CHRIST KING CONVENT, TAMBARAM – 1935

A railway official, Mr. Joseph, approached the Apostolic Carmel sisters and requested them to open a school for Catholic children. Their meeting with Mr. Theophilus, a retired Tahsildar, and Mr. Mariya Das marked the genesis of Christ King Convent and School in Tambaram. In 1935, Superior General Mother M. Annunciata A.C., with the permission of the Bishop of Mylapore, gave her consent to open Carmel House at Tambaram, in a small home rented from Mr. David.

Christ King Convent School was started with 37 pupils at Carmel House, and the medium of instruction was English. The Bishop of Madras encouraged the little foundation of Carmel House by sending a remittance of Rs. 50 per month to cover the house rent and the salary of the Tamil teacher. The present convent and primary school were established on the church land given by the Bishop. In 1938, Christ King Girls’ Higher Secondary School began functioning on the land allotted by the Collector, Mr. Gawne. The railway board leased land in the railway colony, and the Middle School was started.

In 1938, the sisters moved from Carmel House to the present Christ King Convent and School with classes I to V. This primary school continued as a private school for almost seven decades. In 1939, at Carmel House, an orphanage was opened with 26 children. A new building was constructed, and the orphanage was later named Christ King Home. In 1940, Christ King Girls’ Higher Secondary School was recognized by the government. On February 19, 1942, it was shifted to Selaiyur. In 1970, the centenary year of the congregation, a tailoring center for poor women in the locality was initiated. In remembrance of the silver jubilee of the convent, a home for physically and mentally challenged children was opened in Amali Illam. In 1973, Christ King Society was registered in Madras under the Societies Registration Act of 1869. In 1979, a new building for the craft center was constructed with the help of the Dutch Bishops campaign. In 1987, the convent in Nanakudy was opened in memory of the golden jubilee of Christ King Convent and School.

In 2003, the primary school was recognized by the Matriculation Board and upgraded (VI to VIII) into a high school. In 2007, a new block was built for the high school classes with spacious laboratories. In 2011, the school was upgraded to a Higher Secondary School with four streams of higher secondary courses. In 2016, a community college was started. Christ King Convent and Schools continue to spread the Good News through their presence and apostolic works. May Christ the King reign over us.