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Netaji’s first school turns 125

CUTTACK: The visionary leader and architect of modern India Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s first school, the Stewart School here completes 125 years. On this glorious occasion, the school has organised a gala celebration for four days that would culminate on Saturday.

Making a humble beginning to provide shelter to 13 destitute European children in November 1882, the school has now produced thousands of students who have excelled in several fields. From a “Ball Cottage” taken on rent at Rs 20 per month to run the orphanage-cum-school, the institution has now grown into a centre of excellence, catering to the basic educational needs of over 2000 students.

The then city civil surgeon William Day Stewart founded the school that was named “European School”. But later after the death of Dr Stewart in 1892, the school was named after him. “This prestigious institution, the only Anglo-Indian co-educational school in the city has tirelessly endeavoured to impart quality education to its students. In this long journey, the school has fashioned and turned out students who have excelled in various fields of life”, says the School principal Asha M Das.

The school boasts of alumni who have distinguished themselves in almost all fields including judiciary, bureaucracy, politics, engineers and doctors. It was once the pride of Orissa like the famous Ravenshaw College and catered to the children from accomplished families. “It even groomed great luminaries like Netaji Subash Chandra Bose”, says the DGM of Steel Authority of India Amitab Ray, an alumni of the school.

The admission register shows Netaji was admitted into Stewart School on January 8, 1902 when he was only four years and 11 months old. “The register says by that time he had attended no other school indicating that Netaji learnt his first lessons to become a visionary leader in this holy soil of Cuttack”, says the school principal.

He studied here up to Class VI and was promoted to Class VII. He left the school on December 31, 1908 to pursue higher secondary education in the vernacular medium of Ravenshaw Collegiate as Stewart School during those days was teaching only up to elementary grade, the principal adds. The principal said as it has now been established that Netaji learnt his basics from this school and studied here for six years, the school would open a museum in the name of the great leader and exhibit some of his memoirs. “We will also name a House of the school in his name,” the principal said.

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