Since time immemorial, India has had the tradition of the ‘Gurukul’ system where knowledge was acquired in centers of education situated amidst flourishing nature away from the milling crowd. In calm and serene environments of pristine mountains and crystal clear streams, leading universities such as Takshshila, Nalanda, and Vikramashila, among others, chiseled and carved the greatest minds of the world.
Along the same lines, our own Devbhoomi Uttarakhand boasts of world-renowned residential schools as one of its chief attractions. If history is to be believed , Uttarakhand has been an important centre of learning since ancient times. As per the beliefs, Drona rishi meditated here and went on to become the guru of Pandavas and settle aashram for study. In the 17th century Guru Ram Rai, the son of 7th Guru, Guru Har Rai established Ram Rai Durbar. In 1902 Swami Shraddhanandaji with the sole aim to revive the ancient Indian Gurukula System of education established Gurukul Kangri University at Haridwar . Many gurus in the past including Swami Vivekananda, Paramhansa Yogananda and Swami Narayana, Swami Shivananda, Maharshi Mahesh Yogi meditated here and established schools of philosophy & learning.
Boarding schools in Uttarakhand have not only produced notable alumni but have also given this picturesque state tourists for lifetime hence these boarding schools also significantly contribute to strengthening the tourism industry. Parents or families and relatives arrive to meet their kids studying in these residential schools and the beauty of Uttarakhand enthralls them to explore and go sightseeing. They stay back and visit their favourite tourist spots and temples. When they narrate their enjoyable sojourn in society, other parents too get inspired to get their children admitted to these world-class schools imparting the best of education. On this pretext, they too visit these dreamy locations. Hence, Uttarakhand tourism receives a huge boost.
Another interesting observation is that the students from across the country and abroad get so fascinated by the charm of Uttarakhand that they decide to permanently settle here and actively participate in its development. Even those students who move out keep visiting with their families every holiday to forever cherish the unique bouquet of memories they amass here.
All these famous schools not only attract prospective students looking for quality education, they have also become tourist destinations in their own sense, partly also due to the elite alumni they have had.
The Asian School, Colonel Brown Cambridge School, Unison World School, Don Valley School, and Selaqui International School are other top schools in the capital of Uttarakhand. Convent of Jesus and Mary (CJM) of Mussoorie is another reputable school that has been preparing future leaders with world-class facilities. This oldest boarding school in the country was established in 1845 and is nestled among pine and deodar trees.
Other noteworthy boarding schools in the Queen of Hills are Woodstock School, Oak Grove School, CJM Hampton Court School, Col. Brown Cambridge School, Welham Boy’s School, Guru Nanak Fifth Centenary School, and Mussoorie International School.
Lake City Nainital also boasts of top-notch schools such as Sherwood school Birla Vidya Mandir, Amtul’s Public School, Oakwood School, The Templeton Academy (Naukuchiatal) Then in Ranikhet also there are excellent schools such as Army Public School, and The Pleasant Valley School.
Other than the aforementioned schools, there are also budget friendly boarding schools imparting quality education amidst the picturesque landscape. Acharyakulam, on the lines of Gurukul in Haridwar, Ashok Hall Girls Residential School in Almora, and Rajeev Gandhi Navodaya Vidyalaya in Lohaghat are affordable yet excellent for knowledge acquisition.
With so many world-renowned schools and many more in the pipeline, do keep in mind Devbhoomi’s ethereal natural beauty and invigorating air and water when you think about searching for a suitable school for your kids!
