Jaldhaka School celebrated Golden Jubilee of establishment.

B.P. Bajgain

KalimNews, Kalimpong, 17 December 2023 : One of the oldest schools of the Indo Bhutan border situated about 100 km away from Siliguri, and 115 km from the district headquarter Kalimpong, established by the then West Bengal State Electricity Board (WBSEB) (presently West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited) celebrated its 50 years of establishment. 

Golden Jubilee Celebration of Jaldhaka Higher Secondary School was concluded on 16th December 2023 which was started on 11th April 2023. The celebration ended with reunion of the former students and former teachers. During the closing ceremony held at Jholung Playground about 300 former students were gathered along with the former teachers. 

Among the former students, B.P.Bajgain (Sharma), MLA of Kurseong, Sanjay Thatal, Deputy Magistrate Darjeeling and Yaduramo Sharma who climbed Mt. Everest twice and others who are either settled or working elsewhere attended the Golden Jubilee celebration. 

Batch wise the former students and the teachers were felicitated and souvenirs were presented to them. During the celebration some alumni and teachers shared their nostalgic past memories, struggles and experiences. Former students, present school students and even teachers presented some musical cultural items while guest artist Mahendra Bagdas presented standup comedies for recreation. 

The Golden Jubilee edition (VIIth volume) of the school magazine Ankur was also released during the occasion. 

As part of the Golden Jubilee celebration the school started a photo gallery of the former teachers as Path Finder which was inaugurated on 11th April 2023. An inter school football tournament under three categories viz, under 19 boys, under 14 boys, under 19 girls was also organised. Golden Jubilee 10K run marathon was also held on 8th October 2023 with a theme of Drug free youth in the society and zero waste under six categories, viz. boys of 15-25 years, boys of 26-45 years and boys of 46 and above, girls of 15-25 years, girls/ women of 26-45 years and girls/ women of 46 years and above. .

Mahendra Bagdas

This school is the only school of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong district which runs Bengali and Nepali medium units since its establishment. It was started by and for the employees of the WBSEB during the late sixties and was recognised by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education as a recognised three class Junior High School (VI to VIII) with effect from 1st January 1973.  Later it was recognised as ten class and twelve class school.

 

The school at that time was funded, supported and conducted by the Ethe then WBSEB which was commissioned with its 2 units of 9 MW in 1967 and one more unit in 1968 at Stage I. 

Former teachers

During the early years Electricity Board constructed the school building, provided a school bus for the students and the teachers and provided quarters for the school staff and sanctioned annual school grants.

  (The school building that was established in 1973) 

Presently the school has five buildings including a three storied model school building.