Our History
1932
On April 21, 1932 a citizens meeting with eminent people of the city was convened in which 'Women's Education Society' was formed with Rao Bahadur M.B. Kinkhede as its Founder President and Shri Y.M. Pathak as Founder Secretary. The constitution of the society was drawn up by Justice W.R. Puranik and Shri T.J. Kedar. Sir Sorabji Mehta was the founder chairman of the Executive Committee of the Society.
1935
In 1935 the society was duly registered under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860 vide No. 23 of1935-36 and later on u/s XXIX of Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950vide No. F-389(N) on 3-8-1962.
The society owes its present status to the illustrious and equally commendable dedication of luminaries who left their mark in the annals of the society. They were besides Founder President RaoBahadur M.B. Kinkhede and 2nd President Lady Gowan, Past Presidents viz. Lady Kalhum Wylie (wife of His Excellency, Governor of Central Provinces & Berar. Sir Francis Vemer Wylie), Lady Muriel Twynam, (wife of His Excellency, Governor of Central Provinces & Berar, Sir Henry Twynam) and Smt.A. Pakwasa (wife of His Excellency, Governor of Central Provinces & Berar, Sir Mangaldas Pakwasa).
1940 & 1952
The Society has a beautiful site of 26.10 acres and also 2 acres of land at Seminary Hills Campus donated by the Governor of Central Provinces & Berar in 1940 and by Governor of Madhya Pradesh in 1952 respectively.
1960 & 1961
The Society later on acquired 3 acres of Trust Land in 1960 and 1 acre of Trust Land in 1961 of the Nagpur Improvement Trust at Shankar nagar campus with the help of Shri M.K. Kher, the then Chairman of NIT, who later became member of the Society.
Among the earliest to be associated with the society were the then six Vice Chancellors of Nagpur University viz. Justice Dr. M.B. Niyogi, Dr. Sir Hari Singh Gour, Dr.T.J. Kedar, Justice W.R. Puranik, Justice S.P. Kotwal & Mr. P. P. Deo, Also Khan Bahadur M.E.R. Malak, Sir M.B. Dadabhoy, Sir Sorabji B. Mehta, Shri S.H. Batliwala, Mr. L.S.Deshmukh, Mr. K.P. Ghiara, Mrs. M.C. McFadyen, Mr. Samimulla Khan, Mr. M.Y. Shareef, Mrs. Stent, Mrs. Owen, Dewan Bahadur K.V. Brahma (CIE), Lady Chitnavis , Mr. Abdul Latif Khan ,Mr. B.G. Khaparde, Nawab Mir Mehdi Ali Khan, G.S.Gupta, Mrs. Irene Mothe Bose, Justice M. Hidayatullah. Rao Bahadur N.J. Naidu, Justice M. Kaushalendra Rao, Mr. M.K. Kher, Mr. Dayabhai Sutaria, Shri N.K.P. Salve, Shri Jamnadasji Daga, Justice Y.B. Tambe.
At a later date Justice N.L. Abhyankar, Mr. A.D. Mani , Shri H.N. Malak, Shri D.S. Panditji, Dr. Gaya Prasad, Justice B.A. Masodkar, Mrs. Pushpa (Mehta) Hidayatullah, Shri S.P. Gharpure, Shri V.D. Dhanwatey, Shri P.J. Registrar, Mrs. S.K. Buty, Shri H.J. Thakkar, Justice M.R.Waikar, Maj. P.W. Barlingey (Retd.), to name a few were among the many other distinguished personalities.
Our Patronage
Patronage from different philanthropic trusts and individuals included late Sir Dorabji Tata trust of Bombay, H.E. Sir Hyde Gowen, the then Governor of C.P. & Berar. His Exalted Excellency the Nizam of Hyderabad and Mr. Bhulabhai Desai.
Other donors over the years included Seth Badridas Daga, Shri Durgaprasad Saraf, Shri Banwarilal Purohit, Shri P.R. Mundle, Mrs. Meena Deshmukh, Mrs. A.P. Mundle, Major P.W.Barlingey, Adv. V.R. Manohar, Justice M.L. Pendse Foundation, Mumbai, M/s. Raheja Universal Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai and Lachmendas Sevagram Charities, Mumbai.
Our Legacy
With 85 years of sustained progress the Women's Education Society has many institutions under its aegis. Its strength lies in the versatility of the range of programmes offered by the following institutions.
- Lady Amritbai Daga College for Women of Arts, Commerce & Science and Smt. Ratnidevi Purohit College of Home Science & Home Science Technology, Nagpur.
- Women's Technical Education and Research Smt. Ratnidevi Purohit Institute, Nagpur.
- Smt. Manoramabai Mundle College of Architecture, Nagpur.
- Justice M.L. Pendse School of Languages & Media Studies, Nagpur.
- Academy of Performing Art, Liberal & Culture Studies
- Shrinivas Public School, Nagpur (CBSE Pattern )
- Gokul Balwadi, Nagpur
Presently, the society has as its President a legal luminary and former Adv. General of Maharashtra Adv. V.R. Manohar. Other office bearers are Justice M.S.Deshpande, (Retd.), Vice President, Shri. Hargovind Bajaj, Vice President, Mr. Murali M. Pantula (CA), Treasurer, Dr. Panna Akhani(Academician), Secretary and Mrs. Varsha Manohar, Jt. Secretary.
Illustrious and dedicated former principals
The society and its institutions owe its present status to all the illustrious and dedicated former principals.
- Smt. Ramabai Tambe (1932 to 1934)
- Ms. K. Shanti Rangarao (1934 to 1942)
- Dr. Shridevi Naidu (1942 to 1955)
- Dr.(Ms) Mary Agnes Saldanha (1957 to 1970)
- Dr. (Ms) Singammal Iyengar (1970 to 1977)
- Maj. (Mrs.) Tara M. Bagaddeo (1980 to 1982)
- Dr.(Mrs.) Rajani Rai (1982 to 1991)
- Dr. (Ms) Panna Akhani (1991 to 2008)
The present Principals, the teaching and non-teaching staff both past and present also share the history and success of the society and its institutions.