Scottish Church College
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2020) |
Presbyterian | |
Academic affiliation | University of Calcutta |
---|---|
Principal | Dr. Madhumanjari Mandal |
Administrative staff | 164 |
Undergraduates | 1518 (As of 2016–17) |
Postgraduates | 97 (As of 2017–18) |
Address | 1 & 3, Urquhart Square, Manicktala, Azad Hind Bag , , , 22°32′54″N 88°21′21″E / 22.54837°N 88.35596°E |
Campus | Urban |
Language | English, Bengali, Hindi |
Nickname | The Caledonians |
Website | www |
Scottish Church College is a college affiliated by
Foundation
The origins are traceable to the life of Alexander Duff (1806–1878), the first overseas missionary of the Church of Scotland, to India. Known initially as the General Assembly's Institution, it was founded on 13 July 1830.[4] Alexander Duff was born on 25 April 1806, in Moulin, Perthshire, located in the Scottish countryside. He attended the University of St Andrews where after graduation, he opted for a missionary life.[4] Subsequently, he undertook his evangelical mission to India. In a voyage that involved two shipwrecks (first on the ship Lady Holland off Dassen Island, near Cape Town, and later on the ship Moira, near the Ganges delta) and the loss of his personal library consisting of 800 volumes (of which 40 survived), and college prizes, he arrived in Calcutta on 27 May 1830.[5][6]
Supported by the
Historical context
In the early 1800s, under the regime of the
Inspired by the
The English language, I repeat it, is the lever which, as the instrument of conveying the entire range of knowledge, is destined to move all Hindustan.[8]
Raja
In 1840, Duff returned to India. At the
Along with Raja
Duff's contemporaries included Reverend Mackay, Reverend Ewart and Reverend Thomas Smith. Till the early 20th century the norm was to bring teachers from Scotland, and this brought forth scholars like William Spence Urquhart, Henry Stephen, H.M. Percival etc. Indian scholars were also engaged as teachers by the college authorities, and the notable faculty includes names like Surendranath Banerjee, Kalicharan Bandyopadhyay, Jnan Chandra Ghosh, Gouri Shankar Dey, Adhar Chandra Mukhopadhyay, Sushil Chandra Dutta, Mohimohan Basu, Sudhir Kumar Dasgupta, Nirmal Chandra Bhattacharya, Bholanath Mukhopadhyay and Kalidas Nag, all of whom had all contributed to enhancing the academic standards of the college.[14]
The college authorities played a pioneering role in promoting gender equality by emphasizing the significance of women's education. During much of the nineteenth century, the college remained the only institution of its kind in the city of Calcutta (and indeed in the country) to promote the cause of co-education.[5][15] Female students comprise half the present roll strength of the college. With the added interest of the missionaries in educational work and social welfare, the college stands as a monument to Indo-Scottish co-operation.
Postage stamp
On 27 September 1980, the
Campus and infrastructure
Buildings
The main building houses the economics, history, political science, philosophy, zoology, botany, mathematics, English, Sanskrit and Bengali departments. A separate Science annex building houses the departments of physics and chemistry. Situated in the main campus, the central library of the college is computerized. The biological science departments are in possession of a museum and a 'poly-house'. The college is encompassed by a garden and a lawn. Many medicinal plants are grown in the garden under the care of the botany department. There are rare and non-native plants in the garden as well. The Scottish Church College campus is a 'green' campus with solar lighting.[17] A separate building houses the department of teacher education.[17]
Halls of residence
The college presently has four hostels for its students, all of which are situated near the college. Previously, another hostel, Students' Residence (for Girls) was present. They have recreational common rooms with audio-visual equipment.
- Lady Jane Dundas Hostel (For-Girls only): 71/1 Bidhan Sarani, Kolkata-6.
- Duff Hostel: 32/8, Abhedananda Road, Kolkata-6.(Beadon Street)
- Ogilvie Hostel: 31/2, Hurtaki Bagan Lane, Kolkata-6.
- Wann Hostel: 32/8 Abhendananda Road, Kolkata-6. (Beadon Street)[18]
College publications
The college publications are annual and consists of contributions from students and staffs.
