HISTORY OF INSTITUTION


       
        

   
                  The Records of Rights kept in the Office of Tashildar of Khanapur, records 
that the Five and half acres of land where Sarvodaya Vidyalaya now stands is entitled to Church
 Father of Khanapur. The title dates back to 1886 much before the India's Independence.

	In the year 1953 in 19th September, the Diocese of Belgaum was erected by the Papal Bull
 'Summa illa solicitudo' of Pope Pius XII. Two civil Districts of Belgaum and North Kanara were  
separated from the Archdiocese of Goa and two other civil Districts of Dharwad and Bijapur were 
taken from the Diocese of Pune in forming the Diocese of Belgaum.

      The Most Rev. Dr. Michael Rodrigues was appointed as the first Bishop of Belgaum. Naturally
Khanapur became the territory of the Diocese of Belgaum. There were English Medium Schools in the
big towns like Hubli, Dharwad,Belgaum and Karwar in the new Diocese of Belgaum.But Bishop Michael
Rodgrigues wanted a English Meduim Schook in a Village! His eyes fell on Khanapur. He spared
no efforts. He solicited the yeoman services of late Father Massilon Fernandes S.J. then 
Parish Priest of Khanapur.Father Massilon worked hard with Bishop Michael to erect the 
impressive School Building of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya.

	In the year 1956 Fr. Edwin D'souza s.J. was engaged in ministry of Hamburg Germany.He 
got an unexpexted letter from Fr. Miranda s.j., the then superior of Belgaum Mission that the 
newly consecrated Bishop of Belgaum Rev. Dr. Michael Rodrigues  wished to have his own Minor 
seminary right from June the same year. The mantle of Rectorship was offered to Fr. Edwin.
He readily agreed and started his voyage from Germany. He had much difficulty because of 
his Portuguese Passport. He had to surrender it and become "Indian Citizen" which he  
readily agreed. Thus he landed in India in August 1956.	

	Since the new building for the Minor Seminary was not ready, he was offered to teach
at St. Paul's High School, Belgaum., In June 1957 Fr. Edwin came to Khanapur to start New School
which was to be christened as 'St. Paul's School'. This touched his Indian feelings Just then
Vinobha Bhave of famous "Sarvodaya Bhoomi-daan Movement" happened to visit Khanapur. In the 
Visitor's  Book kept in the Sarvodaya School there is the signature of Vinobha Bhave in the very 
first page. Father Edwin renamed the new school "Sarvodaya Vidyalaya".

	Bishop Michael made it clear that Sarvodaya Vidyalaya ought to be a Apostolic School 
to the core. Hence it was only a boy's School.It started as composite High School from standards 
fifth to Tenth. The Admission register of High School records that Master Tellis Joseph D'Souza 
was the first student admitted in the High School on 1st June 1957. The first batch of students 
was commuters from Belgaum and a few locals coming from different vernacular mediums to std 
fifth onwards. Fr. Edwin augmented the number of student by adding a Boarding to the School. 
Many students came from Goa and Karwar for English medium education.

		Fr Edwin had good team of Jesuit community to help him like Fr. Jnuarius s.j. 
and Bro. Apolnonario Pinto s.j. and Bro. Bhosale s.j. He worked hard to keep up the apostolic 
aspect of the Institution.He used to make Catechetical teams of the boarders at Sarvodaya and 
established eight catechetical centers at the surrounding village viz. Mansapur, Navaga, 
Manturga etc.	The inspection Report submitted by the Education office in 1960 records as under :
	No of Boys in std V -38; std VI - 44; std VII -39 ;Std Lower VIII - 37 ; Std. Higher 
VIII -16 and Std X -17. The total strength of the School was 191. Attendance for Girls was nil. 
Recognition for Std IX was accorded in 1959 and for std X in 1960.
	Fr. Edwin worked zealously from 1957 to 1963. The first batch of students of Fr. Edwin
cherishes the fond memories of strict disciplinarian Fr. Edwin taught them the values of love, 
sincerity and hard-work.
	After Fr. Edwin left Sarvodaya on 31st May 1963 to Goa there were three Jesuit Fathers in 
quick succession as Pricipals of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya.
	Fr. Mario Meryrelles S.J.
	1st June 1963 to 31st May 1964
	Fr. T Barco s.j.
	1st June 1964 to 16th Sept 1965
	Fr. J. De Lima s.j.
	17th Sept 1965 to 31st May 1966
	Most. Rev Dr. Fortunato da Veiga Coutinho second bishop of Belgaum brought in the Diocesan 
Priests as the Principal of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in the yeat 1966 Rev Fr. Anthony Vatakuzhy was 
appointed as the Principal of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya on 1st June 1966.
	Till now Sarvodaya Vidyalaya was only an English Medium High School for boys from Standard 
V-X. The same year Fr. Anthony Vatakuzhy began his efforts to start in 1967 Lower Primary English 
medium SchoolIn june 1967 he started admissions to Std I. The first student to be admitted to Std. 
First was Virendra Mahadev Gokavi. His efforts were rewarded on 16th september 1968 when the 
inspector of Belgaum granted permission and renewal to start Stds I and II with monthly fees of 
Rs. 4=00 only. Later on 24th May 1971 the Deputy Director of Public Instruction Mysore-Bangalore 
granted permission to start Std.s III and IV.
	
