Shillong: Gorkha Pathshala Higher Secondary School closed its 150th anniversary celebrations on Saturday in Upper Mawprem. Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar attended the event as chief guest. The school remains a landmark institution in Meghalaya.
It started in 1876 as a small elementary school inside a mud and thatched shed. Locals called it the Library School. Gorkha servicemen and community members founded it to educate the area's growing Gorkha population. The school evolved through several major stages. It became a Middle English School in 1928. Officials added it to the Deficit Grant Scheme in 1957. By 1965, it was a High School and later joined the State Government Deficit System in 1989.
The event highlighted a theme of 150 Years of Learning, 150 Years of Service & 150 Years of Legacy. Attendees watched Nepali folk and Khasi dances alongside a freestyle performance. Students performed a piece titled Northeast in One Frame. The school also released a commemorative souvenir for the milestone. Management, teachers, and alumni gathered to honor the past.
The institution survived colonial rule, the birth of Independence, and the modern era. It shifted from humble beginnings to a higher secondary level while keeping deep ties to the local community. The school is one of the oldest in the state. Reflecting on the long history, the event organizers emphasized how the school stayed linked to the development of the Gorkha community, noting its role in providing education to the region for over a century.
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