The principal of La Martiniere for Boys, John Rafi, has resigned from the post.

Rafi, who will continue as principal till June 30, sent his resignation letter to Reverend Paritosh Canning, the bishop of the Calcutta diocese of the Church of North India and president of the school’s board of governors, on Tuesday.

Vice-principal P.A. John Stephen will function as acting principal till the next head is appointed, the school said.

Rafi, a physics teacher, was the vice-principal of the school for three years before taking over as principal on April 1, 2015. He succeeded Sunirmal Chakravarthi, who had resigned as principal a few months before.

“It is a mixed feeling now. Just as I am getting ready to take on new challenges, I have profound attachment to La Martiniere for Boys. La Martiniere is such a place that it grows on you and I will always hold it dear to my heart,” Rafi told The Telegraph.

He was with La Martiniere, Lucknow, for seven years before moving to the Calcutta school as vice-principal in 2012.

The secretary of the La Martiniere schools, Supriyo Dhar, on Wednesday issued a circular announcing the change.

“This is to inform all concerned that Mr John Rafi, principal, La Martiniere for Boys, has tendered his resignation from the post of Principal, La Martiniere for Boys, with effect from 11th May, 2021. His resignation has duly been accepted by the competent authority and accordingly he will be released from his post with effect from 30th June, 2021,” the circular said.

During his tenure as principal, Rafi introduced activities in both academic and co-curricular calendars of the school.

In 2017, he had introduced a fest for children from underprivileged families. For the middle school, he introduced the Inter La Martiniere cricket match and an exchange programme.

For the junior school, Rafi introduced a system where each child would learn a new activity every year. He also started an open-air concert for Class V students.