	Till 1969 there were no girl-students in the High School. The first girl students admitted 
in June 1969 for Std. V in High School were Miss Celine Janaki and Miss Priscilla David Borges. 
However in 1967  itself the Fr. Anthony had started admitting girl-students in Standard First in 
the Lower-Primary section of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya. Thus began the process of Co-Education in the 
School.	The Kindergarten Section was started in the school along with the lower Primary school in 
the year 1967.
	Fr. Anthony Vatakuzhy worked hard as Principal for long years from 1966 to 1982. He 
undertook many development works during his tenure. He built six class-rooms to accommodate
lower primary sections and later on to accommodate K.G. classes. In order to meet the need of
drinking water facility for the increasing number of day-schoolars and Boarders, he erected
an over - head tank to supply tap water. He fenced the school landed property. The present
School foot-ball ground was a small hillock. He got it leveled with bulldozers. He was alone 
managing the School and the Boarding. For short spell of time Bishop Ignatius Lobo offered 
him the services of Fr. Cyriaco Mascarenhas as boarding-director. It was only in year 
1973-1974 onwards he was offered the assistance of regular Regency Brothers and Seminarians.
	In the SSLC results Sarvodaya excelled high From 1971 to 1980 the school secured 100%
results. He introduced teaching of Kannada as Second language which then shocked many students
teachers and parents. At that time the English medium schools in Belgaum were teaching Hindi
as second language! His Vision has come true today because Karnataka Government has made 
compulsory to study Kannada as second language for English medium students. In the field of
sports, Sarvodaya's banner always held high at Education departmental Sports-meet.
	In order to give further assistance to Fr. Vatakuzhy Rt. Rev Ignatius Lobo the third
Bishop of Belgaum brought in the services of Reverend Sisters of the congregation of missionary
of the Queen of the Apostles in the year 1976. two Sisters were appointed in the School to teach
as Asst. Teachers.
	Fr. Anthony celebrated the Silver Jubliee of the School in the year 1982 in a grand scale.
The Assembly-stage was erected by him in memory of that event.
	The present Sarvodaya Vidyalaya Boarding Block was erected in the year 1975. And the 
Boarders who till then were staying in the School Building were shifted to the new spacious
block.
	Fr. Anthony served as Principal of St. Joseph's High School. Dharwad even after his
superannuation in 1982 when he left Sarvodaya. We record with sad note that he breathed last on 
11st July 2006 at Clergy Home, Dharwad.
	Fr. Lucio Mascarenhas was appointed as Asst. Master to the High School in the year
1975-1976 to assist Fr. Anthony. Fr. Lucio was also appointed as Boarding-Director. Fr. Lucio
was promoted as Principal of Sarvodaya in the year 1982.
	Fr. Lucio immediately plunged into improving the standard of the school in Academics
and sports. The School Foot-ball tea, was om full form. He undertook the work of building the 
full compound wall. He also built fully equipped Audio-visual Room for the school to keep up
with the new trend of teaching-technology.He paid special attention to the spiritual and 
humane training of the Boarders. Fr. Lucio was given the assistance of Fr. Philiph Kutty Joseph.
He helped Fr. Lucio in the School as Asst Master and took over the post of Boarding-director.
Fr. Lucio was transferred in the year 1989 to St. Mary's High School, Hubli.
	In the year 1989 Rev. Fr. Eddie D'costa was promoted as Headmaster and appointed as
principal of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya. His tenure lasted for short period of one year.
	Fr. Xavier Rangel succeeded as Principal of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya on 1st June 1990.
Fr. Rangel was also given the assistance of Rev. Fr. Alex D'Cruz who was Asst. Master in the 
School and Boarding-director. Later Fr. Alex was promoted as Headmaster and transferred. His
place was filled in by Rev. Fr. Felix Monteiro.
	Fr. Xavier Rangle worked hard and zealously for the Academic and sport excellence. In
the year 1991 the SSLC results of Sarvodaya was 100% after a long gap of years. The School
foot-ball team was qualified to play at Karnataka State Level. Fr. Rangel spared no efforts
to undertake developmental works for the School and the Boarding. He Built the Basket-Ball
court. He beautified the Boarding Chapel.
	On 1st June 1997 Fr. Rangel was transferred to St. Joseph's High School Dharwad. He
was succeeded by Fr. Alex D'cruz on the same day. The return of Rev. Fr. Alex now as Principal
lasted for almost a decade till july 2007.
	Rt. Rev Bernard Moras the fouth Bishop of Belgaum was keen interest to renovate the
buidings of Boarding and Sarvodaya School. The School and Boarding toilets were renovated.
The Dining Hall of the Boarding was restructed. The Principal's Office and Clerical office was
given modern look. Separate Ladies and Gents Staff rooms were restructed. A huge amount of
money was spent for this project.
	Fr. Alex with his own interest undertook providing spacious Auditorium for the School
by restructuring the Boarding Study-Hall. For a few years Rev. Fr. Michael Souza was appointed
as Asst. Master in the School while he stayed at Mansapur taking care of that Church and Parish.
	It is the fifth and the present Bishop of Belgaum Rt. Rev. Peter Machado transferred
Rev. Fr. Xavier Rangel on 1st July 2007 for the second time to wear the Golden Crown at
Sarvodaya Vidyalaya to celebrate Golden Jubilee of this august Institution. And you the students
Ex-Students, Parents, Ex-teachers, Ex-Prinicapls, Rev. Fathers and Rev. Sisters have witnessed
on 24th January 2008 the grand finale to the Golden Jubilee year of SARVODAYA VIDYALAYA ENGLISH
MEDUIM HIGH SCHOOL, KHANAPUR
Long Live Sarvodaya !
	
Rev. Fr. Xavier Rangel.
	Principal