Before Mumbai had a university, this college was already shaping icons like Ambedkar, Tilak & Tata

In the busy lanes of South Mumbai, surrounded by colonial-era buildings and the rush of modern life, stands Elphinstone College, a place that quietly laid the foundation for higher education in the city. Long before the University of Mumbai came into being, this college was already preparing young minds for the future.

It all began before 1856

Though Elphinstone College was officially set up in 1856, the journey started earlier. Back in 1824, the Bombay Native Education Society opened an English-medium school for Indian students, a bold and progressive step for those times.

By 1827, the idea of a college took shape. It was named after Mountstuart Elphinstone, the then Governor of the Bombay Presidency, who strongly believed in education reforms. His aim was not just to govern, but to educate, and that’s what made this college such an important legacy of his rule.


In 1835, proper classes began at Town Hall, with just two teachers, Arthur Bedford Orlebar for natural philosophy and John Harkness for classical literature. It may have started small, but the goal was big: to teach Indians English, science, and liberal arts.

By 1856, Elphinstone became an independent college, and by 1860, it got affiliated to the newly-formed University of Mumbai.

A launchpad for big names in India’s history

Elphinstone College is no ordinary institution. It produced some of the greatest names in Indian history, including B. R. Ambedkar, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Jamsetji Tata. Even Dadabhai Naoroji, a key figure in India’s political history, taught here.

Its influence also reached the legal world. In 1855, it began the Perry Professorship of Jurisprudence, which later became Government Law College, the oldest law college in Asia.

That’s not all. In 1857, Sir J. J. School of Art started its journey from Elphinstone’s classrooms. And in 1948, Jai Hind College began its first classes at Elphinstone’s Fort campus before moving to its own location.

The buildings tell their own story

In 1871, Elphinstone got its first building in Byculla, designed by James Trubshawe and built by John Adams. It later became a hospital. The current building, in Gothic Revival style, is located in Fort near the Jehangir Art Gallery. Today, it stands as both a heritage monument and a working college.

A new chapter since 2019

After over 150 years with the University of Mumbai, Elphinstone took a fresh step in 2019. It became part of Dr. Homi Bhabha State University, a state-run cluster university that promotes better academic freedom and teamwork.

Today, the college offers degree courses in arts, science, and commerce. But its role is much larger, it represents the belief that education can change a city, a society, and a country.

From a humble classroom in Town Hall to shaping India’s leaders and thinkers, Elphinstone College is not just a place, it’s a powerful idea that still lives on.

Inputs from TOI