The haze of winter is in the air and it’s that time of year again! Alumni from around the country and across the globe came back to their alma mater, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) this past weekend from Friday, December 14 to Sunday, December 16, 2018 for their annual Alumni Homecoming 2018 to celebrate and reconnect.
Homecoming ’18 was a grander affair than ever this year with the alumni community coming back to campus for three exciting days of happening events, meet-and-greets, musical performances, deep discussions with old acquaintances, and conversations over “what’s happening.” Programming for the weekend included an exciting panel discussion featuring star faculty and alumni, a masterclass for alumni led by one of our deans, a community cricket match, and a cultural evening celebrating the winners of our Vice Chancellor’s Alumni Achievement Awards and featuring dazzling performances.
The weekend turned out to be monumental and luxuriant. For returning alumni it was a true treat to spend three days back in the heart of where they had experienced every range of emotion and seemingly every aspect of life – be it happy or sad, rough or smooth – over the course of their 4-5 year stay. For many, it brought flooding back memories of joy around success and panic attacks around exams, heartbreaks and friendships, batch nights, colour days, PDC food, and looming deadlines, Zakir’s chaye paratha, Jammin’s pasta, and LUMS’ ever-present cats.
Alumni Homecoming Weekend 2018 saw close to 1,000 alumni return from across the country and indeed many parts of the globe, kicking off on Friday, December 14, 2018 with a panel discussion on the #MeToo movement and its unfolding in Pakistan, which played host to thoughtful discourse on the most pressing social issue of our time. Alumni also had the chance to relive the one of a kind LUMS classroom experience on this day through a Masterclass for Alumni titled, "Evidence Based Policymaking Meets Naya Pakistan," led by one of our esteemed Deans, Dr. Tahir Andrabi.
And who can forget the biggest alumni night of the year! The next evening was the annual Alumni Homecoming night, which was a celebration of the culture and heritage of Pakistan this year, with the programme, cuisine and ambiance reflecting this. Amidst the beautiful glow of candlelight and shamadans, the alumni enjoyed a performance of Dastangoi, the Lost Art of Oral Storytelling by the famous Badar Khan, which preceded a ceremony recognising the winners of the Vice Chancellor’s Alumni Achievement Awards. Following this was a delicious dinner encompassing cuisine from all our provinces, and then a soulful musical performance by the legendary Ghazal maestro, Tina Sani, which included an iconic Shikwa Jawab-e- Shikwa performance with Adeel Hashmi. Listening to Tina Sani on a cold winter night in the company of great friends and a cup of Kashmiri Chai was all that was needed to break away from everyday routines and enjoy the moment. The evening saw several alumni catch up with old friends they hadn’t met for a long time; giving them the opportunity to reminisce days gone by.
And just when everyone thought the fun was over, the entire community got their sports mode on! Alumni gathered on campus on the bright and sunny Sunday morning to participate in a cricket match with staff and faculty, and live their competitive spirit! With a yummy brunch and music complementing the games, there was no better way to end an amazing weekend as the sun slowly set on Homecoming ’18.
