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Chandigarh: St John’s to get a Christian Brother as school head after 22 years
Spread over 33 acres, the school was founded in 1959 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. CD Abrew, who was at the helm from 1996 to 2001, was the last Christian Brother to head school. Pushpinder Cheema, who was working as a teacher, took charge as principal from 2001 to 2007, following which Kavita Chatterjee Das, also a teacher at the school, ascended to the post.
St John’s High School, Sector 26, the oldest school of Chandigarh, is all set get a Christian Brother as its head after a gap of nearly two decades.
The Brother will take charge on April 1 as the present principal Kavita Chatterjee Das is retiring after serving the school for nearly 15 years.
Spread over 33 acres, the school was founded in 1959 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. CD Abrew, who was at the helm from 1996 to 2001, was the last Christian Brother to head school. Pushpinder Cheema, who was working as a teacher, took charge as principal from 2001 to 2007, following which Kavita Chatterjee Das, also a teacher at the school, ascended to the post.
Currently, the school has only three Christian brothers namely Bedo and Lobo, and Brother Pinto.
Confirming the development, one of the Brothers said, the name of the school head has been finalised but it cannot be disclosed. “He will take charge in the first week of April when the session begins,” the Brother added.
On why the Brothers are taking over, he said it was the decision of the Congregation. “We are hopeful of taking the school to new heights in all fields,” he said.
Outgoing principal Kavita C Dass said, “It was a wonderful experience to serve one of the most reputed schools of the city for almost 15 years. Today, the school is ranked number one in the region and its national ranking has also improved drastically.”
When asked what’s next for her, she says, “All God’s wish.”
St John’s Old Boys Association (SJOBA) president Nipun Mehan said, “The school used to be run by the Brothers a few years ago too. We hope the legacy continues and the school achieves new milestones.”
The school has produced famous alumni, including former Union ministers Kapil Sibal and Manish Tewari, Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana, cricketer Yuvraj Singh, golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, and several judges and bureaucrats.
The oldest school in city
John’s High School is an Edmund Rice Educational Institute, founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1959. The school building was designed by French architect Pierre Jeanneret. The Capital Project had built this school as an English medium school and late Punjab chief minister Pratap Singh Kairon had personally gone to Calcutta to request the Christian Brothers to take over the school. The Brothers acquired the property and building on November 15, 1959. The first Christian Brother to be involved with the school was Brother J Crease.
By January 1960, pupils for classes 3 to 8 were being admitted. The first principal was Brother Morrissey. The new school opened on February 1, 1960, with 41 pupils.
