A Brief History of our School

Way back in the year 1940, stalwarts of the Dadar Parsee Colony, Mr. R.J.Mithalwala, Mr. R. B. Kakalia, Mr. D.K.Kapadia and Mr. A. Cooper motivated its youth into a collection drive. The youth went from door to door collecting old newspapers, used bottles, Raddi/Bhangar from the residents of Dadar, Parel and Byculla (Parsi Baugs). From the sale proceeds of these, funds were raised and used to provide text books to poor and needy school and college children. That was the humble beginning of THE DADAR PARSEE YOUTHS ASSEMBLY (PARENT BODY) of which the school is a part and parcel.

There was a tremendous response to the drive, but unfortunately no place for storage for either the newspapers/ raddi or the text books purchases. In the year 1947, a noble philanthropist by the name of Mr. Jehanbux Tarapore constructed a building in memory of his beloved daughter, the Late Perviz and donated the same to the DadAr Parsee Youths Assembly. The building was aptly named PERVIZ HALL and from thence there was no looking back. The activities of the TRUST started expanding. The year 1948 saw the beginning of Hindi/ English classes by late Mr. R. Kakalia and Mr. D. Kapadia and in 1950, S.S.C COACHING CLASSES WERS STARTED IN THE PREMISES. In 1952, the constitution was drafted and THE DADAR PARSEE YOUTHS ASSEMBLY was registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950, by the Charity Commissioner vide Registration No. C-95 dated 4.9.52. The main objects of this Public Trust viz. DADAR PARSEE YOUTHS ASSEMBLY, are exclusively the advancement and propagation of Secular Education.

The Parent Body has three sections. The first, our Paper collection section, started right from the inception of the Assembly which still continues.

The second one is the Book Section where school and college text books (worth Rs. 2.5 Lacs a year) are loaned to students.

The third is the Industrial Section where a handful of poor and needy Parsee families earn their livelihood by stitching pyjamas, sadras and other Parsee religious garments.

Then came the latest addition our school- THE DADAR PARSEE YOUTHS ASSEMBLY HIGH SCHOOL.

The D.P.Y.A High School Conceived in 1959, the idea of establishing a ‘BOYS’ SCHOOL in Parsi Colony Dadar, to cater the need of such a School and as humble contribution to the national effort to educate the people. As a result on the 15th November, 1959 the foundation stone of the school Building was laid by Mr. B.K.Boman Behram and the same was inaugurated by the Hon. Minister, Shri Homi J.H.Talyarkahn on the 12th June 1960, before a distinguished gathering and the school started functioning from the 16th June 1960 with 196 students.

With Progress comes the problem of space. This challenge was accepted once again by the Management with full co-operation of the Parsi Central Housing Co-operation Society Ltd. And Solved the problem of space by amalgamating two plots Nos. 656 and 657 and the management decided to extend the school building. at approx. cost of Rs. 4,50,000/- (inclusive of furniture and fixtures).

Once again donations poured in from individuals and also from Charitable trusts. Newly founded P.T.A rose to the occasion and had target of Rs. 1 Lac to collect for the Extension of school Building.

With encouragement and support second big project which was carried out within a period of three years, on 21st March 1963. was –‘ The Red Letter Day’, once again Mr. B.K. Boman Behram laid the foundation stone of new extension school building before a distinguished and large gathering. Once again old comrades started working shoulder to shoulder.