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| Deccan college, Pune, MH esakal.com |
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| Deccan college behance.net |
Above image: Deccan College Pune, Maharashtra. It is one of the oldest Victorian Period institution with a big campus. Made of dressed Basalt Stone (of Volcanic origin) available in this region, buildings with corrugated iron roofs, stone floors and teak wood doors windows and weather-shades need periodic care and and upkeep. The college is facing fund crunch in the last several years. Local basalt stonework with Venetian Gothic details give the building a unique iconic look. .........
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| Deccan collegeindianexpress.com |
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6th Oct. 2021 postal cover released postagestamps.gov.in
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| 6th Oct. 2021 postal stamp released postagestamps.gov.in |
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| Deccan college behance.net |
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Above image: : Look at the sunshades and eves. To tackle heavy SW monsoon rains thick cast iron weather shades with wooden eaves are provided aesthetically. The corrugated metal sheets have safely protected the windows, etc., all these years.
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| Deccan college, Pune, MH maharashtratimes.com |
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| Deccan college, Pune MH /timesofindia.indiatimes.com |
The historic Deccan College in Pune established on 6 October 1821 is one of the oldest colleges in the country; the third oldest one in India. It was founded to meet the aspiration of the Hindu population of that place and the then Gov. of Bombay Presidency Mountstuart Elphinstone was quite helpful and evinced keen interest in the institution. Initially, it was called the Hindu College and in 1864 it was renamed the Deccan college. It was established to propagate Sanskrit studies. In the same year the college was shifted to the present sprawling campus from the earlier one at Vishrambag Wada. The then Maratha Sardar Khanderao Dabhade provided the Dakshina fund and contributions also came from Peshwas. This building was constructed using a grant of Rs 1 lakh donated by Jamsetji Jejeebhoy, a popular Parsi cotton merchant gave a grant of Rs.1 lakh for the construction during the late 1860s. He was also the founder of Mumbai’s JJ School of Arts and JJ Hospital, both of which are named after Jejeebhoy. In 1934 the college was closed down by the Raj for political reasons ; many students from the college were involved in freedom struggle and raised slogans against the British India government. Later in 1939 upon appeal made by old students of this college it was reopened. In 1990, it was bestowed with deemed university status. Located on the beautiful campus with lots of trees spreading over 115 acres, near the Mula river, it subsequently became a popular college In October 2020 the famous college began its bicentennial year. This institution has one of the best archaeology department and it has a pretty long history.
Deccan College has three departments: Linguistics, Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, and Sanskrit and Lexicography. Besides the doctoral studies and Master’s in Arts courses offered in archaeology, linguistics and Sanskrit, and Lexicography, the university also offers a number of short-term courses in foreign languages, Maratha history. The college has the distinction being one of the institutions that carried out excavations at the Harappan sites located across Haryana and Gujarat.
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| Deccan college, Pune. behance.net |
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| Deccan college, Pune. behance.net |
This institution is bogged down by funding problem and consequently it is unable to maintain its impressive Gothic-style (arched windows, vaulted ceiling, entrances, decorative features like gargoyles, etc) buildings as well as preservation of artifacts. The Pune Municipal corporation has included the building in the list of heritage structures identified by them and did give Rs. 50 lakhs in the previous years for upkeep. As the fund is insufficient, according to VC Prasad Joshi, they forwarded a proposal for Rs. 100 crore to the central and state governments to renovate the building and to preserve the artifacts within the college. For annual maintenance of the buildings, the college authorities need enough funds from the civic bodies and they have made an appeal to the private companies for help in this regard.
