In 2013, when Brian Robbins took over as principal of St Peter’s School, Panchgani, he had more than one reason to be excited about the job. Robbins was fascinated with the school’s most famous student, Farrokh Bulsara, aka Freddie Mercury, the iconic frontman of the English rock band Queen, of whom he was a fan. Now, in his second stint at the helm, Robbins has been working on a memorial gallery in the school and hopes that it will be a space for music lovers and historians alike.

Freddie at school

In 1953, an eight-year-old Farrokh Bomi Bulsara arrived at Panchgani from Zanzibar, Tanzania. He spent eight years at the school before returning to Zanzibar and later moving to England.