First of all, would you please introduce yourself briefly?
I arrived in Hong Kong in 1961 and started teaching in a secondary school in Kowloon. In 1966, I entered HKU to study for the Post-Graduate Certificate in Education.

how did you join the SJC family?
I joined St. Joseph's in 1968 when Brother James was the principal. There was a vacancy for an English Teacher and I applied for the post. Fortunately, after a simple interview, I was recruited.

What is your overall impression of Josephians?
Undoubtedly, they are bright and promising boys. Besides, they are devoted and hardworking and I am sure they are devoted and hardworking and I am sure they will all have a bright future. They love the college and often come back to visit teachers and Brothers after graduation.

What is the difference between SJC in the past and SJC nowadays?
Back in those days, there were more than ten Brothers and only two lady teachers. Students paid more attention to academic work than sports. Now, we have very few Brothers and many more lady teachers. Josephians today are more all-rounded. Besides being active in sports and extra-curricular activities, they also achieve brilliant results in college and public examinations. Another major change is the set-up of the Students' Union which co-ordinates the activities of various clubs and societies.

How did you become in Careers Master of our college?
I was appointed Careers Master in 1991. Prior to that, I was the Economics Panel Head.

Is there any difference between the work of a teacher and a careers master?
Yes, there are a number of differences. Teachers in general are mainly responsible for teaching their respective subjects and managing their classes. A careers maser, on the other hand, has to deal with the entire student population. The spectrum of duties is rather wide and interesting, including liaising with overseas colleges/universities, preparing testimonials, arranging talks for senior students and conducting entrance tests for students going overseas. To better acquaint myself with the latest developments in university curriculum and application procedures, I also participate in meetings and seminars conducted by local universities and post-secondary colleges.

Do you advise students to study abroad?
Students can of course pursue their studies both locally and in overseas universities. Considering that universities in Hong Kong have up-to-date facilities and experienced lecturers recruited from renowned institutions all over the world, I personally do not think that it is essential to go abroad for further studies, especially now that we have more places available. Nevertheless, students wishing to go overseas do receive proper guidance and recommendation letters.

What are the differences between a local school and international one?
Comparatively speaking, students in local schools are more reserve and disciplined while students in international schools are generally more outgoing and independent.

Being the Careers Master of our college, what careers do you think are good in the near future?
Over the past years, Hong Kong has developed into a more services oriented economy. Service-related careers such as finance and banking, insurance, tourism, hospitality, etc. are in great demand.

Do you agree that the English standard of local students has been declining in recent years?
I cannot deny that the standard of English is declining. Students nowadays place less emphasis on the English Language and avoid speaking English, except during English lessons. I think one of the problems is that most of them are shy and afraid to practise.

Being an English teacher in SJC for so many years, do you have any advice for students to improve their English?
First of all, students should not be shy in speaking English. During leisure time, they should read English newspapers, magazines or novels. They can also watch English movies and TV programmes on English channels. If possible, they should try to make friends with English-speaking students.

As the person in charge of discipline of higher form students, do you think that there is a need to reinforce discipline in our college?
Discipline in SJC is excellent and I have not noticed any serious discipline problem despite the fact that out students enjoy a higher degree of freedom. Being a boy's school, minor problems do arise but on the whole we are very satisfied with the behavious of our students. Problems like fighting, smoking and gambling have not been noticed.

You are a very strict image to most students. Is this your true character?
Definitely not. I am very serious while teaching and I hate making jokes in class. When I leave the classroom, I am very friendly and approachable.

Being a foreigner, would you mind telling us what nationally do you hold?
I hold Indian nationality.

Are you worried about the changes in Hong Kong after the handover?
Of course not. My life here is very stable and I believe life won't change much after the handover. I am sure that our new leaders are capable of maintaining economic growth and prosperity in Hong Kong in the years to come.

We know that you have been in Hong Kong for quite a long time. Are you accustomed to life here? Yes, I have been in Hong Kong for over 35 years and all my children were born here and studied here. They all like Hong Kong and we are accustomed to the life style, system and culture of local people.

What are the differences between the life in your native country and that in Hong Kong?
When compared the India, my native country, Hong Kong people are more hardworking and enjoy a higher standard of living. There are a lot of studying and job opportunities and red tapes, the pace of development has been adversely affected and, in fact, a number of government projects have been delayed. With the expansion in higher education in the 1990's, more students can now enter colleges and universities. I do hope India will prosper and make greater progress in the future.

Will you say stay in Hong Kong after retirement?
Yes, I would really like to stay here and so would my family. With the grace of God, all my children are well educated and have respectable careers in different fields. Hong Kong is full of opportunities and I believe that they would like to purse their careers here. As a family, we have taken Hong Kong as our home. And most probably, I shall stay here in Hong Kong.