ERECTION OF LORD MAYO’S CENOTAPH

Not many are aware that Lord Mayo, the founder of Mayo College was assassinated on 8^th February 1872 at Hope Town across the Bay from Port Blair on South Andaman Island. The then Viceroy had come to visit the Penal Settlement of Port Blair and arrived in the morning. In the afternoon he had gone to visit Mount Harriet, a hill resort North of Port Blair. On his way back was fatally stabbed at 7 PM near Hope Town Jetty by Sher Ali Khan a former convict and succumbed to his injuries.

Mount Harriet is now a wild life preserve open to tourists and the Civil Administration had erected a concrete plaque at the site which is by the sea. Some temples had also come up in the same area.

Lt Gen Aditya Singh, AVSM**, an Old Boy of the 1963 Batch and an Old Boys Representative on the Board was appointed Commander-in-Chief Andaman & Nicobar Command in January 2005. During a visit to the site he had opined that an appropriate cenotaph be constructed to venerate the memory of the founder of Mayo College. This recommendation was placed before the General Council in its meeting on 3^rd December 2005 and was unanimously passed.

Thereafter a design was prepared in consultation with Shri VP Singh, MP(1963 Batch), a Member of the Board and Chairman Mayo College Committee during his visit to Port Blair in December 2005. It was decided that the base of the Cenotaph would be of a design similar to that of the Base of Lord Mayo’s Statue in front of the Main Building. It would however be rectangular in cross section with stone tablets recording the event in Hindi and English on the broader sides. On the narrower sides facing the road and the sea, would be granite tablets with the Mayo College Crest with a suitable inscriptions. On top of the pedestal would be a traditional ‘Chhattri’ similar to those on top of the Principal’s office to venerate the monument.

After obtaining permission of the District Commissioner, work commenced in January 2006. The black granite tablets were fabricated under orders of Shri VP Singh in Jaipur. The structure itself was of RCC and was made under supervision of Lt Gen Aditya Singh. It is over 20 feet in height and has come up as a worthy memorial. It was formally inaugurated on 8^th February 2006 the 134^th death anniversary of Lord Mayo and is now a land mark for tourists visiting Mount Harriet.

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