St. Paul's School, Darjeeling, is one of the oldest, most storied, and most distinguished schools in India — a public school with a heritage stretching back more than two centuries. Founded in 1823 by John William Ricketts, the school was transferred to Darjeeling in 1864 and established on the hill of Jalapahar at an elevation of nearly 7,500 feet above sea level — making it one of the highest-altitude public schools in the world.
History of St. Paul's School
St. Paul's School was originally established in Calcutta in 1823 to meet the educational needs of the growing British and Anglo-Indian community. In 1864, the school was relocated to Darjeeling — a decision driven principally by health considerations and the belief that the invigorating Himalayan climate would better support the ideal of "a healthy mind in a healthy body," central to the centuries-old Public School tradition.
The site chosen at Jalapahar — a spur of the Darjeeling hills about one kilometre south of the main town — provided a combination of altitude, scenery, and distance from urban distractions that was considered ideal for the educational formation of young men.
