By Mandara Vishwanath
Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) University, the first women’s university in India, turns 100 this year!
The university will be celebrating its centenary on 5thJuly. It was founded in 1916 by Dr Dhondo Keshav Karve, with the objective of educating more women.
In 1921, the university had its first convocation, with five women graduates. This year’s convocation saw over 15,000 women graduating from several departments, including management, technology, home science, and humanities.
The University’s alumni include actors Sonakshi Sinha, Rani Mukherjee and the designer Anita Dongre. The University has its main campus in South Mumbai, along with two other campuses, and there are several colleges affiliated to the university. Now, in 2016, the university offers around 250 programmes, ranging from diplomas to doctoral degrees. It is graded A by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and has some interesting courses like interior design, ophthalmic technology, food technology, and apparel design and manufacture.