CREATION OF AN INSTITUTION

(The ‘behind-the-scene’ story of D A V Model School, Durgapur)

The D A V Model School as it exists today

The year was 1975 and all the ingredients were in place.

In 1948 West Bengal got its first formal Chief Minister – the illustrious Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy – a visionary who created ‘the Ruhr of Bengal’ – the city of Durgapur.

In 1959 Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP) was established with British technical collaboration.

This steel plant transformed the ethos of Durgapur - forever.

DSP was a cauldron that created a diversity hitherto unknown to Durgapur. Technical and Non – Technical people were needed for all kinds of roles to run this plant. Engineers, technicians, skilled and unskilled labour, managerial talent of all hues and colours, came from all corners of the country – in thousands, as well as critical subject matter experts from England.

All these people needed housing, access to medical and hospital facilities, education facilities for their children, shopping and entertainment centres, and so on and so forth. An entire township was thus created by the erstwhile Hindustan Steel Limited (subsequently it became SAIL) in about 40 sq. kms. in an area which was largely jungle area till then. Leopards and Tigers were said to be living there.

Among the people who came to work there and subsequently made Durgapur their home, were a number of Arya Samajis comprising doctors, engineers, managers, teachers, administrators and educationists, who eventually met up socially and decided to form an informal Arya Samaj group in the 1960s. This was a diverse yet homogenous group that met every second Sunday at the residence of one of the members where an hour long ‘Havan’ was performed by all. It was a social gathering that brought together the families and their children with periodic regularity.

By the 70’s Durgapur had two private schools: St. Xavier’s and Mount Carmel. There were other schools run by the DSP directly. These were large in number and the quality of education was decent. Yet there was a need for more schools with reputation and legacy.

Led by Mr. Om Prakash Malhotra, Head of the Unit of Phillips Carbon Black at Durgapur and Dr. Dharmendra Pal, Chief Pathologist and Deputy Director of DSP Main Hospital, the Durgapur Arya Samaj deliberated this issue amongst themselves and decided that it will be a good idea to have a D A V School at Durgapur. Some of the people involved had had their education in D A V Schools and/or College themselves.

The scenario at DSP however was not very optimistic. In the late 60s rampant unionism had led to a sharp deterioration in the performance and productivity of DSP as well as in Industrial Relations.

In 1971, the Steel Ministry led by Shri Surendra Mohan Kumaramangalam appointed Mr. Bagaram Tulpule as the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of DSP. Mr. Tulpule while being the leader of Hind Mazdoor Sabha as a trade unionist, was also a Chemical Engineer from I.I.T. – Bombay (now Mumbai). This was an experiment that was carried out by the Ministry to contain unionism by appointing a union leader to lead DSP.

An unassuming person, Mr. Tulpule soon got along well with his colleagues and acquaintances at Durgapur. Among the people with whom he was especially friendly was Dr. Pal. There were two reasons for this: firstly, he had to consult him for any medical issue with him or any of his family, and secondly his daughter Indavi studied at Lala Lajpat Rai Primary School where her class teacher was Mrs. Usha Pal – wife of Dr. Pal! It was quite common for them to walk to each other’s residences in the evenings.

Dr. Pal approached the D A V College Managing Committee at Delhi and requested them to come to Durgapur and set up a school. They replied that if the Arya Samaj could identify and acquire a plot of land, start a school there and bring it up to ‘critical mass’, then they would certainly take it over. Till then, they were okay if the Arya Samaj used the D A V to use their name in case the Arya Samaj decided to start a school.

All the ingredients were in place: Arya Samaj was in place, the need to have a D A V School was identified as an objective, D A V had given permission to use their name, and Mr. Tulpule was in charge of DSP.

Mr. Malhotra and Dr. Pal then approached Mr. Tulpule and requested that a plot of land be given to them for starting and running a D A V School.

Mr. Tulpule gave them two rooms of about 300 sq. ft. each in a building called ‘Benachitty House’. His one and only condition: If you can get students to fill these two class rooms and teachers to teach them, we shall give you a land where you can shift permanently.

The seeds of D A V Model School had been sown. Admission to the school was solicited largely by word of mouth. Wives of officers of DSP who were qualified and willing to teach pro bono were requested to do so. In a few months’ time the school had reached a strength of about 60 students.

The year was 1975.

Realising that the pace and volume of work would increase, The Arya Samaj formed a working committee comprising of Mr. Malhotra, Dr. Pal, Mr. Krishna Kumar, Mr. D V Chugh and Mr. S Sanghal. These gentlemen were empowered to take decisions that may be necessary to take the project forward. Mr. Malhotra was designated as ‘President’ and Dr. Pal was designated as ‘Secretary’.

Letterheads were printed in the name of the Arya Samaj. A portion of the residence of Dr. Pal was made into an office with a small dedicated almirah and a brand new Halda Typewriter. Ms. Tudu was appointed for providing part time secretarial assistance that included typing and filing.

Most importantly a bank account was opened in the name of D A V Model School, Durgapur and a money collection drive was launched simultaneously.

Booklets of Rupee One Coupons were printed in the name of D A V Model School, Durgapur and handed over to all the members of the Arya Samaj with a request to collect from anyone who could afford to and willing to donate to the school. The minimum denomination was Rupee One.

There was a ‘Daan Patra’ or a Donation Box that was made and taken to every bi-weekly Havan and anyone could donate whatever they felt like.

