MARVEL OF MURALIGANJ HIGH SCHOOL

The Head Master

The Headmaster of Muraliganj High School at Bidhan Nagar under Darjeeling district of West Bengal Mr. Samsul Alam has struck the oil out of the neglected oil field. Under the judicial and compassionate leadership of the headmaster and cooperation of his colleagues the school has gained a great height in the international arena. It received gracious visit by so many foreign dignitaries and won several prizes and awards for its excellence. It was unbelievable to me that a Bengali school in West Bengal could attain such an incredible height and prestige. As an education lover and children worshipper I became excited and inquisitive to learn about the secret of the success of the school. Accordingly, by the blessing of the almighty and good will of a friend, Mr. Jiten Bhattacharya, a teacher of Kamakhyaguri High School under Alipurduar district of west Bengal, a former teacher of the eminent school, and by the generosity of the headmaster I was granted a privilege to visit the school sometime in last April. As I stepped into the office of the headmaster, I felt dazzled by the magnetic personality and dignified ambience of the office. By a simple glance at the office aura anybody will be able to understand that Mr. Headmaster is a great force of innovations and initiatives. In my entire life of 61 years I never felt so elevated and elated in any office as I felt in his office. Within a span of minutes I realized that there is no wonder that the school of such sublime leader should shine and excel. To me, his office and his personality appeared a great motivational power house.

His hospitality to us was amazing. He uses every available opportunity and resource for the well being and benefits of his students and staff. Though it is a rural school, I believe it is one of the happiest schools where every member finds their home and their guardian in the compassionate Headmaster. Children enjoy heavenly bliss in the school.

I was taken to a classroom to speak to his students which revealed to me about his passion for the well being of his students and his great dreams of them. As I shared my humble thoughts with the class for about five minutes, the headmaster for greater participation and benefit of the students decided to call off all the classes to get them together at the assembly ground to listen to me. What a broad mind and lofty attitude he harbours! I was fortunate to share my humble thoughts and experiences with the children for about twenty minutes. Then I was told by him to come for another day for a session of two and a half hours and accordingly the students were informed.

From the headmaster’s attitude and practices, I have learned a leader is to a great extent is self-made by his/her aspiration, perspiration and devotion to the duties. According to Mr. Alam, at the budding stage of the school, appointment in this school was undesired by some teachers for its humble conditions. But he has embraced his posting here and devoted himself to its upliftment and succeeded to raise its standard to be appreciated, admired and awarded by the world academician community. My first visit to the school ended with the headmaster’s invitation to come back to the school for the next programme after attending the invitation of the Royal Government of Bhutan to their historical Teachers’ Day celebration.

Accordingly, my second visit to the school was on Friday, June 2 ‘18. As it is his style to be warm and hospitable to any visitor, we were given a whole-hearted welcome into his office. Though young, in his every word and action I found altruism, wisdom and nobility- a highly dignified personality indeed. Adorned and equipped with the art and treasure of wisdom of investing resources he granted me a privilege to take a motivational class for the senior students and made the necessary arrangement. I was surprised because the school itself under the vibrant leadership of the headmaster is a blazing flame of motivation and inspiration. I realized he uses every drop of water and every grain of resources in nurturing and nourishing the children and the school. He escorted me to a hall where the students had assembled, and delivered an introductory talk. Then I was asked to take over the floor. His superb style transformed me into a dynamo. As he left the hall leaving the children to my care I began burning with zeal and enthusiasm, and so were the children. My inspirational talk, poetry recitation, humours and song went on for more than two hours which passed like minutes without feeling tired or bored. The children were ardent and enthusiastic to listen to me that lifted my spirit.

To my observation and understanding, the most important magic power the headmaster plays to drive and propel the students and staffis his positive motivation strategy. He is an amazing motivation leader and prioritizes motivation classes which are a crucial need for the children as well as staff in the present era to build self- esteem. In his policy there is application of Dale Carneige’s philosophy who wrote: “ We nourish the bodies or our children and friends and employees, but how seldom do we nourish their self-esteem? We provide them with roast beef and potatoes to build energy, but we neglect to give them kind words of appreciation that would sing in their memories for years like the music of the morning stars.” Even the support staff of the school are treated by him with honour and dignity. By seeing the devotion to his jobs Dr. Martin Luther King Junor’s words rang into my ears: If a man is called to be the street sweeper, he should sweep the streets as Michelangelo painted, Beethoven composed music, Shakespeare poetry. He should sweep the street so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say – Here lives a great street sweeper.

For his inspiring leadership, everyone in the school is lively, cheerful, dedicated and devoted to their jobs which has led the village school to the pinnacle of glory and known the world. The school is truly a role model of man making centre.

I feel assured that everyone who will visit this school and the headmaster will feel electrified and energized which is a need of the hour especially for the educationists.

Rabindranath Tagore wrote, Providence expects that we should make this world our own and not live in it as though it were a rented tenement. We can make it our own through some service and that service is to lend it love and beauty from our soul.” Application of this sacred principle in the school is its driving force. It is a worthy school to visit and research in order to be able to provide better education to our children – the most precious resource of the future earth.