Indraprastha College for Women

Indraprastha College for Women, also known as Indraprastha College or IP College, is the oldest women's college in Delhi, India. Established in 1924, it is a constituent college of University of Delhi. The institution offers graduate and post-graduate courses in Economics, Liberal Arts, Commerce, Literature, Computer Science, Multimedia Media and Mass Communication. In 2020, it was ranked 11th among arts colleges in India by India Today. History The origins of IP College lie in the Indraprastha Girls School. It was founded in 1904, at the call of noted freedom fighter, educationist and theosophist Annie Besant by a group of Delhi theosophists, led by Lala Jugal Kishore, in Chhipiwara, Old Delhi. Intermediate school was added in 1924 and the Indraprastha College for Women, came into being, with Leonora Gmeiner (from Kapunda, South Australia) as its first principal. Soon the University of Delhi, which itself was founded in 1922, recognised it as a constituent college. Degree courses were introduced in 1930s and in 1938, the university listed I.P. College as a degree college. After its existence in Chhipiwara during its early years, the college moved to Chandrawali Bhawan, Civil Lines. It moved again to Alipur House at Alipur Road (now Sham Nath Road), the former office of the commander-in-chief in 1938, near Kashmiri Gate, where it is today. The building has become a heritage property. In 1952, the Kalavati Gupta Hostel named after the second principal of the college was inaugurated. On 3 July 1984, Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the college were held. In 2009, a hostel to accommodate 200 students was added on the 1.53-acre (6,200 m2) college premises. Campus Facilities Library Auditorium Information and communications technology (ICT) centre Two computer labs Audio visual production centre Medical room Cafeteria Two hostels Sports facility Gymnasium Basketball court Tennis court Badminton court Squash court Shooting range Table tennis Judo floor Swimming pool The college offers facilities for other sports as well, such as archery, athletics, handball, volleyball, cricket, and kho-kho. Other amenities Wi-Fi campus Canara Bank branch Organisation and administration Centres Centre for Earth Studies Museum and Archives Learning Resource Centre Translation and Translation Studies Centre Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies Academics Academic programmes Undergraduate courses Economics English Geography Hindi History Mathematics Music Philosophy Political Science Psychology Sanskrit Sociology B.A. Prog. Commerce Computer Science Multimedia and Mass Communication (BMMMC) Graduate courses Economics Geography History Operational Research Psychology Mathematics Philosophy Sanskrit English Hindi Music Political Science Financial assistance Students belonging to economically weaker sections are eligible for fee concession. Merit cum means based scholarships are also awarded by the college to deserving students. There is a book bank facility in the library from where needy students can borrow textbooks for the whole academic year. Some special scholarships are also provided by the Delhi University for students belonging to SC/ST/BPL/PWD categories. Student life Indraprastha College is the only college of Delhi University to offer the Bachelor in Mass Media and Mass Communication (BMMMC) degree. In 2005, the college added the cyber cafe wing with offices of National Service Scheme (NSS) and National Cadet Corps (NCC). In 2014, IP College became one of the first colleges in the University of Delhi to set up a formal Department of Environmental Studies, which is its youngest department. Every spring, the college celebrates its annual festival, Shruti. Other popular events include the annual debating tournament Vivaad, organised by the English debating society and the annual theatre fest Kirdaar, organised by the Dramatics society. Clubs and societies La Cadenza: Western music society Abhivyakti: Dramatics society Alaap: Indian music society Vidath: Hindi editorial society Croydon: Fine arts society Mridang: Indian dance society Oghma: English editorial society Ananta: Science society English debating society Hindi debating society Gandhi Study Circle Laashya: Contemporary dance society Northeast society Eco Club Enactus IPCW NSS & NCC Quiz Club Simulacra: Film and photography society Women's Development Cell (WDC) Arthagya: Economics association Jeet: Career and guidance cell Baithak Society: Music archiving and listening room Afroza: Western dance society Erudite: quiz society IP Vaani: Broadcasting Club of BA Program Department Past principals Leonara G. Miner, first principal, 1924 Aruna Sitesh (1997–2007) Notable alumni Abhilasha Kumari, first woman Chief Justice of Manipur High Court Ajit Iqbal Singh, mathematician Ambika Soni, former Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India) Aruna Roy, social activist and recipient of Ramon Magsaysay Award Arundhati Virmani, historian Asha Pande, first Indian woman to receive the Legion of Honour Binalakshmi Nepram, activist from Manipur Chitra Narayanan, former IFS officer Deepika Singh, television actor Deepa Sahi, actress and producer Dipannita Sharma, model and Bollywood actress Jaspinder Narula, playback singer Kamala Laxman, cartoonist Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, first woman Director general of police Kavita Kaushik, television actor Kunzang Choden, first Bhutanese woman to write a novel Kusha Kapila, fashion editor and Internet celebrity Madhumita Raut, Odissi dancer Meira Kumar, the first woman to become the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Nitu Chandra, film actress and model Pratima Puri, Doordarshan's first newsreader Qurratulain Hyder, Urdu writer Rajni Bakshi, freelance journalist Rama Vij, actress Salma Sultan, news anchor of Doordarshan Sharan Rani Backliwal, acclaimed Sarod player, recipient of Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan Shyama Singh, former member of Parliament Sucheta Kripalani, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Utsa Patnaik, professor of economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University Varsha Dixit, author Veena Das, Krieger-Eisenhower Professor of Anthropology, Johns Hopkins University Notable faculty Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan, former First Lady of Pakistan Tanika Sarkar, professor of history at Jawaharlal Nehru University Further reading Knowledge, Power & Politics: Educational Institutions in India, edited by Mushirul Hasan. The Lotus Collection, 1998. ISBN 8174360484 The Saga of Indraprastha College for Women, by Shanti Kamath, Narain Prasad, Indraprastha College for Women (Delhi, India). Published by Indraprastha Educational Trust, 2000. Women, education and politics: the women's movement and Delhi's Indraprastha College, by Meena Bhargava, Kalyani Dutta. Oxford University Press, 2005. ISBN 0-19-566911-8. See also Indraprastha College for Women alumni Education in India Literacy in India List of institutions of higher education in Delhi References External links IP College official website IP College location wikimapia