Patna College
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Established | 1863 |
| Principal | Dr. Dharmshila Prasad |
| Location | Patna, Bihar, India |
| Campus | Urban |
| Sports | Cricket, Hockey, curling |
| Website | Patna College |
Patna College, established in 1863[1] during the British Raj, is one of the oldest college in Patna, in the state of Bihar. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in science, arts and commerce. The college is affiliated to Patna University.[2] It is also considered to be the oldest institution of higher education in Bihar.[3]
History
Since its inception in 1863 Patna College functioned as a Government College. It became a constituent college of Patna University on January 2, 1952.[1] The college is celebrating its 150th year in 2012.[4][5]
The College is also associated with E. M. Forster's novel, A Passage to India. According to Adwaita P. Ganguly, the institution known as Chandrapore College in the novel is "a replica of Patna College".[6] Forster met Charles Russell and V. H. Jackson, who were professors of the college, in the course of writing his novel, A Passage to India. Forster had collected Hiuen Tsang's Indian Diary from Russell before he made his visit to Barabar Caves that appear as an important location in the novel. A hostel in the campus of the college is named after Jackson.[6]
Campus and buildings
The administrative block of the college is the oldest of all the buildings. It used to be the site for an opium store-house and a Dutch factory in the 17th century, much before the college was started. Other buildings were constructed gradually over a period of time.
Some of these are the western wing (1871), the eastern (1880), the portico and the present BA lecture theatre (1882) connected with the main building by the long western corridor named after principal Ewbank. Later the hostels like Jackson, Minto, New and Iqbal and quarters for the principal and professors were constructed.[7]
The college building has been declared to be a heritage site by the Archaeological Survey of India.[7]
150th anniversary
A number of celebrations are being organised during 2012 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the college.[8] Coinciding with the anniversary is the centenary of the Bihar Legislative Council, which held its first session in the seminar hall of Patna college in 1913 and returned there to mark the occasion on 20 January 2012.[9][10]
Notable alumni
- Sachidanand Sinha, first President of the Indian Constituent Assembly (provisional).[11]
- Jaya Prakash Narayan[11]
- Anugrah Narayan Sinha[11]
- Srikrishna Sinha[11]
- Balmiki Prasad Singh[12]
- Rajiv Mishra
Notable faculty
- Ram Sharan Sharma, historian, and also an alumnus of the college.[13]
- R. K. Sinha, English,[14]
References
- 1 2 Chaudhary, Uday Narayan (January 8, 2012). "Patna College turns 150". The Times of India. Patna. Retrieved 2012-01-29.
- ↑ "Affiliated College of Patna University".
- ↑ "CM promises all help to Patna College for growth". The Times of India. Patna. TNN. January 10, 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ↑ Kumar, Roshan (January 4, 2012). "Lecture plan for college birthday". The Telegraph. Kolkatya. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ↑ Banerjee, Thirumoy (January 9, 2012). "Slogans counter CM sermons". The Telegraph. Kolkata. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- 1 2 Ganguly, Adwaita P. (1990). India, mystic, complex, and real: a detailed study of E. M. Forster's A Passage To India. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 29. Retrieved 2012-02-01.
- 1 2 "Of Dutch factory and Patna College". The Times of India. Patna. TNN. January 7, 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ↑ Kumar, Roshan (January 4, 2012). "Lecture plan for college birthday". The Telegraph. Kolkatya. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
- ↑ Das, Anand S. T. (January 31, 2012). "Bihar's oldest college to revive 'royal link'". The Asian Age. Kolkata. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
- ↑ Singh, Abhay (Jan 20, 2012). "Council holds centenary meet at Patna College". The Times of India. Patna. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
- 1 2 3 4 Mishra, B. K. (9 January 2013). "Patna College turns 150, celebrations today". The Times of India. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- ↑ ROSHAN KUMAR (26 March 2012). "Old boys pledge to reinstate lost glory". The Telegraph (Calcutta). Retrieved 3 August 2012.
- ↑ Jaiswal, Suvira (September 23, 2011). "Secular historian". Frontline. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- ↑ Suresh Nandan Sinha. "Homage to Dr R.K.Sinha". article. The Bihar Times. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
Bibliography
- S K Sinha (1992). A Soldier Recalls. Lancer International, New Delhi. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
- Sujit Mukherjee (1996). Autobiography Of An Unknown Cricketer. Ravi Dayal Publisher, New Delhi. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
- Justice Harihar Mahapatra (2011). My Life, My Work. Allied Publishers Private Limited. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
- Sudhir Kumar Jha (2005). A new dawn: Patna reincarnated. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
- Shreedhar Narayan Pandey (1975). Education and social changes in Bihar, 1900-1921: a survey of social history of Bihar from Lord Curzon to noncooperation movement. Motilal Banarsidass. Retrieved August 2, 2012.