Here are a few pages from the album, and below, the text of the messages.  Not many men get remembered like this.  No man deserved it more.

Dear family of Mr Goyal

Fifty years ago, when your husband and father joined St Mary’s, he embarked on a tireless and thankless mission, to teach Hindi to men who refused to learn it. For thirty eight years he toiled day and night, touching the lives and hearts of about two thousand students.

The staff and boys of St Mary’s have the fondest memories of him as a colleague and teacher. "Hindi Pop" was a father figure to us. His dedication to his calling, and his moral integrity, are legends that we recall with pride. What a fine example he set to us young boys! We have moved on and settled around the world. But we have not forgotten our dear teachers. Mr Goyal’s legacy lives in each one of us, not just in our command of Hindi, but also in our knowledge of Indian culture, our values and our outlook on life. In the following pages we articulate our feelings of love and respect for a truly outstanding teacher and mentor with whom we had the privilege of association. And we recall anecdotes from decades ago — testaments to the powerful memories his personality generated.

Not all of us had a chance to join in this expression, but we surely reflect the feelings of all our schoolmates. As you mourn your loss, we hope you will find solace in our memories, and in knowing that we all grieve with you. After all, Mr Goyal was our "Pop" too.

Thank you for sharing him with us!

From the past staff and pupils of St Mary’s High School

January 2001

St Mary’s, Abu owes a great deal to our Mr. Goyal for his long devoted years in the classroom. On behalf of the Staffs and Principals of previous years I offer to the family my sincerest sympathies.

Br J B Judge

I was saddened with the news of the passing away of Mr. Goyal, our Hindi teacher. I want to convey to his good family my sadness at his passing away and wish and pray for God's comfort in their loss of this wonderful human being.

Mr. Goyal was much much more than a Hindi teacher. He loved and respected the boys. He understood the boys. He will always be remembered as a hard working man who never gave up on any student. He was a man of deep compassion. He will continue to live in the hearts of all those whom he has touched. And they are many!

St. Mary’s Abu will be indebted to him forever.

May His soul rest in peace and tranquility.

Br Gerard Alvarez
Province Leader, Christian Brothers, India

He was a truly gentle soul who was totally devoted to helping weak students of Hindi to prepare them well for the major hurdle of passing Hindi in their exams. He really worked at his preparation for his classes. Though I was privileged to be stationed in Abu for two brief years ’63 and ’69 I always received a card from LR Goyal until Christmas 2000. He was a thorough gentleman at all times and deserves great credit for his devotion to his pupils over so many years. May his soul rest in peace.

Br Pat Gaffney

A great man

Br Brendan MacCarthaigh

He was an institution at St. Mary’s and perhaps but for him few of us would have learnt our Hindi! So many memories flood as one remembers those days. For me he even taught us our Sanskrit slokas! Our thoughts go to all his family and we pray for the departed soul with condolences. RIP. Amen

Dr Geeta Mehta

Dear Mrs Goyal and family

Mrs Mary Donald, Mrs. Phyllis Verghese and Mr. Thomas Verghese were all teachers at St Mary's High School, while Mr. Goyal was the Hindi Master there.

We live in La Salle, a suburb of Montreal. We meet often and share happy memories of life at St Mary's, Mount Abu.  Today we are sad to hear that Mr Goyal passed away.  We send our condolence and kind regards and prayers to Mrs Goyal and the family.  May God reward Mr. Goyal for the good he did for countless boys at St. Mary's and for the respect and friendship he earned from all the staff that met him.

Mrs Mary Donald
Mrs Phyllis Verghese
Mr Thomas Verghese

It was with deep shock and sadness that I heard of the passing of Mr Goyal. He was a faithful and devoted colleague, nature's true gentleman. I remember him as a dedicated teacher who had the best interests of the boys at heart. He was characterised by a ready smile wherever one met him—corridor, field or classroom. From this great distance I look back and picture the hills and valleys; the streams and lakes; the trees and birds; the boys and activities. And in there among them all is the image of Hindi Pop making his way to and from school or receiving us as honoured guests in his home. Those were good days surely, gone forever but captured nonetheless in vivid, life-giving memories.

It is in those very memories that detect the roots of a conviction: Mr Goyal is not really dead. He lives on and still influences generations of boys around the world, as he did once upon a time in the shadow of Plummy.

May his dear soul rest in peace.

Br Kevin Ward

He was a most extraordinarily religious man.

Br White

Fifty years ago, I first met Mr. Goyal. He was the newly appointed "Hindi Pop" as the students called him. At the time, I had been teaching at Mt. Abu for the previous eight years, and had been a student there since 1941.

To the family of Mr. Goyal, please accept my condolences on the passing of your husband and father.

Sidney P. Brown, 1941

I was a student of Mr Goyal, class of 1955. He was a remarkable man in more than one way. He was instrumental in teaching not only Hindi but the values of an academic career — one that I have adopted. It was my hope to see Mr Goyal this year on my trip to India. This is not the case any more.

A remarkable gentleman, a wonderful teacher and a friend—will always miss you.

Jayanti Majithia, 1955

I have several good memories of Mr Goyal. My Hindi was worse than bad. In the lower classes, I was regularly given the strap, but only one whack on each hand (not like some of the other masters). My Hindi never improved and I dreaded the Hindi periods, foreseeing several more bouts of the strap. Yet, in the last two years, Mr Goyal said to all of my class that we were no longer boys but young men and that he would not use the strap. I was relieved. He realised that I would not pass the final exam, so, most thoughtfully, he wrote out the answers to several of the expected questions and gave them to me to learn by heart. I was lucky. A couple of the questions appeared on the exam paper and I achieved a pass in Hindi!

