Acclaimed educationist J.K. Sinha, credited with initiating Bihar-Jharkhand into the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) pattern of learning, is no more. But his legacy - a group of schools in Dhanbad that have been redefining education ever since their formation - is poised to reach new heights.

Family members of the visionary, who died of blood cancer at the age of 74 in New Delhi on January 23, have decided to introduce global education programme in all the branches of Indian School of Learning (ISL) founded by Sinha.

According to the proposal, a student exchange programme with schools of north America and Canada will be introduced in the five CBSE-affiliated ISL branches across Dhanbad from the 2015-16 session. Students from America and Canada will visit the ISL group of schools and vice versa while foreign experts will impart lesssons through videoconferencing. The Dhanbad cradles will also introduce foreign language courses.

Above all, an international school, which was the dream of Late Sinha, will be opened at Dhaiya in Dhanbad town.

Sinha's elder son Anurag Sinha, a Canada-based entrepreneur who owns a number of companies, said, 'We want to expand the education network established by my father. Introduction of foreign language at all ISL branches will be my top priority.'

Elaborating more on the plans, Anurag, who himself passed out from ISL-Jharia (1989 batch) and later obtained an MBA degree from Indian School of Mines' (ISM) department of management studies, said, 'We will also take all steps to retain the ownership of ISL-ISM annexe, situated on 3 acres on the ISM campus, as the ISM administration has served a notice to us to vacate the school following the expiry of the 24-year lease in 2013.'

Sinha's wife Shobha Sinha, also the principal of Kids Garden-Jharia, added: 'My husband was a pioneer of CBSE pattern of education in the Coal Belt. His ideas were very unique and innovative.

Younger son Saurabh Sinha recalled his father's emotional connect with Dhanbad.

'Such was his affection for Dhanbad and its people that despite our repeated pleas to him to stay back in Delhi after every round of chemotherapy, he used to return here just for the schools,' he said.

Originally hailing from Jehanabad district of Bihar, Sinha is credited to have established the first CBSE-affiliated school of Bihar and Jharkhand in 1972.

That was ISL-Jharia.

He went on to open more branches of ISL on the ISM campus, Sudamdih, Bhuli and Moonidih.

This apart, the ISL group also owns a playschool, Kangaroo Kids-Jharia, besides Kids Garden-Jharia and Kids Garden-Dhanbad, both CBSE-affiliated and imparting education till Class X.