150-year-old school boasts of illustrious alumni

At the entrance of 150-year-old School of Eminence, Ladowali Road, the detailed history mentioned on the boards hung in the reception area takes one back to 1870s.

Ever since its inception, the school has acquired several names. It was called M Shah Mohammad Vernacular Middle School when it came into being, with perhaps a larger Muslim population living in its vicinity. Five years later, it was renamed Government Established Vernacular High School with J Basten as its headmaster. In 1886, it was converted into Municipal Anglo Vernacular High School. The school had British headmasters during those days. Other than J Basten, who headed the school for 21 years, the names of JW Wouterz and TR Brooks find a mention as headmasters in the early 1990s.

In the pre-Independence days when there were only four-five government schools in the city, this one was a boarding school. Post-matric commerce classes had started on the campus as early as 1926. Agriculture as a subject was also incorporated the same year. About 200 boys from the school had participated in a display organised by the North Western Railway at Lahore. The school had a province topper for three consecutive years in Pre-Medical Competition from 1937-39.

The school has an illustrious alumni, including film director Yash Chopra, comedian Chacha Raunki Ram, ex-MP Mahinder S Kaypee, cricketer Harbhajan Singh, ex-Mayor Jagdish Raja, managing editor of Ajit Group Barjinder S Hamdard, Justice Jasbir Singh, retired from the Punjab and Haryana High Court; Vaneet Chaudhary, retired Chief Secretary, HP; prominent doctors from the city Dr SPS Grover and Dr MS Bhutani, freedom fighter Ajit Saini and his son and social activist Surinder Saini.

Reminiscing his school days, Saini says, “I passed out in 1972. For three consecutive years, I was the editor of Punjab section of school magazine Orchid. It will be a trip down the memory lanes as I am penning an editorial for a souvenir to be released as part of the 150th year celebrations.”

The school have seen many principals, but it is Bhagwant Singh, whose contribution is considered most vital. He arranged huge amount of funds and got the entire campus renovated in late 1990s. The present structure of the school dates back to 1997. Bhagwant Singh was popularly called Sant ji. His picture has been fondly put on the school wall.

“Our school has a strength of 650. We have 45 members of teaching and non-teaching staff. We are likely to hold celebrations of the 150th year next month for which are alumni from are expected to be here,” said principal Yogesh Kumar.

Punjab