On this day, Barasat Government School, which later came to be known as Barasat Peary Charan Sarkar High School, was set up by its founder-headmaster Peary Charan Sarkar.

Scholar, teacher and champion of women’s rights, Sarkar founded another school in the area the following year. With brothers Nabin Krishna Mitra and Kalikrishna Mitra providing financial support, Sarkar set up a school for girls that was later renamed Kalikrishna Girls’ High School.

John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune was impressed by this school before he started Bethune School for girls in Calcutta.

Sarkar worked as the headmaster of Barasat Government School till 1854, when he was appointed headmaster of Colootollah School, later Hare School.

Sarkar is also the author of First Book, a primary English textbook that was widely read for a long time.

For suggestions on dates/events mail us at: yesterdate@abp.in