The Ramakrishna- Vivekananda Movement has been penetrating to all remote corners of the country ever since the establishment of the Ramakrishna Mission by Swami Vivekananda in 1897. It made its appearance in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills in 1924 when a giant monastic worker of the Ramakrishna order, Swami Prabhananda, known as “Ketaki Maharaj” moved up to Shella Village at the Southern foot of the Khasi Hills. Ketaki joined the Ramakrishna Mission in Dacca. During his training at Dacca, he came to known that many Khasi tribals were anxious to have some associations to start educational institutions in these hills. After some enquiries about the people, he proceeded towards Shella. His sincerity and dedication touched the hearts of the people and they gave a warm support to this work.
Ketaki Maharaj also got acquainted with the Leaders of the village name Gouri Charan and Yogidhan Wahadar, and explained to them his objective that he had come to help them develop along with the requirement of modern age. The ultimate aim of the Mission was to encourage the Khasis to preserve their culture and tradition, at the same time they should move with the time and come into the main stream. The National life and contribute to the progress of India.
With the consent of the village headman, a humble beginning was made at Shella with a free primary school, and a night school for adults in 1924. Later on, it was raised to the standard of a middle English School. The numerical enrolment of student turned to be the significant start of his work in the field of education.
The school belonged formally to the Shella State and for this an annual subsidy of Rs. 500/- was available from the Khasi Chief. Besides this grant, the mission did receive occasional donations from friends far and near. In this regard, the financial help received from the Sylhet Sri Ramakrishna Seva Samity needed special mention.
The Ramakrishna Mission did not confine itself only with educational activities. Apart from it, philanthropic was also carried on by the Mission. Homeopathic and Biochemic medicines were freely distributed among the poor. Conversational classes were held and occasional lectures were delivered in the local language on different subjects like religion, morality and education. The birthday celebrations of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda were duly observed along with hindu festivals such as Ratha- Jatra and Dol Jatra all of which the Khasi enjoyed immensely. In 1928, a boarding house was opened at Shella Ashrama to cater the needs of students coming from remote villages. For convenience of those students to pursue their studies, a residential boarding house at Sunamganj was constructed in February 1928 accommodating from 8 to 10 Khasi students. To provide help to the sick and needy people, one dispensary was set up in Shella. Flood and Relief work was also volunteered by the Mission. In 2003, the Shella M.E School was upgraded to the Secondary School when Swami Nityamuktananda was the Secretary, the Shella Dorbar handed over the Shella proceeding High School to the Mission. The Mission reached another milestone in the field of education. On June, 2023, the Secondary of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Swami Anuragananda upgraded the Shella Secondary School to Higher Secondary Level.