Holy Mary Institution was established in Feb 1948 on the insistent request from Rev. Fr. Roch, the then parish priest of Our Lady of Good Health Shrine In Khairatabad and with the kind permission of his Lordship Rt. Rev. D. Vismara, Bishop of Hyderabad.
Despite hard times in the beginnings of the first community of three Sisters Sr. Josephine Pedoia, Sr. Lorenzina Colaco and Sr. Colette Antony went ahead trusting in God's providence to open a School and Dispensary to cater to the needs of the poor people of Saifabad - A forlorn village in Hyderabad city.Sr. Josephine Pedoia was put in charge of the dispensary. Sr. Lorenzina Colaco was appointed as the Headmistress of the new born school which at the initial stage was in a small tin shed in the parish church premises to cater to the moral, physical and intellectual growth of the children.
The Sisters began the school by gathering the children from the CHINTAL BASTI SLUMS and the POLICE BAND QUARTERS. There were 50 Children on the 1st day. They varied in age - from 5 to 15 years - Speaking Urdu, Tamil and English. Steadily the number increased to 150 comprising of various castes and creeds.
The then Inspectress - Mrs. Sophia was invited for inspection. She expressed that the school looks like Shanti Niketan. With her fine report, approached the Education Department for recognition and grant in-aid. By March 1949 we got the permanent recognition and grant in-aid of Rs. 4444/- for one year.
The school made rapid progress in the field of discipline and academic performance. The annual inspection reports were in praise of the smooth management of the school. Hence the government was pleased to recognize the school. In August 1948 the Headmistress Sr. Lorenzina was transferred and Sr. Celine took up the charge. Till 1949 the school was entirely managed by Fr. Roch who on obtaining the permission handed over the management of the school completely to the Sisters of Charity.
Since our Church (Our Lady of Good Health) was a Pilgrim Centre, many people used to visit the church daily and there was a lot of disturbance hence concentration was not possible. This made Sr. Celine feel to search for an ideal place to conduct the school. The present site where the Holy Mary is functioning was vacant with a store house belonging to the Nizam. Mother Antoinette gave permission to apply for this land. From then on Holy Mary started functioning in the 5 rooms of the store house.
In 1951 the government was pleased to grant a plot of ground on lease and recognized the school as a full-fledged PRIMARY SCHOOL.
In 1952 the strength of the students rose to 400 and the staff too increased with three more sisters.
In 1953 a newly constructed building was inaugurated as CAPITANIO SCHOOL with English as the medium of Instruction. The Montessori classes and a tutorial class in English were opened for the children of the Military personnel. In June 1955 the school commenced with a change of sisters.
In the year 1955 Sr. Celine the Headmistress was substituted by Sr. Ernestina Vaz, Sr. Sylvia D’Silva joined the community. The same year Holy Mary’s school was a full-fledged MIDDLE SCHOOL with parallel classes in Telugu and English medium. The government was pleased by the commitment of the Sisters and the Staff.
Till 1956 the school sisters had no house of their own. They were living together with the hospital staff in a small tin shed. Since both the hospital and the school were growing fast with patients and students, more personnel on the staff was needed. Hence on 10th September 1956 the school was shifted to the present school premises. Great were the sacrifices borne by the sisters for the successful upbringing of the three institutions: Holy Mary School, Capitiano School and Vijay Marie Hospital.
In 1957 Capitanio School had its highest class the V Standard with English medium. It had 534 students on roll and the higher primary had 367 students with 8 sister teachers and 9 lay teachers. 1958 was an unforgettable year for the twin schools. Capitanio and Holy Mary had a total strength of 1000. In 1959 the Holy Mary School sent up students of VII class for Common examination. Both secured good results. A thorough inspection and a good report pleased the government to sanction a big plot of ground for the ever out pouring of children. In June Holy Mary had 15 classes with 544 pupils and Capitanio 17 classes with 741 pupils on roll. There were 10 Sister teachers and 33 lay teachers.
June 1960 marked a happy event in the annals of Saifabad that is the opening of the High School sections in Holy Mary. October 8th 1961 was a remarkable day, the management, staff and students laid the foundation stone of the existing building of Holy Mary. In 1962 the government granted a lease for 99 years and gave permission to build the school.
