Justice M. Nirmal Kumar, a judge of the Madras High Court, inaugurated the renovated open auditorium at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School at Vannivedu village near Walajah town in Ranipet on Sunday.
Built in 1867, the small brick floor at the Government Boys High School in Vannivedu village near Walajah town served for years as an open auditorium for students to receive trophies and medals during annual sports events.
That was until Justice M. Nirmal Kumar, a judge of the Madras High Court, stepped in to give the century-old structure a new lease of life by renovating it into a full-fledged open auditorium for school functions.
The effort to renovate it was meant as a tribute to his late father V. Murugesan, an alumnus, for his centenary celebrations. “A new bicycle parking for students, an arch at the school entrance and renovation of the floor are among the few things proposed for his contribution. Justice Mr. Kumar has chosen an old structure for renovation,” M. Satish Kumar, senior director, told The Hindu.
School authorities said Mahatma Gandhi was believed to have given a speech standing on the floor during his visit to the city in the 1940s, when the freedom movement was intense in the region.
Since then, the floor has been fondly referred to as “Gandhiji’s stage” by local Congressmen and locals. For Justice Kumar, this may have been the main reason he chose the old floor for the makeover.
On Sunday, Justice Mr. Kumar inaugurated the renovated open auditorium in the presence of Collector JU Chandrakal, M. Selvam, Chief District Magistrate, Asra Garg, Inspector General of Police (IGP), North Zone, M. Mohany, Chief Education Officer (CEO), Ranipet SP P. Sibin, S. Thirupurasundari, PWD Executive Engineer (EE.
“Education is the greatest wealth that cannot be taken away from us. My father always believed in that and ensured that we get quality education,” Justice Kumar said.
School authorities said Mr. Murugesan completed his initial years of schooling between 1936 and 1942 before moving to the then Madras where he retired as Additional Director (AD), Cooperatives Department.
Notable alumni include former Indian President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who studied in the late 19th century, and Tamil scholar Mu. Varatharasanar, whose novel ‘Agal Vilakku’ won him the Sahitya Akademi Award, and VS Sampath, who served as India’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) from 2012-2015.
The open auditorium, built by the PWD, is spread over an area of 357.23 square feet and is 2.5 feet high and 4.1 meters wide. The original length of the building from five meters was extended to eight meters to ensure greater resistance and space for public events. An average of 15 people can perform in the renovated facility.
LED lighting was provided for evening events. Out of the total amount of ₹ 9.70 lakh, Justice Mr. Kumar contributed ₹ 8 lakh from his family fund and the rest was mobilized through CSR. Stairs and ramps for the disabled have also been provided for easy access.
Published – March 8, 2026 11:40 PM IST
