Bishop Cotton School
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Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, is the oldest boarding school in Asia, having been founded on 28th July, 1859, by Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton, son of an Army Captain, who died leading his Regiment in battle. A scholar of Westminister, and a graduate of Cambridge, in 1836 he was appointed Assistant Master at Rugby by Doctor Thomas Arnold, one of the founders of the British Public School system. It was the young Mr. Cotton who is spoken of as the 'the model young master' in Thomas Hughes' famous book 'Tom Brown's School Days'.
The school opened for students on 15th March, 1863. The first boy, Frederick Naylor, joined the school on 16th March, 1863.
Bishop Cotton personally reconnoitred ten sites in September and October 1864, and finally approved the South end of Knollswood Spur which belonged to the Rajah of Keonthal. After lengthy negotiations the site was acquired through the intervention of the Viceroy and the foundation stone for the new buildings was laid on 26th September 1866, by H.E. the Viceroy, Sir John Lawrence.
Bishop Cotton School is the first of its kind in this part of the world, to start the house system, organized games and the prefect system which were begun almost at the same time as they were developed in England.
The school grew from strength to strength under the stewardship of the first Headmaster, Rev. Samuel Slater, who had been brought from St. Paul's School in Calcutta, and who went on to serve Bishop Cotton School for twenty-two years, thereby laying a solid foundation and transforming the school into a prestigious institution which grew to attract students from among the Indian elite as well. By the turn of the century, the reputation of the school was undeniable and greatly helped by staff who were mainly educated at Oxford and Cambridge.
The first Indian boys permitted to join the school were Suren Tagore in 1881 and Vishnu Singh in 1883. The first four Indian School Captains were RJ Gandhi in 1928, Harry Chukerbuti in 1936, Jahengzeb Khan in 1941 and Hasan Agha in 1946-47. These four boys were prominent examples of the predominance of a student body that was being groomed for leadership of Indian affairs, which was proof of the far-sightedness of the Founder and successive Headmasters.
A school is judged by its products. Bishop Cotton has produced Ambassadors, UN Contingent Commanders, Politicians, M.P.'s in England and India, about a dozen Generals/ Admirals/ Air Marshals, leading industrialists, authors, a Chief Minister, Secretaries and an Air Chief. Cottonians have donned the Indian colors in Golf, won national gold medals in Air Rifle Shooting, boxing and Taekwondo. They have broken the national broad jump record, represented England and Malaysia in hockey, and Malaysia in cricket, won the second highest Indian decoration in war and have been knighted. The School has also produced the most decorated officer in the history of all Armies, Maj. Roy Farran (Curzon). Many Cottonians have also made the supreme sacrifice in defense of their country.
[edit] List of Distinguished OCs
[edit] Heads of State
Jigmy Dorji, Prime Minister of Bhutan (R 36-38)
Late King T.P Namgyal, His Highness, Maharaj Kumar of Sikkim, (L33-42)Padma Vibhushan, OBE
[edit] Ambassadors
J C Kakkar, Ambassador (I 25-28)
David Sadlier -Australian Ambassador to China. (1942- )
