Udupi: Nirmala High School, Brahmavar celebrates golden jubilee

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Pics: Rajesh, Avirag Studio, Brahmavar

Udupi, Dec 14: Vinay Kumar Sorake, minister for urban development and Udupi district incharge on Friday December 13 announced his complete support to Nirmala High School, Brahmavar, in getting permission to introduce pre-university classes as soon as possible.

He was speaking at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the school. Started by the Sisters of Charity, with the motto of 'Shilavhe Sarvasava', Nirmala School was an all-girls school that quickly blossomed into a full-fledged high school for boys and girls.

The celebrations began earlier in the morning, with the hoisting of the school flag by Veronica Cornelio, member of Udupi taluk panchayat. Sr Elizabeth, correspondent of the School presided over the function. Nagesh Shanbhog, BEO, Brahmavar region and M R Vishwas were the guests of honour. Dr Gerald Lobo graced the evening's festivities along with Pramod Madhwaraj, MLA, Udupi, Malika Balakrishana Poojary, member, Udupi zilla panchayat, Sharada, president, Vittal Poojary, member, Udupi taluk panchayat, Varamaballi gram panchayat, Cyprian D’silva, vice-president, Varamaballi gram panchayat, Sr Grace Joseph, secretary, Sisters of Charity Education Board, Mangalore, Sr Elizabeth Fernandes, correspondent of the school, Irene Menezes, additional headmistress of the school, B S Bhat, vice-president, parents –teacher association, and Michael Furatado, president, old students' association.

In the evening function Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo said that the school had been blessed abundantly by God which enabled it to serve so efficiently for five decades. He said that while in today's modern life education was an option it was important to create a person who had values. He said that ingraining values in a child would enrich their soul and body. Modern education, he said, caused students to mug up their lessons and write it in the exam.

"Jesus Christ asked us serve the people. With this motto, the Sisters of Charity have completed 50 years of imparting education and serving the people of Brahmavar," he added.

He further said that the contribution by Christians added up to 25% of the total that went towards furthering education and healthcare in India, despite the fact that they only comprise 2.02% of the population. In the Udupi diocese alone, more than 70,000 students were gaining education at Christian institutions, he said.

Vinay Kumar Sorake, while extending his support for the introduction of PU classes at the school also said that it was really commendable that the Sisters of Charity had given 50 years of dedicated service to their students and community without expecting anything in return. He proclaimed that India would emerge a leading nation in 2020 and education would have a major role in achieving this milestone for the country. He said that government schools, along with private institutions had contributed a lot to education with the Christian community giving the most, in this regard. He revealed that Dakshina Kannada and Udupi had clinched the topmost place in education, according to a study conducted by the HRD department of the government of India. He said this had been achieved only because Christian schools delivered a high quality of education in the region.

Pramod Madhwaraj announced Rs 2.5 lac for the development of the school from his MLA grant. He said the standard of education given at Christian educational institutions was quite high and has therefore helped many students to scale great heights in their life. He said that 80% of the population in countries such as Japan, Russia and China were unable to converse in English and yet their countries had managed to reach great heights. He felt that students in our country need not attend an English medium school in order to enjoy a standard of education that would help them achieve a lot in life. He felt that language could not hinder education. If the student truly wished to learn, a Kannada medium school would be as good for him as an English medium school, he said.

Sr Metilda Monteiro, regional head, Sisters of Charity , expressed her gratitude to all who have supported the school. She said that their school worked hard to impart values to their students, which in today's day and age had declined in importance. She said that the leaders of the country were created in classrooms with education and that is why their motto was apt for their institution that worked relentlessly to create the leaders of tomorrow.

School correspondents, the headmistress, teaching and non-teaching staff were felicitated on the occasion. Retired school teacher U R Madyastha shared his experience of his 34 years of service to the school. Retired Kannada teacher Kedlya sang a song and the additional headmistress read out a report on the school's progress in the last 50 years. Sr Josephine D'Silva welcomed the gathering while Sujatha gave the vote of thanks. The cultural programme by students was compered by Prabhakar Shanbhog.