HISTORY
AN ACORN TO AN OAK
28 years ago, a family of 5 sisters and 2 brothers, keeping with their parents’ - Late Shri. Subramaniam Pillai’s and Late Smt. Jeevratnam Pillai’s dreams', resolved to transform the lives of the children around them through education. It was in furtherance of this resolve, that "Sungrace Schools & Jr. College" began taking shape.
In 1989, Late Shri. Subramaniam Pillai and Late Smt. Jeevratnam Pillai, along with their children, laid down the foundation for their school on a small plot at Wanowrie. The following year, Late Shri. Subramaniam Pillai and Late Smt. Jeevratnam Pillai passed away, leaving their daughters Shashikala Pillai, Prabhavathi Pillai, Dayavati Pillai, Pratibha Pillai and son P.S. Pillai (Vijay) to take on the mantle of the 7-student school. The Pillai Family founded "JEEV SUBRAMANIAM MEMORIAL EDUCATIONAL TRUST" to perpetuate the memory and wishes of their parents.
They started "Sungrace Pre-Primary School" at Wanworie, with a humble beginning of 7 students. In 1996, the strength of the school had grown to over 175 students. During the same year, after great efforts and much to the joy of the parents and children, the school acquired government recognition on a permanently unaided basis. n 2001, after 12 years of hard work and relentless efforts, the Pillai Family expanded the school into a 4-storey building.
Since its humble beginnings, the school has grown over the years with the dedicated efforts of the Pillai Family. The school has expanded to Sungrace Primary School, Sungrace High School and Sungrace Junior College and educates almost 3000 students. The school has also grown to over 5 buildings, a technologically equipped auditorium, a playground, a multipurpose sports and recreational ground, a basketball court, a volleyball court, 3 audio-visual rooms, a library, 3 laboratories, children’s play area and other such facilities and amenities.
The Pillai Family continue to take active and pervasive part in the operations of the Trust and of Sungrace. Dr. P.S. Pillai (Vijai) spearheads the management of Sungrace as the Director. Ms. Shashikala Pillai mentors the Pre-Primary Section and brings over 40 years of teaching experience to Sungrace. Ms. Prabhavati Pillai, as Principal, overlooks the operations of the Primary Section and Ms. Dayavati Pillai, as principal overlooks the operations of the Higher Sections.
The School has boasted of consistent 100 % result in the S.S.C board examinations since its first Std. X batch in 2001. For the last three years, the toppers have been scoring above 90% in these exams and the school has been proud of its students clearing in distinction and with a first class. In the last academic year, out of 102 students, 64 students secured a first class and 38 students secured a distinction.
Apart from the academic achievements the School also focuses on various extra-curricular activities such as Dance, Karate and Yoga. Preparation for Elementary and Intermediate Drawing Examinations, Rashtra Bhasha Examinations, M.T.S Examinations, NSE Financial Quests, Time of India (Newspaper in Education) Competitions, and other inter-school competitions is also a vital aspect of the schools adopted education system.
In spite of being unaided, Sungrace School charges minimal fees in order to make education affordable to all. This has enabled thousands of children from the neighbourhood to acquire invaluable schooling which they would otherwise have been denied. The School and its management have been felicitated by various organizations for their efforts at uplifting the society through education, namely IDBI Bank, Rotary Club Pune, Silverzone Foundation, IIHM, Delivering Change Foundation, Avishkar Foundation, etc., and received various accolades.