The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Doing their bit for their alma mater

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 06, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Doing their bit for their alma mater

Staff Reporter

Old students of Government High School in Shimoga want to make its sesquicentenary memorable

BANGALORE: Leader of the BJP group in the Legislative Council D.H. Shankaramurthy is as happy as a schoolboy who has got an unexpected treat.

In fact, he is an "old boy" who cannot wait to join scores of others who share the same alma mater, and celebrate its sesquicentenary in a memorable manner.

The Government High School in Shimoga, which was opened in 1853, is the alma mater of several illustrious persons who are making Karnataka proud.

Beginning

Mr. Shankaramurthy said the school, (it came into existence four years before the First War of Independence in 1857) which has a magnificent building, was in the 19th Century being used as stables and grooms' resting place by the British Resident and officers.

Importance

It was the only high school catering to Shimoga, Davangere and Dakshina Kannada, and such was its importance that the district officer often left the school principal in charge of the administration if he had to urgently leave his station.

Mr. Shankaramurthy pointed out that plans to celebrate the 150th anniversary in 2003 could not be realised because of various reasons.

However, the Old Students' Association, of which he is the president, is determined to give a great deal back to their old school, he said.

Development activities

As many as 1,783 children are studying in the high school.

Most of them belong to poor families and come from the rural areas or slums in Shimoga.

The association has plans to undertake development activities for the school. They include improving the school building, which has 14 class rooms, and the library, providing a well-equipped auditorium, honouring meritorious students, providing a gymnasium and encouraging sports among students, providing drinking water and open a health centre.

`Sneha Sammelana'

The `Sneha Sammelana' was for the old students who could look forward to a grand reunion.

Students who passed out of here were bound to be found in all parts of the globe, Mr. Shankaramurthy said and added that the call of the old school would prove to be irresistible.

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