“ The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Inspired by our foundress Mother Veronica and urged on by our first Superior General Mother Marie Des Anges, we at Carmel, Gorakhpur aim for excellence in our educational and social apostolate for a holistic development of our students which enables them to face the challenges of tomorrow.

With this as the aim, the Apostolic Carmel started its first institution in Gorakhpur on 21 January, 1941, with the sole purpose of imparting education along with holistic development.

Carmel then known as St. Mary’s School began as a primary school with English as a medium of instruction to cater to the railway officers’ children. The sisters lived with the boarders in St. Joseph’s church compound. In 1945, class VII was opened with the idea of preparing the students for the Senior Cambridge but due to the political situation it had to be changed to matriculation.

In 1957, the school was affiliated to U.P. Board, Allahabad. St. Mary’s School was renamed ‘Carmel’ in 1970 and in 1971 intermediate classes were opened in response to the growing need of the people for an English medium school for girls, the then existing Primary School was upgraded to I.C.S.E Board, by thus fulfilling the vision of Mother Veronica “We shall keep looking ahead with a clear vision for the future.”

Mother Marianne, Mother Candida, Mother Cleopha, Mother Denise, Mother Alena, Sister Clarissa, Sister Lucia, Sister Bernadette, Sister Sylveria, Sister Alena, Sister Ursula, Sister Maximine, Sister Belina, Sister Hilda Crasta, Sister Fortunata, Sister Lily D’souza, Sister Hiltrude, Sister Mary D’souza, Sister Theresalina, Sister Zelia, Sister Salita and Sister Helen Mendonca have dedicatedly worked to make Carmel an epitome of success.

It has been rightly said, that ‘the winds and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigator.

We would not have been what we are without the missionary zeal and untiring efforts of the able navigators like Sister Marie Antoinette, Sister Joan, Sister Bernadette, Sister Celisa, Sister Assumpta, Sister Marie Ange, Sister Celine Mary, Sister Lily D’Souza, Sister Pratibha and Sister Salita who took Carmel Inter College to great heights and Sister Sylvie, Sister Disha, Sister Delia, Sister Melvira, Sister Noreen and Sister Rashmita who worked dedicatedly to fly high the Carmel banner of Carmel School

Today we are successfully running Carmel School which was affiliated to ICSE in 2005 and ISC board which was affiliated in 2007 with a capacity of 2500 students at present and Carmel Girls’ Inter college became self financed with English as the medium of instruction from VI – IX in 2001 and VI – XII in 2006 to U.P Board. At present it has 1600 students.

“Progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

With the passing of time, the management and staff of both the schools have given their best to come up to a level which can be at par with the changing times.

Along with the all round development of the students, both the schools aim at their holistic development. Enjoyment through fete or school band, picnics or excursions, respect for the poor and needy through social service programmes, developing a feeling of brotherhood through celebration of all the festivals and having inter religious prayer service, awareness programmes to save the environment through plantation of trees, taking out a rally on Aids Day, rally for encephalitis, awareness of traffic rules, all go together and make us a part of this big Carmel Family.

“The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes us live in harmony with all existence.

Carrying on with the legacy that Mother Veronica left for us to continue and as the need of the hour demanded Carmel stepped into the field of social service combined with imparting education. We have started remedial classes for the underprivileged and tailoring for women. We have undertaken two new projects of service learning where we will combine the literacy drive with social service learning and community college. At present we have started a course for fashion designing for all those who are not able to pursue their studies due to financial constraints.

It is with united efforts that good deeds can be done and we have been successful so far with the whole hearted support which has been extended to us by our Carmel Family, as we march ahead into a new dawn with renewed vigor and hope. In the words of Robert Frost, “The woods are lonely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep and miles to go before I sleep’’