Fergusson College is an autonomous public-private college offering various courses in the streams of

arts The arts or creative arts are a vast range of human practices involving creativity, creative expression, storytelling, and cultural participation. The arts encompass diverse and plural modes of thought, deeds, and existence in an extensive ...

and

science Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

in the city of

Pune Pune ( ; , ISO 15919, ISO: ), previously spelled in English as Poona (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1978), is a city in the state of Maharashtra in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau in Western ...

, India. It was founded in 1885 by Vaman Shriram Apte,

Bal Gangadhar Tilak Bal Gangadhar Tilak (; born Keshav Gangadhar Tilak (pronunciation: eʃəʋ ɡəŋɡaːd̪ʱəɾ ʈiɭək; 23 July 1856 – 1 August 1920), endeared as Lokmanya (IAST: ''Lokamānya''), was an Indian nationalist, teacher, and an independence ...

, Vishnushashtri Chiplunkar, Mahadeo Ballal Namjoshi and

Gopal Ganesh Agarkar Gopal Ganesh Agarkar (14 July 1856 – 17 June 1895) () was a social reformer, educationist, and thinker from Bombay Presidency, British India. At one time a close associate of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he co-founded educational institutes ...

. Professor

Vaman Shivram Apte Vaman Shivram Apte (1858 – 9 August 1892) was an Indian lexicographer and a professor of Sanskrit at Pune Pune ( ; , ISO 15919, ISO: ), previously spelled in English as Poona (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the ...

was its first principal. Social reformer, journalist, thinker and educationist

served as the second principal from August 1892, till his death in June 1895. The college is named after

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

-born

Sir James Fergusson James Fergusson may refer to: Politics *Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet (1832–1907), Governor of South Australia, New Zealand and Bombay *Sir James Fergusson, 8th Baronet (1904–1973), Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire *Sir James Fergusson, Lord Ki ...

, the

Governor of Bombay Until the 18th century, Bombay consisted of seven islands separated by shallow sea. These seven islands were part of a larger archipelago in the Arabian sea, off the western coast of India. The date of city's founding is unclear—historians tr ...

, the college has been under the jurisdiction of the

University of Pune Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), formerly the University of Pune, is a public state university located in the city of Pune, India. It was established in 1949, and is spread over a campus in the neighbourhood of Ganeshkhind. The uni ...

. In May 2018, Fergusson college was upgraded to a unitary university following an update from Ministry of HRD. The college has two sections: * The Junior Wing (

junior college A junior college is a type of post-secondary institution that offers vocational and academic training that is designed to prepare students for either skilled trades and technical occupations or support roles in professions such as engineering, a ...

) is for students graduating from school. Courses are offered in Arts and Science streams, at the end of which students may appear for the Higher-Secondary State Certificate examination. * The Senior Wing offers bachelor's degrees in 29 disciplines and master's degrees in 16 disciplines. Fergusson College is known for its close association with Indian politics. Its founders were pioneers of the

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...

, as well as, Indian Socialist Movement. The college has produced, several ministers and legislators, including two Indian Prime Ministers.See

P. V. Narasimha Rao Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (28 June 1921 – 23 December 2004) was an Indian independence activist, lawyer, and statesman from the Indian National Congress who served as the prime minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He was the first p ...

Fergusson was among the 19 colleges to get a heritage tag by the central government and UGC in 2015. So, the college receives financial help from UGC for the conservation of campus and buildings.

History

Foundation

After the suppression of the

Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against Company rule in India, the rule of the East India Company, British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the The Crown, British ...

, reformers in India felt a pressing need to modernise the

education system The educational system generally refers to the structure of all institutions and the opportunities for obtaining education within a country. It includes all pre-school institutions, starting from family education, and/or early childhood education ...

in order to advance the cause of reform. Prominent

nationalists Nationalism is an idea or movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, it presupposes the existence and tends to promote the interests of a particular nation, Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Theory, Id ...

, such as

Vishnushastri Chiplunkar Vishnushastri Chiplunkar (20 May 1850 – 17 March 1882) () was a Marathi writer, whose writings have had a decisive influence on modern Marathi prose style. He was the son of the writer and scholar Krushnashastri Chiplunkar. Life Vishnus ...

and

led efforts to found a school designed for the general advancement of the Indian public; leading to the creation of the New English School. Inspired by the school's success, the

Deccan Education Society The Deccan Education Society is an organisation that runs 43 education establishments in Maharashtra, India. Its main branch is situated in Pune. History In 1880 Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Gopal Ganesh Agarkar ...

was formed in 1884; a year later the Fergusson College was established. An area of of land was leased for 99-years by Shirole, the erstwhile '' Patil'' of the village of Bhamburde on the west bank of the

Mutha River The Mutha River is a river in western Maharashtra, India. It arises in the Western Ghats and flows eastward until it merges with the Mula River (India), Mula River in the city of Pune. It has been dammed twice, first at the Panshet Dam (on the ...

. The college was inaugurated by William Wordsworth, a namesake grandson of the British poet and principal of

Elphinstone College Elphinstone College is one of the constituent colleges of Dr. Homi Bhabha State University, a state cluster university. Established in 1856, it is one of the oldest colleges in Mumbai. It played a major role in shaping and developing the edu ...

