Since 1969
Our Founders
Late Lion Lady Jayashree K. Kotian & Late Lion Principal K.B. Kotian
Founded in 1969 by the hero and icon, Late Lion Principal K.B. Kotian, Janata Education Society (Purushottam High School) has spent more than half a century educating thousands of students in English and Marathi medium, and its legacy continues to grow.
The Journey
- Age 12Moves to Bombay with almost no money, working at a hotel by day and studying at night school.
- Night schoolGraduates, then goes on to teach at the same night school.
- Lifelong learnerEarns a BA, B.Ed, LLB and a Diploma in Industrial Labour while supporting his family.
- Times of IndiaHolds a stable job at one of the country’s most renowned newspapers.
- 1969Founds Janata Education Society and Purushottam High School.
- 1978Leaves his job to devote himself fully to the Society.
The Glory of Humble Beginnings
Lion K.B. Kotian: the lifelong learner
With almost no money, Lion K.B. Kotian moved to Bombay at the age of 12. He worked at a hotel during the day and went to night school after work, and on most nights he studied under a lamp post. After graduating from the night school, he went on to teach there as well.
He knew the importance of education from the very beginning, and he had remarkable, consistent grit. He balanced work with study and paid for his own education. After completing his BA, he went on to earn a B.Ed, an LLB and a Diploma in Industrial Labour, all while looking after his entire family. Learning came naturally to him, and he kept upgrading his education throughout his life.
Coming from a small town did not limit his big dreams. Even though he had a stable job at the Times of India, one of the most renowned newspapers in the country, he knew he was made for something bigger.
In 1978, he took the biggest risk of his life: he quit his job to devote himself fully to Janata Education Society, which he had founded in 1969, and he never looked back.
But he wasn’t alone in his noble endeavour. He was always accompanied by his pillar of strength, his wife.
Lion Lady Jayashree K. Kotian: Amma to the school family
A short meeting with her was enough to leave a lasting impression of her boundless kindness and generosity. Over the years, she earned the title of ‘Annapoorneshwari’: a woman whose home overflows with hospitality, whether in the form of food, education or genuine compassion for people.
The staff, the management, the students and everyone involved with Janata Education Society make up a family of their own, and she remains Amma, a mother, not just to her own children but to this entire close-knit family.
A legacy that continues
More than half a century later, we can proudly say that Lion Principal K.B. Kotian and Lion Lady Jayashree K. Kotian turned a couple of simple classrooms into the respected institution the school is today, one that constantly strives to do more for those who have been given far less.
We hope to take this institution to greater heights and to keep working for their cause.
In loving memory
An exemplary man with a vision,
who kindled the homes of countless lives.
You etched your name in the history of time
through your selfless, dedicated and noble work.
Forever you will live in grateful hearts.
“A mentor who has attained immortality.”