Indian Montessori Centre

The Indian Montessori Centre (IMC) is a registered society with its headquarters in Bangalore, India. The Indian Montessori Centre was formed to support the Indian Montessori Training Courses (IMTC) and propagate the Montessori philosophy and Method of Education.The Indian Montessori Centre awards diplomas to the successful students of the courses being conducted every year by the Indian Montessori Training Courses (IMTC) all over India and abroad.

The History of IMC

In1939, Dr. Maria Montessori and Mario Montessori arrived in India. The 1st AMI course under the auspices of Indian Montessori Training Courses IMTC was held in Adyar, Chennai. Khurshed Taraporewalla, Tehmira Wadia and Gool Minwalla, later to be eminent Montessorians, were in the first batch of students trained in India. The IMTC Courses from 1939 to 1998 were certified by AMI. In 1949, The Montessoris finally returned to Europe. Between 1939 and 1949, Maria Montessori conducted sixteen Indian Montessori Training Courses, with the help of her son Mario, thus laying a very sound foundation for the Montessori movement in India.

By that time, Paul Chinnappa, the Deputy Director of Public Instruction, became the first Indian to receive training from Maria Montessori in Rome. His sister, Ms. Grace Pichchimuthu, was an educator too. They tried to adopt the elements from the Montessori Method in the schooling system in Karnataka. Around this time, there existed a Montessori House of children in Mysore, set up by M.V. Gopalaswamy. People in India were aware of the work Ms. Montessori was doing with children by then.

There was a Preparatory Committee formed, which invited Mr.Joosten, IMTC, formally, to conduct courses in Bangalore. Mr. MPL Shastry as the chairman, Mrs.Savithri Venkatram – the secretary, Ms.Grace Pichchimuthu, MLR Shastry as members, formed the Preparatory committee. Hymamshu Jyothi kala peetha used to be the office of the Preparatory committee. Mrs. Sundaramma Shastry and Mrs. Savithri Venkatram did all the ground work to get IMTC courses to be conducted in Bangalore.)

In 1955, (The 20th IMTC course)  was also the first ever IMTC course to be held in Bangalore. The Society for Further Propagation of the Montessori Movement (FPMM) in India was started in Kolkatta to commemorate the sixtieth birthday of Mr.Joosten.In 1989,  A conference was organized in Chennai to commemorate the 50 years of Montessori in India. Also, The Indian Montessori Centre was formed and FPMM merged with it.

IMC is a registered society with its headquarters in Bangalore, India. The Indian Montessori Centre was formed with the main intention of  supporting the Indian Montessori Training Courses (IMTC) and propagating the Montessori philosophy and Method of Education.