Udupi: Nirmala Higher Primary School at Brahmavar Turns Platinum
 
Kevin Rodrigues
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (GA)
 
Udupi, Apr 2: The very name of Nirmala Higher Primary School at Brahmavar evokes vivid memories in the minds and hearts of thousands individuals and umpteen number of families. The primary school that was started though the untiring and undaunted efforts of the late Fr Sabhas Joachim Fernandes in 1937 is on the threshold of celebrating platinum jubilee.

It has been a fascinating journey of 75 years for Nirmala School in imparting knowledge to thousands of young minds and thus educating entire town. Since its inception Nirmala primary school has been synonym for quality education in the vicinity. Scores of students irrespective of cast and creed have come to Nirmala for quality education and all of them will always be grateful to their Alma Mater for not only imparting knowledge but also for imbibing core human and moral values.
 
The School started in 1937 under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the late Ms Lilly D’Almeida as the headmistress, was later handed over to the supervision of Sisters of Charity Bartholomeo Capitanio and Vincenza Gerosa in 1939. The Charity Sisters who have played an important role in the spheres of healthcare and education across the length and breadth of the Mangalore diocese made Nirmala school a favourite among the locals through their adherence to valued-based quality education, love and care coupled with personal attention towards individual student.

Fr Sabhas Joachim Fernandes, Sr Mary Rodrigues

The school originally started to give primary education was upgraded to the higher primary level in 1945 by the then Correspondent of the school the late Fr Alphone Ligoury Sequeira. Further the school started exclusively started for the girls started accepting boys too at a later stage, thus scripting a new chapter with regards to co-education in the vicinity.
 
With the continuous protection of Mary, the mother of purity the school has been stepping higher in its progress. Through the generous and selfless service of the teachers, the school has carved a niche for itself among the educational institutions of the area.
 
Despite the onslaught of English medium culture and parents preferring the English medium schools over the Kannada mediums, the Nirmala Higher Primary schools still boasts about having 450 students at present. Special attention for the all-round development of the students and emphasis on preparing better, responsible citizens from the young minds is indeed the hallmark of Nirmala School.
 
The school under the able guidance of current Correspondent Fr Anthony Vas and selfless services of headmistress Sr Mary Rodrigues and her equally committed and qualified colleagues is still reaching out to students from all the communities with the solo motto of imparting education.
 
Nirmala School has always been appreciated and regarded in high esteem by the officials of the education department who often term the School as an exemplary institution. Further Catholic Board of Education, The School has been giving equal importance to curricular as well as extra-curricular activities. The moral science classes have been a great help in moulding the students into good citizens of the society. While Nirmala School has always been associated with the academic brilliance that has fetched bright results every year, the students have excelled in other disciplines such as sports, bagging prizes in heaps at various levels.
 
Perhaps the institution’s willingness and commitment to cater to the educational needs of all, irrespective of any barrier, has enabled it to scale greater heights. The teachers have also been the backbone of the School and have rendered yeoman’s services throughout. As Nirmala School is turning diamond, it’s not only celebration time for the current Correspondent, headmistress, teachers and batch of students but to all those thousands of alumni who are spread across the nuke and corner of the world and each one of them would be grateful to their alma mater for having played an important role in their early life.
 
The current administration too would be grateful to all the Correspondents of the school listed below beginning from the founder the late Fr Sabas Joachim Fernandes.
 
1. Late Fr Sabas Joachim Fernandes 1937 – 38
2. Late Fr Apoline Mathias 1938 – 40
3. Late Fr Alphonse Liguory Sequeira 1940 – 49
4. Fr Edwine Castelino – 1949 – 1956
5. Late Fr Alfred Roche 1956 – 69
6. Late Fr Cyril Andrade 1969 – 71
7. Fr Dominic Veigas 1971 – 1978
8. Late Fr Gregory Vas 1978 – 79.
9. Fr Rupert Barboza 1979 – 84
10. Late Fr Ronald Menezes – 1984 – 86
11. Fr Archybald Lewis 1986 – 87
12. Fr Baptist Braggas 1987 – 94
13. Fr Valerian D’Silva 1994 – 96
14. Fr Cornelius Monteiro 1996 – 98
15. Fr Vitas Prabhudas Pinto 1998 – 2001
16. Fr Peter Mendonca 2001 – 2004
17. Fr Denis Saldanha 2004 – 2010
18. Fr Antony Vas 2010 –
 
 
The services of all the headmistresses will ever be etched in the minds and hearts of all. It the late Ms Lilly D’Almeida who served as the first headmistress and she was followed by many more who are listed below. It was their their commitment and dedication coupled with vision that enabled the School to be one of the best ones in the entire district.
 
1. Late Lilly D’Almeida 1937 – 39
2. Late Sr Letitia Albuquerque 1939 – 42
3. Late Sr Mary Sequeira 1939 – 42.
4. Late Sr Cecilia D’Silva 1951 – 55
5. Late Sr Concepta D’sa 1955 – 62.
6. Sr Gracy D’Silva 1962 – 71
7. Sr Gabriel Aranha 1971 – 72
8. Late Sr Barbara D’Souza 1972 – 73
9. Sr Mercy Picardo 1973 – 80
10. Sr M Loretta Correa 1980 – 84
11. Sr M Silvestrina Lobo 1984 – 85
12. Sr Christine Lobo 1985 – 88
13. Sr Florine Andrade 1988 – 99
14. Sr Lucy Pereira 1999 – 04
15. Sr Christine D’Souza 2004 – 09
16. Sr Mary Rodrigues 2009 – present