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Martin George
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One of England’s oldest schools is all set to foray into India and Calcutta may be part of the expansion plan.
Durham School recently announced its plan to set up day and boarding schools in several Indian cities, in partnership with the city-based IKC Holdings (Infinity Group).
The co-educational institutes will cater to students aged three to 18 and are likely to be affiliated to the International Baccalaureate.
“While I was researching on which country we could go to first, I found that India has the appetite for education. We are not here just to provide another school. The heart and soul of Durham School must be there. We will inspect the new institutions and make sure the standards are met,” Martin George, the headmaster of Durham School, said at a press conference in the city.
“The beauty of this partnership is that despite being a Durham School, every school will be unique. The spirit of Durham won’t change but the Indian schools are likely to be larger,” George said.
The headmaster stressed that Calcutta would be an important milestone in Durham’s journey to India. “Calcutta is our top priority since this is the place from where the whole process started.”
Infinity Group members agreed. “We are from Calcutta and the city will always be our priority,” said Ravindra Chamaria, the chairman. “We have already inspected several sites in Bangalore, Goa, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Calcutta and Lavasa. We need around 25 to 35 acres in a good location.”
The cost of setting up each school would be around Rs 100 crore.
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