Calcutta Girls High School

The Calcutta Girls’ High School was established in 1856 by Lord Canning, as a boarding school for English speaking girls. Since then it has grown by leaps and bounds under the able guidance of a succession of dedicated educationists. Among the American missionary ladies who headed the School in its formative years mention must be made of  Ms M.E. Layton, Ms Emma Knowles, and Ms Irma Collins. This tradition was carried on by the Indian Principals who followed in their footsteps, beginning with Ms Smriti Das who took charge of the School in June 1961.

While the School had already built up a reputation for academic excellence by the close of 19th century, it sent up its first batch of 15 girls for the Senior Cambridge Examination in 1911. Since then the School came to be known as the Calcutta Girls’ High School.

Now recognized as one of the leading schools for girls, Calcutta Girls’ High School has also been instrumental in promoting education for the underprivileged. The Indira Pathshala functions as a night school in the same premises for the poor and needy children of the locality. Set up in 1973, the students of Indira Pathshala are also given vocational training in knitting and sewing, etc., and are recognized for the excellence of their handwork.  The Pathshala also presented its first batch of 5 students for the 10th Board Examination in 2004.

This commitment to educating the less fortunate has been continued by the Calcutta Girls’ High School, which now also supports a Primary School, the Nihata Mission School, in Chandipur, a village 30 Kms from Kolkata.

Calcutta Girls’ High School has thus gone from strength to strength in its 150 years of history, and is now poised to offer higher studies by setting up a College for women.

India Post is proud to bring out a commemorative postage stamp on the Calcutta Girls’ High School, which has played such a stellar role in furthering the education of the girl child in India.