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

. Other leaders such as R. G. Bhandarkar and

Mahadev Govind Ranade Rao Bahadur Mahadev Govind Ranade (18 January 1842–16 January 1901), popularly referred to as Nyayamurti Ranade (lit. Justice Ranade), was an Indian scholar, social reformer, judge and author. He was one of the founding members of the Indi ...

played a part in its construction. The college was named after the then

. The British colonial government in Bombay allowed the college to remain autonomous, giving it a free hand in education. In 1935, during the celebrations marking 50 years of the college's founding, Sir

CV Raman Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman ( ; ; 7 November 1888 – 21 November 1970) was an Indian physicist known for his work in the field of light scattering. Using a spectrograph that he developed, he and his student K. S. Krishnan discovered th ...

noted,

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

, in a message to then Principal Dr. Mahajani wrote, Lokmany tilak

Post-independence

Post-1947, Fergusson College has produced leaders in the fields of politics, academia, literature and art.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Rajendra Prasad (3 December 1884 – 28 February 1963) was an Indian politician, lawyer, journalist and scholar who served as the first president of India from 1950 to 1962. He joined the Indian National Congress during the Indian independenc ...

, India's first president, was the chief guest of the platinum jubilee function. He said on the occasion, In 1985, the college completed its centenary.

Rajiv Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi (20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991) was an Indian statesman and pilot who served as the prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He took office after the Assassination of Indira Gandhi, assassination of his mother, then–prime ...

, the then prime minister was the president of the ceremony. PV Narasimharao, India's 12th prime minister and former student, said, A two-part history of the college was written by Dr. VM Bachal, former principal. The book, ''Vatchal Sawashe Varshanchi'' (''A Journey of 125 Years'') was published in January 2010. In 2018, Fergusson was given University status by the Ministry of Human resource development.

Association with Indian politics

Fergusson College has been given many epithets by political leaders, including 'cradle of Indian polity' and 'twin of the Congress'. Fergusson College Main

The founders of Fergusson College, most notably Tilak and Gokhale, were leaders of the Indian National Congress in its early stages from 1885 to 1920. In fact, most historians divide the history of the INC into two eras — the Tilak Era and the Gandhi era. The college has produced as alumni, notable Congress leaders including

Vishwanath Pratap Singh Vishwanath Pratap Singh (25 June 1931 – 27 November 2008) was an Indian politician who served as the prime minister of India from 1989 to 1990 and the Raja Bahadur of Manda. He was educated at Allahabad University and Fergusson College in ...

and

PV Narasimha Rao Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (28 June 1921 – 23 December 2004) was an Indian independence activist, lawyer, and statesman from the Indian National Congress who served as the prime minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He was the first p ...

Jivatram Kripalani Jivatram Bhagwandas Kripalani (11 November 1888 – 19 March 1982), popularly known as Acharya Kripalani, was an Indian politician, noted particularly for holding the presidency of the Indian National Congress during the transfer of power in ...

and Babubhai J Patel. (See comprehensive list below.) Among the founders, Agarkar and Namjoshi were early

Socialists Socialism is an economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes the economic, political, and socia ...

of Maharashtra. Alumni such as

Vitthal Ramji Shinde Vitthal Ramji Shinde (23 April 1873 – 2 January 1944) was an Indian social reformer, researcher, and writer as well as an advocate against untouchability and for religious unity in the Bombay Presidency, British India (present-day Maharash ...

, S.M. Joshi, and Nanasaheb Gore were eminent socialists, inside and outside the Congress fold. The

Samyukta Maharashtra Movement Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, () commonly known as the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti, was an organisation in India that advocated for a separate Marathi-speaking state in Western India and Central India from 1956 to 1960. The Samiti demanded t ...

, founded to fight for Maharashtra's statehood, included several alumni such as

Prahlad Keshav Atre Pralhad Keshav Atre () (13 August 1898 – 13 June 1969), popularly known as Āchārya Atre, was a prominent Marathi writer, poet, educationist, founder–editor of ''Maratha'' (a Marathi language newspaper), and above all a noted orator. Biogr ...

, SM Joshi and Gore. V.D Savarkar, in 1902, enrolled in Fergusson College. As a young man, he was inspired by the new generation of radical political leaders — Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai — along with the political struggle against the partition of Bengal and the rising Swadeshi campaign. After completing his degree, nationalist activist Shyamji Krishna Varma helped Vinayak to go to England to study law, on a scholarship. Fergusson is the only institution in India to have in its alumni two Indian

prime ministers A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but rat ...

Campus

From the leased out by Shirole, the erstwhile Patil of Bhamburde in 1881, the college expanded to by the time of Independence. The campus extends until the slopes of a hillock, popularly called Fergusson Hill. Several educational institutions are around the hillock. The college is largely built in accordance with the

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literatur ...

school of architecture, although it has some

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...

and traditional Indian styles as well.

Buildings

The Main Building is at the inner entrance of the college. Built entirely in Victorian style, the two-storey structure houses the central office and the principals' chambers. The Statistics and Psychology Departments lie to the east of the main building; the Economics Department lie to the west. The computer science and the life science buildings are also to the west. On the southern side are the RP Paranjpye building, Pittie Chemistry building, Botany, Zoology, Geology, Electronics and Physics departments. The building overlooks the central garden to the north and has two lecture halls and the staffs' chambers. There are 55 laboratories and 51 lecture halls in all.