He had a very good memory. When a few of us Old Boys returned to Abu in September 1998, after over 40 years, Mr Goyal greeted all of us and needed little prompting as to what class we belonged. He remembered both my elder brothers names, i.e. memory going back to 1951. Marvellous. He even produced an old address book from which he supplied info that put me in touch with one of my classmates.

He was a member the School Hockey Team which won the Rajasthan Hockey Tournament in 1956. He was a gentleman hockey player, often apologising for bumping into another player. A good strong runner on small legs.

His memory will live long.

Bob Amore, 1957

Very sorry to learn Mr Goyal passed away. I remember him with affection and respect as I am certain do the many boys whom he taught over his long career.

Reg DeMellow, 1957

All I have are very fond memories of that dear gentleman, and I remember him as a very caring, demure and mild-mannered person. I clearly remember playing against him on the hockey and football field, and he always played "fair." I’m sure Mr. Goyal will be missed dearly by his family, and I hope it’s some comfort for those near and dear to him, to know that there will be many others like myself, who are remembering him and his family, especially in our prayers.

With respect, and gratefully,

Winston Shemain, 1957

May I take this opportunity in offering my condolences and that of the entire class of ’58 to Mr. Goyal’s family. It was a delight to meet with him again in 1998 on Sports Day at School and watch his eyes light up with joy when he met each of us there. His memory was sharp and accurate as he recalled each of us in his special way. During our stay in Mt. Abu we had the pleasure of his company at a dinner at the Dhosa place and at our hotel. Those in attendance included Aloysius D’Souza (’51), Duncan Collie (’56), Bob Amore and Vincent Demellow from the class of ’57, Brian Lobo, Olaf Pacheco and Keith Fernandes from the class of (’58) and our partners as well. During our stay in Mt. Abu we crossed paths with Mr. Goyal on several occasions and were also lucky to meet his son and grandchildren.

Memories of Mr. Goyal from my school years include him playing right wing while I played right-half, in hockey for the school team on the Polo grounds, in 1957. On a couple of occasions, during a game, I would pretend to pass the ball to him and then pass it elsewhere telling him that I could not pass him the ball because he did not give me good marks in Hindi. He thought that was quite funny. I did pass him the ball often and he ran down the wing, centred the ball and several goals were scored because of his precise passes to Derek D’Souza, who scored the goals.

Another anecdote to display his good sense of humour and his tolerance of our antics—one evening, in 1958, Mr. Goyal was free wheeling down the hill, from school, on his bicycle while we were on a walk towards town, along the school road, just before Paddy’s bridge. As he passed me I pointed to his front wheel as though there was a problem with it. Given the speed and the terrain, Mr Goyal chose to stop at the top of the next rise. He then walked back with his bike towards us; quite some effort at the end of a hard day teaching us at school. When he reached me he asked what was the problem. I replied that as he passed me his front wheel was going round. He had a smile of chagrin as he knew I had been up to mischief again and then said there I was again being up to tricks. True to his nature and way of dealing with us, he did not reprimand me then or the next day at school. He walked along with us towards town and then rode his bike again when we crested the ridge. My joke probably made him late for dinner.

We really enjoyed and respected his integrity as a man and as a teacher. He once said to me that I was obviously not applying myself to Hindi as it was the only subject where I did not get a good mark. I remember saying to him that Hindi was very difficult. He replied that we could make a deal where I would put a little more emphasis for the next two weeks on Hindi and then we could discuss it further. I did and my marks for his daily test went from 5 or 6 to 10 out of 10. After the time had elapsed he said look it is not difficult and you can do well at Hindi. I replied that it was just that we were doing some easy stuff in Hindi and that I was not better at it. He smiled or laughed and said that he knew that I knew I could do well in Hindi if I so chose and left it up to me to decide.

To Mr. Goyal’s family—Thank you for sharing him with us. He enriched our lives, helped us learn Hindi, made us more aware of our national heritage and showed us that a teacher could be strict, yet warm and kind as a person and genuinely concerned for our well-being. As boarders, hundreds of miles away from home, that was very important. I can still recall his warm smile. Please allow us to share your loss with you. Mt. Abu and the world is a poorer place with his passing. A truly great man touched our lives!

Keith Fernandes, 1958

Mr. Goyal—a gentle and patient teacher. We thank you, his family for sharing him with us.

Robin Rego, 1959

I am terribly sorry and pained to learn about the sad demise of one of SMS’s JEWELS and most favourite Teachers.Mr. Goyal was a real GEM of a person. Very Human, very approachable and what a Noble Heart.Only recently (infact), mid December I was planning my trip to India in Feb 01 and was thinking of taking a two day trip to Mt. Abu and first try and get a "Darshan" of Mr. Goyal and then visit SM. How sad, that this wish of mine will remain unfulfilled for ever.

A few years back my wife and I took both our young daughters to Mt. Abu and tried to visit Mr. Goyal (who was not available at that time). So, I took them to SM showed them the Dining Hall, Dorms, Class rooms, Games pitches, etc. and in the evening to my surprise and delight Mr. Goyal showed up in the Hotel. We all had a wonderful re-union and my daughters and wife were tremendously impressed by this humble genuine soul. It was emotional for me! He was a taskmaster in Class (but a QUALITY task master, humble, kind and tender) and, he was also a friend, guide and ‘opponent’ in the field too (when we played Hockey).

My family joins me in conveying our sympathies and sorrow to Mr. Goyal’s family and we Pray for his Noble Soul for everlasting Peace and eternal Bliss. He will be missed.

