The Christian Brothers community spread throughout the world has one aim, “To educate the hearts and minds of the young”. In India, they do so through numerous institutions. During a short vacation during April, this year, I happened to visit a couple of them, namely, St Columba’s School, New Delhi and St. Joseph’s College, Nainital.

St. Columba’s School, New Delhi

St. Columba’s School, New Delhi is located between Gol Market and Gol Dakhana. It is an All-boys institution from pre-primary students to class 12. It shares a compound wall with the Convent of Jesus and Mary and another wall the Cathedral of Delhi. One very interesting fact about St. Columba’s is that the famous film star Shah Rukh Khan studied there. St. Columba’s has two playgrounds, many laboratories, a swimming pool and two libraries. The motto of the school is, “Sapere Aude Sincere et Constanter”, which means, “Dare to be wise and constant.”

St Joseph’s College, Nainital

St. Joseph’s College, Nainital is located in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is an All-Boys Boarding and Residential School from class 1 to 10. There are day scholars too. They accept girls too in classes 11 and 12, though there aren’t many. Owing to cold weather, they have blazers as part of their uniform and it looks pretty smart. The boys here are extremely well behaved and gentlemanly. Their facilities include a library, a gymnasium, a football field and a swimming pool (Although, I really can’t imagine swimming in such a cold weather). The facades of the school are of the colonial British era, which makes it look like it has popped right out of a story book. The motto of their school is, “Certa Bonum Certamen”, which means, “Fight the good fight”.

When you join a Christian Brother institution, you don’t just join a school. Instead, you join a whole, big family of the Christian Brothers community stretching throughout the globe.
( Written by Sara Paes)