H K Mahajan, Indian Ambassador (I 40-41)
K Krishen, Ambassador, IFS (I 38-44)
J N Kakar,Ambassador (R 39-44)
Hamayun Khan, Pakistan Ex Foreign Secy. (R 41-47) Ambassador to India
Uday C Soni, IFS Ambassador (C 47-48)
Prabala S J B Rana, Nepalese Ambassador to UK (R 51-54)
R S Kalha, IFS Ambassador (C 48-56)
Ranjit Gupta India Ambassador to Baghdad (C 48-56)
[edit] Judges
H.S. Bedi, Supreme Court of India (C 54-62)
Jit Lal, High Court Judge (R 25-29)
Y.B Bhatt, High Court Judge, Gujarat (L 55-56)
V Sen, High Court Judge (I 58- 59 )
R S Sodhi, High Court Judge (C 55-62)
S S Saron, High Court Judge (L 63-71)
[edit] Defence Services (Brig. and above)
Air Chief Marshal P.C Lal, Padma Vibhushan, DFC,CAS (27-29)
Lt. Gen. Dewan Prem Chand, PVSM (I 27-29)
Lt. Gen. N C Rawlley, P V S M, AVSM, MC, VCOAS (R 28-31)
Lt. Gen. R N Batra, PVSM, OBE (C 27-34)
Lt. Gen. I S Gill, PVSM, AVSM , GOC in C (I 30-36)
Lt Gen Karamullah Khan, Governor, Baluchastan, Pakistan
Lt. Gen. M N Batra ,PVSM (C 27-37)
Lt. Gen. K S Randhawa, PVSM, AVSM (C 47-48)
Lt. Gen. Baljit Singh, AVSM,VSM (I 47-52)
Lt Gen H R S Kalkat, PVSM, AVSM , GOC in C (I 53-57)
Vice Adm R N Batra ,PVSM (C 27-37)
Vice Adm Harinder Singh, PVSM, AVSM, FOC in C (L 51-52)
AVM H P S Sidhu (L 55-58)
Maj. Gen. P C Gupta, MC (R 25-31)
Maj Gen K C Khanna (R 24-33)
Maj Gen Jahan Zeb Khan, Pakistan Army (C 37-41)
Maj. Gen. J Mayadas, VSM (Nee G J Lewis) (C 34-41)
Maj. Gen. S Varma, VSM, Mention in Despatch (R 47-50)
Maj Gen Lalji D Singh (L 50-51)
Maj Gen S.K Batra (C 48-51)
Maj. Gen. S P Bhatia, VSM (C 50-52)
Maj Gen C S Panag, YSM, VSM (C 51-56)
Maj Gen R Pandit, AVSM, SM (C 51-58)
Maj Gen H M Singh (L 60-65)
Rear Adm R Chopra, VSM & Mention in Despatch (C 58-63)
Brig. Gen. R E H Dyer, CB (October 9, 1864 – July 23, 1927) (Est. 1872-82)
Brig P O Myers, M C & Bar (I 30-33)
Brig J D Nadirshaw, VrC (C 32-34)
Brig C.W Mullenex (I 29 -36)
Brig H Chukerbuti(won a record of 5 Blues in IMA) (R 30-36)
Brig Khursheed Ahmed Khan, Pakistan Army (1933-36)
Brig R S S Kohli (C 27-37)
Brig P K H Chand ( I 34-42)
Brig H K Dhawan (R 48-51)
Brig J N Rudra (R 48-52)
Brig J.S Bhullar (C 48-55)
Brig S Dutt,VSM (C 54-56)
Brig Madhu Sudan (C 59-63)
Brig Arun Kochar (C 58-63)
Brig R S Brar (L 63-66)
Brig H.S Nagra (R 59-67)
Brig G.S Padda (C 62-63)
Brig M M Badshah
[edit] Outstanding achievements in University/Academy
J.C Slater passed from Roorkee 4th1870
J Eleston passed from Roorkee 4th 1871
A W Slater passed from Roorkee 8th 1972
C Fleming passed from Roorkee 10th 1973
H Elridge passed from Cooper’s Hill 1873
E Farant passed from Roorkee 6th 1874 1866
S Jarman passed from Roorkee 4th 1974 1871
F Moore passed from Roorkee 2nd 1874 1865
E J Rumsby passed from Roorkee 4th 1875 1872
C H DeMello passed from Roorkee 6th 1876
J T Farrant passed from Roorkee 1st 1877 1866
W A R Swinnerton passed from Roorkee 4th 1877 1874
G T Oliver passed from Roorkee 2nd 1978 1873
J G Davis passed from Roorkee 6th 1879 1874-75
F Forley passed from Roorkee 4th 1879 -
D Litster passed from Roorkee 2nd 1882 1877
J M Taylor passed from Roorkee 3rd 1882 (1879- )
O Von Oertal passed from Roorkee 1st 1883
J W B Laughman passed from Roorkee 3rd 1887
H L Rivett passed from Roorkee 9th 1888 (1879- )
V C French passed from Roorkee 4th 1888 1877
A E Jeffries passed from Roorkee10th 1889
W Sparke passed from Roorkee 10th 1899 (1892-96)
F W Kelly passed from Roorkee 1st 1933 (1922-25)