NM Wadia Amphitheatre

The three-storeyed amphitheatre building, to the west of the central garden, has Victorian-Gothic influences. Apart from several lecture halls, the building houses an auditorium with a capacity of 1,000 people. In 2012, this amphitheatre celebrated its 100 years.

Bai Jerbai Wadia Library

Bai Jerbai Wadia Library was built in 1929 by industrialists Sir Cusrow Wadia and Sir Ness Wadia in memory of their mother. The Main Library on the ground floor has more than 300,000 books and research journals. Research scholars and book-lovers have donated their collections. The first floor (the floor above the ground floor) of the library serves as a Reading Hall for students and accommodates 400 students. The floors above this floor are not publicly accessible without prior arrangement and house books, manuscripts, and articles of historic and cultural importance. The library has a collection of statues and posters, dedicated to national leaders and educationalists. The building was extended in 1955, with government grants and then in 1982 with grants from the

Central government A central government is the government that is a controlling power over a unitary state. Another distinct but sovereign political entity is a federal government, which may have distinct powers at various levels of government, authorized or deleg ...

Kimaya

Kimaya is an open-air theatre on the north side of the campus. It was conceived by litterateur and alumni

PL Deshpande Purushottam Laxman Deshpande (alternatively written as Pu La Deshpande; 8 November 1919 – 12 June 2000), popularly known by his initials ("Pu. La.") or as P. L. Deshpande, was a Marathi writer and humorist from Maharashtra. He was also an ac ...

on his return from a visit to Japan. It encompasses elements of modern architecture and is built without beams. It has eight walls fused together, which function as

trusses A truss is an assembly of ''members'' such as beams, connected by ''nodes'', that creates a rigid structure. In engineering, a truss is a structure that "consists of two-force members only, where the members are organized so that the assembla ...

Botanical Gardens

The Botanical Gardens on the campus were founded in 1902 by a teacher, Professor Shevade. Botany students from the college planted specimens here, including

Elaeocarpus ''Elaeocarpus'' is a genus of nearly five hundred species of flowering plants in the family Elaeocarpaceae native to the Western Indian Ocean, Tropical and Subtropical Asia, and the Pacific. Plants in the genus ''Elaeocarpus'' are trees or shrub ...

Araucaria ''Araucaria'' (; original pronunciation: .ɾawˈka. ɾja is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae. While today they are largely confined to the Southern Hemisphere, during the Jurassic and Cretaceous they were glo ...

and

Mahogany Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Universit ...

. In 1961, the garden was destroyed when the nearby Panshet dam was

breached Breached was a Canadians, Canadian rock band from Toronto, Ontario, active from 2010 to 2015. Its members were Bobby Noakes (vocals), Age of Days, Mike Diesel (guitar/vocals), Ryan Alexander (bass), and Dear Jane, I..., Neil Uppal (drums). Mike ...

. Years later, it was reinstated by the

Pune Municipal Corporation Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is the civic body that governs the inner limits of Pune, India. It is in charge of the civic needs and infrastructure of the metropolis, which is spread over an area of 500 sq. km. and has 3.4 million resident ...

(PMC), the Association of Herbal Drugs, and Deccan Education Society. Some plants found there are Saraca Indica (Sita Ashok), the bark of which is used to heal skin diseases and as a tonic; and

Terminalia arjuna ''Terminalia arjuna'' is a tree of the genus '' Terminalia''. It is commonly known as arjuna or arjun tree in English. It is used as a traditional medicinal plant. Description ''T. arjuna'' grows to about 20–25 metres tall; usually has a buttr ...

, the extract of which is used to treat jaundice.

Gymkhana and grounds

Cricket, hockey and football are played on the main ground which has a drainage system, enabling play during monsoons. Two asphalted basketball courts are next to the main ground. A second ground, to the south, has courts for volleyball and handball as well as facilities for Indian sports like Kabaddi, Kho-Kho and Mallakhamb. Services for badminton and other indoor games are available, and the Gymnasium Building provides training for boxing, wrestling, judo, weight lifting and yoga. The college has tennis courts on the eastern side of the campus.

New academic complex

The new academic complex was built in 2004 at the northern end of the campus. Unlike the other buildings, it is designed in a modern functionalist style. It houses the Junior College and the DES Law College.

Residences

For students, there are six hostel blocks, four blocks for boys and two for girls. The total intake capacity of the hostels is 587 students. The gents hostel blocks are to the north of the campus and the ladies hostel blocks lie to the east. The college has some quarters for the faculty and staff and also for employees of other DES Institutes. The principal resides in an independent bungalow at the main entrance of the college. Some members of the teaching staff have been provided with residential facilities on the campus. This facility includes independent bungalows. There are some flats constructed with financial aid from the UGC.

