Pine Mount School turns 125 years old; ranks 23rd among top 800 institutions in India
Shillong, April 12: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, has urged Pine Mount School, one of the oldest educational institutions in the region, to formally approach the state government with a proposal seeking allotment of a portion of the adjacent Phan Nonglait Park, popularly known as Lady Hydari Park.
Speaking at the school’s 125th anniversary celebration on Friday, Tynsong acknowledged receiving informal word about the institution’s interest in expanding its campus into part of the park, following the relocation of the zoo to Ri-Bhoi District. “I was surprised to hear that the petition is made to the Government if it can be extended, if not fully, maybe partly of the Lady Hydari Park,” Tynsong said, referring to the green space that borders the Pine Mount campus.
Encouraging school authorities to take formal action, he added, “So my suggestion to all of you is please meet me maybe a few weeks from today, meet me with your representation, with your paperwork, then I will take it up with the Government. We want to beautify this campus more.”
Founded in 1881 during British colonial rule, the school began with just five boarders and two day scholars under its first headmistress, Miss E. Cordue. Despite early setbacks, including the 1897 Assam earthquake which destroyed records and infrastructure, the school resumed operations in 1900 under the new leadership of Headmistress Miss Miles, and has since grown into a premier government-run institution. Currently, the school serves students from Kindergarten to Class XII and is affiliated with the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE).
Phan Nonglait Park, one of Shillong’s most prominent public gardens, holds both ecological and historical significance. It was developed under the vision of Swedish-born Sigrid Westling, widely known as Lady Hydari, wife of MS Akbar Hydari, who served as Governor of the undivided Assam state in 1947–1948.
Pine Mount School, which shares a boundary with the park, maintains that parts of the park may have once belonged to the institution before changes in land use and urban planning took effect over the decades.
Dy CM Tynsong also praised the school for being ranked 23rd among the top 800 institutions in India. “Pine Mount School is the only school from Meghalaya and among a few in the Northeast to be ranked 23rd out of 800 high-profile institutions in the country. This is a matter of pride,” he said and urged the school to aim to be among the top 10 schools.
He further highlighted the government’s focus on education, noting that the state has allocated Rs. 3,635.4 crore to the sector for the 2025-26 budget—the highest in the state’s history. He informed that Rs. 1,000 crore from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been sanctioned for the establishment of 38 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across Meghalaya.
Joining the event, Education Minister Rakkam A. Sangma announced funding of Rs. 1.86 crore and an additional Rs. 4.4 crore under the Asian Development Bank for school upgradation. He also emphasized the establishment of 21 People’s Colleges aimed at improving access to higher education.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner R.M. Kurbah, an alumna of Pine Mount School, also attended the event among other prominent officials and alumni.
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