Surendra Menon, 1962

I am very sorry to hear of Mr. Goyal’s passing. He was a great and patient teacher whose instruction of Hindi enabled me to easily pass my later Hindi exams in university. My condolences to his family.

John Stracey, 1962

A tremendous loss to the students. He used to give me tuition in 1962, believe me I would never have passed Hindi in the "O" levels had it not been for Mr.Goyal. If there is anything we can do for the family, please let me know. Please convey my heartfelt condolences to the wonderful family!

Very Sincerely,

Rudy Willis, 1962

Where does one start for a man of so many talents and so much dedication?I returned to Mt Abu in 1992 for the first time since leaving in 1965 and visited the shop his family had bought. I did not tell the people at the shopfront who I was and there was no way any of them could have known me for I had gone to Abu with no prior warning to anyone there. While they went to fetch him they seated me in a dark corner. As he emerged from the back of the shop, he squinted in my direction and, without a moment’s hesitation, said "Michael!" How he could pick me out from the thousands of students he’d know is truly amazing! I’m planning to visit India and Abu at the end of this year to show my family where I did much of my growing up and one of the highlights was to be introducing them to Mr Goyal.

What else do I remember him for? Well, my ears were regularly twisted but I can’t dispute that I didn’t deserve it although at the time I didn’t appreciate it. He had an amazing ability to compute mentally. An excellent hockey player as we discovered in the student vs teachers games. His flexibility—he could bend and touch his palms flat to the ground effortlessly. Was he ever ill? Certainly not enough to keep him from class because I can never remember one of his classes being cancelled.

We are the poorer for his passing but I hope that it was peaceful and I am sure that he is in a better place that he richly deserves.

Mike Stracey, 1965

A great man. To the best of my memory, he taught every single class Hindi; taught every single class (6, 7 and 8) Sanskrit; played with the hockey team and helped to coach; took charge of the ACC (Auxiliary Cadet Corps); gave extra help to those who needed it in Hindi, and to the best of my knowledge never took a paisa, often went home after dark as a result; got generations through the Hindi Dictation by sheer force of pronunciation; remembered generations of boys and generations of Brothers by name and by reputation; managed to keep a quiet inscrutable smile throughout, even when we thought we were up to something unimaginably wrong! He obviously rests in a very comfortable place with somebody very kind.

He managed to come out with some priceless gems. Unfortunately all I can remember is on an extra serious ACC parade when Brian Hill (or was it his brother) was in one of his fidgety spells, we heard this command, "Hill, hilo mat!"

And of course, nobody ever brought test tubes of hydrogen sulphide to class before we did. Nobody ever knew of such things. We were the ones to introduce Hindi Pop to the smell in the Hindi class, as probably every class before and since has assumed. Not only did he know the name of the gas, he knew which boy (in the back row, naturally) had the offending apparatus, and suggested he return it to the lab where it belonged!

Br Adrian Noronha, 1966

Dear Mr Goyal’s FamilyYou dont know me but I knew Mr Goyal and he taught me in Mt Abu. He was always loved because he was a Kind gentle soul. Of all the teachers that I had over 11 years he is one I vividly remember. I still can’t converse in Hindi because Mr Goyal allowed us to learn at our capacity. He was full of empathy for those like me. I owe him heaps and will not forget him!

Mr Goyal was full of emotional Quotient. We never pulled the wool over his eyes!! I am there in spirit to celebrate his life and what he did for us rat bags.

Lots of love to you all

Mel Lobo, 1968

Mr Goyal was irreverently referred to by us as "Hindi Pop." In fact, to many of us, away from home, he was a father figure whose job it was to teach us languages that were strangely foreign to us. He did it with a devotion and dignity that will always be remembered. We all grieve his passing.

Vivian Noronha, 1968

What a challenge we must have all been to him, Angreze speaking brats, with no comprehension or desire to learn the National Language. Yet he persevered, year after year, never, giving up in his quest to really teach us, not just the language of our country, but also its rich heritage and culture. For us, isolated in our closed community, he was a significant influence in understanding the beliefs and language outside of St.Mary’s. Not only am I grateful for this exposure when I did head out into the country and world at large, I also know that without his perseverance I would not have passed my final year Hindi exam. I remember a kind and patient man, a dedicated teacher that I wish my own children could now have had the good fortune to have studied under.

Frank John Dias, 1969

All the Hindi I ever needed I learnt from Mr Goyal, a soft spoken gentle man.

Suresh Cecil D’Mello, 1969

My deepest sympathy and condolences go out to Mr Goyal’s family.

As someone who was part of the fabric of St Mary’s, Mr Goyal imparted not just the basic Hindi and Sanskrit language skills but also instilled "Hindu sanskaras" in me by teaching us a number of Sanskrit shlokas which have been the bedrock of my religious practice over the past 30 years. I am deeply indebted to Mr Goyal and often wish that my children had access to someone like him.

My personal memory of him is riding past our house on his bicycle on his way to and from school and merrily wishing him on his way.

Thank you, Mr Goyal, for all you did for me and everyone else in my family. It was a privilege to learn from you.

Shanker Trivedi, 1971

Very sorry to hear about Mr. Goyal.

Alvito Viegas, 1971

To the Goyal family:Please accept our deepest sympathies on the recent passing of Mr Goyal our Hindi teacher at St Mary’s Mount Abu. It was a privilege to have had him as a teacher, friend and guide from 1969 to 1971 during my few years at the school. I was able to meet him last in 1991 with my family prior to our relocation to North America. We do and shall remember him dearly ... always !

