From the Head Of Institution Desk

          The enormity and complexity of reliving so glorious and transcendental a work as setting up an educational institution in 1893 is really disorientating. The 31st August, 1893 is but a smudged in the infinite expanse of Time God, yet one act enacted on hollowed soil of Indas under an August teeming sky. On the very day has remained unforgettably bright. Responding unhesitatingly to the penetrating call of Goddess of Learning and of Lady Conscience Balindranath Singha Dev with the conjunction of luminaries like Gayaram Basu, Surya Narayan Bhattacharya, Joyharilal Basu, Amritalal Basu and others planted the seed of learning which has evolved over the years into a multifaceted educational institute of present day. Arguably Balindranath Singha Deb was the driving force behind that edifying efforts and he successfully had it hammered into his eager friends that pressing need was to extricate people from the grip of ignorance and superstitions. They all consecrated their whole life to the upliftment of people wallowing in enormous concept and ignorance, Balindranath was the uncrowned founder of Indas High School. We owe him heartfelt gratitude. It will take a lot of efforts to get their efforts in true perspective when we think of the general condition obtained on those days. It was a modest opening, just a crack, but full of possibilities. However the school obtained recognition from Calcutta University on 10th September, 1894 and Rajkrishna Mukherjee was the first Headmaster.

         The evolution of the school since its birth may be measured best by time wraps. It will be naïve to think that the evolution of sublime enterprise is a single block of unhindered success, but is striated with the whole gamut of emotions from joy, Sorrow and complacency to despondence, rivalry and agony.

         The School started its journey in a nondescript house built with mud and straw. Initially the school got a trickle of students and it was difficult for the village folk to assimilate into an alien culture of western education. But ardor of the first day never found its dissipation. The school was destined to be served by dedicated humans in various phases. The stalwarts like Anath Krishna Sarkar, Sasdhar Sarkar, Brajagopal Aditya , Satyadev Sarkar, Bankim Chandra Sen, Sarat Chadra Datta, Sarat Chandra Kundu, Satyakinkar Sahana and many other anonymous personalities pitched in with energy money and efforts to the making of history . Anath Krishna Sarkar took the helm of School during the choppy and wobbling adolescent period. Anath Krishna had remarkable perspicacity and could work enormously hard. These persons were not wrapped up in careers and audacious enough to ignore the allure of easy comfortable life. Anath Krishna Sarkar was persuasive and strict disciplinarian and had tremendous control over his contemporaries as he could mix aggression and caution in his way of working. Balindranath was the founder, Anath Krishna was one who led his predecessors efforts to fruition. They economized on personal necessaries but never scrimped on efforts.

         Then came the glorious era of Bankim Das. He became the custodian of the flagging School when he was the administrator in 1960, there were worrying degree antagonisms among the persons related to school and it was Bankim Das who single handedly set recovery of the lost glory in his intimidating stern manner. He was, as is known from snatches of conversation and information available, imperious and nagging but a man of immense ability. Yes, it was he who brought glory to school in academic sphere as well as in appearance.

         The school experienced the ravishing confluence of two personalities – Bankim Das and Arabinda Sarkar in 1969. One was immeasurably competent administrator and the other was prodigiously talented in matter of command over English and captivating wit and humor. But both died soon. Both snaffled up a bargain with destiny, rather immortality for building the school. It will be an enormous error if Panchu Gopal Aditya is not bracketed with his great predecessors. He is too close, his contribution may not be properly evaluated. His self effacing puckish humor endeared him to all he came across. With his unflagging and unwavering striving Indas High School became one of the premiere educational institutions in West Bengal.

       The School has been glamourized and glorified by long line of alumni and alumnae; Bhabadeb Sarkar, Sukhamoy Sarkar, Dhirendranath Nandi of yesteryears and Alok Chowdhury, Bidyut Sinha of recent past had their education in this school. Regrettably details of thousands of students along with names have been binned into the world of oblivion.

       Today Indas High School has impressive reputation both in appearance and in churning out brilliant students. But we miss the philanthropist educationist Balindranath, gravitas of Anath Krishna, steadfastness of Bankim Das, the infectious buoyancy of Arabinda and his student Panchu Gopal Aditya. These persons had God gifted abilities to take pommelling in their strides.

        It is profoundly depressing that despite my best efforts scores of anonymous personalities have been missed out; down the decades these self effacing persons have pitched in with their helping in shape of industry or money in the building up of the school but their precise identities have been lost in the mist of time. I genuinely beg pardon from them.

        I crave indulgence of all as my presentation may suffer from inexactitude; facts are gleamed from reminiscences from ex-students, from snatches of conversation of older people and from hearsay; often legends blend into facts.

        I feel exquisite joy that we are celebrating the 125th foundation day of Indas High School on 29th, 30th and 31st august, 2018. I am particularly happy that I happened to be a part of the celebration.