Page 8 - Dr P C Thomas

HISTORY

milestones

orn into a reputed Christian family from central Travancore, Kerala to Pazhonayil and Theresiamma
B Chacko, Pazhonayil Chacko Thomas was schooled in St. Aloysius, Kottayam and awarded under-
graduate and postgraduate degrees in science, education and English by Kerala University. Subse-
quently he was awarded a Ph D in education management by the Pacific Columbia University, Califor-
nia.

Dr. Thomas began his professional career as an English teacher at the Loyola School, Thiruvanantha-
puram (1969-1970) followed by a three-year stint at Sainik School, Bijapur. In 1974 he was appointed
principal of the then highly-reputed Breeks Memorial School, Ooty (estb.1874). After serving for two
years as principal of Breeks which had a large number of children of expatriates, in 1977 Thomas took
the plunge to provide “children of India’s emerging new middle class globally comparable holistic K-12
education necessary to avail the full benefit of higher education” by promoting the Good Shepherd
Public School in a leased bungalow in Ooty with a first batch of 52 students mentored by 10 teachers.
The initial investment was raised from personal savings and loans from family and friends.

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Dr. Thomas’ new enterprise got off to a smooth start because of the “steady support” provided by
his wife and partner Elsamma whom he wed in 1971. A science graduate of Kerala University with a
postgraduate qualification in business administration with eight years’ experience as a middle school
teacher, Elsamma provided strong support and advice as headmistress and senior vice principal of the
new school. “I opted for the school teacher’s vocation because in the 1960s when I was in school I was
unable to develop my talents in public speaking, sports and music as academic excellence was the
be-all and end-all of education especially in day schools. From that time I resolved to establish a school
which would also develop the co-curricular and sports intelligences of children. Our big break came in
1979 when the Maharaja of Baroda magnanimously sold us his summer palace and grounds in Ooty
at a concessional price of Rs.15 lakh after learning that it would house a school. This spacious building
set on 15 acres became the Fernhill campus of GSIS and houses the junior school. Subsequently we
gradually acquired land to develop our 140 acre Palada campus which houses the senior school and
residential bungalows of our teachers,” recalls Dr. Thomas.

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