Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, held their 163rd Annual Speech Day awarding boys across the school with prizes, school ties, certificates and cups. Bishop Cotton School is one of the oldest boarding schools in Asia, and was the first school to use the house system in India.
The hotly contested house prize went to Ibbetson House who won the traditional BCS ‘Cock House Shield’. The award is given out to the House that scores the most points in academics, sports and extra-curricular activities. Chief Guest Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, High Court of Himachal Pradesh presented the prizes and awards to the Cottonians’ in all subjects of school, including the Best All Round Student prizes and Good Conduct awards.
The School Captain and the BCS Director also gave speeches while recording the year’s experiences and triumphs of 2022.
Justice Goel stressed to the young audience to remain a diverse community as they go out into the world. He said, “You all live here as a family. You all live here with love and affection towards each other, which is the result of your personal bonding with each other and not a result of your cast, colour or creed. India, though it is a young country, it is a very old civilization. India is the land of Sadhus and Fakirs, India is the land of Gods and Goddesses, India is the land of Mother Teresa. It is this diverse culture of this country which you represent and when you leave the school, do not forget that if Bishop Cotton School can be a mini India, then why can’t India be a mini Bishop Cotton School? As you live cordially and harmoniously with each other in the premises of the school, please take a pledge that you will continue to live like this with all your countrymen.”
Justice Goel also inaugurated the new basketball/tennis court by the heritage chapel and started off the first match on the renovated court.
Bishop Cotton School is an institution rooted in history and tradition. Over decades, its alumni have included some of the most distinguished men in India and elsewhere. From the uniformed services to administrators, from businessmen and industrialists, to authors and actors, Bishop Cotton School has nurtured nascent talents and helped them come to fruition. This is a school that provides a child with a firm foundation to look capably and confidently to a global role in the years to come
