HISTORY OF VIKAS VIDYALAYA
Vikas Vidyalaya was born of an idea of synthesizing the best of the East with the best of West, which is within the obtainable limits in Public School Education System. The idea Public Schools was born in India few years before independence, when the Indian Public Schools Conference was formed in the year 1939 on the initiative taken by few forward looking Head-Masters such as Mr. Pearce. The Founder of Vikas Vidyalaya, Shri Rameshwar Lalji Nopany, had seen and known about the success of such schools abroad. In India he had an idea of founding a school, which would be a school Like Eton and Harrow, But it would be an Indian Public School with the best of both. It would impart value based education to future citizens of the country.
In 1948, soon after independence, he consulted his friends and people with similar ideas and requested someone very close to him to go around the Residential Public Schools in India to determine what should be the ethos of the school that he wished to establish.
A Trust was formed with the co-operation of few like-minded gentlemen who could help him not only with friendly advice but could also bring a share to bear the expenses in matters of education as well as to guard the larger interest of the welfare of the people as a whole. The Trust was called ‘Manav Vikas Trust’ and it was founded in 1949 with the following members:-
1- Shri Rameshwar Lalji Nopany
2- Shri Bhagirath Kanoria
3- Shri Krishan Kumar Birla
4- Shri Ganga Prasad Budhia
5- Shri Kalicharan Bhagat
6- Shri Kashardeo Jalan, and Shri Nrisingh Deo Shastri as the Secretary
The next problem was to select a suitable place where the school could be located. After a great deal of deliberation and on-the-spot inspection of various sites were suggested. It was decided that in view of its picturesque surroundings, beautiful countryside and smoothing climate, the suburbs of Ranchi was the best for the purpose. Shri Ganga Prasad Budhia exerted his influence to the outmost in different spheres and, thanks to his efforts, on the 8th September 1949 the site was secured. The entire area was quite craggy, uneven and semi-forested. Soon after this the work of planning and erecting the necessary buildings for the school, the hostels and the quarters for the staff was entrusted to a firm of American Engineers who drew up the plans and estimates.
It became the sole responsibility of Shri Rameshwar Lalji Nopany and Shri Ganga Prasad Budhia, very ably helped by the indefatigable Secretary, Shri Nrisingh Deo Shastri, to see that this new born baby should be nursed daily to grow as a strong person. It was on the Basant Panchami day of the year 1950 when the foundation stone of Vikas Vidyalaya was laid by Shri Rameshwar Lalji Nopany.
The School took its final shape in January 1952 with 100 boys on the rolls and about half-a-dozen masters. By that time the ground floor of the main building, the Ranapratap Hostel, the Guest House, the Temple, the Hospital, the Workshop and a few staff quarters were ready and were decently equipped. Thus the grand edifice that stands today as the main school building came into being. It reflects the sweat and hard labour of these gentlemen who were the visionary of this great journey. A beginning, though a modest one, was made. It was a part of a very big and ambitious project based on the deep study of the set-up and the working of residential institutions in this country.
