Ajay Banga, Satya Nadella's old school sets fund-raising goals in centenary year

Hyderabad, Nov 5 (IANS) When Talat Aziz performed in Hyderabad last week it was not like any other performance by the ghazal maestro. This was a special occasion as he was performing at his alma mater -- Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet.

He left the music lovers spellbound with his magical performance at the event presented by Jagirdars College & The Hyderabad Public School Old Students Association as part of the school's year-long centenary celebrations.

 It was an evening of not just ghazal rendition but of nostalgia and celebrations. For Talat Aziz, it was a homecoming, a return to his roots. He poured his heart into his performance for the school that had played a significant role in nurturing and shaping his life.

“It is wonderful to be back to the place that shaped me as a person and educated me in multiple ways. It was as if I was here only yesterday filled with the joys of schooling under the watchful eyes of my dear teachers. I have been coming back here, and every visit is worth cherishing,” said the singer.

Talat Aziz is one of the distinguished alumni of Hyderabad Public School (HPS). The HPS alumni rose to great heights of success and fame in different fields like business, politics, civil services, armed forces, sports and films.

The long list includes World Bank President Ajaypal Singh Banga, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, India’s former permanent representative at the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and well-known cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle.

The premier educational institution of the city has also churned out powerful corporate honchos like founder, chairman and CEO of Fairfax Financial Holding Prem Watsa, Adobe Systems President and CEO Shantanu Narayan, Satya Nadella besides Ajay Banga.

In 2019, the Harvard Business Review placed three of its alumni among the “Top 10” best-performing CEOs globally. These include Satya Nadella, Shantanu Narayan, and Ajay Pal Banga.

Cobra Beer founder and Life Peer in the UK House of Lords Karan Billimoria, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, former cricketer Venkatpathy Raju and Tollywood actors Akkineni Nagarjuna and Ram Charan are among the other alumni of the school which is celebrating its centenary this year,

In February, Ajaypal Singh Banga was nominated by US President Joe Biden to lead the World Bank. This came amid the centenary celebrations.

“I am not entirely surprised but this is something we are proud of. Good news keeps coming for HPS,” Gusti Noria, President, The Hyderabad Public School Society had told IANS after Ajay Banga’s nomination.

“It has become the habit for HPS to churn out gems. There is something in the DNA of HPs, something in the air the students breathe in,” he said.

He pointed out that HPS produced leaders in different fields. “This is because the sense of leadership is inculcated among children. The students develop leadership qualities from a young age and this helps them go places in whatever field they choose for themselves,” he said.

The HPS makes learning the focus instead of teaching, helping it to stay in tune with changing times and delivering top-notch education to its students. 

Inspired by the famous Eton College of Britain, VIIth Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last ruler of Hyderabad State founded HPS in 1923. It was exclusively meant for the sons of the nobility.

The Hyderabad Public School Society was formed under the Societies Registration Act to take over the management of the school after abolition of the Jagirdari System in 1950. Admission was then open to all, irrespective of caste, creed or social status.

 Former President of India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, served as the first Chairman of the Hyderabad Public School Society.  

 Even after Independence and Hyderabad State’s merger with Indian Union, the school had the elitist tag as children of only powerful politicians, wealthy businessmen, IAS and IPS officers and celebrities used to get admission.

The school started admitting girls in 1984. HPS, which started with six students in 1923, today has nearly 3,000 students.

Spread over 122 acres in Begumpet near the old airport in the heart of the city, HPS is said to have the largest campus than Vatican City. It boasts world-class infrastructure, multiple separate sporting fields, including an Olympic-size swimming pool, three cricket pitches, nine football fields, five tennis courts, a shooting range with 11 firing points, nine horses with a full-fledged stable, a 3-kilometer cross-country track and six basketball courts. It is perhaps the only school in the country with a shooting range and is among a few to offer equestrian sports.

Shaheen -- the majestic Eagle -- is the mascot of the school and is a reflection of the institute’s philosophy to always conduct oneself with dignity and respect and yet soar above the rest.

HPS is gearing up to achieve its vision of becoming one of the top schools globally by 2050.

As part of the centenary celebrations, HPS has set the target of Rs 100 crore from alumni by 2025 to improve infrastructure.

The school authorities plan to invest Rs 25 crore over the next five years for creating state-of-the-art sports infrastructure to produce Olympic-level sportspersons

The school has planned a fundraising dinner on December 24 to raise Rs 20 crore for building a sports complex. Each participant is expected to contribute a minimum of Rs 50,000.

Alumni Reunion dinner is scheduled on December 26. Retired teachers will be invited at the Reunion where prominent alumni will share their journey at HPS.

There will be a grand finale on December 27 where the President of India will be the chief guest.