It is hard to believe this today, but a consistent and infectious enthusiasm consumed all members tasked with this collection drive. Money was collected from neighbours, office colleagues, domestic help, grocery store owners, friends, visiting relatives, strangers and so on and so forth.

The money thus collected, was used to pay for the printing of the letterheads, one rupee coupon books, honorarium to Ms. Tudu, Halda typewriter and postage. And it sufficed!

If ever there was a school set up for the people, by the people and of the people, this one would certainly qualify.

Eventually Mr. Tulpule was convinced that this project was doable and DSP gave an Eight Acre plot of land where the school exists today.

The land was given on a lease for 30 years at the rate of Rupee One Per Year for the entire eight acres!

On hindsight I am convinced that God had sent Mr. Tulpule for setting up this school. Within months of the school getting possession of the land, Mr. Tulpule resigned as the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of DSP.

Now that properly planned school buildings had to be made the school was in need of some serious cash. And the donation drive now extended to the corporate world. DSP was the first to donate a handsome amount. Other companies and industries in the area followed suit willingly and graciously. Notable amongst these donors were Phillips Carbon Black Limited, Durgapur Cement Limited, AVB (now known at GE Power), Durgapur Projects Limited, Alloy Steel Plant, Graphite India Limited and the such-like.

A boundary wall was built on this plot and the first building comprising of a few class rooms and some office space was built near the gate. The contractor was a friend of Dr. Pal named Shri Pyara Singh.

Mrs. Uma Sen was appointed as the first Principal of the school. She had retired from one of the DSP Schools and had come on the recommendation of the then Chief Education Officer, Mr. B. D. Dikshit. She had a good reputation and leadership qualities to lead this school.

The land acquired, the first building in place, Mrs. Uma Sen at the helm of the school: all these factors combined to instil confidence in the parents of prospective students. The admissions spurted and the classes began to fill up.

The Arya Samaj and its working committee continued to run the school. Donations, both by way of the one-rupee coupons and from the corporates continued unabated. Despite the fact that now the teachers and other staff were being paid the market rate of salaries, the school coffers were beginning to look healthy. The financially prudent working committee kept on putting all surpluses in bank fixed deposits. All revenue expenses were met from fee collection.

One must remember that all the members of the working committee were professionals in their own right. They had regular full-time jobs to support their families. The time they spent on school related activities was purely voluntary and without any remuneration whatsoever. A deep sense of giving back to society and a strong belief that good holistic education is the only way a nation can move forward propelled these people to do what they did and to achieve what they did.

Mr. O. P. Malhotra, Dr. D. Pal (who remained Chairman Emeritus till he passed on in 2009), Mr. Krishna Kumar, Mr. D V Chugh and Mr. S Sanghal (he passed away untimely on the DSP shopfloor), were the prime movers who brought together an entire city to create the institution that is D A V Model School, Durgapur. These were ordinary people who achieved the extraordinary.

The establishment of this institution is a testament to the power of community, collaboration and shared vision. The dedication of the Arya Samaj members, along with the support from local industries, laid the foundation of a school that has not only provided quality education but also fostered a sense of belonging and pride among the residents of Durgapur.

As we celebrate the golden jubilee of D A V Model School, it is important to recognise the enduring impact it has had on the countless students and their families. The values instilled in it students – integrity, perseverance, and a commitment to service – continue to resonate, shaping the leaders of tomorrow. The story of D A V Model School is not just about the establishment of a school, it is about the creation of a nurturing community that strives for excellence in education and character.

By 1983 the school had grown well and it was becoming difficult for the voluntary Arya Samaj working committee to handle its affairs. They invited D.A.V. College Managing Committee to take over the school.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Epilogue

My walk down memory lane will not be complete if I do not share some incidents / snippets related to the formation of the school. I remember these as a first-hand witness. My father was Dr. Dharmendra Pal.

1. My father would go the shop of Mr. Mahender at Benachitty for the monthly groceries. After the purchases were complete and the bills settled, my father would take out his one-rupee coupon book and ask Mahender to donate. Mahender would donate willingly.

2. Mr. R. S. Agarwal was the sole distributor in eastern India of cigarettes for ITC Ltd. His office was at Benachitty. One day my father, who knew him well, called him and requested him to donate to the school. This was perhaps in 1977. Mr. Agarwal sent in cash worth Rupees One Lac! We had a busy time giving him one lac coupons of one rupee each.

3. Shri Pyara Singh, a civil contractor by profession and a personal friend of my father, was given the contract to build the boundary wall and the first building of the school. He was requested to abide by one condition: he would be paid gradually as the school earned money. Shri Singh agreed and constructed the wall and the building. The school paid him from time to time and when he had been paid half his dues, my father requested if he would consider treating the other half as a donation to the school. Shri Pyara Singh agreed without batting an eye and he was given a donation receipt for the rest of the money that the school owed him.

4. Dr. Pal spared no opportunity to sell the one-rupee coupons. Be it Mahender the grocer, the Yadav brothers Bhiru and Ghura who supplied milk at our home, Islam the bread supplier, the petrol pump owner, the vegetable vendor – no one was spared his request. And he never forced anyone. His moral pressure was good enough. People would generally pay willingly.

5. Dr. Dharmendra Pal was invited to the Head Office of the D A V College Managing committee at Delhi and felicitated by Shri Darbari Lal at a function organised for this purpose, in recognition of his yeoman services in establishing the D A V Model School at Durgapur.