Sincerely

Christopher R Desa, 1971

To me Mr Goyal (affectionately known as Hindi Pop) and the Saint Mary’s School were synonymous with learning, respect, commitment, caring, family and a simple life. These values transcend his excellent teaching of Hindi. He will always be an integral part of the "memories of a lifetime" that came from our years at Saint Mary’s.

Marc Correa, 1972

Deepest sympathy to the Goyal family, the staff and students of St. Mary’s High. Mr Goyal’s unwavering faith in his students, loyalty to the school, fairness, and sheer persistence in us doing our share of work, has immortalized him in the Annals of St. Mary’s history.

I do not remember Mr. Goyal take a day off during the four years I was there—1969-1972. He was never sick. I Remember his eternal PRESENCE, no matter what the circumstance. I remember his acts of KINDNESS—giving me a drop to school while I walked from town. I remember his INTELLECTUAL WIZARDRY as he spoke on the philosophy of Swami Vivekananda—in town. I remember his ENCOURAGEMENT—as he stood by the sidelines of the hockey field (Polo Ground), cheering our team on. Most of all I remember a HUMBLE man—worthy of the box seat in heaven’s mansion.

Stephen de Silva, 1972

Dear Hemendra, Piyush and familiesIt was such a blessing to have seen your Dad in ’99. I marvelled at how he carefully listened and conversed with me on the subject of my work as a Church Pastor.

In our hearts and memories he will forever live. We share your grief at this time but can’t help but rejoice knowing that he lived a life worthwhile devoted to his students and subject. May his rich legacy be treasured by you and all who fondly knew him as Hindi Pop.

God Bless YOU!

Victor Nazareth, 1972

Mr. Goyal once told me that he would like to see us after ten years. I truly wish that I could have met him again. To me he was a Brilliant Teacher and a true Gentleman.With deepest sympathy

Ian Pereira, 1973

A SALUTE
TO A MAN WHO GAVE HIS BEST
TO A MAN WHO GAVE HIS ALL
WHAT CAN WE SAY BUT THANK YOU
YOU DID TEACH US ALL
WE ARE WHAT WE ARE TODAY
ONLY BECAUSE OF YOU
YOU ARE IMMORTAL IN MY HEART.
Zarryl Lobo, 1973

My memories of Mr Goyal date back to my first year, 1967, when he took us through a book of fables—there was one about a boy and his father insanely trying to ride the same donkey. From that level up to the final year, Premchand and Shatranj ke khiladi, he didn’t just teach a language; he instilled in us universal common sense and morality, and gave us a tour of the history and legends of India. He drilled us with meanings, dictations and comprehension tests. He drilled himself too, working late hours and summoning in the weakest students for coaching. While we were gathered under the fig tree in the final minutes before the ISC orals, he was there with us, making sure we knew the days of the week. And mysteriously, that’s just what we were asked. Little wonder we called him "Pop."

Towards the end of that final year, Pop brought us in for extra classes on Thursday and Sunday. The previous day he’d begin, "Ladkon, kul Sunday hai," and would work with us to schedule the session. We quickly got the hang of it and each time he started, "Ladkon ... !" there’d be a chorus of "Kul Sunday hai." We’d try to make it impossible to find a time slot for the class, but did realize in more sobre moments that he was putting himself out for our good, and here we were trying to foil him.

I returned to Abu in 1978, for Parents’ Day. I was walking up from town and had just reached the Persian wheel, when Pop passed me on his bike. He looked back, recognized me instantly, leapt off the bike with excitement and reached down to check his tyre pressure—wondering if he could give me a ride. He was about 50 years old at the time so I refused to let him try anything that strenuous, but we had an enjoyable walk and chat the rest of the way to school. As we wheeled the bike along, we recalled the story about the man and his son and the donkey.

I made a trip to St Mary’s in 1998, for just a day, primarily to meet Mr Goyal for what I suspected would be the last time. We both choked as we said a final goodbye, and I could sense while driving down the hills that Abu would be a different, emptier place the next time.

Val Noronha, 1973

In retrospect, he was the ultimate teacher, from Mr Goyal you learned Hindi whether you wanted to or not. A person who, inspite of his diminutive stature, commanded the respect and admiration of parents and students alike, not just by his discipline but mainly by his perseverance in teaching the boys of Mt.Abu.

Maurice G. D’Souza, 1974

I would like to pay tribute to Hindi Pop—a wonderful person and teacher who I had the pleasure of learning from in the period 1972 to 1974. Whilst I pay my tribute with a heavy heart, it is time for giving thanks to God for the life of this remarkable man who touched so many lives in an ordinary and yet so extraordinary way.

Thank you Pop—I will always remember your patience, kindness and wonderful gift for teaching what was always a difficult subject for most boys coming from English speaking homes. Rest In Peace.

Darryl D’Souza, 1974

ISC 1975 will perhaps be the only batch where the Hindi final exam had to be redone as the paper leaked out by error in Bombay Scottish.(ICSE students got the ISC paper by error).Anyway in far away Abu we sat for the paper unaware.Imagine our anxiety when a few days later it was announced that there would be a re-examination within 2 weeks and that too for Hindi! which was the nemesis for most of us.

There was much anxiety and fear and even a feeling of defeat. The normally reticent Principal Bro. Mulligan was even more remote.

Only one man walked into the room with a confidence that was surprising! Hindi Pop said that this was a good thing to have happened, as now he was sure, we would all easily get through. He worked hard to boost our confidence and the results were cent percent with a couple of 5 pointers as bonus!