- The Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, a refereed international academic journal with an interdisciplinary approach which publishes research articles written by both experienced and young scholars all over the world, is annually published by the college. The journal discusses issues from points of view such as liberalism, empiricism, positivism, Marxism, structuralism, psychoanalysis, postmodernism, deconstruction, feminism, subaltern studies school and postcolonialism. The advisory board consists of personalities such as Amartya Sen, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Partha Chatterjee, Dipesh Chakrabarty and Amiya Kumar Bagchi.[19][16]
- Sanket, a short magazine, is published annually by the Scottish Church College Literary society. It was first published in 2015.
Extra-curricular activities
National Service Scheme
Four faculty members and three library staff are involved with social work at an informal level in their neighbourhood. The NSS Unit organised several environment/health/hygiene-related programmes in the college in collaboration with the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia and the college's department of Teacher Education.[20] The volunteers of the college NSS unit participated in North-East Youth Festival, held at Arunachal Pradesh in 2012 and NSS Mega Camp held at Assam in 2013. Some of them also took part in Rock Climbing and Adventure camp at Balasore, Odisha (India) and were awarded the title of "Basic Mountaineer".
The college received four awards from the University of Calcutta for its activities in NSS. Prof. U.N. Nandi became the Best Program Officer in 2009. Parag Chatterjee, a student of Computer Science and the NSS student leader (2011–2013), was awarded "Best Volunteer" by the university.[21]
Awards and recognition
In 2006, the University Grants Commission (India) accepted the recommendations of the University of Calcutta to regard the college as "College with Potential for Excellence".[4][22][23]
Alumni
Status and initiatives
- Until 1953, administrative control over the college was exercised by the Foreign Mission Committee of the Church of Scotland. This was exercised by a local council consisting of representatives of the Church of Scotland and the United Church of Northern India. Later the Foreign Mission Committee of Church of Scotland relinquished its authority to the United Church of Northern India, and in 1970, the United Church of Northern India joined the Presbyterian) foundations, it derives its legal authority and status as a religious minority institution as defined by the scope of Article 30 of the Constitution of India.[4]
- On 27 September 1980, the Indian Postal Servicereleased a commemorative stamp on the college.
- In 2003, the college buildings and premises underwent renovation, with the financial support of the alumni and well-wishers.[16][24]
- In 2004, the general section of the college was awarded grade 'A' after accreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council.[25] The same grade was awarded upon reaccreditation in 2014.
- Since 2004, the college has been a member of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia and is a participant in that organization's Asian University Leadership Program.[4][26][27]
- In 2011, the Napier University, to facilitate integrated research on Rabindranath Tagore's works and philosophy. In Calcutta, this scholarly initiative (with student exchange programs) was extended to the college, involving the departments of English, Bengali and philosophy.[20][28][29]
- The University Grants Commission sponsors the construction of the Quarto Sept Centennial Jubilee Building project of the college. The building plan has been approved by the Heritage Committee of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for necessary approval. The construction of the new building has been completed with modern equipments and audio-visual system worth for having special lectures which can also be broadcast to other colleges through online.[30] The building was Inaugurated by the Members of college administrative body (College Rector Dr.J.Abraham and Principal alongside)
- Scottish Church College celebrated its 184th Foundation Day and its first Alexander Duff Memorial Lecture on 13 July 2013. The college welcomed Dr.S.C.Jamir, the Honorable Governor of Odisha and an alumnus of the college, who delivered the first Alexander Duff Memorial Lecture.
In popular culture
In fiction
- Satyajit Ray's fictional scientist-cum-investigator Professor Shonku started his career as a professor of physics at the Scottish Church College.
- Satyajit Ray's fictional private investigator Feluda was a student of the Scottish Church College.
- Sahitya Akademi Award in 1984.[31]It featured the college as a backdrop in the storyline.
- Samaresh Majumdar's Animesh quartet, a series of four novels (Uttoradhikar, Kalbela and Kalpurush, and Mousholkal), revolves around the life and experiences of Animesh Mitra, an alumnus, who witnesses the tumultuous socio-political transformations in post-independence West Bengal.
