Ashok Sharma
Shaheed Inspector Kamal Singh Govt. Boys Model Higher Secondery School, Udhampur, named after braveheart Inspector Kamal Singh who made the supreme sacrifice of his life, in the service of his nation, is believed to have been established around 1890s during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh of J& K.Its exact date of upgradation to Middle School too is shrouded in mystery but according to late Prof. Sansar Chand Gupta, this school functioned as Vernacular Middle school ( English language was not taught) in 1902.His father, said Prof Sansar Chand Gupta, appeared for his Middle Standard examination in 1902 at Sialkot ( now in Pakistan).
According to him,English subject was introduced in 1905 in this school and it became a full fledged Middle School. In1928, it was upgraded to High School and students from remote villages used to seek admission in this school for getting education as it was perhaps the only High School in this region,which catered to a vast area.At that time, this school was affliated to the University of the Panjab, Lahore and it remained affiliated to the said university till 1947 when India got freedom and British India was partitioned. It was then affiliated to Banaras Hindu University and later to the University of Jammu & Kashmir.When the Jammu & Kashmir State Board of School Education came into existence,it was affiliated to JKBOSE in 1974.
It was rechristened as Model Hr. Sec. School in 2015-16 and renamed as Shaheed Inspector Kamal Singh Govt.Boys Model Higher Secondary School,Udhampur on Dec13, 2021 in honour of Inspector Kamal Singh , an alumnus, of the school,who attained martyrdom while countering the militant attack at SOG Camp Babateng, Pattan, District Baramulla of Kashmir on 12-03-2021.Some certificates of the pre partition time testify to the glory and elegance of this school in those days. Many old alumni call this school MLHS (Multilateral Higher Secondery, School) Udhampur and its alumni include politicians, civil servants, academicians, officers in the Indian Armed Forces and other spheres. The school has the largest staff members on its roll among all the schools in District Udhampur.There are 29 sanctioned posts of lecturers, three posts of masters, 08 Posts of teachers,22 posts of non teaching staff including posts of menial staff.It imparts quality education in the streams of Humanities, Commerce and Science.There are sanctioned posts of lecturers in the disciplines of languages (English, Hindi, Urdu, Dogri), History, Political Science, Geography, Computer Science,Information Practices, Geology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physical Education, Mathematics, Education Commerce, Steno etc.This premier institution has around 1200-1500 students every year on its roll from Class 9 to 12 and students from as far as Basantgarh, Latti, Ramban, Panchari, especially in the 11th & 12 th classes seek admission in this institution for opting those subjects which are not available in the schools located in those regions or for joining NCC, for which the School has two Battalions, Junior Bn and Sr. Bn under the overall charge of NCC Officers. The school also has a well established ICT Lab, Smart classroom, well stocked library and a hostel for the students belonging to the S C category.This school has sufficient open space and all major programmes of the District Administration, SED, Municipal Council and other Departments are generally organised in the premises of this school. Therefore, this school is fit to be declared as a Heritage School and liberal funds should be sanctioned in favour of this school so that it serves as a Model school in the real sense of the word.
This school has a rich historical background.A part of the school is housed in the palace built in the 19th century. According to Tareekh– i- Rajgan-i- Jammu by Kahan Singh Blowria, the construction of this palace was started by Udham Singh,the eldest son of Maharaja Gulab Singh when the former was bestowed the Jagir of Balbalta and he lived in this palace for some time but in 1840, he was killed in an incident. Therefore, the construction of this palace was stopped and it was later completed by Maharaja Gulab Singh and Maharaja Ranbir Singh. According to some others, this palace was built by Maharaja Gulab Singh in memory of his son, Udham Singh.
This palace seems influenced by Sikh- Dogra architecture. This palace can be divided into four parts. The first part consists of a Deodi ( threshold) and rooms. The threshold faces south and there is a big ground ( now a botanical garden) in front of it. Then there is the main part of this palace which is L- shaped having a big hall .There used to be three big halls facing the south and three facing the north with verandahs on both sides.(this part of the building has now been dismantled).Adjacent to this to the west is a big hall .The third part of the palace is called ‘Gole Hall’ which has 14 doors, which perhaps, opened to different rooms in which the members of the Royal family used to sleep. Attached to this were rooms, perhaps used by the Queens and their maid servants for their stay. This palace extended to the place where Govt.Girls Model School Udhampur is now functioning. It is said that at this place stables for horses were built. Opposite the present mini stadium where now office of the Animal Husbandry Department exists, was built the royal kitchen.One of the rooms is now being used as Healthcare Laboratory.There used to be another big hall having many pillars. It used to be called Darbar-i-Aam. The King would sit on the throne and listen to the grievances of the subjects.Through this hall, the Queens used to go to Rani Ki Baoli located on the holy river Devika to take a bath, by a path having walls on both the sides. The walls have now crumbled but the their remains are visible at some places. It is said that Rani Rakwal who was the wife of Maharaja Gulab Singh and mother of Udham Singh, took keen interest in the construction of this palace. It is believed that during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh, the Royal family of Chenani kings also lived here for some time and Raja Ram Chand of Chenani passed a part of his childhood in this palace.According to the renowned writer and historian, Prof.Shiv Nirmohi, this palace was handed over to the Education Department of then J&K state by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1933. Since then, this palace is being used for the purpose of conducting teaching learning activities and other purposes. But the existing building isn’t in a good state as a result of vagaries of weather and time.
The verandah of Gole Hall leaks during rains with the result that it is not possible to sit there. The vagaries of weather have also affected the hall used by the school as the ‘ School Library’. A wall adjacent to this hall has roots of trees and is dilapidated. Though a large number of new rooms have been built to add to the school building, this royal palace has a glory,charm and importance of its own.It has historical and archaeological importance as it is connected to the erstwhile Dogra rulers. Therefore, it is high time that attention was paid to this historical palace and steps taken to renovate and restore it to its pristine glory. Moreover, it being one of the oldest educational institutions in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir and still being partly housed in the Royal Palace, qualifies for being declared as a Heritage School and liberal funds be alloted for it preservation, also for its growth and development as a premier institution for imparting quality education to the students.
(The writer is an alumnus and former Sr. Lecturer of SIKS Govt.Boys Model Hr. Sec. School, Udhampur)
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