Our hearts go out today to the family of a man whose rock solid presence and selfless dedication, saw several generations of schoolboys through some of their darkest days in school.

Denzil D’Mello, 1975

To Mr Goyal’s family,Mr Goyal was one of the best teachers I ever had. He had a great love for his subject and his pupils and set very high standards for us all. I will most fondly remember the way in which he taught us how to speak and write Hindi—great precision like a mathematician, great calligraphy and a way of inspiring us all to learn this wonderful and sophisticated language.

I will always remember Mr Goyal with great respect and affection and my heartfelt condolences go to his family.

Ivan Menezes, 1975

I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the Goyal family on this sad ocassion and pray to the God Almighty that his soul may rest in Peace.I wonder if his Family have his Bicycle. It would be indeed nice to have it preserved and displayed in our School.

Best Regards,

Pramod Gupta, 1975

I last met pop in November 2000 at his sons electronic shop in the heart of town. He was very excited that an ex student had come to see him , but though he couldn’t remember me he remembered some of my more notorious classmates! He spoke to me at length & little did I think when we parted that his end was so near.

He was a really wonderful person , and has left a imprint on all the students who have passed out through St Mary’s during the years he taught there .

Dedicated , simple , a gentleman !

I am sure that he rests in peace with the Lord ,after having done a his bit to make this world a better place .

Gerard Lobo, 1975

It is very rare to see such a dedicated person and we were very fortunate to have been his students.My sincere condolences to his family.

Jaidev Singh Bhati, 1975

Our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr Goyal. We will remember him and his family in our prayers.

I personally will always remember him for what he was an Educator ‘par excellence,’ and a remarkable individual. His energy and enthusiasm were boundless. The picture of him in his suit, cycling up ‘black road’ to school in the morning, will always remain ingrained in my memory.His life and work serve as an eternal inspiration to all.

Once again our deepest sympathies.

Alan D’Souza and family, 1975

I wish to state that Hindi Pop will always remain as a fine example of a dedicated teacher. While I was in school I had a dislike for the language ( no fault of Mr. Goyal ) and it was Mr.Goyal’s persistent pushing that made me pass my ICSE Hindi exam—infact I got higher marks in my Hindi paper than in English. Today I regret that I did not master the language while I had the opportunity.

I offer my sympathies to the living members of his family.

Raj Noronha, 1976

I would like to pay my sincere condolences to the Goyal family, especially to Piyush Goyal who was my colleague at class in St Mary’s.

Mr Goyal was a very sincere and dedicated person and had a passion for teaching the Hindi language which was difficult to understand at that age. I was most likely not his best student but the amount of time and focus he gave in order to help me develop a foundation in language was considerable and I will always be grateful to him for that.

Besides I remember him coming over home on occasion to teach us in the Sanskrit text some of the prayers we later learnt to recite. Thank you for everything.

May God rest his soul in peace.

Arjun Trivedi, 1976

What strikes me most of Hindi Pop as I look back are his immense patience with innumerable lads like—mostly coming from Bombay who not only found Hindi difficult but almost improbable. I presume it was the simple dedication with which he did his work—a thankless and frustrating job—for so many years that in hindsight has had the greatest impact on me. He was an unassuming man, committed to his students, with a deep belief in what the Brothers were doing for the lads in Abu. He endeared himself not only to us his students (though those daily tests in spelling and meanings and the pull of the ear are also remembered) but to our parents who had the opportunity of meeting him during the Parent’s week.

Br Erle Miranda, 1976

To Piyush and The Goyal Family,I would like to express my heartfelt sympathies at the passing of our dear Mr. Goyal (fondly remembered as "Pop"). I share your loss and feel priviledged to have known and been taught by Mr. Goyal from class 7 through 11.

I will always remember Mr. Goyal for his kindness, commitment and perseverance—he was the best role model anyone could ask for—and I will miss him very much.

Mr. Goyal, I will always carry with me wonderful memories of you.

Sincerely,

Hugh Dessa, 1976

Mr. Goyal was a great person and a highly dedicated teacher. He put in great effort so that EVERY student learnt at least the minimum basics of Hindi. He will surely be missed by one and all.

Ratan Agarwal, 1976

Dear Friends & Family of Mr. Goyal,I would like to extend my heartfelt condolence to you on this sad occasion. I graduated at SMS with the class of 1976 together with Piyush. Mr. Goyal was one of the most dedicated, passionate yet compassionate teachers that I have been fortunate to have experienced in my life.

I have the fondest memories of him and will always remember him for his generosity & patience.

We will all miss him very much.

Sincerely,

Zaffer Merchant, 1976

My sincerest condolences to the Goyal family especially Piyush who was with me in the same class.Mr Goyal or Pop was one of the most dedicated teachers one ever came across. His trademark suit and bicycle will be hard to forget. He sat late evenings nearly everyday to provide that extra help to those who were weak in hindi. Had it not been for Pop, the ISC results would never have been as good.

Pop used to have his lunch in the big dorm , his room facing towards the dam. One day he shouted out from the window and invited me to share his lunch which was of course delicious. This unexpected treat of good food made my day!

During our honeymoon to Abu in 1991,Pop invited us to his place for a full spread of Rajasthani food. A tireless teacher and a kind man , his passing away is a great loss to all of us.

Dhanraj Bhagat, 1976

Whenever I visited Abu I used to meet Mr. Goyal. He had this quality of never changing and so brought back memories of the good old days in St. Mary’s. And he was such a fartherly figure and had so much feeling for all his students that one felt very comfortable in his presence.

