Loreto Schools are a group of all-girl

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

schools throughout the world associated with the

Sisters of Loreto The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose members are commonly known as the Loreto Sisters, is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women dedicated to education founded in Saint-Omer by an Englishwoman, Mary Ward (nun), Mary Ward, i ...

, founded by the English recusant nun Mary Ward and are run by the Loreto Educational Society (Loreto

sisters A sister is a woman or a girl who shares parents or a parent with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to r ...

), which in India runs 17 schools and 2 colleges. In Ireland in the 1850s the schools were founded to combat the growing

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

influence in English education in then British-controlled Ireland and ensure Catholic education for girls. It spread to India and Australia in the 1870s.

Loreto Schools in India

In Kolkata, Loreto schools are located at 7 Middleton Row,

Sealdah Sealdah is a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Etymology Jackals (''sheal'' in Bengali) howled around Sealdah. Antiquarians identify it as Shrigaldwipa (Jackal Island). Nearby Beliaghata ...

(

Loreto House Loreto House, Kolkata was established in 1842 in Kolkata, by the Loreto sisters belonging to the institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is the oldest and the first Loreto institution to be established in India and was one of the few all-gir ...

, the largest of the group), as well as

Entally Entally (also spelt Entali) is a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was considered close to the area which was home to the poor and the depressed castes.Nair, P. Thankappan in ''The Gro ...

Bowbazar Bowbazar, also spelt ''Boubazar''; formerly known as Bahubazar) is a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. History On Lt. Col. Mark Wood's map of 1784, the portion of the eastward road from L ...

, and

Dharmatala Dharmatala (archaic spelling Dharmotola) is a neighbourhood of Central Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Dharmatala Street has been renamed after Lenin as Lenin Sarani but the neighbourhood up to Wellington Square ...

. There are also Loreto schools in other cities across India including

Darjeeling Darjeeling (, , ) is a city in the northernmost region of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of West Bengal. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it has an average elevation of . To the west of Darjeeling lies the Koshi Pr ...

, Delhi, and

Asansol Asansol is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the second largest city in West Bengal. It is the 33rd largest urban agglomeration in India by population. Asansol is the district headquarters of Paschim Bardhaman district. Accordi ...

. Lucknow has two. The schools engage in charitable activities and on academic and all-round development of the students. * Loreto Convent, Asansol *Loreto Convent Doranda, Ranchi *

Loreto Convent Lucknow Loreto Convent, Lucknow is an educational institution founded in 1872 and located in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, India. Loreto Convent is under the management of the Sisters of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, usually known ...

, established 1872 * St. Agnes' Loreto Day School, Lucknow *

Loreto Convent, Tara Hall, Shimla Loreto Convent, Tara Hall is an English-medium high school located in Upper Kaithu, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. The school is run by the Loreto Education Society. Tradition Loreto Convent, Tara Hall belongs to the worldwide family of ...

, established 1892 *

Loreto Convent, Darjeeling Loreto Convent is an English-medium girls' primary and secondary school located in Chauk Bazar, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. It is run by Loreto Education Society of Darjeeling. The school is affiliated to the ICSE and ISC boards of Delhi. ...

, established 1846 *Loreto Convent, Shillong *

Loreto Convent, Delhi Loreto Convent School is a girls' school in Delhi, India. Situated in Delhi Cantt, the school is an English medium school affiliated to CBSE boards of Delhi, and run by Loreto Educational Society (Loreto Nuns), associated with Sisters of Lor ...

Notable Alumni

Jyoti Basu Jyoti Basu (born Jyotirindra Basu; 8 July 1914 – 17 January 2010) was an Indian Marxist theorist, communist activist, and politician. He was one of the most prominent leaders of Communist movement in India. He served as the 6th and longest ...

References

{{coord missing, West Bengal

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

Catholic schools in India Christian schools in West Bengal Girls' schools in Kolkata 1970s establishments in India

Loreto Schools in India

Notable Alumni

See also

References