Shomie Das, a distinguished educationist and the only person to have headed three of India’s leading traditional schools (Mayo College, Lawrence School, Sanawar and The Doon School), passed away late on Monday night in Hyderabad, 10 days after his 89th birthday.
His death comes shortly after the release of The Man Who Saw Tomorrow, a book celebrating his important contributions to education.
Das’s exceptional career was marked by his commitment to fostering curiosity, self-discovery and critical thinking. He graduated from St. Xavier’s College, the University of Calcutta and the University of Cambridge before beginning his teaching career at Gordonstoun School, where his pupils included Prince Charles. He served as Headmaster of Mayo College from 1969 to 1974, Headmaster of Lawrence School, Sanawar, until 1988, and then of Doon School. His tenure in these roles left an indelible mark on the educational landscape.
Rudrangshu Mukherjee, chancellor of Ashoka University and a personal acquaintance of Das, praised Das’ visionary methods and said, “Shomie’s ideas on education transcend the conventional notion of what education is. He has never believed that education is only about getting good marks in examinations. His ideas go back to the root of the word – educere, from the Latin for “to draw out.”
Mukherjee also said: “He is the only person I know who has been the headmaster of three major public schools in the country. His relationship with the Doon School was particularly personal. His grandfather helped found the school and becoming its headmaster was like coming home for him.”
Retired General BS Danoha, who met Das when he was 13 in 1974, recalled: “A well-dressed, elegant gentleman who really cared about children and their education. He left his mark on our class of 1980 and we revered him and Mrs. Das.”
Danoha highlighted Das’ dedication, saying, “In our final year in 1979, he took all the prefects of the school, girls and boys, on a beautiful trek to the Sangla Valley in Himachal and exposed us to the beauty of nature. His contacts in the academic world in India and abroad were wide and he ensured that the potential he saw in his students was given the best chance to grow and prosper by placing them in the best universities and colleges.”
Shivraj Parshad, Senior Vice President, Avian WE and an alumnus of The Doon School, shared his personal experiences: “I remember Das keeping a close eye on me at school. When I was being bullied, he would step in to support me and even defend me from disciplinary action by my principal. This intervention demonstrated his deep understanding of the challenges faced by students.”
Parshad also recalled Das’s touch of humour, noting, “He once wrote on my report card, ‘Excellent, better than my father, I wonder where he got that from.’ My father, who was a friend of Das, was amused and a little embarrassed by that comment.”
Parshad says: “He was an academic and, unlike an administrator, he understood the spirit of schools, education and children. He saw potential in children beyond the student-teacher relationship.”
Naga Tummala, author of The Man Who Saw Tomorrow, reflected on Das’s enduring optimism in his book: “Shomie is an incurable optimist. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from him, it’s this: there’s no point in being an educator without believing in the potential of our children, our future.”
Read also: LEAD Group launches ‘TECHBOOK’, which aims to transform traditional textbook-based learning
Das’ legacy lives on in the many schools he helped create and the countless lives he enriched. His approach to education, marked by a deep understanding of students beyond their academic achievements, will be remembered with great respect and admiration. As Mukherjee says, “He taught students to become good people and good citizens of India. More than seeing tomorrow, I think he was committed to tomorrow.”
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.