The ceiling of the main hall of the abandoned portion of Government Boys School, Sultan Bazaar, collapsed on Thursday. Nobody was injured as the incident happened early in the morning, according to eye-witnesses.
The school building was built in 1866 in what used to be called Chudderghat area, using private donations. The classrooms built on either side of the hall were abandoned some time ago after classrooms were built in the open area of the school complex which also houses the Sultan Bazar Clock Tower. The long high ceiling had asbestos ceiling held up by wooden rafters and beams and a gaping hole opened up after Thursday’s collapse.
Among the alumni of the school are former President Zakir Hussain, former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh T. Anjaiah, Rajya Sabha member K. Kesava Rao and a host of other well-known people. Promises of maintenance and repair were made frequently but nothing had happened.
Poet Sarojini Naidu’s father Aghornath Chattopadhyay was briefly associated with the school. While working as headmaster of the school, Marmaduke Pickhtall translated the Koran into English.
The school with the clock tower forms an important stop in heritage walks conducted in the area.