Academics

In 2014 Fergusson College started special courses for upgrading skills of the national youth. The following courses have begun in the same year: # Bachelor of Vocation in Media and Communication # Bachelor of Vocation in Digital Art and Animation The courses offer hands on skill experience with overall personality development of the student. The course consists of Photography, Voice Over, Script Writing, Media Research, Advertising, Video Editing, Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, Short Film making, and Media Research. In 2019 and 2020 Media and Communication Department organised ''Fergusson International Short Film Festival''. It was one of the biggest short film festival organised by any college department in India.

Rankings

The college is ranked 45th among colleges in India by the

National Institutional Ranking Framework National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is a ranking methodology released annually by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, to rank institutions of higher education in India. The framework was approved by the former Ministr ...

(NIRF) in 2024.

Departments

Senior wing of Fergusson University has 14 arts and 16 science departments. ;Arts Departments: Marathi, Hindi, Economics, English, French, Geography, German, Gymkhana, History, Philosophy, Political science, Psychology, Sanskrit, and Sociology. ;Science Departments: Animation, Biotechnology, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Digital Art and Animation, Electronics Science, Environmental science, Geology, Mathematics, Media and Communication, Microbiology, Photography, Physics, Statistics, and Zoology.

Associated institutes

The college shares its campus with the

Institute of Management Development and Research, Pune The Institute of Management Development and Research (IMDR) in Pune, India is the oldest management institution in Pune and is a branch of the Deccan Education Society. IMDR used to offer three full time programs: Post Graduate Diploma in Manag ...

(IMDR) and Jaganath Rathi Vocational Guidance and Training Institute (JRVGTI), both governed by the Deccan Education Society.

Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce is a college in Pune, Maharashtra, India. The college was established in 1943 by the Deccan Education Society. It is affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University. Dr. Deepak Powdel is the current pr ...

(BMCC), established in 1943, is closely associated with Fergusson College. At the northern end of the campus, next to the New Academic Building, lies DES Law College.

Student life

National Cadet Corps

National Cadet Corps training began in Fergusson College in 1921 with the University Training Corps unit which had two platoons. In 1926, the UTC strength of increased to three platoons. In June 1930, one platoon of the

College of Engineering Engineering education is the activity of teaching knowledge and principles to the professional practice of engineering. It includes an initial education ( Dip.Eng.)and (B.Eng.) or ( M.Eng.), and any advanced education and specializations tha ...

was transferred to the Fergusson College and since then Fergusson College enjoyed the privilege of contributing full company — α coy — and was reputed as the Best Drilling Company. There are two units of NCC in Fergusson College — Army and Navy wings. In the Army wing, cadets are trained by the representative of the

Indian Armed Forces The Indian Armed Forces are the armed forces, military forces of the India, Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force.—— Additionally, the Indian Ar ...

at the junior and senior level. They are seen as future officers or army personnel or as possible reserves in the case of national emergency. In the Naval wing, cadets are trained as per the naval rules and discipline at the senior as well as on junior level. They are considered as reserves, second in line of defence in case of national emergency. Apart from these, the open units in the college are Girls Wing, Air Wing, Signal Wing, Armed Squadron and Medical Wing.

National Service Scheme

National Service Scheme The National Service Scheme (NSS) is an Indian government sector public service program conducted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India. Popularly known as NSS, the scheme was launched in Mahatma Gandhi's centen ...

(NSS) is a community service program sponsored by the Ministry of Human Resources Development,

Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

. The motto of the NSS is ‘Not Me But You’, and its objective is developing the personality of the student through community service. The NSS Unit of Fergusson College was started in 1975 with about 50 students. Presently the NSS Unit consists of about 200 students from senior college and 100 students from junior college. The activities of the NSS are to help the students understand community, their relation with community, National Integration, and Social problems.

Periodicals

The photography department, with contributions from current and former students, brings out an e-magazine, ''Fergzine''.

Astro Club

The Astro Club is an activity started in 1997. Apart from weekly lectures, problem solving sessions and documentary screening, students also organise Physics/Astronomy exhibitions, seminars, workshops, sky observations, Space Week and Asteroid hunt program. "Frontiers in Physics" is a unique annual seminar organised by the students exclusively for the students with speakers from national and international institutions. Students also publish "Dimensions" a special science bulletin each term.

In Popular Culture

# A scene from the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-winning film '' Gandhi'' was filmed at the Gymkhana building and grounds of Fergusson College. The location was used to depict a town hall in Cape Town, South Africa. # The novel '' Kosala'' (''Cocoon''), written by

Jnanpith Award The Jnanpith Award is the oldest and the highest Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature". Instituted in 1961, the award is bestowed only on Indian ...

-winning author and Fergusson College alumnus

Bhalchandra Nemade Bhalchandra Vanaji Nemade (born 1938) is an Indian Marathi language writer, poet, critic and linguistic scholar. Beginning with his debut novel ''Kosala'', Nemade brought new dimensions to the world of Marathi literature. This was followed by ...

, is loosely inspired by his experiences as a student at the college. Much of the narrative contains descriptions strikingly similar to Fergusson College. # 1984 Hindi film Holi, directed by

Ketan Mehta Ketan Mehta (born 21 July 1952) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter who has also directed documentaries and television serials since 1975. Early life and education Born on 21 July 1952 in Navsari in Gujarat, Mehta did his sch ...

