Modern School (New Delhi)

All you want to know about Modern School (New Delhi)

Coordinates: 28°37′60″N 77°13′0″E / 28.63333, 77.21667

The Modern School
Image:Name of image
Naimatma Balheenien Labhya (Perfection can only be achieved by the strong)
Location
Barakhamba Road
New Delhi, India
Information
Type Private School
Established 1920
Founder Lala Raghubir Singh & Sir Sobha Singh
President Virender Singh
Principal Lata Vaidyanathan
Faculty 130
Enrollment 2800
Campus Urban
Area 27 Acres
Color(s) Blue
Athletics "The Modernites"
Website http://www.modernschool.net
The Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, India
The Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, India

Modern School, commonly known as Modern, is a co-educational private school (privately funded and independent), founded in 1920 by Lala Raghubir Singh and Sir Sobha Singh. Its Alumni are known as Modernites.

It has a sprawling 25 acre campus on Barakhamba Road, near Connaught Place in New Delhi, India and is often touted as the most precious pieces of property in the heart of New Delhi. It is the first private school established in Delhi under the British Raj. The Junior School also known as Raghubir Singh Junior Modern School is located on Humayun Road. There is also a sister campus in Vasant Vihar.

It has a very long list of distinguished former pupils, including former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and is often described as the most famous private school in India, premier among the elite institutions of modern India. [1].

Contents

Overview

Modern School, Barakhamba Road and Raghubir Singh Junior Modern School have approximately 2,800 students (these include international and exchange students and also the boarders) between the ages of 11 and 18 at the senior school and between 4 and 10 at the junior school.

The school is headed by a President and Board of Trustees, who appoint the Principal. The Board of Trustees is also responsible for the appointment of the Headmistress/Headmaster of the Junior School. The school consists of 15 houses, each headed by a housemaster, selected from the more senior members among the teaching staff, who number approximately 130.

History

The words of Rabindranath Tagore are embodied in the philosophy of the founding fathers of Modern School. They dreamed of an institution that could combine the concept of secularism, the motivation to excel, and an environment of diverse activities. In pre-independence India, this must have surely been only a dream. However, the fortitude and resourcefulness of the founders lead to that dream becoming reality in 1920, when Modern School was started in Daryaganj. Intellectual stimulation, athletic excellence, and cultural participation are all emphasized at Modern School.

The credo of Modern School "Naimatma Balheenien Labhya" from Sanskrit literally means - perfection can only be achieved by the strong. The question is not survival of the fittest, or survival at the cost of others. It is the path of confidence, self-respect, and humility. It is not just survival, but the constant effort of self-improvement towards a goal of perfection. The over 80 year old history of the school is one of unequaled success and achievement in India.

The Beginning

Modern School was started in 1920 in a building located in Daryaganj, New Delhi. It was a sprawling mansion that belonged to Sultan Singh. He donated it to the school to fulfill his son's dream of establishing a unique school, which would combine the traditions of Indian education with modern educational techniques. Sultan Singh was a prominent businessman in British India in the early 1880s. His son, Lala Raghubir Singh, founded the school to provide quality education, and to foster the overall growth of a child. Lala Raghubir Singh was the spirit and the soul of the school. The primary founder, he relentlessly worked for the improvement of the school and in this endeavour he teamed up with Sardar Sobha Singh to build a legacy that continues to this day. Sardar Sobha Singh was the co-founder of the school. One of the illustrious builders during the height of the Raj, he was involved in the construction of numerous famous buildings in Delhi like Connaught Place, National Museum, Modern School, South Block and India Gate, to name just a few. His own two sons, Bhagwant Singh and Khushwant Singh (the noted writer) were amongst the first students of Modern School.

Lala Raghubir Singh's philosophy (The First Years) [2] in starting Modern School was simple, to provide a school that would fulfill the needs of children.

The School Crest

The School Crest signifies the circle of eternity crossed by the three elements in human development of body, mind and spirit, the sun shining between the triangle and the circle. Inside the triangle, there is a banyan tree to represent stability and firmness of character, the swan and the lotus represent refinement, culture and the arts which are fundamental elements of progress in life. The Sanskrit quotation, Naimatma Balheenien Labhya, the English translation of which may be, "Perfection cannot be achieved by the Weak." [3] Besides the school motto, there are four words, Truthfulness, Unselfishness, Frankness and Self-Control which guide each child in his daily life.

