Annual Lecture Series

The General K. S. Thimayya Memorial Lecture series is an Old-Boys-of-Cottons endeavour, to commemorate the memory of General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya, Padma Bhushan, DSO, Chief of Army Staff from May 07, 1957 to May 07, 1961, and Old Cottonian (1918-1922).

The Lecture series is instituted by a few Old Boys to pay tribute to an exemplary Cottonian, Indian and human being, by inviting a distinguished Old Cottonian to render a keynote address on a subject of public relevance to Old & present Cottonians, Principals, Masters & Teachers, officers from the Armed Forces, public spirited citizens and other well-wishers of the School. The underlying tribute is to Bishop Cotton Boys’ School, Bangalore - Alma Mater to innumerable distinguished and loyal Old Boys.

The 4th General K. S. Thimayya Memorial Lecture was held on Saturday, December 13, 2008 at the Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton Auditorium, Bishop Cotton Boys’ School, St. Mark’s Road, Bangalore 560 001 at 11:00 a.m. for an address by Philip Wollen, OAM on “Peace, Ethics, Occam’s Razor* - and India’s Gift of Ahimsa”.

Phil is a global animal-rights crusader, humanitarian activist, philanthropist and motivational speaker, all in one. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005 ‘For service to international humanitarian relief and to animal welfare, particularly through the establishment of the Winsome Constance Kindness Trust’. He is the winner of The Australian Humanitarian Award 2006 and was Australian of the Year (Victoria), 2007. Phil passed out from Cotton’s in 1967 (Pope House) as a third-generation Cottonian. 

Phil’s extraordinary and emotional plea for Ahimsa left many teary-eyed and the standing ovation that he received from a 1000+ audience bore testimony to the content and impact of the speech, and indeed the life of Philip Wollen. An exhilarating mix of senior officers from the Armed Forces (with over 25 Generals, Air Marshals and Admirals including two of our Patrons – Air Marshal ‘Mally’ Wollen and Lt. General S.K. Jetley), academia, bureaucrats, entrepreneurs, artists and wild-life activists made for a truly memorable event, and reflected itself in the stimulating Q&A session that followed. The participation of the senior school boys and girls was a fillip (no pun intended) to the endeavour, and for many of them the lecture was a life-changing experience. One learns of many students and guests having turned vegetarian after Phil’s speech.

Ashok Mandanna, classmate and boxing-rival from School, made a witty and poignant introduction of Phil. Colonel John Ellis (Retd.), Principal of BCBS delivered the Welcome Address, while Brigadier R.M. Mittal, SM, Commandant, MEG & Centre, Bangalore made the Introductory Remarks. Fellowship followed over beers and lunch at the Bangalore Club.

Nec Dextrorsum Nec Sinistrorsum