165th Foundation Day of Ahmedabad: When city got its first two government schools in 1826

Ahmedabad: From its founding in 1411 to its evolution as a modern metropolis, Ahmedabad's journey is shaped by defining moments. One such moment came in 1826 with the opening of two govt vernacular schools. It marked a shift that extended beyond classrooms into society itself.Historian Kunjlata Shah's book, "Ahmedabad: A Society in Transition (1818-1914)", records that the move stemmed from reforms initiated under Mountstuart Elphinstone, then Governor of the Bombay Presidency. The Native Education Society of Bombay launched a programme to prepare textbooks in Indian languages based on English works, laying the groundwork for structured, state-supported education.
By 1826, two batches comprising 14 Marathi and 10 Gujarati teachers had completed training. ‘As a result of this plan, 2 govt vernacular schools were established in 1826 under 2 trained masters – Tuljaram Sukharam and Gaurishankar Kripashankar – in the crowded areas of Raipur and Kalupur in Ahmedabad,' the book mentioned.Education experts note that this initiative did not erase existing traditions. Indigenous schools run by local teachers continued to function both before and after the govt intervention, coexisting with the new model of institutional learning.Schools, where the medium of instruction was English, followed later. In 1838, missionary G Piggot established the first English school in Ahmedabad. In the early 1840s, Rev G L Allen opened another English school in the premises of the Old Dutch Factory. By 1844, approximately 30 to 40 students were enrolled, signalling the gradual expansion of English education in the city.