On June 9th 1965 the two schools Capitanio and Holy Mary merged into one school under one Headmistress, Sr. Sylvia D’Silva. The strength of the school was 1410. Girls 1129, boys 281. Sister teachers 11. Lay teachers 48. Sr. Sylvia D’Silva was replaced by Sr. Joan Rasquina as Headmistress. The strength of the school was 1265.
Sr. Severina Peters
Sr. Flaminia Ghiraldi
On 12th May 1966 Sr. Joan was replaced by Sr. Severina Peters as the Headmistress. In the same year the compound wall was built as an enclosure for the triangular bit of land. In 1969 Holy Mary was chosen for the first time as the centre for the H.S.C and S.S.C examination. On 29th January 1970 the first superior of Holy Mary passed away after a period of three months intense suffering. The Holy Mary Institution owes much to her sacrificial services.The sisters learn in prayer to keep alive the enthusiasm of their vocation and dedicate themselves to be the signs of the tenderness of God.
Sr. Dionisia Thumma
In June 1971 Sr. Severina the Headmistress was transferred and Sr. Dionisia Thumma took charge as the Headmistress.
Rev. S. Arulappa
Rev. Fr. Roch
February 19, 1973, was designated as a Red Letter Day in observance of the School’s Silver Jubilee Celebration. The event included a Thanksgiving Mass presided over by His Grace Rev. S. Arulappa, the Archbishop of Hyderabad, with Rev. Fr. Roch, the parish priest.
The High School Sections received an order of distinction in 1974 for their exceptional accomplishments. In 1977, a mere three years later, work on the high school's new right wing began. In 1978, S. Arulappa Archbishop of Hyderabad opened the school exhibition in addition to presiding over the inauguration of the new school hall. 🎖️
Sr. Antonia Joseph
In 1980, we had a special event: the inauguration of the Parents Teachers Association. Nearly 100 parents participated actively in the discussion, offering enthusiastic suggestions. Following this event, a committee was formed, comprising 30 dedicated members. 1981 The first catechetical seminar was conducted in our school by Fr. Arla and Miss Evangeline. To raise funds for the construction of a few more classrooms to accommodate more students, Raffle draw and a Cultural event at Ravindra Bharathi were held. Sr. Antonia Joseph comes in as the new Head Mistress in place of Sr. Dionisia. 🎉
Sr. Apoline Gonsalves
Camp
The Guides Camp was held at our school in 1983. In 1985 Our guides were awarded I and II prizes for First Aid by Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma the Governor of A.P. In 1987 Sr. Apoline Gonsalves was appointed as the Head Mistress in place of Sr. Antonia Joseph. 🏆
Mother General Sr. Constantina Kersbamer
Official Inauguration Of the Jubilee Block
Sr. Ella Varkey
In 1995, a portion of the garden was transformed into the K.G. Class playground. The following year, in 1996, the foundation stone was laid for the Golden Jubilee K.G. Block. Inauguration of the Jubilee Year and the Jubilee Block Mother General Sr. Constantina Kersbamer Cutting the Ribbon Official Inauguration of the Jubilee Block Sr. Ella Varkey was welcomed as the new Headmistress in the year 1997.
