Our Leaders

The dream of Edna Gasper to start a school, especially for the Anglo-Indian community, was brought to life by her husband, C.R.Gasper who founded The St. Augustine Education Society in 1970 and pioneered to build St. Augustine’s Day Group of Schools. The school in Barrackpore was established in 1985.

Mr. Gasper (1942-2012) was an educationist and philanthropist who not only founded his own schools, but also played a key role in establishing free schools in vernacular medium in Canning, West Bengal, and Narendrapur, Orissa. The latter is even named after him, “Robert High School”. He held key positions in various education bodies and social service forums :

✦ He was the President & Treasurer of the Association of Heads of Anglo Indian School, Heads of Anglo Indian Education, West Bengal

✦ Member of the State Board of Anglo-Indian Education, West Bengal

✦ Chairman of the Managing Committees of various schools in Kolkata

✦ Member of The Education Core Group of the Catholic Schools, Kolkata.

✦ As the Secretary of The Catholic Association of Bengal, he organized the visit of His Holiness Pope John Paul II in 1986, the Catholic Hospital Conference in 1987, the International Year of the Family in 1993, as well as the funeral and Beatification program of Mother Teresa in 1997 and 2003 respectively, whom he knew personally.

✦ Social work with various organizations – Seva Kendra, Catholic Cathedral, Christian Social Service, Red Cross, and St. Joseph’s Home to name a few.

For his contribution in both the fields of education and social service, he received a number of awards :

✦ Rashtriya Ratan Award (2004) at New Delhi, instituted in memory of Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

✦ Founder Principal of the Year (2003) at TTIS, The Telegraph School Awards for Excellence.
✦ Mother Teresa Lifetime Achievement Award (2007) presented by the Mother Teresa International & Millennium Awards Committee

✦ Awarded for being one of the pioneers in reviving the Catholic Association of Bengal at the 100th Jubilee of the CAB as well as his long-standing contribution to the Catholic Community.