Foundress: “Servant of God” Mother Thatipathri Gnanamma

Charism    : “Fullness in God and Service in Simplicity”

The origin of St. Anne’s Congregation is traced back to 19th Century in the State of Tamil Nadu, India. It was founded by Thatipathri Gnanamma, a lay woman. She was an ordinary woman who hailed from Phirangipuram, a small village in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. She became a widow at the early age of 37 years. Left all alone with five boys to bring up. she put her entire trust in the divine providence and raised her children strong in the basics of the Christian faith. Four of her sons joined the religious life and one settled down in family life. Freed at last from all family commitments, Gnanamma moved to a village called Kila Cheri, 40 kms from Chennai and settled down there, although she had no acquaintances there. Thus, the infinite wisdom of God led her step to Kilacheri the cradle, the very Bethlehem of the new Congregation.

During her time, the education of young girls was an impossible dream. Gnanamma kept constantly in touch with the illiterate girls in the locality and identified education as a principal means of empowering them. For the vision to materialize, she started a school exclusively for girls in 1863. Inspired by the committed service to the cause of women, two young girls requested Mother Gnanamma to let them help her in her awesome work and even expressed their desire to do so as nuns. Mother Gnanamma, who was anxious to ensure that her work should continue, accepted their request and sent them to be formed at St. Anne’s Novitiate of the Good Shepherd Congregation in Bellary.After their initial formation, these two became Nuns on 04.10.1874 and thus a religious Congregation with a specific vision for the betterment of women known as “Society of Sisters of St.Anne-Madras” was born. Our Congregation was founded out of the pressing need for empowering the women through education.

Education Ministry of our sister in Royapuram from 1886-till date

1.St.Anne’s Primary School (Tamil medium)

2.St. Anne’s Girls’ Higher Secondary school. (Tamil Medium)

3.St. Anne’s Matric Higher Secondary School

History of St. Anne’s Convent-Royapuram

Royapuram Convent was established as the second convent of Society of Sisters of St.Anne on 2.2.1885. It is also important for our congregation as it was the first Generalate House of our congregation.

The congregation started the educational service at Royapuram in 1886 with primary school of Tamil Medium to cater to the needs of the locality. This school was later upgraded as middle school on 15.01.1929. In 1949 the middle school was upgraded to High school. In 1978, the High School was upgraded into a Higher Secondary School.

The Motto of School: “TO CREATE A NEW SOCIETY”

To provide humanizing and liberalizing education so as to form responsible citizens who in solidarity with others will create a New Society.

To put this motto into practice, value education, human rights education, exposure programs, club activities etc., are added to the curriculum. A student movement called AMSA (Awareness Movement of St.Anne) was formed to give social awareness and to help the suffering humanity as part of students education.

A Short History of St. Anne’s Matric Hr.Sec.School

The English Medium Primary School was started in 1952. There was a constant request from the parents to upgrade the English Medium Primary & Nursery to Matric Higher Secondary School. Hence, efforts were taken by the congregation to upgrade this school to Higher Secondary level.

Upgradation of the English Medium Primary & Nursery school

• Upgraded to Middle School (VI to VIII) – 04.03.2014
• Upgraded to High School (IX to X) – 16.09.2015
• Upgraded to Higher Secondary (XI to XII) – 28.02.2018

Reliant Facilities of School

• Best infrastructure

• Eco friendly campus
• Efficient Faculty
• Quality education – Smart Boards
• Well-equipped library

• Informative lab facilities – Computer, Physics, Chemistry & biology
• Comforting Student Counselling

• Fascinating Skills Development -Academy Support

• Exciting Sports Activities