Fergusson College, Pune

Buildings India Institute

January 2, 1985

A commemorative postage stamp on the Centenary of the Fergusson College (FC), Poona, founded by Deccan Education Society in 1885 :

Issued by India

Issued on Jan 2, 1985

Type : Stamp, Postal Used

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 100 Paise

Printed at : India Security Press

About :

The famous Deccan Education Society which is the parent body of several educational institutions spread over the landscape of Maharashtra founded the Fergusson College, a premier institution of liberal learning in India, in the year 1885. The Society itself was founded by the stalwarts of the Indian Freedom Movement – Lokmanya Tilak, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, Vishnushashtri Chiplunlar and Madhavrao Namjoshi. The first two were also its distinguished teachers and Prof. Agarkar was its Principal (1892-95). It has been named after Sir James Fergusson K.C.M.G., C.I.E. Governor of Bombay who took keen interest in the development of the New English School as well as the Fergusson College and was the first patron of the Deccan Education Society. It was inaugurated on 2^nd January, 1885 by William Wordsworth, the grandson of the great English poet. Hon. Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Maharshi Dhonde Keshav Karve – Bharat Ratna, have taught in this College, while Prof. V. S. Apte, Prof. Agarkar, Wrangler R. P. Paranjpye and Dr G. S. Mahajani have been its distinguished Principals. Gandhiji and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru have paid visits to the College and admired its work. Gandhiji paid a handsome tribute to the College at the time of its Golden Jubilee. He wrote in 1935: “Who can fail to be enthused over the noble record of service rendered by the D. E. Society and the Fergusson College to the cause of education?“
The distinguished alumni of the College include Veer Savarkar, Acharya Kripalani, Ram Ganesh Gadkari, Shri Kakasaheb Kalelkar, Shri H. V. Pataskar, Shri N. V. Gadgil, Shri B. Ramkrishna Rao, Acharya Atre, Shri B. S. Mardhekar and many others who have been at the helm of affairs in various walks of life.
The Fergusson College has a beautiful scenic campus of 50 acres with numerous imposing buildings of gothic architecture.