Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute

About Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute

Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune is a Deemed University and the third oldest educational Institute in the country. It was established on 6^th October, 1821. The credit of establishing Archaeology and Linguistics into a University system for the first time in the country goes to Deccan College. The University occupies an area of about 115 acres. The Main building of the University was constructed in 1864 in the Gothic style. The institute was originally known as ‘Hindoo College’ which was started on 6^th October, 1821 by the Bombay Presidency Government at the initiative of its Governor, Mountstuart Elphinstone by using the Dakshina Fund. This fund was started by Khanderao Dabhade, a Maratha Sardar and continued by the Peshwas for propagating Sanskrit studies.

It was renamed as the Poona College on 7th June, 1851 and later as the Deccan College in October 1864. The college was shifted to the new campus covering an area of 115 acres near Yerawada on 23^rd March 1868. With the help of a munificent grant of Rs. 1 lakh donated by Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy, the main building of the College was built in beautiful Gothic architecture. The College was closed down by the British Government in 1934, but because of the efforts of the past students and the public spirited citizens, it was reopened on 17^th August, 1939 as Deccan College, Post-Graduate and Research Institute, by the Transfer Deed passed by the Bombay High Court.

Deccan College Departments

• Archaeology – It has eight different laboratories required for carrying out basic scientific archaeological research. The Department acts as a National centre for basic research in heritage related subjects. Considering the academic contribution and its commitment to participate in Nation Building, the Department of Archaeology is recognized as Centre of Advanced Study since 1985 

• Linguistics – It studies the origin and development of four major language families and scores of dialects spoken in South Asia. Recently, the UGC has provided Special Assistance Programme (SAP) to this Department, which is enabling it to achieve its past glory gradually 

• Sanskrit and Lexicography – It teaches not only traditional knowledge system but also the art of dictionary making, which is fading away fast from the world. The pet project on Encyclopaedia of Dictionary based on historical principles being run by this Department since 1948, is unique in the entire world as it is seeking to understand meaning of different worlds changing with time and space. It has developed a huge scriptorium of over 15 million slips of references, which serves as a basic source of Dictionary writing in the entire world.

Facilities

Hostels - The Institute has two Gent's Hostels accommodating about 55 students and two Ladies' Hostels providing accommodation for about 40 students. Modest Guest House facilities are also available on the campus.

Library - The University Library is the best in the country for subjects related to the heritage studies. The collection numbers over 1.75 lakh publications which include research reports and books, manuscripts, journals, encyclopaedias, reference and textbooks. It is a unique library having collections mainly in the fields of Archaeology, Ancient Indian History, Medieval History, Anthropology, Linguistics, Sanskrit, Philosophy and Religion. It has inherited a rare collection of books from the old Deccan College whose origins go back to 1821. The library occupies a total carpet area of about 42,000 square feet, with spacious stack-rooms, reference and reading rooms and 40 independent study rooms for research scholars. The first floor houses periodicals and reference section with two spacious reading rooms and the ground floor houses the administrative wing (acquisition section and circulation counter), a reading room and two stack rooms for books. The library has card catalogue system based on Dr. Ranganathan's Classified Catalogue Code (4th Edn.) and Colon Classification System (2nd Edn.). To promote research environment in its true spirit, this is one among a small number of University libraries in India which give open access facility to the readers.

Archaeology Museum - The museum provides a visual glance at the development of material culture, houses, tools and weapons, pottery, ornaments and burial practices right from Early Stone Age up to Medieval Period. The museum has seven galleries each devoted to various branch of archaeology i.e. Stone Age, Chalcolithic, Megalithic, Early Historic, Sculpture, Epigraphy and Numismatic, Ethnoarchaeology and H.D. Sankalia Memorial Gallery.

Maratha History Museum - The Maratha History Museum-cum-Archives of the Deccan College contains important historical records of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, useful for a student of Maratha history. Besides original documents, the Museum has also a rich collection of more than 2000 microfilms and photo-copies of original Marathi and Persian documents of the 18th and 19th centuries. There are more than 200 original manuscripts in Marathi, Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian and English in the museum collection. These manuscripts include Marathi bakhars, pothis, chronologies, Persian and Arabic translations of old Sanskrit works, astrological writings, diaries and poetic works. The various archival collections of the Museum are also made available to research scholars from other institutions.

Mess - The institute has an operational mess facility for the students as well as for the guests.

Gymkhana - The Institute has a gymkhana that provides opportunities to students, employees and their immediate family members for recreational and cultural activities. The facilities include outdoor games such as cricket, football and volleyball and indoor games such as badminton, table tennis, carom and chess. It also has a facility of television and subscribes to magazines and newspapers. The Gymkhana also organizes a variety of cultural activities like lectures, debate competitions, musical programmes and celebration of festivals.

