BHEL Higher Secondary School, Hyderabad .... Where knowledge, values and talents flourished : VANAM JWALA NARASIMHA RAO

 BHEL Higher Secondary School, Hyderabad

Where knowledge, values and talents flourished

Academic record, competence, and commitment 

of teachers influenced the success of School 

VANAM JWALA NARASIMHA RAO

The Hans India (22-12-2024)

Many former students and staff of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited Higher Secondary School (BHELHSS) near Hyderabad, are reuniting on their erstwhile School premises today, i.e., the December 22, 2024, to reminisce fond memories of their time there. BHELHSS which made a modest beginning on July 1, 1964, was closed two decades ago, signifying the ‘End of an Era.’ Affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), and run on the pattern of ‘Kendriya Vidyalayas Sanghatan (KVS)’ Schools, it provided ‘The Best of the Quality Education’ in English Medium. First batch of three students appeared AIHSC Examinations in 1969.  

Y Padmavathy who joined in June 1967 as the School Principal, administered, controlled, and handled the school matters, shaping it as an exceptional institution, and was known to be ‘Friend, Philosopher and Guide’ to students and staff alike. Consecutively the school achieved cent percent results with distinctions and first divisions. Former Students excelled in several professions like, Defense Services, Politics, Civil Services, Government Service, Medicine, Engineering, Legal, Business, IT etc. 

Selection in to National Defense Academy (NDA), a rare feet from a school in a Civilian Organization was an annual affair. Thus, it produced large number of successful NDA Officers. Specially to be mentioned is Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, former Chief of Indian Air Force, who was commissioned into the Fighter Stream of Indian Air Force, on December 29, 1982. He was selected for NDA, when I was working in the School as Librarian. 

Air Marshal B Chandra Sekhar, Group Captain Ravi Bhate (Also Good Athlete), Group Captain WV Rama Rao, Commodore A Srinivas, Air Vice Marshal A Suresh, Group Captain Shiva Ram, Commander T Srinivasan, Colonel Krishna Prasad, Colonel V Laxman (Good Basket Ball Player), Group Captain Berkeya, Group Captain Madhu Venu Gopal, Colonel Shashidhar (Kargil Fame) etc. are the other successful NDA Officers studied in BHELHSS. ‘Another Special Mention’ to be made is, Squadron Leader N Uttam Kumar Reddy, now Minister in Telangana Cabinet, and former Indian Air Force Pilot. He was thrice MLA and once MP.   

Madhusudhan Reddy (Engineer in Chief R and B), Varada Rajan (Executive Director BHEL), KV Ramana Murthy (Executive Director, Indian Oil Corporation), Milind Koppikar, Sundar Rao (Income Tax Deputy Commissioner), Anuradha Raman (Doctor), Aizaz Ahmed (Doctor), R Vineel Krishna (IAS Odisha, Commissioner Land Records), Vishnu Vardhan (Doctor, Pediatrician), Shridhar (Doctor, Radiologist), Ravi Verma (ONGC, and Basket Ball Player), Ravuri Srinivas (Doctor, Pediatrician), KS Kiran (Doctor, Yashodha Hospital), Uma Krishna (Principal Jyoti Vidyalaya), Dadi Srinivas (SE in TS Genco) etc. reached significantly higher positions, in their professions. 

The ‘Golden Girl,’ a title conferred on VKV Satyanarayanamma, then a 13-year-old BHELHSS Student, by Principal Padmavathy, on her being declared as ‘The Best Girl Athlete’ at the 13th All India National Rural Sports Meet held at Shimoga in Karnataka in October 1982, studied in BHELHSS. Satya ran along with ‘PT Usha’ (An International Athlete) in the final heats of Sprint, in the Nationals once, representing Andhra Pradesh. She also represented AP as BHELHSS Student in the Sprint Event in competition with ‘Ashwini Nachappa’ (An International Track and Field Athlete) at Rabindra Sarovar Stadium Kolkata, and stood third. 

