125 years on, Saradacharan school strives to bridge language divide

In 1884, when the British system of education was quite popular among the city elites, Justice Sarada Charan Mitra set up a school in north Kolkata to promote vernacular education.

In 1884, when the British system of education was quite popular among the city elites, Justice Sarada Charan Mitra set up a school in north Kolkata to promote vernacular education. Saradacharan Aryan Institute became the first residential institution of Bengal that promoted indigenous thoughts and language.

A judge of the Calcutta High Court, Justice Mitra donated Rs 70,000 to set up the school. In the last 125 years, the school has had six addresses and eight headmasters and got its present address at 421/A, Rabindra Sarani in 1938. Interestingly, despite making best of the efforts, the school administration has not been able to locate the premises in which the school was first set up.

The school had played an important role in the nationalist movement, with several of its students participating in the freedom struggle. Since its early days, the institution offered matriculation approved by the University of Calcutta —- considered to be a rare recognition then.

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In 1950, when the legendary Lakhi Narayan Mishra was the headmaster, the school had 2,000 students —- the highest number of students ever.

Today, it offers courses in all disciplines under the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education. With 1,000 students and 33 teachers, it is one of the most respected educational institutions in north Kolkata. Over the years, the institution has produced luminaries like footballer Gosto Pal, cricketer Pankaj Roy, swimmer Benimadhab Talukdar, academicians Sailendranath Sen and Madan Mohan Goswami, politicians Hemanta Basu and artist Sanatan Dinda.

“The school has set an example on what education we should offer to our future generation,” said Partha De, state School Education Minister.

Changing times, however, have taken their toll on the heritage institution, with parents keen to get their children admitted to English medium schools instead of a vernacular one.

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“The authorities have supported us through MP development funds and other projects. We want to rise above the language divide and give attention to all children, irrespective of their family backgrounds,” said Sanat Mukhopadhyay, a teacher of the school.