, which explores student unrest and rebellion was shot at Fergusson College. The film features actors like

Aamir Khan Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan (; born 14 March 1965) is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and television personality who works in Bollywood, Hindi films. Referred to as "Mr. Perfectionist" in the media, he is known for his work in a variety of film g ...

and

Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah (born 20 July 1950) is an Indian actor. He was notable in Indian parallel cinema and has starred in various international productions. He has won numerous awards in his career, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfa ...

and includes scenes around the Main Building as well the college's iconic banyan tree, which had just fallen at the time. # Some parts of the film

The Legend of Bhagat Singh ''The Legend of Bhagat Singh'' is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language biographical drama film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The film is about Bhagat Singh, a revolutionary who fought for Indian independence along with fellow members of the Hindus ...

were shot at Fergusson College.

Notable alumni

(1921–2004) — 9th

Prime Minister of India The prime minister of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen Union Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers, despite the president of ...

(1931–2008) — 7th

. *

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (28 May 1883 – 26 February 1966 ), was an Indian politician, activist and writer. Savarkar developed the Hindu nationalist political ideology of Hindutva while confined at Ratnagiri in 1922. The prefix "Veer" (mea ...

(Veer Savarkar) (1883–1966) —

Hindu nationalist Hindu nationalism has been collectively referred to as the expression of political thought, based on the native social and cultural traditions of the Indian subcontinent. "Hindu nationalism" is a simplistic translation of . It is better descri ...

advocate, president of the

Hindu Mahasabha Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha (), simply known as Hindu Mahasabha, is a Hindu nationalism, Hindu nationalist political party in India. Founded in 1915 by Madan Mohan Malviya, the Mahasabha functioned mainly as a pressure group advocating th ...

, Author, Poet, a Nationalist & reformer *

Shubhangi Kulkarni Shubhangi Kulkarni (born 19 July 1959) is a former Indian cricketer and one of the game's most successful administrators. She received India's highest sporting honor, the Arjuna Award in 1985. She was the secretary of the Women's Cricket Associat ...

(born 1959) - former India women captain,

Arjuna Arjuna (, , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, �ɾd͡ʒun̪ə is one of the central characters of the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the third of the five Pandava brothers, and is widely regarded as the most important and renowned among them. ...

awardee and secretary of erstwhile Women's Cricket Association of India *

P. L. Deshpande Purushottam Laxman Deshpande (alternatively written as Pu La Deshpande; 8 November 1919 – 12 June 2000), popularly known by his initials ("Pu. La.") or as P. L. Deshpande, was a Marathi writer and humorist from Maharashtra. He was also an a ...

(1919–2000) —

Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...

writer, actor, music composer, film and television producer, film director, music director & a great philanthrope. Famous as "Maharashtra's beloved personality" *

Ram Ganesh Gadkari Ram Ganesh Gadkari (26 May 1885 – 23 January 1919) was a Marathi poet, playwright, and humorist from Bombay Presidency, India. Ram Ganesh Gadkari was one of the writers in the new age transformation in Marathi literature. He wrote poetry u ...

(1885–1919) — Marathi playwright, poet and writer *

(1898 – 1969) — playwright (''

Shyamchi Aai (film) ''Shyamchi Aai'' (lit.:Shyam's Mother) is a 1953 Marathi film, directed by P.K.Atre. It is based on the book Shyamchi Aai written by Sane Guruji in Marathi. The film was acclaimed upon release. It stars Damuanna Joshi, Vanamala and Madhav ...

''); leader of the

B. V. Doshi Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi OAL (26 August 192724 January 2023) was an Indian architect. He is an important figure in Indian architecture and noted for his contributions to the evolution of architectural discourse in India. Having worked under ...

- An Indian

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

, first

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

architect to receive the

Pritzker Architecture Prize The Pritzker Architecture Prize is an international award presented annually "to honor a living architect or architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment which has produced consisten ...

, awarded with

Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...

and the

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan (IAST: ''Padma Bhūṣaṇa'', lit. 'Lotus Decoration') is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 Januar ...

Shreedhar Mahadev Joshi Shreedhar Mahadev Joshi, also known as S.M. Joshi (12 November 1904 – 1 April 1989), was an Indian independence activist, a Socialist, a Member of Parliament, and leader of Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti. Biography Born 12 November 1904, in ...

(1904-1989) - An Indian Socialist politician who played a major role in the

Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, () commonly known as the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti, was an organisation in India that advocated for a separate Marathi-speaking state in Western India and Central India from 1956 to 1960. The Samiti demanded t ...

for the creation of

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

state. * R. P. Paranjpye (1876–1966) — mathematician, first Indian to become

Senior Wrangler The Senior Wrangler is the top mathematics undergraduate at the University of Cambridge in England, a position which has been described as "the greatest intellectual achievement attainable in Britain". Specifically, it is the person who achiev ...

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

, former principal of Fergusson College *

Shriram Lagoo Dr. Shriram Lagoo (16 November 1927 – 17 December 2019) was an Indian film and theatre actor, in Hindi and Marathi language, Marathi, in addition to being an ENT Surgeon. He was known for his character roles in films. He acted in over 250 fi ...

(born 1927–2019) — film and theatre actor *

Burgula Ramakrishna Rao Burgula Ramakrishna Rao (13 March 1899 – 14 September 1967) was the first and last Chief Minister of the erstwhile Hyderabad State. Prior to the independence of India and the political integration of the princely states into the Union, he ...