In addition, Nalini Reddy, Shailaja, Usha, represented AP Basket Ball Team in the Bihar Interstate Basket Ball Championship. BHELHSS student D Babu, represented India in World Railway Basket Ball Championship held in Russia, as Captain, and bagged Bronze Medal. P Manoj Kumar working in SBI represented India in Shuttle Badminton Internationals. Another student Chandrasekhar Goud, Customs and Central Excise Officer played in International Tournament of Volley Ball, and Anand Kumar Somashila of BSNL was an International referee in swimming. These were the proud moments to me also, like for others, having worked as Librarian in BHELHSS.   

The person behind all this ‘Magical Success of BHELHSS’ was, Y Padmavathy who possessed an excellent academic record of MA English Literature, MA Economics from Madras University, and Diploma in Educational Administration, besides being a continuous learner. She played a key role in shaping the school’s early and later development. She was instrumental in setting up the academic framework of the school, by bringing with her a commitment to high educational standards, particularly focusing on building a strong foundation in science, mathematics, humanities, and languages, that aligned with dovetailing technical education and social sciences.

I worked as Librarian at the school for 12 years, over 10 years when Padmavati was Principal, and less than 2 years after Malathi Gopalakrishnan succeeded her. Padmavati's Leadership Qualities, Administrative Skills, Authoritative Presence, and Control over School Affairs including keeping the top BHEL Management at a distance from interfering in day-to-day school affairs were exemplary, enabling the school to reach greater heights. Padmavathy was known for instilling a culture of discipline and academic rigor among both students and staff. Her leadership style ensured that the school quickly gained a reputation for its structured environment, making it a sought-after institution for quality education, though it was meant to BHEL Employees’ children. 

Academic Record, Competence, and Commitment, of teachers as ‘Role Models’ influenced the success of the School.  Seldom we find such a high quality of staff recruits, around 150. The Library had the best of approximately 7000 volumes, besides magazines and journals. Ready Reference Information was made available on any topic of students’ interest. The morning prayer meet prior to commencement of regular classes, was a remarkable experience. Every day, a student or a teacher would speak on the ‘Thought for the Day’ which was genuinely thought-provoking. They would have become an ‘Encyclopedia of Thoughts’ had they been compiled. 

The School developed a rich community life of its own and provided adequate and satisfactory opportunities for students to participate in it and help in organizing it. The Teacher was a mediator of learning. The library was a central pillar of the school's academic environment. As a librarian, I did not miss any opportunity, in my little contribution to the growth of BHELHSS, and for the enhancement of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitude of School Students, through placing at their disposal and encouraging to read the vast collection of books, magazines, and other useful reading material. In every outside academic competitions BHELHSS was always number one. Even 40 years after my leaving the School, with few exceptions, many students remember me, and I am in touch. 

After ‘Twelve Long Years’ in BHELHSS, (July 1974-January 1986), when I was offered a job in ‘Chetana Rural Development Organization’ headed by Governor Kumud ben Joshi I resigned. I still Stay Connected with my former colleagues. Among others, I fondly remember, Late Manyam Jaganmohan Rao (knowledgeable person in science and a positive critique of Telugu literature), Vice Principal C Vasanta, Suryaprakash, Ramasharma, Akkalakshmi, Usha Thakur, Jameela Sayeed, Chandramukhi, Suhas Chaudhari, Late David, KM Prabhavati, Innaiah, Nageshwar Rao, Indrani etc. 

The closure of BHELHSS signified the ‘End of an Era in Quality Education and Community Bonding,’ and implied a profound loss to the educational and cultural landscape. It nurtured countless achievers across professions under visionary leadership, fostering excellence, discipline, and values. Though its doors have closed physically, its ‘Transformative Legacy’ endures timelessly to inspire lives and communities. 

The then BHEL Employees, however big in the hierarchy they might be, treated BHELHSS as temple of learning, and never allowed their personal inhibitions if any, to intervene in whatever small punishments were inflicted on their children for their better prospects. It was a ‘Community Hub’ that played an important role in the social fabric of the township. Despite the closure of the school, its legacy is being taken forward by its ‘Alumni’ together with values and all-round education they received benefiting professional and personal lives. Working in BHELHSS was a great unforgettable experience. It is an ‘Alma Mater’ to me as well, with a feel of Student.