134-Year-Old Chennai School Reunites With Alumni for Revival

After 134 years of educating children in Chennai's Purasawalkam neighborhood, Sir M.Ct. M Higher Secondary School is calling on its past to help shape its future. The government-aided institution hosted its first major alumni reunion on January 26, welcoming hundreds of former students back to campus with a mission: help us shine again.

The school that once served 3,000 students now teaches just 500, a decline that reflects broader challenges facing Tamil medium schools in North Chennai. Started in 1891, the institution once offered English, Tamil, and Telugu instruction and operated a hostel for older students.

Today, the campus shows its age. Headmaster V. Elangovan, who has worked there for 27 years, admits the school struggles to maintain its sprawling grounds. The website needs updating, and the infrastructure requires attention that the management cannot provide alone.

That's where the alumni come in. The school has organized eight WhatsApp groups, one for each decade of graduates, to coordinate support and engagement. Secretary Nandini Valli Muthiah's leadership team is working with former students to create a formal alumni association with volunteers ready to contribute ideas and time.

The school serves mostly economically disadvantaged families, charging just 50 rupees annually for PTA membership. Despite financial constraints, it offers nine different academic groups in higher secondary classes and remains one of the few schools in North Chennai teaching Tamil as a first language.

The Ripple Effect

The reunion drew notable alumni including Justice Lakshmi Narayan and cardiologist Dr. Chockalingam, who shared memories and encouraged current students. C. S. Vikgnesh Kumar, who graduated in 1984, says alumni are planning to create a corpus fund to support various initiatives.

The goal extends beyond fixing buildings. Alumni will mentor current students, run engagement programs, and help improve enrollment by reminding the community what makes the school special. Former students living across India and abroad will stay connected through an upgraded digital presence.

For a school that has weathered more than a century of changes, this reunion represents more than nostalgia. It's hundreds of people who succeeded in life coming back to ensure the next generation gets the same chance they did.