Gurudas College

Gurudas College, established in 1956, is an undergraduate college affiliated to the University of Calcutta. The defining characteristics of the college were formed both by its history and geography. The name commemorates the legacy of Sir Gurudas Banerjee, the first Indian Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta, tireless champion of the spread of education and resident of the historic Narkeldanga neighbourhood. The college started its journey at a time of social upheaval. By a Government order issued in July 1956, five colleges were established under the aegis of the Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation to meet the growing educational need due to the influx of displaced people after the partition. Gurudas College was one of them. The Narkeldanga neighbourhood in the eastern periphery of the city has a rich and diverse cultural history. The area has a Greek Cemetery, a Parsi ‘Tower of Silence’ and a Jewish Graveyard. It reflects the composite culture and cosmopolitan spirit of the city. The area was proved to be the ideal location for the college. The primary mission of the college upon establishment, therefore, was to empower the disadvantaged members of the locality through education.