Sr. Ella
Golden Jubilee of Holy Mary
On the 12th of June 1997, Sr. Ella took charge as the Headmistress of the school. A strong and determined administrator with a diplomatic yet humane attitude took up some developmental activities. The most significant was the construction of the L.K.G. block THE GOLDEN JUBILEE BLOCK, under the guidance of Correspondent and Superior Sr. Alice Crasta. During her tenure the school marked the 'Golden Jubilee' with grandeur, highlighting the ethos of the institution. A computer lab was set up to keep pace with the growing technology. It was inaugurated by Mr. Atkinson who also donated ten computers to our school. In the year 2005, Sr. Philomena Thomas took over as the Correspondent of the school. In the same year, Holy Mary High School was adjudged as the Best School in the twin cities. The Best School Award was received by Sr. Ella and awarded by Sri Swaranjit Sen I.P.S. Her tenure marked a landmark achievement in the field of sports by raising a young gymnast to reach the International Level. B. Aruna created a sensation at the 33rd National Games. She won the gold for two consecutive years. Today she has become an icon in the field of Athletics. 🥇
Our Young Achiever Aruna
Pooja Singh brought laurels by winning Taekwondo at the national level. Sri Ramya Pratyusha bagged 1st rank at the district level in Class VII. In the year 2005, Sr. Anna Mary replaced Sr. Philomena Thomas as the Correspondent. Good deeds penetrate like deep roots and their harvest never perishes. Mr. Veerabhadra Chary, a compassionate soul sponsored uniform and books for the poor students for many years. Under the guidance of Tej Deep Kaur I.A.S. Traffic Commando, a Student Voluntary Organisation was initiated. Mrs. Sania Mirza, Tennis Champion graced the occasion for the Investiture Ceremony of Traffic Commandos. High School students were given training to control traffic and parking in the wee hours of the morning at the school gate and during school celebrations like Annual Day, etc. The SUPW exhibition was inaugurated by Sr. Anna Mary to enhance vocational skills among students. District Science Level Exhibition was conducted and well appreciated. 🏅
Sr. Ella
Sr. Lilly Daniel
God raises those who toil. To add to her credentials, Sr. Ella was the proud recipient of the Prestigious Best Principal's Award. She had the privilege of visiting the Governor at Raj Bhavan. In the year 2007, BICENTENARY CELEBRATIONS of the birth of St. Bartolomea was celebrated with spiritual fervour.
Above all this, she experienced the miracle of God in the most trivial moments of her life. She strongly believed that: "Faith can move mountains". Sr. Ella was replaced by Sr. Lilly Daniel, who took charge as Headmistress in August 2007. An innovative, self-motivated and committed Sr. Lilly Daniel brought about many infrastructural changes. In the year 2005, Sr. Anna Mary Thumma was appointed as Superior for a short span. She undertook the supervision and construction of a building to provide better sanitary facilities to students and 10 classrooms for the Primary sections. This was completed in February 2010 and inaugurated by the then Asst General Sr. Cicily Augustine.
In the year 2008, a new section to L.K.G. was initiated due to parents demand. Ever since Sr. Christine Rebello took charge as Correspondent, the school saw many major changes in the campus. In the year 2010, a BASKETBALL COURT was constructed to enhance games and sports skills among students which was inaugurated in January. A School Alumni Association was formed in the year 2011. P.T.A. was reconstituted with proper aims and objectives. Beginning with changes in infrastructure, a computer lab, science lab, fee counter extension, leveling of the playground, shed over the entire school terrace, installation and coverage of C.C.T.V. of the classrooms were undertaken.
An R.O. plant was installed to facilitate safe drinking water. The computer lab was shifted to the Middle school block. To create a spiritual atmosphere a prayer room was provided. The stage was renovated to provide more space for cultural activities. A well-designed auditorium in the High School block was renovated to provide a good environment to hold seminars, celebrations etc. A well-furnished counseling room was set up and a school counselor was appointed to help students balance their psychological fears and instill confidence. At the request of the P.T.A. members, the pattern of the school uniform was changed. A projector was installed in the auditorium. Rain harvesting pits were dug to foresee the scarcity of water, especially during the summer season and also to educate students on water conservation techniques. Under the dynamic leadership of Sr. Lilly Daniel, the school progressed steadily in diversified fields. 🙌
Sr. Ruby Jacob
The statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary
the corridors were beautified with granite stones
Sr. Ruby Jacob took over as Headmistress in the year 2017. Her tenure was very short. As the world was struck by the deadly pandemic Covid-19, Sr. Ruby with utmost faith in God took up the challenge with serenity. A focused and conscientious administrator took the task confidently and carried out her administration diligently. Online digital training classes were given to the teachers to facilitate online classes for students effectively. The pillars and the walls in the corridors were beautified with granite stones. A railing was set up near the Golden Jubilee block and the area around the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary was beautified with a lovely garden. She was compassionate and generous during the pandemic Covid-19. Though her tenure was short, with Unceasing love and dedication she served the institution and believed in the power of prayer. St. Catherine of Siena quotes, “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.” This well defines Sr. Ruby Jacob.🌱
Sr. Meena
Sr. Meena Fernandes took charge as the Headmistress in June 2022. A multi-faceted personality with strong organizational skills, a true visionary, a passionate administrator and a disciplinarian ventured into multiple goals for development in various fields. In the year 2022, the High School ground renovation was completed, replacing the mud ground with parking tiles and also parking tiles were laid in front of the Golden Jubilee block for fencing and two iron grill gates were constructed on either side of the High School ground to provide safety for students and smooth functioning of the school especially during SSC Public Examinations, Civil Exams (UPSC, etc). The Sports room was well equipped with sports equipments.