He was so devoted to the almost impossible task of teaching us Hindi. It must have been very tough for the teachers to measure up to the standards he set in those days.

My condolences to the Goyal family and also to all those abuites who were fortunate to have been taught by POP.

Dinesh Chaudhari, 1976

One of the most sincere, dedicated, and hardworking teachers that I have known. Simple, humble, and God fearing, he put in his best to teach us so that we may go ahead in life.

May his soul rest in peace.

Christopher Fernandes, 1976

Mr. Goyal was a man who always treated all his students no different than his own children—always Patient while Educating us, Prompt to Correct us and Ever-willing to assist those that needed a helping hand.

His many years at St. Mary’s will not be forgotten by those of us fortunate to have been in his Hindi & Sanskrit classes.

To the family that Mr. Goyal leaves behind: ‘We share in your loss’.

Brian Fernandes, 1976

I am saddened to learn of the passing away of Mr Goyal, affectionately known to all Abuites as Hindi Pop. I studied in Abu from 1974 to 1977 and Mr Goyal has made a lasting impression on me. His was always an uphill task, trying to get most of us to grapple with the basics of the Hindi language, never mind its intricacies!!! And he was always so patient, understanding and caring. It is only years later I look back and appreciate the greatness in the humility of the man. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.

Br Roy da Silva, 1977

He knew all the wrong that we were doing but never held it against us; he pretended and treated us as if we were the most well behaved boys in the class.

Br James Joseph, 1977

To Mr. Goyal’s Family,My heart felt sympathy for your loss.

Duncan D’Souza, 1978

My memories span a person going from Hindi Pop all the way to Mr Goyal, member of the managing committee. I was privileged to be taught by him, dedicated to a fault, trying to get through that Hindi exam. Not to successful, more my problem and the way I perceived the language and its use during those childhood days. However that does not take away from his skill and dedication. I clearly remember him in class, threatening to do all sorts of things to us yet never really doing a thing. Remember stormy days, with Paddy’s bridge overflowing and a holiday all round, except for Hindi. There comes Hindi Pop, over the hill from New Stream pushing his bicycle along. Such dedication and sense of responsibility is seen in very few.

That sense of responsibility became even more evident, during the privileged years of my Principalship. Any request to grace us with his presence was always acceded to, no especial fuss being around. He just wanted to be there back in SMS meeting up and soaking in the atmosphere. When I requested him to serve on the Managing Committee, he readily accepted even though he wondered what an old person like him could offer. If only he knew, his experience of years of service in SMS, his hallowed place in the local community made his short and incisive interventions of great importance.

St. Mary’s has lost one more great pillar, in the same vein as Br. Morrow, upon which the school stood. We can only hope that the foundations people like this gave us will help us in stand proud and tall in the work we do.

I personally will miss his presence in Mt. Abu. The trip to the market place not be the same. To all his family I extend my condolences and thank you for sharing your father with us.

Yours sincerely

Br Noel de Sa, 1979

Mr. Goyal was a respected teacher at SMS and I believe it’s because he taught us Hindi with a passion for the language. Many of us just hated learning Hindi and even rarely did well but the patient Mr. Goyal was never over-bearing. Still remember his smile and as happens ever so often his picture on your website has brought back many more memories of SMS.

Our deepest sympathy to the Goyal family.

Bosco D’Mello, 1979

Mr Goyal, for me will always be remembered for his patience. Throughout my time in school, there was always a lot of noise during the Hindi classes, but Mr Goyal was ever so patient with his students. He never failed to complete his lectures on time. The hindi that I am able to speak now (although it may not be very fluent), I owe it to Mr. Goyal, as I can still communicate while I’m in India or with any of my fellow Indians here in Kuwait.

Rest in peace Mr. Goyal. If ever I get back to visit Mt. Abu, I know I shall feel Your presence while I’m there.

With my deepest sympathies to his grieving Family.

Walter Francisco Rodrigues, 1979

To The Goyal Family:My condolences to you on the passing away of your patriarch. He was a great teacher and a wonderful man that cared for all his students. I am very honored to have been one of his students.

Brian Nanoo, 1979

We remember him well as our favorite Hindi teacher. The one thing that I have learnt from Mr Goyal, among the many was his commitment to his work. I have since tried to carry this with me the loyalty shown, the love and the devotion given to all at the SMS instition is one that Will be hard to follow. I am proud to have been taught by him and will Remember mr.goyal always.my prayers are with your family through this difficult time but try and be strong because this is what he would want for you to be.

If there one memory that stands out in my mind is the time when Paddy’s Bridge had water above the road and i remoember seeing Mr Goyal pushing his bicycle through the waters and up the hill to school when all at school was given the day off due to the rain.yet mr.goyal made it through and what for? To correct the papers of the tests given the day before so that he would have time to teach his classes efficiently the following day.so when i today come upon hard times and think that i cannot do or made something of myself tThese are my memories that keep me going and help me stay ahead. Thank you, thank you, thank you all of my teachers. You are the silent heros that i wish the world had more of.

So long and may your God go with you.

Noel Pinto, 1961
Michael Vaz, 1980

A patient and truly dedicated teacher, but more than that, a great human being ... will always remember him

Earl Dennis, 1980

I am an ex-student of SMS, My elder brother Rajesh Vallabhaneni and myself studied at Mt. Abu SMS during the period of 1977-80, We were there for three years. Those three years are in our memories and will remain forever with us. Whenever I seem to recollect those lovely days of yore, filled with joy laughter and a kind of innocence which is found but quite rarely these days, I seem to replay the time I spent there at Mt.Abu. Myself and my brother later moved on to study in different schools and met many new classmates.

