One of the oldest educational institutions in the country and Mahatma Gandhi’s Alma mater Alfred High School situated at Rajkot in Gujarat set to transform into world-class museum.
The magnificent lofty building of the school where Mahatma studied in from the year 1881 to 1887 would be turned into world-class museum at an estimated cost of Rs15 crore. For the museum project, the Gujarat Government has recently handed over the heritage building of the school to Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC).
“The upcoming museum will house diorama of Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi March, a Mini Theatre, pictures portraying Gandhi’s lifestyle and his principles, cut-outs of the freedom fighter, multiscreen motion graphics on father of the nation, huge video arch wall, 3-D projection, Animation on different event of India’s freedom fight and facilities of augmented reality. Besides, there would be a separate prayer room, a VIP lounge, a library having books and other reading material on Mahatma and gazebo for visitors,” said RMC commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani.
In order to attract foreign tourists a facility of interactive mode of learning in seven foreign languages would be provided at the museum, said the RMC commissioner, adding that the work for transforming the heritage school building into the state-of-the-art museum will kick-off in May this year.
The idea to develop museum is to present Gandhi’s memoirs to the youngsters in such a way that they can understand him effectively, he added. Situated on the busy Jawahar road of Saurashtra region’s commercial capital, Gandhi’s memorabilia including his mark sheet have been preserved in the heritage school building.
Interestingly the school was renamed five times since its inception in 1853. In the beginning it was called Rajkot English School up to 1866 then renamed Rajkot High School till 1868. later on the school was known as Kathiawad High School before getting its most popular name of Alfred High School in 1907.
The name was given in that year after the Duke of Edinburgh prince Alfred, the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Finally on October 2, 1971 (Gandhi Jayanti-Mahatma’s birth anniversary), the school was again renamed as Mohandas Gandhi Vidyalaya to commemorate its most illustrious scholar.
As irony would have it, the institute which was the first English Medium school of Saurashtra region was one of the most sought after in Rajkot till devastating 2001 Gujarat earthquake. There were 1,850 students in the school till the earthquake struck.
As the building damaged in the earthquake, the school had to be shifted to other building. Though, the damaged building was renovated by the National Buildings Construction Corporation limited at a cost of Rs3 crore financed from Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, the school authority failed to attract students despite new renovated building and moderate school fees. Not even half of its capacity of 2,000 students were studying in the school when the building was handed over to RMC.