VIDWAN SARVATRA PUJYATE

Being an Ex-RKCian, I feel very nostalgic about my alma matter Rajkumar College, Raipur and its guiding principle. “Swadeshe Pujyate Raja, Vidwan Sarvatra Pujyate,”(the motto of Rajkumar College, Raipur) is a noble saying taken from a book called “SUBHASITANI,” a collection of many Sanskrit Shlokas, consisting of many ancient Indian scriptures, written by our great sages thousands of years ago. The full maxim or Subhasit in Sanskrit reads, “Swa Gruhe Pujyate Pita, Swa Grame Pujyate Prabhu, Swa Deshe Pujyate Raja, Vidwan  Sarvatra Pujyate.” In simple English, it reads as “A king is honoured in his own country; a learned man, throughout the world.” Honouring the learned has been the hallmark of RKC and RKCians, be it in art, music or academics. 

Well! This is the motto of Rajkumar College, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, one of the premier institutions of India. It was founded by Sir Andrew Fraser, the then Chief Commissioner of Central Province and Berar in the year 1882 as a hostel with only 5 royal students at Jabalpur, known as “Rajkumar School!” In those heydays of British Raj, the admission was restricted to only Rajkumars or Princes of Ruling Chiefs and Zamindars of Chhattisgarh (then a part of Madhya Pradesh), Odisha and Bihar. The School functioned there at Jabalpur till 1892. 

Then it was shifted to the present location of Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The seeding being done, the sprouting was left in the able hands of Reverend G.D. Oswell, who was the Principal of the School from 1894 to 1910 and he did his job admirably. During the Principalship of Mr TLH Smithpearse, the College became a founder Member of Indian Public School Conference or IPSC along with Doon School, Dehradun, Daly College, Indore and Rajkumar College, Rajkot in 1939. It was in 1940 that College introduced Sanskrit for the first time as a compulsory subject. Then it began to give importance to Dramatics, Painting and Music along with a myriad of hobbies and other indoor activities.

 Then the College started preparing students for the Senior and Junior Cambridge Examination in 1942, replacing the Chief’s College Diploma Examination. And once it became a Member of IPSC, it opened its gate to all boys, without any distinction of lineage. The sole aim of the College was to prepare boys academically, physically and psychologically for entering the service to the nation, infusing the elements of efficiency, industry and zeal.

The prestigious Cambridge Examination continued even after our independence till 1963! Later on, the present Indian Board called Council of Indian School Certificate Examination or CISCE functioned in Delhi to conduct the examinations on the Cambridge Pattern but with an Indian touch. The legacy is continued with children being trained for creative pursuit. There are a number of very good art teachers, who are giving training to children to explore their creativity. And for instilling a great sense of patriotism, RKC has its School song “Sare Jahan Se achha Hindustan Hamara” (the immortal song of Mohd. Iqbal). The legacy has been continued till date! I had my schooling from 2006 to 2013 and enjoyed every moment of my stay in this age-old school of great repute. I love my school. Do you? 

In Sanskrit the verse vidwan sarvatra pujyate means the learned always gets the due honour every where.

:by Satyasiddha Mishra


Sanjay Kumar Mishra
WhatsApp# +919981411674
snjymshr64@gmail.com
Department of English
Rajkumar College, Raipur
Chhattisgarh, India


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