Sports - The University has maintained two play grounds for the benefit of students.

Nature Club - The Institute has a large campus of about 110 acres occupied by thick natural vegetation constituting herbs, shrubs, trees and climbers. It has a rich flora and it provides home for various animals. Keeping this is mind the Deccan College authorities have established Deccan College Nature Club for environmental education, conservation and protection of biodiversity on the campus.

Some of the activities of the club:

• Ecological Audit of the campus to understand flora, fauna and environment of the campus
• The bird boxes have been fixed on the walls and other places accessible only to birds
• On the occasion of Revival Day, the Nature Club hosts a few displays of posters showing the diversity of plants and birds in Deccan College Campus

Deccan College Research Scholarships - The institute offers fifteen Scholarships of the value of Rs. 400/- per month for students admitted to P.D.A. and Ph.D. courses. Indian students admitted to these courses must apply on a prescribed form. Whenever the scholarships fall vacant, the institute announces and invites for the same

Awards

Some of the rewards given by the institute:

1)  Professor. H.D. Sankalia Memorial Gold – This medal has been instituted out of funds donated by the Late Professor Sankalia’s students and admirers. It is awarded every year to the students who stand first in order of merit at the M.A. Degree examination in AIHC and Archaeology.

2)  Dr. Malti Nagar Award for Ethnoarchaeology – This award, of value of Rs. 1000/- has been instituted out of donation given by been Dr. Malti Nagar, a formed reader in Asian Archaeology at the institute for the promotion of  Ethnoarchaeological studies. It is awarded every year for securing the highest marks in the paper entitled Ethnoarchaeology at the M.A. Degree examination in AIHC and archaeology.

3)  Prof. S.B. Deo Memorial Cash Prize of Rs. 500/- for securing highest marks in the paper entitled Religious History of Indian at the M.A. degree examination  in AIHC and Archaeology.

4)  Dr. Z. D. Ansari Memorial Cash Prize of Rs. 500/- for securing highest marks in the paper entitled Methods in Archaeology at the M.A. degree examination in AIHC and Archaeology.

5)  Prof. R.V. Joshi Memorial Cash Prize of Rs.500/-for securing highest marks in the paper entitled Science in Archaeology at the M.A. degree examination in AIHC and Archaeology.

6)  Dr. Shobhana Gokhale Cash Prize of Rs. 500/- for securing highest marks in the paper entitled Ancient Indian Numismatics at the M.A. degree examination  in AIHC and Archaeology.

7)  Sir Alexander Cunningham Memorial Cash Prize of Rs.500/-for securing highest marks in the paper entitled Historical Archaeology of India at the M.A. degree examination in AIHC and Archaeology.

8)  Smt. Saralaben and Professor H.D. Sankalia Birth Centenary Cash Prize of Rs.1000/- for standing first in order of merit at the P.G. Diploma examination in Archaeology.

9)  Shri K.Y. Kale Memorial Cash Prize of Rs. 1000/- for standing first in order of merit at the M.A. degree examination in Linguistics.

10)  Prof. S.M. Katre Memorial Cash Prize of Rs. 500/- for securing highest marks in the paper entitled Languages of South Asia, at M.A. degree examination in Linguistics.

11)  Dr. G.B. Deglurkar Cash Prize of Rs. 1000/- for securing highest marks in the paper entitled Ancient Indian Iconography at the M.A. degree examination in AIHC and Archaeology.

12)  Gurudev R.D. Ranade Memorial Cash Prize of Rs.1000/-for securing highest marks in the paper entitled Advanced Archaeological Theory and Research Methodology at the M.A. degree examination in AIHC and Archaeology.

13)  Colonial Philip Meadows Taylor Memorial Cash prize of Rs.1000/- for securing highest marks in the paper entitled Cultural Heritage Management at the M.A. degree examination in AIHC and Archaeology.

Achievements

• The Deccan College has produced a galaxy of students who rose to positions of excellence in various walks of life. These include Sir Ramlkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar, the celebrated Indologist, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the great nationalist leader, Gurudev Ramchandra Dattratreya Ranade, the eminent philosopher, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, the great social reformer, Vishwanath Kashinath Rajawade, the famous historian, Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis, the famous Indian medical practitioner who rendered yeoman service in China etc.
• In the past, well known foreign Universities like Cambridge, Pennsylvania, California, Berkeley, International Research Centre for Japanese Studies, Kyoto, Japan, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan, etc. have had research collaborations with this University