Pune’s Historic Deccan College Begins Its Bicentennial Year

The historic Deccan College in Pune — one of the oldest colleges in the country — begins its bicentennial year on 6 October. It was established on 6 October 1821 as the ‘Hindoo College’, under the initiative of the Governor Mountstuart Elphinstone.

However, the history of this institution goes back over a century prior to 1821.

Sardar Senapati Khanderao Dabhade had started a Dakshina Fund for the learned scholars in the early 18th century.

This fund and initiative were further expanded by the Peshwas.

Over time, this fund allocation grew. There is a good historical record of this ‘Dakshina’ tradition for which learned scholars from all over the country visited Pune.

The programme was held at the foothills of Parvati hill.

After the third Anglo Maratha War in 1818, the British got control of Pune, and Elphinstone was personally involved in the administration of the city and surrounding areas.

As Jaymala Diddee and Samita Gupta have mentioned in their excellent book: Pune – Queen of the Deccan:

One of the key traditions continued was this ‘Dakshina Fund’.

A ‘Sanskrit Pathshala’ was established in the Vishrambaug Wada using these funds and the institution was called ‘The Hindoo College’.

The college expanded over the years and it was renamed ‘Poona College’ in 1851, and later to ‘Deccan College’ in 1864.

The present campus and main building at Yerawada near Pune were completed in 1868 with generous support from Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy.

The beautiful campus is spread over 115 acres, near the Mula river.

Since its early days, the Deccan College has attracted some great students. Its famous alumni include Sir Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar, Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, Vishwanath Kashinath Rajawade, Senapati Bapat, N.C. Kelkar, Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis and many others.

Lokmanya Tilak and Gopal Ganesh Agarkar were classmates at this college in the 1870s.

The hostel room of Lokmanya Tilak at the Deccan College is maintained today as a small memorial.

The college was closed down by the British in 1934 due to some funding issues, but thanks to the efforts of the alumni and Pune citizens, it was restarted in 1939 — as a postgraduate and research institute.

Over the past century, the college (now a deemed university) has focussed on research and education in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Linguistics, Medieval and Maratha History, Sociology, Anthropology, and Sanskrit studies.

The Deccan College has played a leading role in archaeology and excavations throughout India, including at the Indus Valley sites, before 1947.

Eminent scholars over the past many decades here include late Professors S. M. Katre, H. D. Sankalia, Irawati Karve, C. R. Sankaran, T. S. Shejwalkar, and their colleagues and successors such as Professors A. M. Ghatage, M. A. Mehendale, S. B. Deo, M. K. Dhavalikar and others.

Presently, this great institution offers postgraduate programmes (MA, PhD, P.G. Diplomas) in Archaeology, Sanskrit, Lexicography and other areas.

It has one of the best Archaeology and Sanskrit-focussed libraries in the country.

The campus also houses two good museums — Museum of Indian Archaeology, and Maratha History Museum.