M. P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School

M.P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School is a private school in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is coeducational and teaches in English.^[2] The school started in 1988. It is run by the M.P. Birla Group, the philanthropic wing of the Birla family.

The principal of the school is Mr. Herbert George who started his tenure in 1989. It is located in James Long Sarani, Behala, Kolkata. It follows the CISCE board of education. The school followed CBSE before switching to CISCE.^[3]

Founders

Sri Madhav Prasadji Birla (1918 - 1990) and Smt. Priyamvada Devi Birla (1928 - 2004) are the school's founders.

Facilities

• Football field, basketball court, and back field which houses the volley court and facilities for badminton
• Air conditioned assembly hall cum Auditorium.
• Physics, chemistry, biology and computer laboratories, and audio visual rooms.
• Music and dance room.
• Language room.
• Educomp Smart Class Program.
• A well equipped Library to offer a plethora of books.
• Canteen to offer food at a subsidized rate.

Houses

The school has four houses named after sites of learning in ancient India. They are Nalanda (green), Taxila (yellow), Ujjaini (red) and Vikramshila (blue).

Activities

• The school organises a 2-day exhibition-cum-fete every January which is attended by students, alumni, parents, teachers and staff members. The event alternates with the school cultural program .
• The school has a cricket club named SPECTRUUM which organises inter-school cricket tournament annually.
• The school has a registered charitable organisation Sparsh,. The organisation promotes social welfare. It organizes an annual inter-school Basketball Tournament Hoops.
• The school has its own Counter Strike Team, which is the only official clan in Kolkata.
• Along with the students of South Point, the students of M. P. Birla judge city pandals during Durga Puja. The event is called M. P. Birla Puja Utkarsh Samman.
• An annual Sports Day is held during the winter season.
• MPBLITZ and VIBGYOR are the two inter-school fests organized by the school for the senior and junior sections respectively.
• Every year the alumni meet Milaap is held in school.^[4]
• The school celebrated its Silver Jubilee year in session 2012-13.

Trips and Excursions

The summer vacation is of approximately four weeks duration covering May and June. The Puja vacation is roughly for two weeks, corresponding to the festival in West Bengal, while the winter vacation is of two weeks' duration. Excursions, in the country and abroad, are organized annually to develop confidence and self-esteem in children. Short visits to places of interest in and around Kolkata are organized regularly.

School prayer

The prayers sung in the school assembly are:

• Yaa Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Shakti Rupena Samsthita, Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai Namo Namaha, Yaa Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Shanti Rupena Samsthita, Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai Namo Namaha, Yaa Devi Sarva Bhuteshu VIDHYA Rupena Samsthita, Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai Namo Namaha
• Vakratunda mahakaya surya koti sama prabha nirvighnam kurume deva sarva karyesu sarvada
• Tvameva Mata Ca Pita Tvameva/Tumhi ho Mata, Pita Tumhi ho, Tumhi ho bandhu, sakha Tumhi ho
• Asato ma sad gamaya
• Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram
• Jana Gana Mana

The National Pledge is also recited.

Faculty

Special classes are provided to the weak students, who fail to come up to the school standards. Students who fail to meet the academic standards are provided with mentor teachers who monitor their performance and visit their house to interact with parents.

Notable alumni

Media, arts and entertainment

• Anupam Roy - singer
• Saurav Jha - author
• Sayantani Ghosh - actress
• Tridha Choudhury-Tollywood actress
• Rohit T Ganguly- Director and script writer

Politics

• Abhishek Banerjee - leader Of Trinamool Youth Congress

Student Safety

Student Safety Insurance Coverage:

The school provides free accidental insurance coverage to all their students for 24 hours anywhere in India.There is an Accidental Insurance Policy from the National Insurance Co. Ltd., Kolkata

References

External links

• Official website
• The Telegraph (Calcutta), 1 September 2005. Lessons learnt from failure
• The Times of India, 28 September 2003. Students to choose the best
• Institutions run by the MP Group