(1899–1967) — activist for freedom of

Hyderabad State Hyderabad State () was a princely state in the Deccan region of south-central India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and the ...

, 2nd

Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union ter ...

of the state *

Smita Patil Smita Patil (17 October 1955 – 13 December 1986) was an Indian actress who primarily worked in Hindi and Marathi language, Marathi films. Regarded among the greatest and finest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, she was known for her ...

(1955–1986) — film actress (''Mirch Masala, Manthan, Chakra''); double

National Award The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian P ...

Winner for Best Actress *

Narayan Sitaram Phadke Narayan Sitaram Phadke (1894–1978) was a writer from Maharashtra, India. wrote in his native Marathi as well as English. Early life and family Narayan Phadke was born to Sitaram Phadke and his wife in the town of Karjat, Ahmadnagar distric ...

(1894-1978) — Marathi writer * J. B. Kripalani (1888–1982) — Indian independence activist, former president of the

Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar (11 January 1898 – 2 September 1976) was a Marathi writer from Maharashtra, India. He was the first Marathi author to win the prestigious Jnanpith Award. Early life Khandekar was born on 11 January 1898 in S ...

- author, The first

author to win the prestigious

D.R. Bendre Dattātreya Rāmachandra Bēndre (31 January 1896 – 26 October 1981), popularly known as Da Rā Bēndre, is generally considered the greatest Kannada lyric poet of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the history of Kannad ...

- Kannada Poet,

Vasant Kanetkar Vasant Shankar Kanetkar (20 March 1922 – 31 January 2000) was an Indian Marathi-language playwright and novelist from Maharashtra. He was born in the town of Rahimatpur in Satara District, Maharashtra. His father, Shankar Keshav Kanetkar, ...

— playwright,

awardee *

Madhav Gadgil Madhav Dhananjaya Gadgil (born 24 May 1942) is an Indian ecologist, academic, writer, columnist and the founder of the ''Centre for Ecological Sciences'', a research forum under the aegis of the Indian Institute of Science. He is a former membe ...

(born 1942) — Ecologist,

awardee *

Sai Paranjpye Sai Paranjpye (born 19 March 1938) is an Indian movie director and screenwriter. She is the director of the award-winning movies '' Sparsh'', '' Katha'', '' Chasme Buddoor'' and '' Disha''. She has written and directed many Marathi plays such as ...

(born 1938) — Film Director & Screen Writer, Winner of

National Film Awards The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...

Filmfare Awards The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...

awardee *

(born 1938) —

Marathi language Marathi (; , 𑘦𑘨𑘰𑘙𑘲, , ) is a Classical languages of India, classical Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by Marathi people in the Indian state of Maharashtra and is also spoken in Goa, and parts of Guj ...

writer,

and

recipient *

Dattatreya Gopal Karve Dattatreya Gopal Karve (; 24 December 1898 – 28 December 1967) was an Indian economist and professor who contributed to the fields of economics, public administration and the cooperative movement in India. He was also the deputy governor o ...

(1898–1967) — Economist, first principal of

, Vice Chancellor of Pune University and Deputy Governor of

Reserve Bank of India Reserve Bank of India, abbreviated as RBI, is the central bank of the Republic of India, and regulatory body responsible for regulation of the Indian banking system and Indian rupee, Indian currency. Owned by the Ministry of Finance (India), Min ...

Irawati Karve Irawati Karve (15 December 1905 – 11 August 1970) was an Indian sociologist, anthropologist, educationist and writer from Maharashtra, India. She was one of the students of G.S. Ghurye, the founder of sociology in India. She has been ...

(1905–1970) — sociologist, anthropologist, educationist, and writer * Stephie D'Souza (1936–1998) — Indian athlete who won gold, silver and bronze medals at the

1954 Events January * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown–IBM experiment: The first public demonstration of a machine translation system is held in New York, at the head ...

and

1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the thir ...

Asian Games. * N. H. Antia (1922–2007) — plastic surgeon and

recipient *

Radhika Apte Radhika Apte () (born 7 September 1985) is an Indian film and television actress. She began acting in theatre and made her film debut with a brief role in the fantasy drama ''Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!'' (2005). Her first lead role was in the 2009 ...

(born 1985) — actress *

Padmanabhan Balaram Padmanabhan Balaram is an Indian biochemist and a former director of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India. He is a recipient of the third highest Indian civilian honour of Padma Bhushan (2014) as well as the TWAS Prize (1994). He ...

— biochemist,

recipient *

Pooja Batra Pooja Batra Shah (born 27 October 1975) is an Indian-American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. She primarily works in Hindi films. She won the runner-up title at the Femina Miss India contest in 1993 and was crowned Femina Miss ...

(born 1979) — actress and model, Miss India 1993 *

Milind Date Milind Date (born 28 February) is an Indian flautist and music composer who plays the bansuri. He studied under Hariprasad Chaurasia and is known for his technique and playing in various musical styles. Early life and career At the age of 21, ...

