1. The old Building of the Government Bijai High School is a historic wooden structure that has witnessed an unprecedented growth of education for more than 14 decades not only in Mandi town but all over Mandi Sadar Tehsil area and elsewhere in the district.
2. This Institution has produced some of the top intellectuals in different fields. Old students of this school have won laurels at both National and International levels. To mention a few among them, the ex-students include Dr. B.C. Roy Award holders in medicine, Senior Professors in IITs, national level Politicians, army Generals up to the rank of Lt. General, members of Higher judiciary, Life time achievers in their professions, renowned Agricultural Scientists, senior Academicians and similar top level achievers. There is a long list of former students who have excelled in their respective fields of specialization and thus made significant contribution to the overall socio economic empowerment of the people of the state in particular and nation at large.
3. To mention in brief, this School was established in the name of Anglo Vernacular Middle School in the year 1866 and upgraded as High School and named Bijai High School in 1921 as a tribute to the founder of the school-the erstwhile ruler of Mandi state-Raja Bijai Sen. In due course in 1986, with the introduction of Senior Secondary classes, it was renamed Government Senior Secondary School.
4. With this background, the Old students Association of the School, has taken upon itself the task of not only bridging the missing links among former students and organizing socio cultural activities but highlighting the need for preserving the 142 years old alma mater of several thousands of students who have passed out and carved a history for themselves-a wooden structure that still stands out as a crown and a testimony of its excellence giving the nostalgic feeling of a by-gone era of generations that have been part of this great institution. The Association feels strongly to make the posterity to be a part of this movement.
5. The old grand wooden building (though not in use now) is still a treat to watch. If preserved and restored well, the Building can be converted into one of the tourist destination in the town. As the situation stands today, this building may not be in a totally depilated condition but could soon victim of vagaries of weather conditions and more particularly the continuing neglect.
6. In the context of the historical importance of this 142 years old school, the old Students Association requests the Himachal Pradesh Government to declare it as a Heritage Building and taken necessary steps to preserve and maintain it to the level of its past glory.
7. Since this process may take time and the old Building requires immediate attention, the Association urges the Deputy Commissioner to get the status report or the Building from concerned department like PWD, Revenue, Language & Culture. The Association is particularly concerned about fire hazards, rain water leakages and other factors related to neglect of the building.
8. The Association would further request the District Administration to take interim measures for the up keep of the building till some specific action plan is sanctioned for this purpose. On its part, the Association assures full cooperation and help to the extent possible in complementing and supplementing the efforts of District Authority in this regard.
The Association sincerely hopes that some urgent relief would be forthcoming from the District administration.