In non-fiction
- Naxalite movement, had scenes which were shot at the college.[32]
- Egaro: The Immortal Eleven was a 2011 sports film in Bengali directed by Arun Roy, that was based on the Mohun Bagan Athletic Club's victory over the East Yorkshire Regiment in the finals of the 1911 IFA Shield.[33] Three members of the winning team were students of the college. The film also showed the college as a background.[34]
- Natoker Moto was a 2015 biographical Bengali language film, which was roughly based on the life and tragic death of Keya Chakraborty, an alumna,[35][36] who subsequently became a prominent theatre personality. The character based on her is called Kheya in the film.
See also
- Scottish Church Collegiate School, the twin institution of the college, also founded by Reverend Alexander Duff
- Category:Academic staff of Scottish Church College
References
- ^ "Saint Columba's main doorway". Archived from the original on 12 May 2005. Retrieved 31 October 2005.
- ^ Basu 2008, p. 35
- ^ Matilal 2008, pp. 19–20
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Sen, Asit and John Abraham. Glimpses of college history, 2008 (1980). Retrieved on 2009-10-03" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
- ^ a b c d Pitlochry Church of Scotland's obituary of Alexander Duff Archived 30 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The missionary’s mission in Calcutta
- ^ Matilal 2008, p. 17
- ^ Basu 2008, pp. 33–34
- ^ Sardella, Ferdinando. Rise of Nondualism in Bengal in Modern Hindu Personalism: The History, Thought and Life of Bhaktisiddhanta. Oxford University Press, 2013. pp. 39–40.
- ^ Bandyopadhyay 2008, pp. 74–75
- ^ A Tradition of Notable Firsts Archived 7 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Master visionary[usurped]
- ^ Basu 2008, p. 35
- ^ Basu 2008, p. 35
- ^ Manna, Mausumi, Women's Education through Co-Education: the Pioneering College in 175th Year Commemoration Volume. Scottish Church College, April 2008, pp. 107–116
- ^ a b c Datta 2008, pp. 559–561: "Photo Gallery"
- ^ a b Criterion IV: Infrastructure and Learning Resources
- ^ "College Hostels - Scottish Church College | Kolkata". www.scottishchurch.ac.in. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
- ^ Basu 2008, p. 35
- ^ a b .Criterion III: Research, Consultancy and Extension
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Star tag on six colleges
- ^ Half in, half out in college tag race
- ^ Abraham 2008, p. 4
- ^ Abraham 2008, p. 6
- ^ United Board Partner Institutions Archived 14 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Abraham 2008, p. 8
- ^ Tagore drew inspiration from Scottish bard for his poem – article in the Times of India
- ^ Glasgow tie-up for CU – article in the Calcutta Telegraph
- ^ The College Annual Day 2012–13
- ^ Sahitya Akademi Awards 1955–2007 Archived 16 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Article in The Telegraph on the film Kaalbela
- ^ The death anniversary of Indian Football's first legend
- ^ Football scores at the box office in cricket-mad India
- ^ Datta 2008, p. 589: "Some Alumni of Scottish Church College"
- ^ Datta 2008, p. 573: "Teaching Staff: English"
Sources
- Abraham, John (2008), "A Foreword", in Datta, Asit (ed.), 175th Year Commemoration Volume, Kolkata, India: Scottish Church College, OCLC 243677369
- Bandyopadhyay, Kausik (2008), "Games Ethic in Bengal: A Commentary on the sporting tradition of the Scottish Church College", in Datta, Asit (ed.), 175th Year Commemoration Volume, Kolkata, India: Scottish Church College, OCLC 243677369
- Basu, Pradip (2008), "The Question of Colonial Modernity and Scottish Church College", in Datta, Asit (ed.), 175th Year Commemoration Volume, Kolkata, India: Scottish Church College, OCLC 243677369
- Datta, Asit, ed. (2008), 175th Year Commemoration Volume, Kolkata, India: Scottish Church College, OCLC 243677369
- Matilal, Anup (2008), "The Scottish Church College: A Brief Discourse on the Origins of an Institution", in Datta, Asit (ed.), 175th Year Commemoration Volume, Kolkata, India: Scottish Church College, OCLC 243677369