Ashwin Welch - Pakenham Walsh-

Ashwin is now a United Methodist priest living in northeast Ohio.  After Cottons, he attended college in Ohio and Germany for a BA in psychology, then worked with people with disabilities for many years. He and his wife were consultants with Ingraham Institute in Ghaziabad, U.P. from 1985-1988.  They began a vocational training centre for deaf students.  Returning to the US in 1988, he got a MA in drug abuse counselling and a Master's degree in Divinity, and began work as a priest in the United Methodist Church in 1992.

He and his wife Peg are co-pastors of a large United Methodist Church in northeast Ohio.  They have two sons and one daughter-in-law, and have been "Papa and Mama" to many other children, including five foreign students from Germany and Turkey. Ashwin's sister Yasmin (Cottons!) lives in Louisiana and his brother Ravi (also attended Cottons) lives in Germany.  Ashwin can truly say, "The World is My Parish" (a quote from John Wesley, co-founder of Methodism).

While at Cottons, Welch (Packenham-Walsh House) was lousy at cricket, football and hockey, enjoyed basketball (remembers winning all 5 tournaments!) and tennis.  Also was good in debate, elocution and drama, but weak in Scripture (go figure!).  He frequently read from the lecturn in Chapel on Sunday nights because that side afforded the best view (Cottons girls).