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Founder Principal - Cadet College Hasan Abdal

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Mr Hugh Catchpole (26th May, 1907 - 01 February, 1997)

Founder Principal - Cadet College Hasan Abdal

Mr Hugh Catchpole was one of the most distinguished educationists who taught generations and left an indelible mark on his students. Born in England, he joined Prince of Wales' Royal Indian Military College, Dehra Dun (now Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) in 1928 and went on to become its Principal in 1948.

The first Pakistani Air Chief, Air Marshal Asghar Khan and his successor Air Marshal Nur Khan had been his students at RIMC. They requested him to come to Pakistan and become the founder Principal of Cadet College Hasan Abdal. He was still at Hasan Abdal when Air Marshal Asghar Khan handpicked him to join PAF Public School Sarghoda as Principal, in 1958. He stayed there till 1967 and then joined Abbottabad Public School as Head of English Department, a post he held till his very last. He died at the age of 90, on 01 February, 1997, at Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi.

Mr Catchpole was buried with such honours as would be the envy of many. Besides being an extraordinary educationist, Mr Catchpole was a humanist and philanthropist, who remained a bachelor throughout his life and financed many students' education with his scholarship funds in England, India and Pakistan. In his will he wished to donate all balances of his account to the institutions he had been associated with. Mr Hugh Catchpole was honoured twice by Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth. In 1971, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 1980, the Queen awarded him Commander's Badge of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) also called the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. In 1979, the President of Pakistan General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq conferred upon Mr Catchpole the award of "Sitara-i-Imtiaz" for his meritorious services in the field of education. On 15 June, 2007, the President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf conferred upon Mr Catchpole the highest civil award of Pakistan "Hilal-i-Imtiaz" posthumous for his incomparable, selfless and single minded dedication to the cause of quality education in Pakistan.

Mr. Hugh Catchpole breathed his last on 1st February 1997, and in accordance with his will, he was buried on the soil of Cadet College Hasan Abdal.


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