Sr. Laila Mary Francis
R.O. water purifier was installed
the stage was renovated, steps were constructed
An R.O. water purifier was installed and was inaugurated by the Correspondent and Superior Sr. Laila Mary Francis. Ten more taps were provided for drinking water foreseeing the increasing strength of students. Life is daring venture as you set out into unexplored territory to unravel the beauty and leave footprints on the sands of time. With this determination, Sr. Meena took up infrastructural, sanitation, construction and many other activities for the betterment of the institution. Sr. Amala Mary took charge as the Correspondent and Superior in July 2023 replacing Sr. Laila Mary Francis. In the same year, since the school was marking the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the stage was renovated, steps were constructed and the railing was replaced to provide better facilities for performances and cultural activities. Water dispensers were provided for the staff in all the blocks.
A play area was set up for the primary children
A play area was set up for the primary children to relax and enjoy. The entire campus was colour washed and beautiful paintings of St. Bartheloma and St. Vincentza Gerosa, paintings depicting nature and biodiversity, moral thoughts, wise sayings etc., gave a serene look to the school campus. A kitchen was set up near the High School staircase for the preparation of tea, snacks etc. for the staff and guests. The school auditorium was furnished with LED lights with the contribution of the ex-students of the 1979 batch. The prayer room was also modified. A Holy Cross, Stations of the Cross and Divine Mercy picture were placed to create a spiritual ambiance for the staff and students. The school fee counter was furnished with cupboards showcasing the prizes, shields and cups won in various events and also photo frames with inspiring quotes.
A borewell was dug foreseeing the future needs of the school as well as for the needs of the parking area used by Vijay Marie Hospital. The major change was the demolishing of the Primary Block old building. Since the parking area was constructed by the Sisters of Vijay Marie Hospital...
Two more floors were constructed in the Golden Jubilee block to accommodate the primary students. A shed was put up in front of the office for miscellaneous purposes. Foreseeing the global changes in the field of education, smart boards were installed for the Primary and High...
School blocks. Sports training in Basketball, Volleyball, Throw ball and Kho-Kho is given by expert trainee coaches early morning on the school premises. Focusing on the vision and mission of the institution, a spiritual fraternity group was created in which Catholic teachers participate.
School fetes were conducted to raise funds for developmental activities. Many retired teachers, ex-students and existing staff expressed their gratitude through their monetary contributions and sponsored prizes for the Raffle draw. Apart from these, Sr. Meena equipped teachers through thought-provoking stories, food for thought and inspiring messages to keep up the realm of ethical and moral values. The school assemblies are well conducted involving the school community in various social, spiritual, patriotic, intellectual and psychological aspects.To highlight a few, Novena celebrations during the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Patroness of our school and Lenten practices to enhance faith formation. Christmas celebrations were a grandeur, where the poor and marginalized enjoyed the spirit of Christmas through fellowship meals, gifts, etc.Sr. Meena's motto all through her journey has been
Going through the history of the school over the past years, we realize, how difficult the beginnings were, yet our senior sisters have strove with might and main to plod on, despite the hurdles they encountered. It was the Grace of God that made them walk steadily on the path of charity, for the good of the needy, and for the glory of God, in accordance with the Charism of our Institute. Today we are reaping the fruit of their untiring efforts, to further the Kingdom of God, in accordance with the need of the times, in the context in which the Lord has placed us. May we continue to be witnesses of His love and mercy, to those we serve, following the example of our senior sisters, by walking in the footsteps of our Saints, in imitation of our beloved Redeemer, and thus bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God.
