Latest news with #Elphinstone
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Before Mumbai had a university, this college was already shaping icons like Ambedkar, Tilak & Tata
In the busy lanes of South Mumbai, surrounded by colonial-era buildings and the rush of modern life, stands Elphinstone College, a place that quietly laid the foundation for higher education in the city. Long before the University of Mumbai came into being, this college was already preparing young minds for the future. It all began before 1856 Though Elphinstone College was officially set up in 1856, the journey started earlier. Back in 1824, the Bombay Native Education Society opened an English-medium school for Indian students, a bold and progressive step for those times. By 1827, the idea of a college took shape. It was named after Mountstuart Elphinstone, the then Governor of the Bombay Presidency, who strongly believed in education reforms. His aim was not just to govern, but to educate, and that's what made this college such an important legacy of his rule. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo In 1835, proper classes began at Town Hall, with just two teachers, Arthur Bedford Orlebar for natural philosophy and John Harkness for classical literature. It may have started small, but the goal was big: to teach Indians English, science, and liberal arts. By 1856, Elphinstone became an independent college, and by 1860, it got affiliated to the newly-formed University of Mumbai. Live Events A launchpad for big names in India's history Elphinstone College is no ordinary institution. It produced some of the greatest names in Indian history, including B. R. Ambedkar, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Jamsetji Tata. Even Dadabhai Naoroji, a key figure in India's political history, taught here. Its influence also reached the legal world. In 1855, it began the Perry Professorship of Jurisprudence, which later became Government Law College, the oldest law college in Asia. That's not all. In 1857, Sir J. J. School of Art started its journey from Elphinstone's classrooms. And in 1948, Jai Hind College began its first classes at Elphinstone's Fort campus before moving to its own location. The buildings tell their own story In 1871, Elphinstone got its first building in Byculla, designed by James Trubshawe and built by John Adams. It later became a hospital. The current building, in Gothic Revival style, is located in Fort near the Jehangir Art Gallery. Today, it stands as both a heritage monument and a working college. A new chapter since 2019 After over 150 years with the University of Mumbai, Elphinstone took a fresh step in 2019. It became part of Dr. Homi Bhabha State University, a state-run cluster university that promotes better academic freedom and teamwork. Today, the college offers degree courses in arts, science, and commerce. But its role is much larger, it represents the belief that education can change a city, a society, and a country. From a humble classroom in Town Hall to shaping India's leaders and thinkers, Elphinstone College is not just a place, it's a powerful idea that still lives on. Inputs from TOI
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Before Mumbai University, this college laid the foundation for the city's modern education
In the heart of South Mumbai, tucked between colonial facades and modern chaos, stands a college that predates most of the city's iconic institutions. Elphinstone College, officially established in 1856, is more than just an academic institution—it is the seed from which Mumbai's entire higher education system grew. The story, however, began much earlier. From a governor's vision to educational awakening In 1824, the Bombay Native Education Society—a progressive force for its time—opened an English school for Indian students. Just three years later, the idea of 'Elphinstone College' took shape, named in honour of Mountstuart Elphinstone, then the outgoing Governor of Bombay Presidency. Elphinstone's tenure had marked a shift in colonial priorities—from administrative consolidation to educational reform—and this college was its most enduring legacy. By 1835, classes began formally at Town Hall, led by just two professors: Arthur Bedford Orlebar in natural philosophy and John Harkness in classical literature. The foundations were modest, but the ambition was sweeping—to train Indians in English, European sciences, and liberal thought. By 1856, the institution stood on its own as Elphinstone College. Four years later, it was affiliated with the newly-formed University of Mumbai. A launchpad for India's legal, political and industrial futures Few institutions in India can claim the intellectual lineage that Elphinstone can. It not only nurtured B. R. Ambedkar, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Jamsetji Tata, but also hosted Dadabhai Naoroji—a pioneer of Indian political economy—as a faculty member. Alumni walked out of its classrooms and into courtrooms, legislatures, and industries that would redefine the subcontinent. The college also played a formative role in shaping legal education in India. In 1855, it launched the Perry Professorship of Jurisprudence, the precursor to the Government Law College, now the oldest law school in Asia. That was just one of several institutions that trace their roots back to Elphinstone's corridors. In 1857, the same year as the First War of Independence, the Sir J. J. School of Art began its journey from Elphinstone's classrooms. In 1948, Jai Hind College started its first academic session in the college's Fort campus before moving to its own premises. Architecture that mirrors academic grandeur In 1871, Elphinstone got its first dedicated building in Byculla, a structure designed by James Trubshawe and constructed by John Adams. It stood across the Jijamata Udyaan and later served as a hospital. The current Gothic Revival building in Fort, near Jehangir Art Gallery, still houses the college—a heritage site and a functioning academic campus rolled into one. The quiet power of legacy After over 150 years of affiliation with the University of Mumbai, Elphinstone College turned a new page in 2019. It became one of the constituent colleges of Dr. Homi Bhabha State University, a state cluster university aimed at improving academic integration and autonomy. Today, it continues to offer undergraduate programs in arts, science, and commerce, but its influence goes far beyond curriculum. The story of Elphinstone College is not just about an institution—it's about the idea that education can shape a city, a generation, and a country. From its early days as a single-room classroom in the Town Hall to becoming a crucible of India's political, industrial, and intellectual elite, Elphinstone has remained a constant in a city that's always in flux. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