— composer, flautist *

Bhaskar Chandavarkar Bhaskar Chandavarkar (16 March 1936 – 26 July 2009) was an Indian sitar player, academic and film and theatre composer who worked with well-known directors of Indian cinema like Mrinal Sen, Girish Karnad, Aparna Sen, K. G. George and Amol ...

(1936–2009) —

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in 19th-century India. Khusrau K ...

player, academic and composer *

Chandrashekhar Agashe Chandrashekhar Govind Agashe (14 February 18889 June 1956) was an Indian industrialist, lawyer, educator, and philanthropist, best remembered as the founder of the Brihan Maharashtra Sugar Syndicate Ltd. He served as the managing agent of the ...

(1888–1956) — industrialist *

Suyash Tilak Suyash Tilak (born 10 January 1989) is an Indian film and television actor. He is known for playing Jayram Khanolkar in ''Ka Re Durava'' and also in ''BaapManus'', ''Sakhya Re'', ''Durva (TV series), Durva'' and ''Shubhmangal Online''. Early ...

(born 1987) — film and television actor *

Prahlad Kakkar Prahlad Kakkar (born 24 March 1950 in Mumbai) is an Indian ad film director, best known for his work on a Pepsi TV commercial with Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar. He is the founder and main director of Genesis Film Productions, establis ...

(born 1950) — ad film maker *

Suresh Kalmadi Suresh Kalmadi (born 1 May 1944) is an Indian politician and senior sports administrator. He is a former member of the Indian National Congress. He was a member of parliament from Pune until May 2014. He is alleged to have been involved in cor ...

(born 1944) — politician and sports administrator * D. R. Kaprekar (1905–1986) — mathematician, discovered

Kaprekar's constant In number theory, Kaprekar's routine is an iterative algorithm named after its inventor, Indian mathematician D. R. Kaprekar. Each iteration starts with a four-digit random number, sorts the digits into descending and ascending order, and calculate ...

and the

Kaprekar number In mathematics, a natural number in a given number base is a p-Kaprekar number if the representation of its square in that base can be split into two parts, where the second part has p digits, that add up to the original number. For example, in ...

Sonali Kulkarni Sonali Kulkarni (born 3 November 1974) is an Indian actress, producer, and writer who primarily appears in Marathi, Hindi and few Tamil films. Kulkarni is considered as one of the most accomplished and highest-paid actresses in Marathi cinema, ...

(born 1974) — film actress, columnist and writer *

Shital Mahajan Shital Mahajan Rane is an Indian extreme sportsperson, skydiver and the holder of eight world records in the sport. She is known as the first woman to perform an accelerated free fall jump over Antarctica from 10,000 feet, the youngest woman t ...

(born 1982) — skydiver,

recipient *

Kiran Nagarkar Kiran Nagarkar (2 April 1942 – 5 September 2019) was an Indian novelist, playwright and screenwriter. A noted drama and film critic, he was one of the most significant writers of Independence of India, post-colonial India.#Sa, Sanga, p. 177 A ...

(born 1942) — playwright, novelist *

(1873–1944) — social activist, founder of Depressed Classes Mission in Mumbai * Pandurang Vasudeo Sukhatme (1911–1997) —

statistician A statistician is a person who works with Theory, theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private sector, private and public sectors. It is common to combine statistical knowledge with expertise in other subjects, a ...

* S. R. Rana (1870–1957) — Indian political activist * Suniti Ashok Deshpande — educator and promoter of Russian language and culture in India; recipient of the

Medal of Pushkin The Medal of Pushkin () is a state decoration of the Russian Federation awarded to its citizens and to foreigners for achievements in the arts and culture, education, humanities and literature. It is named in honour of Russian author and poet Al ...

* Kranti Kanade — film director and screenwriter *

Sonalee Kulkarni Sonalee Kulkarni Benodekar (née Kulkarni) is an Indian actress who has established herself as a prominent figure in Marathi cinema. Praised for her versatility and powerful performances, She is one of the highest-paid actresses in Marathi cine ...

— Marathi film actress *

Nandini Nimbkar Nandini Nimbkar is an agricultural scientist from India, and currently the president of the Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI). She is the daughter of B. V. Nimbkar and granddaughter of Irawati Karve and Kamala Nimbkar. Nimbkar ...

— president, Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute; member, Senate and Academic Council,

Shivaji University Shivaji University, established in 1962, is a state university located at Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. The university, with a campus spread over , is named in honour of Chatrapati Shivaji. It was inaugurated on 18 November 1962 by Dr. Radh ...

* Babubhai J. Patel (1911-2002) — 6th

Chief Minister of Gujarat The chief minister of Gujarat is the head of government, chief executive of the government of the Indian state of Gujarat. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose Cabinet (government), council of ministers are Cabinet collective respons ...

Kaka Kalelkar Dattatreya Balkrishna Kalelkar (1 December 1885 – 21 August 1981), popularly known as Kaka Kalelkar, was an Indian independence activist, social reformer, journalist and an eminent follower of the philosophy and methods of Mahatma Gandhi. B ...

- Indian independence activist, social reformer, journalist and an eminent follower of the philosophy and methods of

Chandrakant Sardeshmukh Chandrakant Sardeshmukh (1955 – 15 August 2011) was an Indian classical sitar player of the Maihar Gharana school. Education Sardeshmukh was taught by Ustad Shabuddin Khan and Khurshid Mirajkar from the age of 4, and became popular as chil ...

