Sourashtra Higher Secondary School, Madurai

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Name: Sourashtra Higher Secondary School (also known as Sourashtra Boys Higher Secondary School) Location: 110, Kamarajar Road, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, PIN 625009.

Origins & History

• The school began its journey in 1886 as Sourashtra Primary School. • In 1904 it was upgraded to a high school. • Over the years, management was set up under the Sourashtra Sabha (a community institution), which facilitated recognition and grant-in-aid from the Government.

Architecture & Heritage

• The present stone building of the school—built between 1917 and 1929 using funds donated by the Sourashtra community—is an architectural landmark. • Its style is a fusion: British, Indian, and Mughal elements combine to form an example of Indo-Saracenic architecture, with features such as octagonal pillars, bulbous arches, lancet arches, cusp (double-centred) arches, etc.

Academic & Social Impact

• The school caters to approximately 3,500 students, with around 125 teachers. • It has a strong record: above 90% pass rates consistently, with over 450 students appearing for board exams every year.

Community Service and Welfare

• Sourashtra School was among the early adopters of the mid-day meal scheme for underprivileged students. The scheme was later taken up by the Tamil Nadu government under K. Kamaraj as the Noon-Meal Scheme. Sourashtra HSS also introduced a free-breakfast scheme in recent years for poor students. • At present, the mid-day meal benefits around 1,400 students, and the breakfast scheme covers about 400 deserving students.

Infrastructure and Facilities

• The school has long stood in its heritage building on Kamarajar Road. • It is a boys’ school, Classes 6 through 12 (Upper Primary, Secondary, Higher Secondary). • It is government-aided, with private heritage building status.

Significance

• Sourashtra Higher Secondary School is among the oldest schools in Madurai, with more than a century and a quarter of history. • Its pioneering social interventions (free meals, free breakfast) are part of why it is recognized as a community-minded institution. • The building itself is a heritage asset, and the school is one of the few remaining shining examples of historical school architecture in the city.

References

1. sousevasangamam.org

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