Leslie Sawhney, passed 2nd into IMA, DehraDun, won 3 Blues (R 27-30)
K C Khanna, won his colours in Cricket, Tennis, Squash & Boxing in the (R 24-33) IMA, Dehra Dun 1936-38
Lt Gen R N Batra, PVSM, OBE (Sword of Honour, IMA) (C 27-34)
Harry Chakurbuti, won 5 blues from IMA Dehra Dun 1938-39 (R 30-36)
M N Batra, Punjab Welter Weight Boxing Champion & IMA Boxing colours (C 28-37)
IMA, Dehra Dun 1938-39
David Mitchell, Oxford Blue in Boxing 1956-58 (C 41-44)
R Myers, Cambridge Blue in Boxing 1956-58 (I 35-45)
Maj Vijay Singh Mankotia,MLA(Sword of Honour, IMA) (C 48-52)
Y S Nakai, Punjab University Heavy Weight Champion 1953 (R 48-52)
R Dewan-played for Interservice in cricket as a Cadet from IMA, (R 47-54) Dehra Dun in 1958
Brig G.S Padda(Sword of Honour, IMA) (C 62-63)
Ramesh Ramchandra, stood first in India in Senior Cambridge Exams 1933( -33)
Vikrant Parmar, topped Delhi University in English(Hon) ( -93)
Vinayak Jisthu, DU (L 83-95)
Vineet Kumar, played soccer for DU in 1998 (I 85-96)
Adhiraj Mustafi, topped Delhi University in Eng(Hon) 1999 (L 91-97)
Sujan Singh topped Punjab University in Eng(Hon) 2002 (L 92-99)
Navdeep Singh, Griffith University Academic Excellence Award for Bach. InfoTech (2006) (R 98-02)
[edit] Police (DIG and above)
Swaranjit Sen (Director Genreal Police, AP) - 1974
Bramley DIG of UP (1879- )
DIG(CBI) R Donald, CIE 1880
DIG Sir I Tomkins, CIE (1886- )
Sir L Tomkin,CIE, IG Police Punjab 1922-26 (1882-87)
Ali Akbar Khan, IG Police , Hyderabad, India (R 20-22)
Y S Nakai, I G Police (R 48-52)
A S Daulat, Secy RAW (R 51-56)
DIG Simranjit S Maan , MP , Punjab (I 51-61)
G S Gill , Additional DG Police, HP (R 54-65)
R.M.S Brar (L 57-67)
Ravinder Kumar DIG HP (C 63-68)
Krit Tippakorn ,US Police (R 63-70)
[edit] Politicians (MLA/MP)
Mr. W M Kirkpatrick, Conservative MP from Preston,England, 1931 (1891-96)
Raja Padamjit Singh of Kapurthala (C 23-25)
Ramesh Ramchandra, President Communist Party ( -33)
Maj R Farran MLA Minister of Utilities and Telephone,Canada (C 32-34)
F S B Nariman, MP, Padma Bhushan (I 42-44)
Lalit Sen, MP(1962), HP, India’s most powerful Parliament Secy (I 39-48)
Gurdarshan Singh, Minister Punjab (C 48-50)
Raja Virbhadra Singh, CM of Himachal Pradesh, MP and MLA ( I 47-51)
Maj Vijay Singh Mankotia, Minister, Himachal Pradesh, MLA (C 48-52)
Pashupati Rana, MP and Minister of Nepal (R 52-55)
Ravi Inder Singh, Speaker Punjab Assemby (C 51-55)
Charanjit Singh Channi, MP Punjab (R 53-58)
Daljit Singh MLA Rajasthan (L 50-60)
Simranjit S Maan , MP , Punjab (I 51-61)
Kanwar Arun Singh, MLA Rajasthan (I 54-63)
Rohit Thakur,MLA,HP (L 80-90)
[edit] IAS/ICS/Govt. officials
W J Litster, CIE, OBE, Secy Simla Municipality 1919-30 (1879-84)
C H Donald, Warden of Fisheries,Punjab, 1915 (1883)
W G Dollman, Asst Sec PWD,1919 (1882-90)
E S Lewis, MBE, Secy Simla Municipality 1933 (1902-06)
Sir H Stanyon, MBE, Central Province, Judicial Commissioner 1910 -
J T Farrant, Chief Engr, PWD 1866
F Forley, Dy Acct Gen, Bombay -
H L French,IOS, Registrar of Finance 1912 -
Sir J Donald, KT, KCSI, CIE, Chief Com & Governor NWFP 1913-15 1880
Walter Isaacs, Member Railway Board (C 18-23)
RCF Volkers, CIE, Secy Rly Board,1924 1873
Narottam Sahgal, ICS, Secy Govt. of India (L 28-34)
S K Warrior, Chief Secy, Karnataka (C 39-45)
A Prasad Addl. Chief Secy, Gujrat (C 48-57)
G P S Sahi, IAS- Additional Principal Secy. Punjab (I 53-57)
R.S Kalha IFS (C 54-59)
Ravi Sawhney (L 53-59)
B M Singh, DG International Taxation (C 57-63)
