Mumbai: After 132 years, this SoBo school opens gates to girls

Bharda school Principal Vinita Lewis with some of the students

An iconic SoBo school has done away with its 132-year-old tradition of allowing only boys, and has welcomed girls as well. The change, which happened last year, brought 16 girls to Bharda New High School and the administration hopes many more will join in the new academic year.

Situated in the heart of South Mumbai, opposite the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Bharda New High School & Junior College was established in January 1891 by Jalbhai Dorabji Bharda and Kaikobad Behramji Marzban.

Bharda New High School opposite CSMT, on Monday. Pic/Shadab Khan

The school boasts of giving India a number of cricketers, including Vijay Merchant, Polly Umrigar and Nari Contractor, as well as well-known table tennis player Sudhir K Thackersey.

Trustees of Bharda Marzban Educational Trust, which has been managing the institution since 1954, said the junior college has always been a co-ed institution, but the school was for boys only.

Dr Shehernaz Nalwalla, trustee

However, the trust decided to change its age-old policy three years back.

"The policy to turn the school into a co-educational institution was made three years ago. However, the implementation was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As we returned to normalcy, admissions opened to girls last year. We expect more girls to join the school in the upcoming academic year," said Kersi J Treasurywala, secretary of the trust.

Currently, the junior college has 29 girl students and the school has 16 across classes.

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Dr Shehernaz Nalwalla, another trustee, said, "Whatever the reasons for keeping it a boy's school are not relevant today. Our junior college has always been a co-ed institution, so we thought why not turn the school into one. We got 16 girls in the academic year 2022-23. With such a good response, we are ready to welcome more girl students in the next academic year."

Principal Vinita Lewis shared with mid-day how the boys responded to the change. "The boys have received the change very well and there have been no issues. We are trying to sensitise them and make them aware of how they can be more accommodative towards girl students. Teachers have been regularly talking to the boys about it. Besides, we have made a few girls the class monitor," she said.

"We are making the changes gradually and have been successful so far. Majority of the 16 girls are siblings of existing students. Hence, this was a pilot year. For the coming academic year, we are expecting the number of girl students to increase," Lewis added.

16
No. of girl students at the Fort school now

1891
Year the school was established