Hyderabad, Jan. 8 -- Some shared a bear hug; some gave a firm handshake while a few smiled from ear to ear. Nothing warms the heart like an old friend. So it was with the Aliyans when they met the other day to celebrate the 150 years of their alma mater - Madras-i-Aliya. It was an evening they would cherish forever. A festive atmosphere prevailed all over.

Incidentally the venue was also a historic one, the 138-year old Nizam Club. What's more like the Aliya School, it was also established during the period of the 6th Nizam, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan. But it was a different kind of a programme that the banquet hall of the Nizam Club saw. No long drawn speeches, no introductions or celebrity chief guests. There were fewer formalities and more ...