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Shomi Das, a distinguished educator and the only principal of three of India’s premier schools — Mayo College, Lawrence School, Sanawar and The Doon School — died in Hyderabad late on Monday, 10 days after his 89th birthday.
His demise comes soon after the release of The Man Who Saw Tomorrow, a book commemorating his significant contributions to the field of education.
Das’ extraordinary career was characterised by a commitment to fostering curiosity, self-discovery and critical thinking. He graduated from St Xavier’s College, the University of Calcutta and the University of Cambridge and then began his teaching career at Gordonstoun School, where his students included Prince Charles. He served as principal of Mayo College from 1969 to 1974, headmaster at Lawrence School, Sanawar until 1988 and then at The Doon School. His tenure in these roles left an indelible mark on the educational landscape.
Rudrangshu Mukherjee, Chancellor of Ashoka University and a personal acquaintance of his, praised Das’ visionary approach, saying, “Shomi’s ideas about education go beyond the conventional notion of education. He never believed that education means only doing well in examinations. His ideas go to the root of the word – educere in Latin, which means to draw out.”
Mukherjee also said, “He is the only person I know who has been the head of three of the country’s leading public schools. His association with The Doon School was particularly personal. His grandfather had helped establish the school and becoming its headmaster was like a homecoming for him.”
Retired Major General B S Danoha, who first met Das in 1974 as a 13-year-old, recalled him as “a stylish and well-dressed gentleman who genuinely cared for children and was concerned about how to educate them. He left his mark among our class of 1980 and we respected him and Mrs Das.”
Danoha highlights Das’s dedication, saying, “In our final year in 1979, he took all the school principals, girls and boys on a beautiful trip to the Sangla Valley in Himachal and introduced us to the beauty of nature. He had extensive contacts in the academic world in India and abroad and he ensured that the potential he saw in his school children was given the best chance to grow and prosper, so that our children got admission to the best colleges and institutes of higher learning.”
Sharing his personal experience, Shivraj Parshad, Senior Vice President, Avion WE and a Doon School alumnus, said, “I remember Das keeping a close eye on me during school. When I faced bullying, he stood by me and even defended me from disciplinary actions by my housemaster. This intervention shows his deep understanding of the challenges students face.”
The councillor also recalled Das’ sense of humour, saying, “He once wrote in my report card, ‘Excellent, even better than dad, wonder where he got it from.’ My father, who was Das’ friend, was amused and slightly embarrassed by the remark.”
“He was an educationist and different from an administrator, he understood schools, education and the character of children. He saw potential in children beyond the student-master relationship,” says the councillor.
Naga Tummala, author of The Man Who Saw Tomorrow, reflected on Das’ enduring optimism in his book, “Shomei is an incurable optimist. And if I’ve learnt anything from him, it’s this. There’s no point in being a teacher without believing in the potential of our children, in our future.”
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Das’ legacy lives on through the many schools he helped shape and the countless lives he enriched. His approach to education, marked by his profound understanding of what went beyond the academic achievements of students, will be remembered with great respect and admiration. As Mukherjee says, “He taught students to be good individuals and good citizens of India. More than looking at yesterday, I think he was committed to tomorrow.”
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