Gujarat Arts & Science College, popularly and previously known as Gujarat College, is one of the oldest educational institutions of India and the second arts and science college of Gujarat, near Ellis Bridge, Ahmedabad. It was founded in 1845 as a government-run educational institute, was established as a regular college in 1850, and is now under the direct management of the Education Department of the Government of Gujarat.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
 Main entrance of the college building | |
| Type | Undergraduate College |
|---|---|
| Established | 1879 |
| Principal | Arunendra Singh Rathore |
| Location | , , |
| Affiliations | Gujarat University |
| Website | gasc |
History
edit
Gujarat College started as a small educational institution in 1860[1] due to efforts of Theodore Cracraft Hope,[3] who inspired local people for charity, which led to the start of the institution.[6][7] Thus the institute was started in 1860 as Gujarat Providential College but ceased to work in 1872. However, after a gap of five years it was restarted in 1879 as Gujarat College under management of the Gujarat College Committee, which at that time was under the able leader ship of local textile magnate, Rai Bahadur Sheth Ranchhodlal Chotalal.[7][8][9][10] Later his grandson and philanthropist Sardar Sir Chinubhai Madhavalal Bert, ICE in 1897 came forward and donated 33 acres of land along with generous cash donations worth millions of rupees for the expansion of Gujarat College. To mention, in the year 1897, he donated ₹6 lakh (US$7,200) and further ₹20 lakh (US$24,000) for the construction of Arts College[11] to which he further added a sum of ₹1.5 lakh (US$1,800) for a library and college hall.[11] The buildings that came up from these donations were Madhavlal Ranchodlal Science Institute named after father of Sir Chinubhai, Sydenham Library and George V Hall, which all were inaugurated by Lord George Sydenham Clarke in 1912, 1915 and 1917, respectively.[11] The Engineer, Rai Bahadur Himmatlal Dhirajram Bhachech, who was President of Ahmadabad Municipality at that time, overlooked the construction of college buildings. The first college building was constructed in the year 1897, which followed more buildings appearing on the land using the generous flow of donations by Sir Chinubhai Madhavalal, Bert, ICE, who again donated another sum of ₹10 lakh (US$12,000) as patron of college .[2]
After Independence of India, the college continued to expand and the New Science Building was built in 1948, Tutorial Building in 1965, and Science Workshops in 1965.The Department of Dramatics was established in 1970–71.
Present status
editThe college houses departments of Arts faculty, departments of science and a full-time degree course in drama. The institute also runs many undergraduate courses.
The institute is managed by the Commissioner for College and Universities under the State Department of Education.
Affiliation
editThe college started with affiliation from University of Bombay, which was granted in March 1879.[6][7] Later when Gujarat University at Ahmedabad came into existence it granted its affiliation to Gujarat College and since then the college is affiliated to Gujarat University.
Indian Independence Movement
editMahatma Gandhi held an historic meeting at Gujarat College campus under the presidency of V.J. Patel on 28 September 1920 and addressed a huge mass of students asking them to join Non-cooperation Movement, giving detailed description of atrocities committed by British regime on Indians. This led to many professors and students leaving college, as it was government run institution and joining Gujarat Vidyapith, which was started by Gandhi in 1920.[12]
During the Quit India Movement in 1942, many students of college participated organizing a rally and shouting slogan against British, which led to death of one student of college named Vinod Kinariwala, who was shot dead by English policeman inside college campus, on 10 August 1942.[13] Later in 1947, Veer Vinod Kinariwala Memorial was inaugurated by Jai Prakash Narayan in memory of his martyrdom inside college campus.[13]
Alumni
edit- Vinod Kinariwala - noted martyr
- Nautam Bhagwan Lall Bhatt - noted physicist
- Indulal Yagnik - noted independence activist, writer & filmmaker
- Kasturbhai Lalbhai - a leading industrialist[14]
- Ambalal Sarabhai - a leading industrialist
- Umashankar Joshi - noted poet, writer[15]
- Disha Vakani (b. 1978), television actress, who plays the role of Daya Ben, in the tele-serial, "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah".[16]
- Girjaprasad Chinubhai Madhowlal - later the Sir Chinubhai Madhowlal Ranchhodlal, 2nd Baronet of Shahpur.
- G. V. Mavlankar - first speaker of Lok Sabha[17]
- Nanalal Dalpatram Kavi - poet.[17]
- Vikram Sarabhai - noted scientist.[17]
- Anandshankar Dhruv.[17]
- Vidyagauri Nilkanth -author, social activist, wife of Ramanbhai Nilkanth, one of the first women graduates from Gujarat.[17]
- Vishnuprasad Trivedi - Gujarati literary critic
- Ranjitram Mehta - Gujarati author
- Radheshyam Sharma - Gujarati author
- R. M. Kantawala - former Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court
- Uttamlal Trivedi (1872–1923)
Faculty
edit- M.V. Rajadhyaksha - a noted Marathi writer and critic.
- Prahalad Chunnilal Vaidya - an Indian physicist and mathematician.
- Dhirendra Mehta - a noted Gujarati novelist, poet, commentator.
- Dhirubhai Thaker- eminent critic[18]
- Anandshankar Dhruv[19] - a noted Gujarati scholar, writer, educationist and editor.
- Gatubhai Gopilal Dhru - biographer, translator & Writer[19]
References
edit- ^ a b Ahmedabad, Being a Compilation of Articles Contributed by Rotarians and Others on Various Subjects Prominently Bringing Out Many Interesting Details Pertaining to and Connected with the City. Rotary Club of Ahmedabad. 1940. p. 54,59,103.
- ^ a b The Gujarat Government Gazette, 1962 - Page 1195
- ^ a b Gujarat State Gazetteer , Volume 2 by U.M. Chokshi, M.R. Trivedi. Director, Government Print., Stationery and Publications, Gujarat State. 1991.
- ^ Imperial gazetteer of India ... - Volume 2
- ^ Cultural history of Gujarat: from early times to pre-British period by Mañjulāla Raṇachoḍalāla Majamudāra - 1965 - Page 100
- ^ a b c A review of education in Bombay State, 1855-1955: a volume in commemoration of the centenary of the Dept. of Education, Bombay. Bombay (India : State). Education Dept. 1958. p. 238,259.
- ^ a b c Speeches of President Giani Zail Singh: 1982-1984. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. 1987. p. 135.
- ^ Women in India's freedom struggle by Nawaz B. Mody|Allied Publishers, 2000|pp-128
- ^ Mridula Sarabhai: rebel with a cause by Aparna Basue 1965 - Page 14
- ^ Gandhinagar: building national identity in postcolonial India By Ravi Kalia page 52
- ^ a b c The Bombay University Calendar. University of Bombay. 1929. p. 18.
- ^ Gandhi and the Mass Movements. pp. 13, 20–21, 30–33.
- ^ a b "Tributes to Quit India Movement martyrs". Times of India. 17 February 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Business World , Volume 7. Ananda Bazar Patrika Limited. 1987. p. 44.
- ^ Modern Gujarati Poetry: A Selection by Rita Kothari. 1998. pp. 82, 85. ISBN 9788126002948.
- ^ "I enjoy acting: Disha Vakani". Mumbai Mirror. 30 December 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ a b c d e "Problem of City expansion: The answer lies elsewhere: J. B. SANDIL". Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
- ^ Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: sasay to zorgot. Vol. 5. 1998. ISBN 9788126002948.
- ^ a b Datta, Amaresh (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: devraj to jyoti, Volume 2 edited by Amaresh Datta. p. 1004. ISBN 9788126011940.