Patha Bhavan, Kolkata

Ballygunge Patha Bhavan
Type Private school
Established 1965
Principal Santana Ray
Location Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Campus Palm Avenue, Ballygunge Place (Amiya Bose Sarani), Merlin Park, Kolkata
Website Primary School
High School

Ballygunge Patha Bhavan is a mixed medium co-educational private school in Kolkata, India, which is affiliated to the state secondary and higher secondary boards.[1][2] It was established on 28 June 1965.[3]

History

The school was named after the university school of Visva-Bharati University (called Patha Bhavana). It was inspired by the education system started by Rabindranath Tagore as well as the more progressive features of the national movement. It was also influenced by the Bratachari movement of Gurusaday Dutt,[4] The school was founded by the Patha Bhavan Society under the presidency of Satyajit Ray. Susobhan Sarkar, Tarun Bose, who was a judge of the High Court of Calcutta, and Amiya Bose, an eye specialist helped Ray set up the school. Ray even designed the school's logo. Jyotirindra Moitra, a exponent of Rabindrasangeet, wrote the school's song, Amader Patha Bhavan. Others who played a pivotal role in the school's establishment included Mira Datta Gupta, Uma Sehanobis, under whose guidance a group of teachers came forward to found the school, Nandita Mitra, who was appointed as the school's first-principal and Manjushree Dasgupta, who became its first-vice principal. In later years, the management of the school was in the hands of the economist, Santosh Bhattacharya, and Barun De,[5] both of whom were its general secretary.

Aims

The aim of the founders was to establish a co-educational school in Calcutta which would offer education in both Bengali and English. In the early years it was a policy of the school management not to give excessive importance to examinations, although half-yearly and yearly tests were held from its inception. The first batch of students from the school took the Madhyamik (Secondary) Examination in 1972.

Another aim of the school was to impart an education to its students in an open atmosphere, favourable to the sensitive mind, similar to the method of teaching initially followed by Tagore in his school in Santiniketan, although the medium of instruction in the school in Calcutta has always been more formal in nature. While paying heed to the importance of traditional methods of learning, the founders of the school do not allow excessive emphasis to be given to the rote method. The institution follows the principle of secular education evident in Tagore's Brahmacharya Ashram in Santiniketan.

Academic

The school has Montessori, Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary/Junior College branches at different locations. Higher Secondary Branch offers subject combination in Science, Arts and Commerce.

Language policy

The school offers education in the mixed medium. At the start of primary school, a student is streamlined into the Bengali or the English medium. Each standard used to have four sections, of which two were held in Bengali and two in English. Now, there are five sections, of which one is held in Bengali and four in English. The two other other languages taught are Sanskrit and Hindi, which are offered as third languages from the seventh to the ninth standards. Third language is compulsory for all students.

Cultural activities

Since one of the main objectives of the school is to encourage education in Bengali both inside and outside the classrooms, it culturally identifies itself with the Santiniketan Patha Bhavana and holds programmes which have been traditionally held in that school, such as the Sahitya Sabhas.

The Sahitya Sabhas are annual meets where the students of the school participate in the writing, reading and recitation of Bengali short stories and poems. Pochishey Boishak and Baishey Sravan are also celebrated and observed every year. A fair, Sukumar Mela, named after the humourist, Sukumar Ray is held annually. Satyajit Ray allowed the holding of the premier of his film Joy Baba Phelunath (The Elephant God) in the school. Proceeds from the viewing of his other films were also donated to the school for its development.

Houses

Students of the school are placed in houses named after four ancient Indian universities. They are:

Sports

Students play sports such as cricket, football and table tennis. Its sports ground is located on Fern Road which is close to all the four buildings of the school. It organises a sports day at the Rabindra Sarovar stadium in Kolkata.

Administration

Administration of the branches of the school is carried out separately. The High School is administered by an Executive Council which has a President and a General Secretary. The daily administration of the school is in the hands of the Principal.

Branches

There are two independent branches of the school. The first one, in Ballygunge, Kolkata and the second one, a new branch opened in 1992, at Dankuni, Hooghly, are both administered by Patha Bhavan Society.

Logo

The logo of the school representing a "flame" is designed by Satyajit Ray, the world-renowned film maker who was also a commercial artist.

Affiliations

The Secondary Branch of the school is affiliated to the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, while the Higher Secondary Branch is affiliated to the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education.

Reputation

According to a National school survey in 2008,[6] Patha Bhavan was placed 7th in 'Academic Reputation', 7th in 'Honesty/Integrity', 10th in 'Quality of Alumni' and 4th in 'Value for Money'.

Location

The four branches of the school are located at four sites of Ballygunge, a South Calcutta residential locality: the Montessori and primary wings, which function under a single administration, are located at premises on Swinhoe Street and Palm Avenue, Kolkata, respectively. The High School and the humanities wing of the Higher Secondary branch are located at 103, A and C, Ballygunge Place, Kolkata (now Amiya Bose Sarani), (a colonial two storied building, popularly called 'Delta House') while the science wing of the Higher Secondary branch is now located at 8/2, Merlin Park, Kolkata, the former residence of Smt. Lakshmi Ray, a former Principal of the primary branch of the school. This house, an example of earlier 20th century colonial architecture, was given by its owner for the setting up of the school. Due to legal hurdles it could be occupied after more than thirty years of the school's establishment. A new more modern building, meant to accommodate the high school and the higher secondary branch, will be built in its place.

Notable alumni

Judiciary

Academics

Journalism

Music

Art

Cinema

Music

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Humidity holiday for schools".
  2. ↑ http://www.pathabhavan.org/ Patha Bhavan, Calcutta (High School)
  3. ↑ http://www.pathabhavan.com/ Patha Bhavan, Calcutta (Primary School)
  4. ↑ "Lives Less Forgotten: Gurusaday Dutt".
  5. ↑ "Barun De, Dr". 17 February 2013.
  6. ↑ Ranking
  7. ↑ "Arijit Banerjee".
  8. ↑ "Gautam Benegal".
  9. ↑ "Anirban Bhattacharyya".

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