Manjit Singh, Audit and Accounts Services (1965)
Jamni Kumar (C59-67 )
Robin Gupta , Principal Secy. ,Punjab (C - 68 )
Anil Duggal (I 59-68)
Vivek Srivastava, IAS (C 63-69)
Ashton, Chief Engineer & Secretary -
Shekhar Singh Advisor, planning Commission of India. (C 58-66)
Narender Chauhan, Secy, H.P (C 64-74)
W J Litster, CIE, OBE, Secy Simla Municipality 1919-30 (1879-84)
C H Donald, Warden of Fisheries,Punjab, 1915 (1883)
W G Dollman, Asst Sec PWD,1919 (1882-90)
E S Lewis, MBE, Secy Simla Municipality 1933 (1902-06)
Sir H Stanyon, MBE, Central Province, Judicial Commissioner 1910 -
J T Farrant, Chief Engr, PWD 1866
F Forley, Dy Acct Gen, Bombay -
H L French,IOS, Registrar of Finance 1912 -
Sir J Donald, KT, KCSI, CIE, Chief Com & Governor NWFP 1913-15 1880
Walter Isaacs, Member Railway Board (C 18-23)
RCF Volkers, CIE, Secy Rly Board,1924 1873
Narottam Sahgal, ICS, Secy Govt. of India (L 28-34)
S K Warrior, Chief Secy, Karnataka (C 39-45)
A Prasad Addl. Chief Secy, Gujrat (C 48-57)
G P S Sahi, IAS- Additional Principal Secy. Punjab (I 53-57)
R.S Kalha IFS (C 54-59)
Ravi Sawhney (L 53-59)
B M Singh, DG International Taxation (C 57-63)
Manjit Singh, Audit and Accounts Services (1965)
Jamni Kumar (C59-67 )
Robin Gupta , Principal Secy. ,Punjab (C - 68 )
Anil Duggal (I 59-68)
Vivek Srivastava, IAS (C 63-69)
Ashton, Chief Engineer & Secretary -
Shekhar Singh Advisor, planning Commission of India. (C 58-66)
Narender Chauhan, Secy, H.P (C 64-74)
[edit] Bishops
Ronald W Bryan, Bishop of Barrackpur (I 20-22)
Bishop A C Lal (R 43-49)
[edit] Educationists
J S Slater, Principal, Civil Engineering College,Sibpur,1890 (1863-1868)
J.L. Papworth,HM,Quetta Grammar School, Karachi (R 20-25,S 27-40, 46-48)
Lt. Col. Frank von Goldstein, Principal, Y.P.S Patiala ( I 20-25, S 42)
Maj. R.K. von Goldstein, MBE, HM,BCS (I 20-27, S 36-41 HM 63-71))
E. A. Cuzen, HM, Clerkenwell Parochial School, England (I 26-32, S 41-44, 52-57)
Lt Col A.E.R. Bruce, HM, Queen Elizabeth College, Surrey (I 31-33, S 46-49)
FM Brown, Officiating HM(54-55) BCS (C34-40,S42-47,50-61)
Robin Sinker, HM of School in Africa ( C 1935-45)
K Kirschner, Professor Swiss University (R 46-51)
Viraht Sahni, Lecturer in Brookln College, USA (L 52-56)
I L Sayal HM PPS Nabha (I 54-60)
Jonathan Blake Wade, Professor, Delhi University (C 59-66)
[edit] Industrialists/Corporate/Professionals
Bertie Tomkin Acctt Gen Bengal (1882-89)
Maj L Sawhney Chairman, Tata (R 27-30)
G Sahgal Chairman CIBA (L 27-33)
Brijbans Kishore, Sr. Advocate (I 37-42)
Z A Qureshi OBE,GM of Gas Company in Pakistan (R 45-47)
D C Anand, Chairman Anand Group (R 47-51)
A Kirshner , Aeronautical Engineer, USA (R 46-51)
Ramesh Bhasin, EX Director TISCO (L 44-52)
Des. R. Sarda Leading Restaurateur of England & Europe. ( R 46-52)
J Boga, MD, Pakistan Tobacco (C 45-53)
Ranjit Puri , Sugar Baron (R 49-54)
P S Nat President, Chartered Bank in Asia (I 47-55)
V.N. Koura Leading Lawyer (R 52-55)
Inderjit Singh U N World Bank (L 48-56)
R.K. Malhotra Vice -President, Larsen and Toubro. ( I 48-56)
Mohanpal S Sidhu,CEO, Assam Tea (L 54-57)
Ashok & Suneel Advani, Chairman Blue Star (C 53-57)
A K Mehra, MD, India Today Group (C 54-58)
I S Bawa, Industrialist (R 54-59)
Gurdeep Singh - General Manager, Hindustan Lever, West. (L 53-60)
Naaz Rovshen, former Md, United Breweries, Stanford (I 55-63)
Satish Khanna Air India's Big Chief in America. He is also a (L 51-57)
visiting lecturer in American Universities.
