::: Star Insight :::

Guru Griho

Sylhet

Raja GC High School turns 125

The Raja GC High School on the bank of river Surma in Sylhet turned 125 this year. Former students and teachers organized a two-day festival from 9th to 11th February 2012 to commemorate the 125th founding anniversary.
...............................................................................................................

Iqbal Siddiquee

Raja Girish Chandra Roy established the school on 17th June 1886 to create educational opportunities for the common man's children. Since then, a huge number of people have received education from the institution and many of them are well placed all over the world today.

However, at the beginning it was named after the founder's maternal grandfather - The Raja Murari Chand High School. Later, it was renamed as Raja GC High School while Murari Chand High School was turned into a college and was shifted to a separate location. For his role in spreading the light of knowledge and for philanthropic activities - Girish Chandra Roy was awarded the title of 'Rai Bahadur' in 1895 and 'Raja' in 1898 by the British Government. He passed away in 1908. However, his adopted son-Girish Chandra had an interesting background.

The Zaminder of Rainagar in Sylhet - Dewan Manik Chandra Roy's granddaughter-Brojo Sundori, was married to Zaminder Goura Charan Mazumder, but the couple had no issues. Then the lady of the house took 5-year Brojo Govinda Nandi Chowdhury from Balaganj as a foster child. Coming from a less privileged family, Brojo Govinda was spoilt and pampered by his foster mother, who also wanted to give him better education.

However, an incident brought big change in his life. He became disheartened for not getting invited to a reception arranged in honor of Lord Northbrook, during the Lord's visit to Sylhet in 1874. Some of Brojo Govinda's close friends later told him that, not all the Zaminders were invited; only some philanthropists along with the selected elites of the society. This inspired him to doing something for the common man's welfare. So in 1884, Girish Chandra went to Calcutta, where he came got in touch with a number of intellectuals, who brought forth a big change in his mindset towards education. Accordingly, on his return he decided to establish the institution.