The Sikh community, before partition, built many schools in this region to promote education, and their efforts deserve high appreciation and praise. A couple of them I have already visited. One such school is formerly Khalsa High School, Rawalpindi. It is a very famous school and its history too is widely known, due to the interest shown by many vloggers and social media content creators. I too was eager to visit it.
In my previous post about Gurdwara Akalgarh, Rawalpindi, I wrote about how, in order to obtain permission to enter the school, I met Mr. Shahenshah Babur Khan, the District Education Officer. His name is regal, but his demeanour is soft and humble. He was very pleased to learn about my interest in history and heritage. He not only granted me permission to visit the school but also suggested that I visit another historic school, located a short distance from his office. He was so kind that he even offered to accompany me on this visit. It was a Friday, and we planned to go there at the earliest on Monday, September 19, 2025.
The school is located at 33°37'48.36"N, 73° 3'46.97"E, on Saidpur Road. This school was built in 1913 and at that time, it must have been on the edge of the city. Some sources claim that a school was established during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and later on, during the British rule, was given the status of a High School. An article in Dawn, published on June 16, 2019, gives the following information about the school.
For more than 200 years, the Government Muslim Higher Secondary School on Saidpur Road has continued to impart education to students.
In 1813, during Sikh rule in Punjab before the arrival of the British, a small school was opened to provide education to the local Sikh community.
Under colonial rule, the small religious school was given high school status, and moved to a new building in 1913 spread over more than 100 kanals of land to accommodate more students. The school also opened its doors to other communities, such as Hindus and Muslims.
Then known as Khalsa High School, the institution became one of the biggest schools in the district and taught many people in northern Punjab.
Impressive facade of the school. (19.09.2025.)
The façade is a two-storey structure. On close observation, I realised that it was not a closed structure but open at the front with three arches, which have now been sealed, with one designed as the mihrab of a mosque. This hall now serves as a mosque. The mosque, originally a verandah, has three doors leading to a huge hall at the back. Two plaques are fixed on the wall of this main hall.
An entrance to the main hall. (19.09.2025.)
ਵਿਦਯਾਵੀਚਾਰੀ ਤਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਓਪਕਰੀ
੧ ਓ ਸਤਿ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦ
ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਹਾਈ ਸਕੂਲ
ਗਵਾਲਮੰਡੀ ਦੀ ਇਮਾਰਤ ਦਾ ਇਹ ਪਥਰ
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਹਜੂਰ ਸਰ ਮਾਈਕਲ ਫਰੈਸਿਸ
ਓ ਡਵਾਇਰ ਕੇ. ਸੀ. ਅੇਸ. ਅਈ.
ਲੈਫ਼ਟੀਨੰਟ ਗਵਰਨਰ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਨੇ ਰਖਿਆ
ਮਿਤੀ ਸਾਵਨ ਦਿਨ ੧੭ ਸੰ: ੪੪੪ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ
وِدیا وِچاری تاں پروپکاری
(جو شخص علم پر غور و فکر کرتا ہے، وہ دوسروں کا ہمدرد اور مددگار بن جاتا ہے۔)
1 اونکار ست گرو پرساد
(ایک ازلی و ابدی حقیقت (اک اونکار) ہے، جو سچے گرو کے فضل سے پہچانی جاتی ہے۔)
خالصہ ہائی سکول
راولپنڈی دی عمارت دا ایہہ پتھر
سری حضور سر مائیکل فرانسس
او ڈوائِر کے۔ سی۔ ایس۔ آئی۔
لیفٹیننٹ گورنر پنجاب نے رکھیا
مِتی ساون دن 17 سن: 444 گرو نانک دیو (1913 ء)
One who reflects upon knowledge becomes benevolent (helpful to others)
There is One Eternal Reality (Ik Oaṅkār), realized by the true Guru’s grace (Satgur Parsād).
KHALSA HIGH SCHOOL
This building's foundation stone was laid by the Honourable Sir Michael Francis O'Dwyer K.S.C.I., Lieutenant Governor of Punjab.
Date: Swan 17, 444 Guru Nank Dev (1913 AD)
____________________________________________
THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE
KHALSA HIGH SCHOOL
RAWAL PINDI
WAS LAID BY
H.H.SIR MICHAEL FRANCIS
O'DWYER * K.C.S.I.
Lieut. Governor of The PUNJAB
ON 1ST AUGUST 1913
LIST OF PRINCIPAL DONORS
Estate Sardar Sohan Singh, Sardar Mohan Singh Rs. 6,000
Raghunath Mandir Committe Through Sardar Sohan Singh Rs. 1,600
Sardar Sohan Singh Rs. 1,001
Sardar Bahadur Sardar Mohan Singh Rs. 1,000
Ch. Ram Singh Sawhney Land & Cash Rs. 500
R.B.S Boota Singh Timber Rs. 1,500 & Cash Rs. 500
Sardar Bahdur Malik Mohan Singh Rs. 1,100
His Highness The Mahraja of Faridkot Rs. 1,000
Malik Chhaibar Singh in Memory of his wife Shrimati Bhagwanti Rs. 1,000
Sardar Bahdur Captain Damodar Singh Rs. 1,000
Sardarni Bishen Devi Rs. 1,000
Sardar Narain Singh Rs. 670
Sardar Taba Singh, Baldev Singh in memory of their brother Balbir Singh Rs. 640
Sardar Bachel Singh Rs. 500
The left wing of the school. (19.09.2025.)
Beautiful lawn in the west wing. (19.09.2025.)
A plaque fixed on a wall in the left wing. (19.09.2025.)The main hall, looking from the left side. (19.09.2025.)
A verandah. (19.09.2025.)
Beautifully built round, and pointed arches. (19.09.2025.) Offices of the school. (19.09.2025.)
The right wing of the school. (19.09.2025.)
A classroom. (19.09.2025.)
Another view of the right wing. (19.09.2025.)
This banyan tree is also historic, as it is said to be older than the school. (19.09.2025.)
The main hall of the school. (19.09.2025.)
Another view of the hall. (19.09.2025.)
At the beginning of the article, I mentioned my meeting with Mr Shahenshah Babur Khan, the District Education Officer. With his cooperation, the visit to this school was very interesting and informative. Besides this school, he informed me about many such historic schools in the area. Which we shall visit in future, whenever opportunity arises. His knowledge, not only about the schools, but history and historical places in general is remarkable. I am sure with his help and guidance, I shall be able to write more on similar interesting and informative subjects.
The writer with Mr Shahenshah Babur Khan (left), the District Education Officer. (19.09.2025.)
September 25, 2025.
Islamabad
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