— sitar player, first Master Fellow of the

National Centre for the Performing Arts (India) National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ...

Balasaheb Thorat Vijay Bhausaheb Thorat (Marathi pronunciation: aːɭaːsaːɦeb t̪ʰoɾaːt̪ born 7 February 1953), known popularly as Balasaheb Thorat, is an Indian politician who served as the revenue minister in Maharashtra state. He also served as the De ...

— member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and former Minister of Agriculture and Revenue,

Government of Maharashtra The Government of Maharashtra is the executive branch of the Indian states of india, state of Maharashtra. The government is led by the List of chief ministers of Maharashtra, chief minister (currently Devendra Fadnavis since 5 December 2024) ...

Damodar Dharmananda Kosambi Damodar Dharmananda Kosambi (31 July 1907 – 29 June 1966) was an Indian polymath with interests in mathematics, statistics, philology, history, and genetics. He contributed to genetics by introducing the ''Kosambi map function''. In statis ...

(1907–1966), former head of the Dept of Mathematics at Ferguson College * B.S. Baviskar (1930 - 2013) — Sociologist, former head of the Department of Sociology, University of Delhi. * Y. K. Sohoni (1911-2003) - Professor of French (1944–58) and recipient of the '' Chevalier dans l'Ordre Palmes Académiques'' awarded by the Government of France *

Devesh Chandra Thakur Devesh Chandra Thakur (born 3 July 1953) is an Indian politician from the Janata Dal United, and a member of parliament representing Sitamarhi Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar, India. He is a former chairman of the Bihar Legislative Council a ...

— Member of Parliament in

18th Lok Sabha The 18th Lok Sabha was formed after general elections were held in India over seven phases from 19 April to 1 June 2024, to elect all members from 543 constituencies of the Lok Sabha. The votes were counted, and the results were declared on 4 ...

representing Sitamarhi Lok Sabha constituency, Former Chairman and Member of Bihar Legislative Council from Tirhut graduate constituency and Former Cabinet Minister of Bihar. *

Gautam Bambawale Gautam Bambawale (born 2 November 1958) is an Indian people, Indian diplomat of Indian Foreign Service who served as the List of ambassadors of India to China, Indian Ambassador to China from 2017 to 2018. He had previously served as the List of ...

- Senior diplomat. Indian envoy to China. *

Vasantrao Ghatge Vasantrao Madhavrao Ghatge (9 May 1916 – 3 September 1986) was an Indian entrepreneur, business magnate, industrialist and a professor. He was the co-founder of Ghatge Patil Transports along with Jaykumar Patil in the year 1945 based in Kolha ...

- Businessman *

Sriram Raghavan Sriram Raghavan (born 22 June 1963) is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Hindi cinema. He is primarily considered an auteur of neo-noir action thrillers. Raghavan made his directorial debut with '' Ek Hasina Thi'' (2004). H ...

-Film maker, Director *

Kalyani Bondre Kalyani Bondre (born 1981) is an academic (Economist), Indian classical vocalist and Kathak Dancer. Early life Kalyani Bondre (Marathi: कल्याणी बोन्द्रे) was born in Pune, India, into a musical family. She rec ...

(born 1981) Hindustani Classical Singer, Economist, Kathak Dancer * Manu S. Pillai-Writer, Historian, Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar awardee(2017) * Amandeep Singh — Indian Footballer *

Supratim Bhol Supratim Bhol is an Indian cinematographer known majorly for his works in Hindi cinema and Cinema of West Bengal, Bengali cinema. He is a member of Indian cinematographers, ISC (Indian Society of Cinematographers) and has also worked in other r ...

- Indian Cinematographer *

Aarya Ambekar Aarya Ambekar is a Marathi playback singer and actor from Pune, Maharashtra. She has recorded numerous songs for films and albums in Marathi and Hindi. She has also performed at various prestigious concerts across India and overseas including ...

(born 1994) — singer *

Parna Pethe Parna Pethe is an Indian film & theatre actress who has appeared in many Marathi films and experimental plays. Early life Parna was born and raised in Pune. She studied at Abhinava Vidyalaya School and graduated from Fergusson College, Pune. ...

born 1990 *

Manjari Fadnis Manjari Fadnis (also spelt Phadnis and Fadnnis, born on 10 July 1988), also credited professionally as Manjari, is an Indian actress, model, and singer. She is known for her work primarily in Hindi cinema, Bollywood and Telugu cinema, Tollywo ...

- film actress *

Ansar Shaikh Ansar Shaikh (born June 1, 1994) is an IAS officer, Indian Administrative Service officer working as the Additional District Magistrate of Malda district, Malda, West Bengal. He is the 2016 batch IAS officer of the West Bengal Cadre. He is the you ...

Indian Administrative Service The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the Public administration, administrative arm of the All India Services of Government of India. The IAS is one of the three All India Services along with the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian ...

officer

References

External links

* {{authority control Colleges affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University Universities and colleges in Pune Schools in Colonial India Bal Gangadhar Tilak Deccan Education Society Educational institutions established in 1884 1884 establishments in British India British colonial architecture in India