TAXILA, June 11: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Ehsanul Haq here on Monday inaugurated four-day centenary celebrations of legendary British teacher, Hugh Catchpole, the founding principal of Cadet College Hassanabdal.

Catchpolians, the old students of Mr Catchpole, from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan as well as students from Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) at Dehradun, PAF College Sargodha, Abbottabad Public School and College and the host Cadet College Hassanabdal are participating in the celebrations.

On the occasion, a flag hoisting ceremony was held in which flags of all the participating institutions were flown. Later, Gen Ehsanul Haq was introduced to the distinguish guests.

A hockey match was also played between the hosts and the Abbottabad Public School and College. The match was won by the team of the Cadet College Hassanabdal.

Mr Catchpole’s enviable career in education spans 69 years, beginning in 1928 as assistant master at the Prince of Wales’ Royal Indian Military College, Dehra Dun, India.

In 1948, he was appointed principal of that institution, a position which he held till 1953. He was the founding principal of Cadet College, Hassanabdal (1953) and the principal of PAF College, Sargodha (1958).

In 1967, he retired from PAF College, Sargodha and joined Abbottabad Public School and College as head of the English department, a post he held till the last day of his life.

He was the most generous benefactor of many institutions he had been associated with. More than Rs8 million were donated by him to different institutions including Ipswich School, Suffolk, UK; Cadet College, Hassanabdal; Prince of Wales’ Royal Indian Military College, Dehra Dun and Abbottabad Public School and College.

In recognition of his services, Mr Catchpole was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1968, and in 1979 was awarded CBE and Sitara-i-Imtiaz for his long and meritorious service in the field of education.