List of Principals

  • Kamala Bose (1920 - 1947) - the first Principal of Modern School, under whose direction the school established a solid foundation for educational excellence.
  • M.N. Kapoor
  • P. C. Chowdhary
  • S.P. Bakshi
  • R.K. Bhatia
  • Lata Vaidyanathan


School Structure and Administration

Houses

The School is split into 15 Houses, all of which have a mix of day scholars and boarders. The Houses are named after people connected to the house or school in various ways; mainly prominent freedom fighters and thinkers of repute who have influenced and supported the school. Each House is further classified as a Junior House (whose members are students from Grades VI - VIII) and the Senior House (whose members are students from Grades IX - XII).

Houses are a focus for pastoral care and social and sporting activities. All the houses are mixed-sex. Each House has associated colours, which are displayed prominently during the Sports Day held at the end of every year. House spirit is most visible during the Inter-House competitions (on-going throughout the year). At inter-house sporting events, pupils can wear house t-shirts, which are in house colours and feature the name of the house. Also at the end of the year one house is awarded the House trophy for overall excellence.

School Terminology

School Prefects

The school has student appointments for the students of Class 12. Prefects are appointed on the basis of excellence displayed in the academic and extracurricular realms of school life.

Sports

The school is well known for its impessive sports background. It has an Olympic size swimming pool, 1/6 tennis courts, 1/2 basketball courts, 1/4 badminton courts, 1/2 cricket fields, 0.1 football fields, 1/2 squash courts, 1 hockey field and 6 table tennis tables. But unfortunately they don't play well enough to make good use of any of these .

School Magazine

  • Sandesh

This bimonthly magazine, managed by a student editorial board, covers issues of interest to the Modern School community

School Clubs

  • Illuminati: The Physics Club

The Illuminati Physics Club was founded IN 2007 as a means for students interested in the discipline to ask questions, share ideas, thoughts and organize events pertinent to interest in the subject.The members of the club have made a working model of innovative concept car "ASPIRE" which can perform sideways motion along with straight motion.

  • Bits 'N' Bytes

Among its other computer-related activities, the Bits 'n' Bytes club organizes an annual inter-school computer symposium ('Access') and maintains the school's official website. Founded in 1987 to enhance the popularity and usage of computers in the educational field, the club also has a junior branch, called Nibbles.

  • Debating Society

Under the guidance of English department staff, Debating Society members have won numerous debates at the city and regional level. Recent tournament victories include the Raghubir Singh Inter-school debate, the Pratap Singh Inter-school debate, the DPS R.K.Puram Annual Inter-school debate & the MSOSA Annual Inter-school debate.

  • Interact

With a commitment to India's less-privileged, the Modern School Interact Club was inaugurated in 1983 by the then Vice President of India, Muhammad Hidayat Ullah. Among its activities have been donations to orphanages, recycling drives, anti piracy drives and blood donation camps. Recently the club was awarded a certificate in recognition of its services to the community by the Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dixit.

  • Peer Training

Peer Training aims to help students deal with the pressures of adolescence. Peer trainers under the guidance of the school councillor conduct various workshops amongst the student body. In these workshops adoloscent issues such as drug awareness, sex education and peer pressure are taken up with the student body.


  • Robotics Club

This club, founded in 2006 is a platform for students to showcase their talent in electronics and robotics. In line with its objective of involving school students with technology, the club organizes an annual robotics symposium with more than 40-50 participating schools.

  • SPIC MACAY

SPIC MACAY is a national Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth. Modern School has hosted many a SPIC MACAY event over the years, featuring Indian Classical Music and Classical Indian Dance exponents such as Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Sonal Mansingh, Sitara Devi, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Birju Maharaj}

School Uniform

The summer uniform is a 100% blue handloom shirt, a blue skirt, a blue and black tie which is worn only on formal occasions, light blue nylon socks and black shoes. The winter uniform is mostly the same with a blue blazer with the school emblem, a half sleeves sweater, a full sleeves sweater and longer cotton socks.

Famous Alumni

Rajan Gupta, Real Estate Developer

Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir

In Popular Culture

Old Modernites

There is an alumni club called Modern School Old Students Association or MSOSA which works to bring together old Modernites.

Official Websites

Notes

  1. ^ Gandhi, Indira: Anand Bhavan Memories, (Publisher/date info to be added)
  2. ^ The History: The First Years
  3. ^ The History: The School Crest
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_School_(New_Delhi)"

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