HINDU SCHOOL

Hindu School, The Eton of the Eastand the oldest modern educational institution in Asia was founded on 20^th January, 1817by Raja Rammohan Roy, Radhakanta Deb, RasamayDutt, David Hare,BaidyaNath Mukherjee with the signal objective of imparting modern education to young minds in European and Oriental subjects. It owes its origin primarily to the vision of Rammohan Roy and the intellectual tide of Bengal Renaissancein the 19^th century that moulded the thought worlds of many in contemporary Bengal. Sir Edward Hyde East, the Chief Justice of the Calcutta Supreme Court was invited to chair the Founding Committee of the school and the principal donors to the noble cause were Maharaja of Burdwan(TejchandBhadur) and GopeeMohun Thakur who donated Rs. 10,000 each. The first day of Hindu School saw an attendance of 20 male students from affluent Bengali Hindu families at the rented house of GorachandBasak, at Garanhata(modern Chitpore Road). In 1825, David Hare donated a land to the north of College Square (its present location) where with financial support from the British Government, the school building was set up. On 15^th June 1854, the upper section of the school was developed as a centre for imparting western and eastern philosophy and sciences and became known as Presidency College. The Junior section remained as Hindu School and continues to be a living emblem of education, history and heritage.