Mt. Abu St. Mary’s High School. With the ring of "Ginger Mary Ginger Mary Pop, St. Mary’s High School is always on the top" still ringing in my ears. SMS will always have a special place in my heart mind and soul. Hindi pop sir and Jyoti madam taught us many things. I wish I could relive those moments again. Years have passed and things seem to be changed. I have grown up but in my heart there will always remain my childhood memories filled with happiness joy fun golden moments which I can never forget. It is sad that I haven’t been able to reach out all this time, especially at such times when those dear to our memories have gone never to return.

In my heart though I feel they haven’t gone anywhere, they are in my memory and will remain there forever. Though nothing can replace the physical emptiness, the thoughts are not empty, they are filled with happy and wonderful images of those golden times when we were there at our dear St. Mary’s High School Mt. Abu.

My thoughts are with you,

Suresh Vallabhaneni, 1980

Dear Kirti, we are extremely sorry to hear about the passing away of your father. I am currently in Singapore and it was Earl Denis who gave me the sad news.We were very fortunate to have had him as our Hindi teacher. His form of teaching was extremely simple and his dogmatic perseverance about the fact that we should write it well is the only reason why my written Hindi is so good even today. I am sure all those whom he taught for so many years felt the same.

We all pray that his soul may rest in peace.

With fondest memories

Goverdhan Singh Rathore, 1980

The second thing that came to my mind upon reading this news was "Betay Betay muth bolo." Till today, if someone elderly or someone who commands my respect comes to my office or even my home, I stand if they chose to stand even if I am sitting. This level of respect goes a long way in building character in young minds. Too often I see blatant lack of respect for the elderly or anyone at all .... Mr. Goyal (Pop) leaves a prominent memory in my mind ... one I will always be greateful for.

By the way, the first thing that came to my mind was, God Bless you Mr. Goyal and thanks so much for your diligence and patience in teaching some pretty rowdy lads—specially me!

Conrad D’Souza, 1980

Mr. Goyal—Pop, as we fondly referred to him—was an icon. Due to his patience and perseverance in teaching the boys Hindi, there were many of the Christian boys especially from Bombay who passed in this particular subject.

I distinctly remember a livid Pop chasing us around the table tennis tables when I was in class 9 or 10 way back in 81-82. We were going up for elocution to the hall and were taking out own sweet time in getting up. He was so piqued that he actually kicked out us.

Eternal rest grant unto his soul and let perpetual light shine upon him.

Gene Morris, 1982

FOR the Memory of Mr. L. R. Goyal—one of St. Mary’s truly all time greats ...Hindi Sir or ‘pop’ as he was popularly known was truly a man of understated ‘class’.

Dedicated to teaching ‘hindi’ to the best of his abilities, he has touched the lives of generations of students by exemplifying what ‘dedication to teaching’ is all about. Decades later, for me, it is truly a feeling of privilege to have been educated under him.

Looking back, for me the best memories of Hindi sir for me was his canny ability to hold the attention of ‘rowdy Abu boys’ through his pure love to teach the Hindi subject. When resorting to the ‘hockey stick’ or the ruler was very normal indeed for many teachers, ‘pop’s’ rare use of gentle force and full use of his passion for teaching, left behind an idealistic image of what it truly takes to be a teacher that is a class apart. Robin Williams character in portraying a dedicated teacher in ‘Dead poets society’ readily springs to mind.

My sincere ‘pranams’ to his memory and my deep condolences to his family to whom I am confident he would have been an equal pillar of righteousness, dedication and humility as he was to his students.

Mt. Abu has lost a beloved son, India a great teacher and a lovely chapter of pride in St.Marys history has thus, sadly come to an end.

Best wishes,

Hemant Amin, 1982

Sincerest condolences to the family.

Biren Patel, 1983

My Heart Felt sympathy for the family of Mr. Goyal (POP).

I am sure you all must have felt the loss of Mr. Goyal more than any of us students. I always met POP whenever I was in Mt. Abu. and he felt very happy that students use to come and see him. However he disliked anyone clicking photographs of him, I remember that very clearly.

He has been the best Hindi teacher I have ever come across my entire academic life and I am sure all the ex-students will agree on that. May his soul rest in peace.

With fond memories of Mr. Goyal I end this mail of mine.

Austin Pereira, 1983

It is with huge remorse and shock that I extend my sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Goyal. He was a very unique individual and his voice still resonates in my mind. I do not speak much Hindi as I have no need to but it due to him that I can still read and formulate good gramtical sentences.

May he rest in Peace

Rohan Nazareth, 1984

On behallf of the Kureekat family I express my profound grief over the demise of dear Sir. For me besides being Sir he was part family because of the relationship he shared with my parents. They too send their condolences.

I just recall the last time I met him last May 2000. I had come with my wife, daughter and brother who was born in St. Mary’s. Sir was very happy to see us. The first thing he asked me was when did I come and when I told him I had come the previous day he was very upset. He insisted that I should have visited him earlier and that we should have had lunch with him. As it turned out my visit to Sir was my last stop in Abu and I left immediately from his place for home.I realised I made a mistake by not seeing Sir earlier. He spoke to me about Mum and Dad and how they had come to visit him in March. The last message he gave me was to tell Mum and Dad that his Grandson who was very ill earlier ( when they had come in March) was much better and that he was very relieved about it.

