A history postgraduate of Delhi’s St. Stephen’s College, Vanita Uppal is principal of The British School (TBS, estb.1963) where she started teaching history in 1991. In 2008, she was appointed principal of the secondary school after serving as dean of students and deputy principal. The school offers the IGCSE programme of the Cambridge International Examinations, UK, and the IB diploma programme of the International Baccalaureate Organisation, Geneva, at the senior secondary level. TBS currently has 860 students on its muster rolls.

Newspeg. On November 18, the British government bestowed the Order of the British Empire (OBE) upon Uppal with Sir James Bevan, Britain’s high commissioner in India presenting the award on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, in New Delhi. Uppal is one of eight foreign nationals who have received the OBE this year and the only Indian serving principal to be bestowed the honour conferred by the Queen upon civilians for distinguished public service. œAlthough the award is a welcome acknowledgement of my work at TBS, it’s a huge honour for the entire school and what it stands for and inspiration for all of us to set our sights higher, says Uppal.

The British School. Managed by The British School Society with the British high commissioner as ex officio president of the society, over the past half century TBS has acquired an excellent reputation. In 2009, the last year before diplomatic corps schools were eliminated from the annual EW India School Rankings, TBS was ranked #6 countrywide among international schools. Currently, the school’s 860 students are drawn from 60 nationalities with 30 percent from the local Indian community.

The multicultural diversity of our students is our core strength and unique feature. It enriches our curriculum and prepares students to live, work and succeed in the emerging globalised world, says Uppal.

Future plans. Set in a 6.5-acre plot in upscale Chanakyapuri, last year TBS moved into a new building with a built-up area of 300,000 sq. ft housing 65 state-of-the-art fully-wired classrooms with a maximum class size of 22 students. Over the next two years, the school’s management is set to complete phase II of the building which will bring in œsuperb additional facilities including a new swimming pool, arts centre, theatre and dance facilities and IB centre. œIn the next few years as development work is completed, TBS aims to reach its full capacity of 1,350 students, says Uppal.

TBS, which claims to offer the finest British and international education with an Indian soul, seems to have struck deep roots, and is set to flower.

Autar Nehru (Delhi)