Armenian College & Philanthropic Academy

The Armenian Community in India, in parallel to its commercial pursuits, was always keen to pursue education for the advancement of its nation. The fact is supported by the efforts of the community to establish schools to train and educate their children in the language and faith of their forefathers, without which their national identity would not have been preserved in the land of their adoption. The idea of a national academy was conceived by Astvatsator Muradghanian and Mnatsakan Vardanian for educating the Armenian children in India. The Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy of Kolkata was founded on the 2nd April, 182, at 358, Old China Bazar Street, Calcutta, in the vicinity of the Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth. In 1825, at the extreme desire of the community, the school of Aratoon Kaloos, which founded in 1798, was amalgamated with the ACPA. In 1884 the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy was accommodated to 39, Free School Street (now 56B Mirza Ghalib Street). The Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy is the Second oldest Educational Institution in Kolkata. This building is also the birth place of the famous English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray, who was born on the 18th of July, 1811.