Although invariably well-ranked on the parameter of leadership in the annual EducationWorld India School Rankings, principals of even most admired schools tend to be deficient in their knowledge of business mantras such as brand building, funds-raising and institution development. This awareness dawned on your correspondent (also editor of India’s first two pioneer business magazines) when we set about doing ground work for our recently published 17 Great Legacy Schools of India (17 GLSI) coffee table book.

This unprecedented compendium with globally comparable production values was compiled on a cost-sharing basis, i.e, the managements of invitee schools were obliged to contribute towards the cost of production. Principals of some of the country’s most respected vintage legacy schools — The Doon School, Dehradun, St. Paul’s, Darjeeling and Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, Lawrence School, Sanawar — declined our participation invitation. According to their principals they are very well-known and don’t need additional exposure and publicity.

Gentlemen, please note. Apple is the world’s most well-known and valued brand. Nevertheless Apple Inc is also among the world’s premier advertisers which spent $1.8 billion (Rs.12,368 crore) on advertising in 2015. Moral of the story: Even the best brands have to remain in the forefront of public consciousness. Therefore despite applications to admission ratios being positive, show-casing your widely admired schools in the unprecedented 17 GLSI, would have enabled you to attract high quality teachers and hugely helped your fund-raising efforts.
A business savvy academic who immediately accepted our invitation to participate, was Prof. John Zacharaiah, principal of the vintage, top-ranked Bishop Cotton Boys School, Bangalore (estb.1865). Alas, the well-beloved and widely admired Prof. Zacharaiah passed away on June 24, a day after 17 GLSI was formally released. Nevertheless the detailed profile of the good professor and lavishly photographed Bishop Cotton Boys are enduring testimony to the excellent service rendered to this vintage school by Prof. Zacharaiah who died in harness. Requiscat in pace.