Singers Sagnik Sen, Anubha Banerjee donate for renovation of 118yrold building
LUCKNOW: Noted Bengali singers Sagnik Sen and Anubha Banerjee have extended their support to Boys’ Anglo Bengali Intermediate College in Sunderbagh here for raising funds to renovate its 118-yearold school building.
The building is in a dilapidated condition. Both the singers would be in Lucknow to perform at a charity event ‘A tribute to legendary singer Hemant Kumar’ organised by the school authorities in Ravindralaya on November 24.
Sagnik Sen has been honoured with prestigious ‘Academica Music Award of Hollywood’, while Anubha Banerji is an exponent of Rabindra Sangeet and an alumnus of Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan in West Bengal.
The management and teachers of school are excited with the positive response of Sen. They feel that his gesture would help them renovate the 118-year-old school building.
They have also alleged that except salaries, the government was not giving them any money to repair the school building where around 700 students from lower middle class families were enrolled.
Manager of the school, Ashish Bhattacharya said, “The government allocates only 10 paise as electricity fee, 15 paise as lab charges. In such a condition, how can the school survive? The school can’t take money from students as they are mostly from lower middle class families.”
He said, “The school is battling for survival. So, we have decided to organise a cultural programme to raise funds and draw attention of authorities and school’s alumni towards the problems. The entry in the programme would be possible through passes only.”
He said, “In the past, some of our teachers have spent on renovation of some parts of the building from their pocket but this time we need a bigger amount. So, we decided to plan something which can draw attention of Lucknowites towards the problems.”
Chemistry teacher, Nivedita Singh has donated ₹3.5 lakh for repairing the chemistry lab. Similarly, the biology lab was repaired with the contribution of biology teachers.
The school is also battling shortage of staff as the government is not allowing further appointments for class IV staff and peons. Singh said, “At times, we have to pick up broom and clean the classes and lab. Students also help us, but this is shameful for the system. Despite all odds, the school is producing over 90% result every year. It is because of the staff’s dedication.”