NAHAN: With a glorious past of 224 years Shamsher Senior Secondary School of Nahan remained in the state of neglect for the past atleast two centuries. It is still awaiting for basic facilities like sufficient buildings, furniture and other basic facilities available in other such schools in the state. The school is oldest in Sirmour and one of the five oldest educational institutes in Himachal Pradesh.
The school played a vital role in the freedom movement of the country. Students of this school got involved with the Prajamandal freedom movement and under the leadership of a senior student [now freedom fighter] Jagmohan Ramoul hoasted Congress flag in the School campus. Some teachers of the school also contribute in the freedom movement by writing articals, poetry, patriotic songs and participated actively in the Prajamandal movement. The students and teachers had to face wrath of the then rulers of Sirmour estate for participating in the movement.
The school which produced students like Himachal Nirmata Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar, a number of freedom fighters, Bollywwood actor Rakesh Pandey and a number of IAS, IFS, IPS, officers including officers who served Himachal Pradesh as Chief Engineers and Chief Secretaries was founded by Maharaja Dharam Prakash as a Primary School in 1783. It was upgraded to Middle school in 1808 and High School in 1816 during the rule of Maharaja Karam Prakash.
After this no body bothered for the upgradation of the only High School of the Sirmour estate and remained in bad shape. It had marathon wait of 170 years to be declared Government Senior Secondary School, in the year of 1986. Even after independence the educational institute had to bear neglect of politicians and wait for 39 years till it was upgraded as Senior Secondary School in the year of 1986.
The School is over crowded with the enrolment of around 1200 students, nearly dubble that the students studying in the Government Degree College Nahan. The school is being run in double shifts and one can see hundreds of students sitting on mat on the floor in every season. It is pertinent to mention here that in the town it is only Senior Secondary School for boys.
The college Principal, Dr. Anil Kumar Kashyap who was making efforts to set things right in the school for the past three years was facing uphill task to implement the improvement projects in the school in the absence of sufficient funds. Roshan Lal a former student of the school admits that during past three years due to very good improvement in the academic performance of the school the school administration had got overwhelming response from the local residents and enrolment had registered an increase of over 30 percent. Despite addition of additional teaching rooms the college administration has demanded immediate sanction of a Hall of capacity of at least one thousand persons and desks for all students.
Working as district correspondent with The Tribune & Danik Tribune in Sirmour.
