Bishop Cotton School

Bishop Cotton School, Shimla is one of the oldest boys boarding schools in Asia and was the first ‘Public School’ in India. It was founded on 28th July 1859, by Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton. George Cotton was a scholar at Westminster School and a graduate of Cambridge University. In 1836, Cotton began teaching at Rugby School under the tutelage of Doctor Thomas Arnold before moving on to be Master of Marlborough College. It was the young Mr Cotton who is spoken of as the ‘the model young master’ in Thomas Hughes’ famous book ‘Tom Brown’s School Days’.

As Bishop of Calcutta, on the 28th July 1859, Cotton conducted a service for the foundation of a public school at a hill station. Collections were made in most of the churches of the Diocese for this purpose. These funds were used to found the Bishop’s School at Jutogh, Shimla. The land and the buildings on it were a gift from the Viceroy. Three private houses were purchased by Bishop Cotton, out of the India Public School Fund, and the school opened for students on the 15th March 1863. Though mentioned in correspondence as the Shimla Public School, it never actually bore this name. 

Our Location

Bishop Cotton personally investigated potential sites in 1864, finally approved the south end of the Knollswood Spur. The foundation stone for the new buildings, was laid on 26th September 1866, by H.E. The Viceroy Sir John Lawrence, elder brother of Sir Henry Lawrence. In September 1868, the school moved to Knollswood, its present site.

Our Heritage

Since then the school has gone from strength to strength. Today the school is proud of its Anglo-Indian heritage, but firmly embraces the multi-faceted nature of modern 21st century India – forward-looking, diverse, democratic, and vibrant. We welcome boys from all over the globe who will help to shape the next 160 years of the school.

We have 17 Sports including Boxing, Swimming, Forest obstacle course, Yoga, Shooting Range, Climbing Wall, Football, Cricket, Badminton, Squash, Tennis, Table tennis, Basketball, Scuba Diving, Zumba, Self Defence, Dance, Athletics and Marathon running.

Extra-curricular clubs include: Debates, Quiz, Poetry, Drama Club, Music, School bands x 2, Pottery, Arts and Crafts, Photography Club, Dance, Choirs, Chess and many more.