Type Government Aided Principal Fr. Louis D’Mello Staff 75 | Established 1951 Head of school Fr. Louis D’Mello | |
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Motto QUANTI EST SEPERE ("How valuable is wisdom") | ||
St. Joseph High School, Boys’ is a day school located in Khadki of Pune district, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. St. Joseph High School, Boys’ is an English Medium School established and managed by the Poona Diocesan Education Society. It is recognized by the Government of Maharashtra and consists of ten standards, besides the Pre-Primary classes and prepares pupils, primarily, for the Secondary School Certificate (S.S.C) Examination of the state of Maharashtra.
Contents
St. Joseph High School, Boys’ aims at giving all round education – academic, physical, moral and spiritual – primarily to Catholics, for whose education the institution has been established, and also to other children irrespective of religion or race in so far as is consonant with Catholic principles. The patron St. Joseph is a model of living for its staff and students, for he was a just and wise man, who lived out his deep faith in God.
History
The great missionary, Rev. Fr. Bader, s. j., who was then the Parish Priest of St. Ignatius Church, Kirkee looked after the parish school between 1935-1949.
In the year 1951, St. Joseph was started under the leadership of then Bishop Rt. Rev. Andrew D’Souza. He invited the sisters of Trivandrum Carmelites to continue the school in English Medium which earlier existed in Tamil Medium. It was the parish school having primary level education.
Location
St. Joseph High School, Boys’ was established on 8 June 1963. The school is situated in the northern part of Pune city; in the garrison town of Kirkee; in the vicinity of the heritage monument of the St. Ignatius Church, the Court and the Kirkee Cantonment Board. The somber calm ambience, surrounded by lush green trees and clean air far from the vehicular traffic, makes it an ideal place for the school.
The philosophy of the school was defined by its founder principal Rev Fr Manuel Mascarenhas. Born into a well off and very well educated family he wanted to devote himself to uplifting those in need. With characteristic pugnacity he declined offers to head the elite schools of Pune and found it worthwhile to establish an institution where need. Khadki was a small suburb populated largely by workers of the Ammunition Factory and those employed in the Khadki Cantonment. When he left the school for good, every child in Khadki would credit the school as having "done something for him".
Infrastructure
The school has a ground plus two storied quadrangular building where all the class rooms are situated. It has well equipped Physics, Chemistry, and Biology labs; along with that the school has two sophisticated computer labs, a geography room, a music room, an audio visual room, a gymnasium, a drawing room and a well equipped library. The school building is surrounded by a big ground used for sports activities and an assembly ground which has a basketball court. The school also has a big auditorium where various programmes and meetings are held.
Academics
The school is divided into the pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher secondary sections. The school is affiliated to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. The 10th standard students give the S.S.C. exams respectively each year.
Sports
The school has always excelled in hockey and often times in the Inter School Hockey Tournaments ,all the three titles of the seniors, juniors, sub junior sections have been won by the school.
Khadki is the cradle of Indian hockey and fittingly the school shares this tradition with some other schools of Khadki area and has won many laurels.
Past principals
- 1963 - 1979 : LATE Rev. Dr. Fr. Manuel Mascarenhas.
- 1979 - 1980 : Fr. James Luke.
- 1980 - 1984 : LATE Rev. Dr. Fr. Manuel Mascarenhas.
- 1984 - 1989 : Fr. Nelson Machado.
- 1989 - 1995 : Fr. James Luke.
- 1995 - 2000 : Fr. Joachim Patrick.
- 2000 - 2004 : Fr. Isidore Soares.
- 2004 - 2006 : Fr. Louis D’Mello.
- 2006 - 2010 : Fr. Elias Rodrigues.
- 2010 - 2013 : Fr. Louis D’Mello.
- 2013 – 2015: Mrs. Rosie Siqueira.
- 2015 onward: Fr. Anand Gaikwad
Notable alumni
Late 2 nd Lt.Rakesh Singh, Ashoka Chakra (Posthumous), 22 Grenadiers, Indian Army was student of this school during 1979 to 1983. He studied in primary class of 5th standard to 8th Standard. After completing his schooling from Model School Rohtak, Rakesh got selected in NDA, Pune and got commissioned in June 1992. During his early days as a young Army Officer, his unit was posted in Kashmir for curbing terrorist activity in the state. On 5 December 1992 during a cordon and search operation he encountered 8 Afghani hard core militants along with his 4-5 men. The Brave son of India single handedly killed 5 militants and laid down his life in an attempt to save one of his Jawan. Govt of India decorated the Officer with highest Civilian Gallantary Award " Ashoka Chakra" which was given to father of Brave son of India Late Lt Col Raj Singh by President of India at Republic Day parade on 26 January 1993. 2nd Lt.Rakesh Singh, was only 22 years 2 months 17 days old at the time of encounter and is youngest receipent of Ashoka Chakra. Information provided by Rajesh Singh brother of 2 Lt Rakesh Singh. Contact No 8685912418
Photo gallery
Below are some precious images of St. Josephs Boy's High School, Pune.