The school briefly gained attention when scenes from the film ‘Dangal’, starring Aamir Khan, were shot on its premises, for the shoot, the campus was modified to resemble a Haryanvi setting, with Punjabi signboards replaced by Hindi ones
14 April, 2026 – Mandi Ahmedgarh : The historic and heritage significance of Government Senior Secondary School, Gujjarwal—established in 1857 during the First War of Independence—is set to be preserved, as local residents, led by the village panchayat, have opposed the demolition of the building despite it being declared unsafe.
The District Education Officer (DEO), Ludhiana, has written to the Director School Education (Secondary), Punjab, requesting ₹62.52 lakh for essential repairs, as estimated by engineers. Earlier, the village panchayat, headed by Sarpanch Hardeep Singh, along with the School Management Committee (SMC), rejected the Education Department’s proposal to demolish the existing structure and construct a new one.
“The Government Senior Secondary School, Gujjarwal building is a heritage property. The issue regarding reconstruction after demolition is under your consideration. However, the village panchayat and the SMC, considering its heritage importance, have refused to allow demolition,” states the communiqué sent by the DEO.
Social activist Balwinder Singh, convener of the campaign to preserve the institution’s historical value, said the panchayat has also sought intervention from Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, urging the government to sanction funds to maintain the building’s original character.
Spread over nearly two acres and dotted with old trees, the school premises feature a “history board” documenting its evolution. Established as a primary school in 1857, it became a middle school in 1878, introduced English as a subject in 1916, and was upgraded to a high school in 1923. It was taken over by the government in 1925 and attained the status of a Government Senior Secondary School in 1991.
The board also records the participation of students in the 1935 silver jubilee celebrations of King Edward VIII and Queen Mary, marking 25 years of the monarch’s accession. Although the exact origins of the school remain unclear, local accounts recall incidents such as floodwaters entering its premises twice during the British era.
The panchayat further highlighted that the school has produced several notable personalities, including freedom fighter and Ghadar movement martyr Kartar Singh Sarabha, spiritual leader Baba Sawan Singh, former Punjab Chief Minister Gurnam Singh, and former education minister Basant Singh Khalsa.
Despite its rich legacy, successive governments have largely overlooked the institution’s historical importance. The school briefly gained attention when scenes from the film Dangal, starring Aamir Khan, were shot on its premises. For the shoot, the campus was modified to resemble a Haryanvi setting, with Punjabi signboards replaced by Hindi ones. However, no lasting restoration efforts followed.
Residents have expressed disappointment that, despite being upgraded to a smart school in 2019, the institution has not seen any significant infrastructural improvements.
The Tribune