mr. Siddharth Jeevan – Treasurer

Dr. K. Raman, the most senior Martinian in OMANE (Senior Cambridge, 1952), was installed as Chair of the Board of Trustees, whose other members remain to be appointed.

Additional information may be obtained from Dr. Kumar at <KapKumar@aol.com> or Dr. Ashter at <ashter2000@gmail.com>, or by visiting the OMANE website at <www.omane.us>.  

The evening concluded with the singing of the school song, “Hail, Hail, the name we own ….”  Vive La Martiniere!

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