A feather in the cap for 80-year-old school

The Gandhi topi (cap) has been part of the uniform ever since the school at Kamptee,about 17 km from Nagpur,was founded in 1932.

“Sheikh Hussain Rabbani,the school founder,held Mahatma Gandhi and the principles that defined his life in high regard. This was the primary motivator for including the Gandhi cap as part of the uniform,” says principal Mohammad Arshad Raghiv.

He adds an interesting anecdote on how the ‘Gandhi topi’,a symbol of non-violence and patriotism,came into existence after the Indian National Congress was founded and how the cap got to be named after Gandhiji although he rarely wore it,and had not sported it after he made the short dhoti his trademark dress.

“Everybody knows Gandhiji never wore a cap. Once he was with people at a sabha (meeting). Someone asked him to suggest a symbol for party members. Amidst people there was Hakim Ajmal Khan,one of his followers,who was wearing a white khadi cap. Gandhiji thought for a moment and suggested the white cap can be the party’s symbol,” says Raghiv. After that Gandhi followers and members of the Indian National Congress started wearing the cap made of khadi which later became popular as the Gandhi topi,adds Raghiv.

In the school assembly,every January 30,Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary,silence is observed for a minute,adds Raghiv.

As far as students are concerned,the cap is more about the spirit of Gandhi and less about compulsion,a sentiment shared by students of all age groups,including those in junior college.

Sayyed Kalimuddin,a student of class 11,says,“Every student leaves his house in the morning wearing the cap and does not take it off until he returns home. In fact,sometimes if we are held up in the school for extra classes and it is namaaz time,we go to the mosque wearing the Gandhi cap. All of us have grown up reading about Bapu and the cap reminds us of his undying spirit and love for the country.”

At MM Rabbani,there are around 1,200 students in high school and around 600 in junior college. Interestingly,the school has a uniform code for teachers as well. The school has only male teachers,on Fridays and Saturdays,they wear white shirts.

“Because white is the colour of peace. Even this rule has been there since the school was established,” says Raghiv,who has been with the school since 1981.