Sesquicentennial stamp

"Principals have come and gone, students have come and gone, teachers have come and gone, even governments have come and gone but BVS (Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi High School) has withstood all the tests of time,” remarked principal Kermin Parakh at the 150th year celebrations of the School. "This institution is not just a part of Karachi, it is the heart of Karachi. In fact... it is Karachi. A building which is more than 104 years, trees that are more than 100 years and knowledge imparted that cannot be measured in time,” she added.

To mark the occasion, the Pakistan Post had issued a five-rupee commemorative stamp which was released in the market on May 23, 2009. The 61.5 x 24 mm, multicolored rectangular stamp depicting the frontispiece of the School building was designed by Faizi Ameer Siddiqui. The 150-year logo was designed by Synergy, and the special calendar by Tenaz Minwalla and the Creative Unit.

Started with community subscriptions and donations as a small Parsi Balakshala in the residence of Dadabhoy Palonji Paymaster in 1859, the medium of instruction in the early years was Gujarati. The founder secretary and treasurer was Nanabhai Spencer with Mobed Nauroz­daru, the first teacher. On the passing away of his wife Virbaiji in 1869, the School’s greatest benefactor Shapurji Soparivala donated a further sum of Rs 10,000 on the condition that the School be named after his late wife. In 1875 the Parsi Virbaiji Soparivala School became Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi Anglo-Vernacular School. In October 1904 the eldest son of the founder, Khurshedji laid the foundation stone of the present School building on Victoria Road (now Abdullah Haroon Road). Following organizational restructuring in 1918 the School was bifurcated into Mama Parsi Girls School and Parsi Virbaiji School for boys. The coming years saw an extension of the School building, the introduction of formal English education, the School being raised to a High School and the adoption of the motto "Towards that Best Light.” In 1947, at the request of M. A. Jinnah, then principal Behram Rustomji opened the doors of the School to non-Parsis, making it one of the oldest and prestigious institutions for young boys in Karachi, a brief history of BVS is carried in the leaflet accompanying the stamp and first day cover. Among the other dynamic principals who had nurtured this School were Dr Maneck Pithawalla and Deena Mistri.

Under the stewardship of the present chairman Maj Gen Kaizad Soparivala and vice chairman Mehelli Dinshaw (both from the Soparivala family), the School introduced the Cambridge section as also two fully furnished libraries in 2006, has registered with AKU-IED (Aga Khan University-Institute for Educational Development) in 2008, and in 2009 upgraded two computer laboratories with the latest software and multimedia systems. With the new syllabi the management hopes to groom students to "become thinkers rather than rote learners,” the history and current highlights feature on the School’s website.