Education has been the foundation of civilised cultures, and postmodernism in pedagogy has encouraged cultural relativism, appreciation of local teaching patterns and local knowledge. Long time ago, India had an enlightened Rex heading the Gwalior State. Madho Rao Scindia (Madhav Rao Scindia II) who took upon himself the duty of providing high quality Western education to his subjects but also preserving the essence of Indianness in it. His Durbar Policy was categorically clear about promoting Oriental values along with knowledge from the Occident. This article is about the vision of Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia and a school he established — the Scindia School.
The history of educational institutions in Scindia State goes back to the Sandipini Gurukul in Ujjain (the first capital of Scindia dynasty), where Shri Krishna was sent as a student, rather than to Benares. It was Shri Krishna who gave the Shrimad Bhagvat Gita to the world that has the essence of Sanatana Dharma in it. By 1911, in the Scindia State, there was one college, four high schools, 29 middle schools, 321 primary schools, 10 girls’ schools and seven special institutions, with 21,560 students in all. The education budget was Rs 3,55,358. By 1925, the year of Madho Rao Scindia’s death, the number of educational institutions in the state had risen to 1,056, with a budget of Rs 9,92,368.
About Madho Rao Scindia, founder of Benaras Hindu University Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya wrote in the Jayaji Pratap newspaper of Gwalior State: “Since His Highness came to the Gaddi, the progress achieved by his administration has been very great. He has shown a truly fatherly solicitude in the welfare of the people entrusted to his loving care, and, as we all know, has never spared himself in promoting that welfare.”
The author quoted Shri MM Malviya because of a special reason. The chief guest of this year’s Founder’s Day of Scindia School on October 21 is Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is also a Member of Parliament in Lok Sabha representing Varanasi. It was in fact grandson of BHU founder Malviya who had nominated PM Modi for the Varanasi (Benaras) Lok Sabha seat.
Madho Rao Scindia was a great supporter of the establishment of the Benaras Hindu University. He donated Rs 5,25,000 for the same, and was made the first Pro-Chancellor of BHU. In his address in the first court meeting of the BHU, he said: “Gentlemen, the Hindu Religion is one of the most tolerant in the world. By refusing to make converts it has proclaimed to the world the principle of live and let live. It is the negation of aggression.”
Madho Rao Scindia wanted to modernise his state, and for that modernisation of education, infrastructure was a pre-requisite. When we look at the origins of the Scindia School, we find it began as the Sardars’ School in 1897 in the Jalbihar buildings inside the palace premises in Gwalior.
The school moved to its present premises on Gwalior Fort in 1908 when the Military School was amalgamated with it, and an endowment fund established. In 1933, the Regency Council felt that the institution would be far more useful to the Sardars, the State and the country if it were run on the lines of an up-to-date public school. It was, therefore, reorganised and renamed the Scindia School.
A question that many people have is, what is the history of funding of the Scindia School? The answer, according to CWC Carson, former Finance Minister of Gwalior State, is that Maharaja Scindia created ‘The Sardar Fund’, and until the year 1933, it was partially used for the maintenance of the Sardar School which the Maharaja had founded in 1897. Also, the State continued to grant Rs 76,000 per annum for the upkeep of the school out of the budget of the state. It was because of the existence of these two incomes that the Scindia School was able to give to the students of Gwalior State on its roll an education which was entirely free in regard to tuition.
Sir Manubhai N Mehta, former Home Minister of Gwalior State, wrote about Scindia School. “The Scindia School at Gwalior is a healthy type of public school which can be fearlessly recommended to every parent in search of an institution.”
This school also promotes self-reliance about which Maharawat Daulatsingh of Soonkheda aptly wrote: “I joined the Scindia School just before it was converted from the old Sardars School into the new Scindia School. To me, one of the most striking changes was the quick growth or rather education into habits of self-reliance in a number of things. The total abolition of private servants was a big step in that direction.”
Freedom fighter Dr Balkrishna Shivram Moonje, who was close to Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak, and was the political Guru of Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, founder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), wrote about Scindia School. “There is much in the Scindia School and particularly its administrative machinery which I should be wise in copying for the betterment of my school — the Bhonsle Military School.”
Academics, co-curricular and extracurricular activities — Scindia school promoted all three. It also proudly preserves the history of Hindavi Swaraj (Indian self-rule) founded by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja. Several houses in this institution are named after warriors and Kings of Hindavi Swaraj — from Shivaji house to Ranoji house from Dattaji house to Mahadji house.
Most of the alumni of this institution are closely associated with each other even after their school days. The SCINDIA SCHOOL OLD BOYS’ ASSOCATION (SOBA) that was registered on November 25, 1959, has been doing a phenomenal job by bringing alumni of Scindia School around the world together to strengthen the bonds of friendship amongst them.
The Old Boys’ day will be celebrated on October 22, 2023, day after the Founder’s Day. Several prominent achievers are alumni of this prestigious institution and are carrying forward the vision of Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia. This school has 125 years of legacy, and studying in a historical institution like this is indeed the desideration of several young students and their parents in India. The author wishes all Scindians a happy Founder’s Day in advance!
The author is Head, the Scindia Research Centre, Scindia Palace, Gwalior. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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