Patient ear: Leader of Opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui exchanges a few words with chief minister Nitish Kumar at Patna High School’s alumni meet on Sunday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, April 3: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today promised Leader of the Opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui a hostel for the students of Patna High School.

The chief minister was speaking at the alumni meet of Patna High School, the alma mater of Siddiqui.

One of the oldest schools in the city, Patna High School celebrated its 12th alumni meet on its campus today.

While some of the alumni from the school took a nostalgic trip back to childhood, some used the occasion to put forward their demands to the chief guest of the function — Nitish Kumar.

Speaking at the meet, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, demanded construction of a hostel on the campus.

Nitish said: “I have spoken to the school principal and he has put forward some of his demands. The school will soon get a hostel and the school’s old gate will also be repaired.”

The chief minister promised to restore the school’s old glory and said funds would never be a hurdle. The government is committed to develop the school as one of the model institutes in the state, Nitish said. He also promised to develop the school’s library and laboratory.

A member of the 1971-batch, Siddiqui, said: “There was a time when the school was one of the best in Patna and admission used to be very difficult. I still remember my school days when we had the best teachers. Our English teacher, S.M. Nasar, was so good that people used to say if students paid attention in his class, they would not need to learn English till graduation.”

Legislative council member Ganga Prasad, another alumni of the school, said: “I still remember the Basuda’s sweets in the canteen and the school’s vast library.”