My school days in the 80s were a reflection of simplicity, as it was with a majority of students in those times. A khakhi school bag, a plain water bottle, a little tiffin and a no frills, elementary pencil box. The focus remained on getting through the discipline at school, facing no-nonsense tough instructors, soaking in the academics and then enjoying the pleasures of sport. Life was just this much. Simple, challenging, exciting.
As I progressed and graduated from the Primary to the Secondary Section of my school, I was introduced to the Geometry Box from Camlin. The yellow and orange metal box came with a protractor, a set square, a ruler ( scale ), a compass ( to draw circles and arcs ) etc. As geometry was introduced, we were trained to use the various tools mentioned above and slowly but steadily the geometric box became a critical possession. We could do without a tiffin and a water bottle, but without the Camlin geometry box we were hard pressed. It was a mandatory addition to the school going paraphernalia.
The importance of the geometry box just grew and grew as the years passed by. The box was put to all sorts of pressures too, but it still survived. The daily rigours at school and at home had a telling impact on the box, but it held on. Rusting here and there and with various craters and scratches on its body, the tough Camlin Geometry Box gave me company right through my schooling. I remember how difficult it was to let it go. Alongwith the Geometry Box, Camlin colours ( branded as Camel ) both pastel and water colours helped me create some beautiful memories on my drawing books and canvas.
The Camlin Geometry Box and the other products were indeed an integral part of my childhood and my academic and creative journey at school. The creator of the Camlin Box and founder of the company Subhash Dandekar passed away on the 16th of July in Mumbai, aged 86. An entrepreneur of great merit, Subhash Dandekar touched and helped shape many young lives including mine with his creations and products. The news of his death brought a rush of nostalgia and motivated me to write this post today.
The Orange and Yellow Camlin Geometry Box is a true legend just like its Creator.
Read Quick, Read Better @ rizkhan.in
Nostalgic
So true
The ‘Camlin’ geometry box was used in schools nation-wide and held its monopoly as a standard and ‘quality kit’ for all the budding kids. It had no mean contribution in ultimately producing achievers in diverse fields – be they mathematicians, engineers, scientists, doctors , artists etc etc.
I read about its ‘ inventor’ very recently going through his ‘obituary’.
As school- going kids till now (as grown-up elders) we have proud rather prized memories of this specially branded geometry box but had no inkling about Mr Subhash Dandekar.
So a big thanks to Riz Khan for remembering him.👍👍👍
Perfectly summarised
Beautifully written
Thank you Vidhi
You have shared such a touching and nostalgic post. It is amazing how schooldays in the 1980s were so uncomplicated and what an important role the Camlin Geometry Box used to play in our academic journeys. Your words pay great homage to the product and its creator, Subhash Dandekar, whose work touched the lives of so many students like me. This post just brought back memories of times when all the essences of life were so simple yet meaningful. Keep writing and inspiring!
Thank you for your lovely words. Really appreciate.