Nimra Pathan Feature

Nimra Pathan

A historical heritage -Naval Rai Hiranand High School

Naval Rai Hiranand Academy is the oldest school of Hyderabad Sindh. The two respected personnel of Dewan’s family founded this exclusive educational Institution in 1892 to educate Sindhi children.This school was handed over to Government of Pakistan on 1^st April 1948. Presently this historical educational Institution is being looked after by Mr.AhmedArisar as in charge head of the school.

The Naval Rai Hiranand High School is one of the basic educational institutions in Hyderabad. Hiranand was born on March 23, 1863. He was a homeopathic doctor by profession and treated cholera patients in Hyderabad. But his main purpose was to acquire education. In those days an individual was collected for a school based on a rupee and this amount was collected for one lac through which the construction of the school was started.

Hiranand was the first student of Sindh, who completed his matric and graduation from Calcutta. When he returned to Sindh in 1884, Sindh appointed editors of Sudhar(Sindhi) and Sindh times (English) newspaper in Karachi.He soon realized that journalism is not to serve the purpose of their lives but to serve society. So, he came to Hyderabad from Karachi in 1887,w here he withdrew his brother Navalrai in a new spirit. In Sindh, both the brothers put the foundation of the union academy in Hyderabad in 1888. After their death, this organization was known as the NavalraiHiranand Academy. Where Sanskrit language and ethics were read in that era. After the British government was established, it was the first private school whose principal was Hiranand.

This building is situated in front of Gol building (the round building) on the Risala road of Hyderabad city. Government High school society no. 1, Sindh law College and Fatima Girls High School Sindh University College building are all part of the same school. But it has been separated by standing the wall.

It is a two storey building which has about 20 to 22 rooms. There is also a huge hall on the second floor which was used for some extraordinary activities. There was also a stage in the same hall where they took place but now the condition of the hall is dry and the drama have been closed long ago. This hall is attributed to the name of Henry Jacob, who died in Karachi in 1894, this science hall is named after Bhai Gangaram Tilockchand who subscribed Rs 7000 for the science laboratory 1921.

The building map is set to English EE, which means education. Top and bottom routes are quite spacious. There is a large field ahead of school. There is also a technical section. The names of all the personalities are written on the board and walls, who have participated in the construction and development of this School.

There are all facilities available in a school including science lab and library. A small park is also set up there. This building is built with red bricks. At this time, about 500 students are studying in this school with a wide range of the doors and windows. But aninteresting aspect about this school is that it has been handed over to a local NGO shortly ago. Separately the rooms have been built for this, where NGOs are working. The school teachers and NGO’s staff is now in a position to interfere with the NGO’s administration work because the local NGOs has also established a beauty parlor there. But the school administration has also recorded its protest.School teachers say local NGO’s have been given a place to monitor the school staff. Now a repetition is taking place in the school where kids are being affected. Sindh government has not been able to improve the schools and educational institution in Sindh,b ut the institution which were working well in some cases have been given to the contract, For the betterment of educational sector, governmental support is needed.