La Martiniere Calcutta

Infobox_University


name = La Martinière College, Calcutta
motto = "Labore et Constantia"
(By Labour and Constancy)
established = 1836 by Major General Claude Martin
type = Private
principal = Mr. Sunirmal Chakraborty(Boys)
Mrs H.Peacock(Girls)
city = Calcutta, IND
enrollment= c. ? (boys)
c. ? (girls)
staff = Varies
campus = Urban
website= [http://www.lmbcal.com www.lmbcal.com] |

La Martiniere Calcutta is the La Martiniere College branch in Calcutta, India. The current principal of the boys' school is Mr. Sunirmal Chakravarthi and that of the girls' school is Mrs. Hilda Peacock. The school motto is "Labore et Constantia" (By Labour and Constancy). La Martiniere offers an all-round education up to the Higher Secondary level. It is affiliated to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination, New Delhi, which conducts the ICSE and ISC Examinations at the close of Classes X & XII. The schools have been ranked 2nd(Boys School)as one of the "most respected day schools" in India in 2008. [ [http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Aug182007/national2007081819925.asp?section=scrollingnews "Delhi Public School most respected school in India: Survey"] Deccan Herald August 18th 2007. Accessed August 21st 2007]

The Founder

Claude Martin was born on 5 January, 1735 in Lyon, France. He came to India when he was seventeen. After the French influence declined in India, he served in the British East India Company and rose to the rank of Major-General. After taking up residence in Lucknow, he occupied an important position in the court of Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah and later his son, Asaf-ud-Daula.

During this period he succeeded in accumulating a fortune of about 4,000,000 rupees. He built the palace of 'Constantia' and his fine house of Farud Baksh, both of which he equipped with luxuries that included a library of some 4,000 volumes written in many languages and a picture gallery containing a fine collection of works of art.

He breathed his last as Major-General Claude Martin in Lucknow on September 13, 1800. According to , he was buried in the vault prepared for his remains in the basement of the college in Lucknow.

The major portion of his monies and estate were left for founding three institutions, one each at Lucknow, Calcutta and his birthplace Lyon in France.

It took 30 years to dispose of the litigation arising out of Claude Martin's will. Finally, as the result of a supreme court decision, La Martiniere Schools opened in Calcutta, on 1 March, 1836.

La Martinière coat of arms

The La Martinière coat of arms was designed by the founder Claude Martin [http://members.tripod.com/~La_Martiniere/history.htm La Martiniere history at Tripod] accessed August 10th 2007] . It is supported by seven flags, each bearing the design of a fish, the emblem of Oudh [ [http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/cm/s/silver_rupee_of_saadat,_nawab.aspx Oudh fish coins at the British Museum] accessed August 10th 2007] . The devices on the appear to epitomise Claude Martin's life. The ship recalls his voyage to India where he established his fortune. The lion with the pennant represents his career as an officer in the East India Company and with the Nawab of Oudh The setting sun behind the castellated building to the right of the shield has been said to point to the sunset of his days and the large part which the building of "Constantia" played in his later years. The coat of arms and the accompanying motto "Labore et Constantia" are now shared by all the schools founded by Martin.

The La Martinere College flag consists of the coat of arms on a blue and gold background. The flag is generally flown above the buildings, and used for formal events and celebrations, such as the annual Founder's Day.

Curriculum

La Martiniere, Calcutta, has a wide spectrum of co-curricular activities which receives as much importance as the academic disciplines. Through this extensive range of activities, the students are exposed to varying situations and issues. They regularly participate in inter-school competitions at local, state, national and occasionally at international levels.

The scholastic, the intra- and the extra-mural programmes of La Martiniere are geared to nurturing academic excellence, independent and creative thought, the tapping of diverse talents, leadership training and a deep commitment to community service.

The various extra-curricular activities in the school include debates, elecutions, sports like cricket, football, hockey, rugby, basketball, boxing, golf and table tennis. The students are also encouraged to join various school clubs viz. the Interact Club,the Quiz Club, the Expressions club, the Computer Club, the Nature Club, the Dramatics Club, the Heritage Club etc as well as other student organizations like the Library Squad, the School Beautification Squad, DEAS as well as NCC(both Air and Army Wing)

The school also hosts two very popular inter-school fests viz. [i] Karma Yatra(organized by the Interact Club) and [i] Nexus(organised by the Nature Club & Computer Club)and Creation(organised by The Nature Club of La Martniere for Girls)

La Martiniere For Boys earlier held three fests viz. [i] Callisto(organised by the Nature Club), [i] Syzygy(organised by the Computer Club) and [i] Karma Yatra(organised by the Interact club).

School Houses

Notable alumni

* Nafisa Ali - Swimming champion, actress, former Miss India and politician
* C K Birla - Industrialist
* Sir Catchick Paul Chater - Father of modern Hong Kong, benefactor to the College
* Justice Jiten Chaudhary - Honourable Judge of Calcutta High Court
* Swapan Dasgupta, Journalist
* K.P.Singh Deo,Politician
* Sunanda K. Datta-Ray - Former Editor of The Statesman
* Rahil Gangjee - Professional golfer
* Dr Ron Ghosh - former Chairman CSFB worldwide
* DrSaiyid Nurul Hasan - Historian, Union Minister of Education and former Governor of West Bengal, India
* Milford Hennesey - Olympian and former 110m hurdles record holder
* Dr. Vijay Mallya - Chairman of the United Breweries (UB) Group and Rajya Sabha member
* John Mason (Schoolmaster) - Educationist
* Chandan Mitra - Member of Parliament and eminent journalist
* Jaidip Mukerjea - Davis Cup team member
* Rajat Bhatia, investment banker and hedge fund manager.
* Rishi Narayan - Member of the Indian Golf squad in the IX Asiad
* Pritish Nandy - Media person and film producer
* Barry O'Brien
* Merle Oberon also known as Queenie Thompson - Actress
* Leander Paes - Tennis Player, India's only Medallist at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Captain of the Indian Davis Cup team
* Enrico Piperno - Member of Indian Tennis team to the IX Asiad; Davis Cup team member
* Uday Shah - Handbags Designer in Germany with the Premium Label [http://www.lederwaren.com/ Shalimar®]
* Ranodeb Roy (Ronnie Roy) - Head of Morgan Stanley, Asia, Fixed Income Division, Managing Director . Founder of [http://www.utsargacharity.org/ UtsargaCharity]
* Suhel Seth - CEO, Equus Advertising
* Jug Suraiya - Humourist and Journalist
* Paranjoy Guha Thakurta - Journalist
* Oscar Ward - Olympian
* Ann Lumsden, first woman to win Arjuna Award for Hockey
* Soumitra Ranjan Mukherjee- managing director wacker metroark
* George Philip Kongalath [http://www.lmcgeko.com Innovator, Photographer]

See also

* La Martiniere College
* La Martiniere Lyon
* La Martiniere Lucknow
* Claude Martin
*
* , the school song by Frederick James Rowe

References

External links

* [http://www.lmbcal.com La Martiniere for Boys - Calcutta official website]