My Alma mater

A brief introduction of D.N.High School, Kendujhar, Odisha

Dhanurjaya Narayana High School is the oldest High school of Kendujhar, a tribal dominated district in the mineral rich hilly terrains of Odisha. The school traces its origin to late 19th Century, when it operated as a Middle English School. In CE1934 the school was enhanced to the level of a High School and named as Gibson High School, in the name of the then British Political Agent Mr. Gibson.  After Independence, Gibson gave way to Dhanurjaya Narayan and hence the name D. N. High School.

Where as, only 15 students passed out the matriculation examination in 1938, close to 200 students have the same honor in the recent years. In the last 78 years D. N. High School has crossed many milestones and has established its name as an educational institution of repute.

Some notable transitions have taken place in its medium of instruction and student composition.

Co-education:

Initially woman education was not prevalent in the society and hence there were no girl students. Things changed and parents enrolled their daughters in the 1940s. After establishment of a Girls High School in the close vicinity -in 1957- the administration decided to make this a ‘boys only’ school in 1963 and it continued as such till 1993. Sri Balaram Prusty, the then Head Master, worked hard to bring back the glory of the High School and besides undertaking some much needed renovations he re-opened the doors to the girl students in 1994 and since that time the school continuous to be a co-educational institution.

Medium of instruction:

In the same vain, the medium of instruction at the inception - in 1934 - was more inclined towards English. End of the British raj and rise of nationalistic feelings subdued this and Odiya became the only medium of instruction and regrettably the standard of the students fell in English. Even as a subject also it no longer enjoys its previous status. Concerned alumni have raised their voice regarding this ‘Odiya only’ policy and as it involves legislative changes, the talks of forming a peer group of such esteemed schools to wrest the past glories back, is in the air. For a brief while a plan to take D.N.High School to the next frontier of International schools was on the anvil.

Pertinent to note, D. N. High School enjoyed the status of a Zilla school- Premier District School- and was one of only thirteen such esteemed schools in Odisha. Changes in Government policies and practices have diluted such distinctions and privileges; yet the school continues to be among the finest Odia medium schools of Odisha.

A glimmer of hope, which promptly faded!

For some time – between 2005 to 2009, on the eve of the platinum Jubilee celebrations- the alumni of D.N. High School celebrated the annual function with the enthusiastic support of the school administration and hence the family of old students, staff and well wishers of D.N. High School was becoming more and more integrated. Alas the completion of the celebrations ended this bonhomie and again an eerie silence rules when we think of Alumni as a group. A few individual batches do celebrate their re-unions almost religiously but that in nowhere near being called an alumni group for their alma mater. They are more into their own fun and frolicking and at most they may be shedding some tears at the sad plight of the school.

How big are we?

In last 8 decades, the alumni of D.N. High Schools have reached most part of the globe and their imprints can be seen in all walks of life. The number of people who have passed out from this esteemed institution has reached the 7,000 mark and is proudly marching towards the five figures. The extended family, which includes all the associated staff, parents of students and ex-students, well wishers and spouses and children of ex-students; has became very big and substantial.

In this age of transience many changes have impacted D. N. High School and have brought about a situation, which calls for some out of box thinking and re-calibration of many things, which are central to existence and continuity of this school. The platinum Jubilee celebrations set such a process in motion.

One pertinent question:

We talk about corruption and make such heavy weather about it. But please think, if you forget your parents and let them die by degrees will that also not be considered as a form of corruption? Now, aren’t our alma maters stand in the same pedestal as our parents? So why are we so apathetic about our alma maters?

Hope remains:

Though the gross apathy of the alumni is not very difficult to understand- we do not have such a culture- yet very painful. Well, reminiscing about the cliché : “when everything looks bleak remember the future remains” I hope someday we’d bring about a change in this attitude and not only this school but most other state government run schools of Odisha would stand up and be counted alongside their counterparts- private schools. Please mull over it, will you?