Aitchison College teacher’s 100th birthday celebrated

LAHORE: A simple but impressive ceremony was organised at Aitchison College on Saturday to celebrate the 100th birthday of legendary educationist and teacher, Maj (r) Geoffrey Douglas Langlands. Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, adviser to Punjab CM Punjab and founding Vice-Chancellor of Information Technology University Dr Umar Saif, the college’s management staff, teachers, students, a large number of old Aitchisonians and people from different walks of life attended the birthday ceremony.  

Langlands,  born in Yorkshire, England, on October 21, 1917, came to India as a young British commando in 1944. Later, he spent 60 years of his life teaching in Pakistan in different educational institutions, including Aitchison College—his first teaching assignment on the request of the then commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army General Ayub Khan. He also headed Cadet College Razmak in North Waziristan, FATA, in 1979 for 10 years. 

Langlands is also remembered for his marvelous work in Chitral for Sayurj Public School (now the Langlands School and College)--the institute he served for 24 years.  After retirement, Langlands has been living in the Bahawalpur House of Aitchison College, Lahore, where he taught for almost 25 years. 

Thomas Drew, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, tweeted a special message from Queen Elizabeth II: “I am so pleased to know that you are celebrating your 100th birthday on 21st October, 2017. I send my congratulations and best wishes to you on such a special occasion.”

Thomas Drew wishing Major Langlands on his birthday also wrote: “Friend of Pakistan and teacher of generations of its students.”   

In his tweet, Dr Umar Saif wrote: “Major Geoffrey Langlands completes 100 years -- what a great legacy at Aitchison College.” PTI chief Imran Khan sending his wishes on the 100th birthday of Langlands wrote: “Happy 100th B'day wishes for our Aitchison College teacher Major Langlands. Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it to celeb (celebrate) at Aitchison.”

Federal Minister for Water and Power Awais Ahmad Khan Legahri tweeted that Mr Langlands served Pakistan better than most Pakistanis. “According to him (Mr Langlands) late President Farooq Leghari was his best student ever.”