The Lycee Francais International de Pondicherry kicked off its bicentenary celebrations on Thursday. 

Ambassador of France to India Thierry Mathou inaugurated the celebrations in the presence of Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan, Home Minister A. Namassivayam, Director General of the Agency for French Education Abroad Alexandre Morois and representatives of French diplomatic and educational networks in India.

The opening ceremony, held at Lycee, 12 Victor Simonel Street, Heritage Town, was followed by a musical night. The ceremony also featured a Bharatanatyam performance and an address by Henri de Richemont, a descendant of the school’s founder.

The Ambassador, in a statement, said the institute stands as a testimony to the long-standing friendship between France and India. It has brought together generations of people from both the countries through education and culture, the statement said.

“The bicentenary is the joyful celebration of a remarkable heritage and of the students, families and educators who have made it what it is today. It is also a moment to look ahead with confidence and enthusiasm towards the generations to come,” it added.

Around 400 former students, most of them from France and 1,000 invited guests attended the inaugural ceremony. The celebrations would continue till Saturday.

Founded in 1826 as the College royal de Pondicherry, the Lycee in Puducherry is one of the oldest French schools outside France still in operation. In 1826, the then French Governor, Eugene Desbassayns de Richemont, signed the order establishing the College. 

Over time, the school taught Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Bengali, developed law and medical courses preparing students for further study in France. Today, the school remains part of Puducherry’s educational heritage. 

Earlier in the day, the Ambassador participated in the signing of an agreement to promote educational exchange between Government of Puducherry and France. The MoU aimed to strengthen collaboration in French language education and create opportunities for educational and cultural exchange. The agreement would pave way for more cooperation between France and Puducherry. Mr. Namassivayam was also present.