Rajive Sawhney Leading Lawyer (L 59-63)
J M S Aulakh, Senior Executive, Quark (R 58-66)
Kamar M S Aulakh, CEO, Quark (R 60-68)
Anil Bhasin Famous Restaurateur in England and the States. (C 60-69)
Ravi Charanji, Star Network, CEO Bangladesh (C 64-69)
Vivek Bhasin, MD Dole (UK) (L 61-70)
Kirit Shah , Thailand, Shipping Magnate (R 67-70)
H S Bawa, Industrialist (R 64-71)
P.N. JAIN First Asian to be elected member of the Executive Committee (I 65-72) of the United Nations.
Nakul Anand CEO, ITC Corporation. (L 62-73)
Mickey Pahwa, Industrialist, Avon Cycles (I 72-76)
Nagender Sharma, Senior Correspondent, BBC World (L 77-87)
‘Shetty’ Aulakh, Luxmi Sewing Machine
Ronny P S Saghera, Chair , ASUG (R 70-72)
[edit] Authors/Art/Culture/Activists/Poets
Charles de Russette Famous Architect of the early 20th Century. 1872
Sir William Willcock KCMG, who constructed the dam on the Nile
in Egypt and for evolving an irrigation system in Mesopotamia. (1878)
G.W.Rhe Philips -Naturalist 1883
Henry Blaker, Author (1881-84)
Cecil Watson Quinnel, Miniature Painter, Painting purchased by (1880-86)
Queen Alexandra & King Edward
Felex Rossetti, Poet (1899-1909)
Bobby Kooka, Air India Cartoonist (C 24-25)
Melville F O De Mellow, Padma Shri, Prize Italia,Commentator (I 1925-29)
Sujat Ali Khan, Nomination Grammy(2003) 1940
Ruskin Bond, Padma Shri, Author (I 43-50)
Joginder Singh Chahal, designed "Eurostar" (C 43-51)
The train that connects England and France under the English channel
HMA Dixit Author Nepal (L 50-53)
Pratap Sharma Author & Commentator (C 51-54)
Jasbir Sawhney, Leading Architect (C 46-55)
Dr. Santokh Singh, Leading Ophthalmologist (L 50-57)
Ravi Rikhi, Author ( 56-62)
‘Bitoo’ Sehgal. Environmentalist (I 60-63)
Benjamin Gilani,Actor (R 59-64)
Suresh Sethi , translated commentaries of Gita, Upanishads (I 61-66)
Vedas, medieval saints of India,Column for newspaper
Ashok Katakam, Leading Architect, Hyderabad (I 57-66)
Prof. Ravi Thomas, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad(I 62-69)
R S Juneja, Producer, Bollywood (R 65-71)
Raja Bhasin, Author (C 67-76)
Manoj Kumar(Kumar Gaurav) Renowned Actor. (C -78)
Tarsem Singh, Director, Hollywood film "The Cell", starring J Lo, (I 72 -78)
[edit] Infamous
- Moninder Singh Pandher, accused serial killer.