As a teacher I have not in my entire life come across someone who has taken so much of pain to try to get Hindi through to the students. Sir used to tell my Dad it was very difficult to teach Hindi in Abu. We boys used to think that Hindi was for the servants as a result it got that attitude. He used to painstakingly explain every sentence to us sometimes translate it into English. They were days when he hardly thought a couple of paras to us in the hope that if he went slowly we would understand it better. If there were a couple of weak guys in Class X Sir would be the one who would lose sleep. He could’nt bear to think , that because of Hindi a boy should fail the I.C.S.E. exam. I don’t know how many of us realise that we owe our Hindi to Sir.

A little more to add. My Dad and he were very close friends. When Mum and Dad when there in March last year he said that he wanted to live as long as he coulsd take care of himself that being able to go around without being a burden to anyone and I think thats the way he had it right till the end. I along with my fellow Maritians salute you Sir.

Naveen Kureekat, 1984

To the family of Mr Goyal,

My heartfelt condolence to each of you on the passing away of Mr Goyal. While he was a family member to you he was a teacher to us.

While the stated subject was Hindi he taught us far more. Across the globe there are men who have benefited from his service and today we mourn with you the passing of a great teacher.

Andrew Abranches, 1984

Mr. Goyal will fondly be remembered among all of us for being the one person without whom we would never have learned to speak vernacular......His love for us, dedication to the subject and caring ways are deep in our hearts.

He was a true friend, philosopher and guide. May his soul rest in peace

Saba Da Silva, 1985

My sincere condolences to his family... Good ole Pop... gonna miss him and his "khate howay haath"

Elvino Saldanha, 1986

To the Goyal familyI and my family deeply regret the demise of our respected sir. May his soul rest in peace and we pray to God to give strength to his family to bear this irreparable loss.

Mahendra Agrawal, 1986
Sushma Agrawal
Avani Agrawal
Vaibhav Agrawal

Although he never really taught me in any of my classes or ever i was part of his wonderful plays because when i joined SMS in 1991 he had left SMS but even then his legacy was fabulous. I graduate from SMS in 1998 and i was lucky enough to have his grandson Yashovardan Goyal as my classmate and just listening to him telling stories about his grandfather and his long list of accomplishments made him a very important person in my list of people who i admire. I take this chance i have been given to thank Mr. Goyal for all his contributions he has made to SMS and give my condolance to his family during this painful moment in their life.

Sincerely

Bhavin Chasmawala, 1988

I fondly remember Mr. Goyal for his dedication, inspiration & encouragement! He was a tremendous asset to St Mary’s, a very tough act to follow!! It’s sad to hear of his demise, but he will certainly live on in good memories ...

Adrian Borges, 1988

I was at St. Mary’s from ’85-’88 (classes 8-10), and was fortunate to have Mr. Goyal as Hindi teacher all through. From an early stage I was struck by the rare mixture of professional excellence, dignity, compassion and dedication that he personified. Faced with half a classroom of hardcore Goan and Mangalorean English-speaking students, many of whom had absolutely no confidence in either their own ability to learn Hindi or in utility of doing so, a lesser person than he may have plowed through the syllabus assuming fundamentals that should have been taught in earlier classes. Instead, in addition to the considerable readings for the class, I remember weeks of grammar drilling which taught us the rules of singular vs plural, masculine vs. feminine and a whole bunch of other things that (for me) made writing Hindi much less of a hit-and-miss affair. He had the competence to recognize the fundamentals of the language, the confidence to teach it to 10th-graders who were already supposed to be reading Premchand and Saadat Manto, and a reputation for caring among the students which meant that even the most hardened back-benchers made an effort to follow the program (or at least not subvert it).

I visited Mr. Goyal in 1991, at his shop in the market. Though I was not one of his star pupils (though I did better than average in Hindi), I was delighted to know that he remembered me. I had just finished a year of college in the US at that point, and he was extremely interested in details of the academic system, social life and even political goings-on. Apparently not a few of his ex-students stopped by over the years, and he took a keen interest in their paths.

I’ve had dozens of teachers in my life, and Mr. Goyal must rate in the top 5. His belief in the fundamentals, his selfless hard work and his professorial dignity will continue to inspire me in the years to come.

Matthai Philipose, 1988

To a man I most sincerely believe helped me to change my point of view on the language I hated the most. I now converse and read Hindi as well as any one brought up in the medium, not only has it helped me professionally, but mentally as well. For the time and patience he has had with me and for his ever present words of encouragement I personnally shall never forget Sir Goyal. My deepest sympathies to his family, and relatives upon their great loss.

Yours in Sorrow

Hermito Fernandes, 1988

My family and myself will surely remember sir goyal and his family in our prayers. With deepest sympathies

Clint Miranda, 1988

Sincerest condolences to the family.

Jai Agarwal, 1990

I wish to express my deepest condolences to the Goyal family. Sir Goyal was extremely patient especially with us boarders who were not very good at Hindi. Looking back, though we troubled him a lot then, he was always very nice to us. I will never forget the days of "Ek Aur Ek Gyarah," "Shresth Ekanki" and "Katha Sarovar" in Hindi class. Thanks to ‘Hindi Pop’ I was able to further take on Hindi with confidence in Junior college and I have to add that when the Hindi mass was introduced on Thursdays (by Fr Amritraj in 1989), I was the first ‘boarder’ to do the reading in Hindi during the first mass in the school chapel. Memories of Sir Goyal can never be forgotten...........he will always have a special place in our hearts forever.

Sincerely,

Errol D’Souza, 1990

America for 10 years now and have not spoken Hindi in all that time but I still remember the grammar drills he made us repeat out loud. He will be in my prayers.My love and condolences to the family.

Rohan Desousa, 1990