SNDT Women’s University is celebrating its
Centennial Year from July 5, 2015 to July 5,
2016. Very few institutions will have this
special occasion of celebrating Centennial
Year. SNDTWU’s glorious presence for 100
years is a great occasion not only for all
SNDTians but all women who had the
opportunity to take higher education.
To celebrate this great occasion many
academic, cultural, social as well as
student centric programmes were organised
during the year. Lot of publications,
releasing of film on SNDTWU, postal stamp on
the University marked the Centennial Year.
Centennial Foundation Day
was celebrated on July 5, 2015 to commence the Centennial Year. Dr. R A Mashelkar,
renowned scientist delivered
 Foundation Day
Address and launched Digital India
Campaign@SNDTWU. IT Security Policy was
uploaded at his hands on the university
website. Awards for various quizzes
organised at the University level. Maharshi
Karve Best Teacher Awards, Maharshi Karve Best Affiliated College Award were
presented. Reputed alumnae Ms. Pooja
Kanther, Ms. Rajat Mittal, Ms. Leena Mogre,
Ms. Vandana Gupte and Ms. Saakshi Nanavati
were felicitated.
This year the University was accredited by
NAAC and was awarded A Grade
by the NAAC for the Quality work in the
field of Higher Education. “Quality in Every
Activity” is the motto of this prestigious
University.
‘Digital India Campaign’
was conducted for 45 days. Webinar by
Management Consultant Mr. G.S. Dugal,
Seminar on ‘Digital Empowerment’ inaugurated
by Mr. Suresh Mhatre, quizzes, competitions,
training programmes for students across the
disciplines were organised. Newsletter was
published. Concluding
 ceremony of Digital
India Campaign@SNDTWU and prize distribution
was organised on the Independence Day. Dr.
Subhash Chandra, Founder and Chairman, Essel
Group was the Chief Guest for the
Independence Day, August 15, 2015.
University organised 3 Cultural programmes
during the Centennial Year Natya
Mahotsav (October 1-4, 2015), Nritya
Mahotsav (March 18-19, 2016), and Sangeet
Mahotsav (March 31-April2, 2016).
Eminent artists were invited for Mahotsav
events.
A Four-day Drama Festival
was organized wherein excellent plays in
English, Gujarati, Hindi and Marathi were
staged from October 1 to 4, 2015. The
festival was inaugurated by Mr. S.
Ramadorai, Advisor to the Prime Minister in
the National Council on Skill Development.
The Festival began with Motley groups’
‘Einstein’ wherein the audience was awed by
Mr. Nasiruddeen Shah’s incredible
performance. Gujarati play ‘Mareez’, Hindi
play ‘Aaj Rang Hai’ and Marathi play ‘Don
Special’ were also staged.
In Dance Festival (Nritya
Mahotsav), ‘Tarpa’ performance by Nausu
Bigha of Wanganpada and his
 troupe, Adivasi
Pawara dance by students of Shahada
Education Society, Melaprapti Allaripu by
Shri. Pavitra Bhat, performances by Odissi
Dancer Smt. Aruna Mohanty and her troupe,
Sattriya dance, Thang-Ta by Manipuri
dancers, ‘Ratri’ by Shri. Sashadhar Acharya,
Kathak using Katha-Kathan Style by Smt.
Rajashree Shirke enchanted the audience.
Music Festival (Sangeet
Mahotsava) was graced by musical events
‘Samarpan’ band and Hindustani Classical by
Prof. M. Venkatesh Kumar; ‘Nav-Natya-Dhara’
by Dr. Ram Deshpande, Vidushi Archana
Kanhere, Smt. Kalyani Salunke; ‘Yatra
Naryastu’ by Smt. Madhuri Karmarkar and Smt.
Preeti Nimkar.
A Four-day Play Festival
(Natya Mahotsav) was organized wherein excellent plays in English, Gujarati, Hindi
and Marathi were staged from October 1 to 4,
2015. The festival was inaugurated by Mr. S.
Ramadorai, Advisor to the Prime Minister in
 the National Council on Skill Development.
The Fest ival began with Motley groups’ ‘Einstein’ wherein the audience was awed by
Mr. Nasiruddeen Shah’s incredible
performance. Gujarati play ‘Mareez’, Hindi
play ‘Aaj Rang Hai’ and Marathi play ‘Don
Special’ were also staged.
SNDT Kanyashala Building in Girgaum is a
Heritage (Grade III) Building. This building
of ‘Kanyashala’ was restored by JSW and
inaugurated by Smt. Sangita Jindal on August
12, 2015. Renowned fashion designers and
alumnae Payal Khandwala, Amy Billimoria and
Arpita Mehta were felicitated on this
occasion. Post Graduate Department of
Drawing and Painting of University as well
as SNDT College of Arts are now operating
from this beautiful space.
 Centennial Year Celebrations of 67th
Republic Day of India was a
grand event. Torch Rally Relay from Maharshi
Karve Campus, Pune to Churchgate and to Juhu
was organised. Flag Off was arranged for 100
students at Pune campus, who started off
from Pune for Torch Relay. At any time, 25
students ran with the torch. The team
reached Churchgate campus on evening of
 January 25, and again started on
 January 26
from Churchgate, reaching Juhu campus at 9
am. Republic Day March Past was conducted
with Floats (Chitra Rath). There were 10
Floats with different themes of social and
national interests planned by all campuses
and a few affiliated colleges. Chitra Rath
rally was planned from Bandra to Juhu
campus. Flag was hoisted by Vice Chancellor
Prof Vasudha Kamat followed by March Past by
each Float and a performance by every float
group as well as other groups. The best
three Floats and Performing Groups were
announced.
Maharshi Karve Lecture Series
proved to be an enriching experience by the
speech of Shri. Naresh Saxena, renowned
writer, poet in Hindi.
Vidyarthini Sahitya Sammelan,
a unique event, was organised by five
Language Departments of Churchate campus
(February 6-8, 2016).
Student Led Conferences
were organised by Juhu and Churchgate
campuses.
International Conference
was organised by Department of Geography,
Pune on November 4-6, 2015.
 National
Seminars were organised by
Department of Human Development, Department
of Educational Technology, and Department of
Hindi. National Conferences
were organised by L.T. College of Nursing,
SNDT Women’s University Library & SHPT
School of Library Science and Department of
Continuing and Adult Education. A series of
ICT Integration workshops were organised by
the Department of
 Educational Technology at
Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Kurukshetra
University, Kurukshetra,
Smt MMP Shah College, Matunga and Mizoram University,
Aizawl. State level conferences, seminars,
workshops, training programmes, symposia
were organised by several institutes such as L.T. College of Nursing and Department of
Economics, Pune. Prof. Vidyut Khandwala
Lecture Series of 4 lectures was organised
by the University Library and SHPT School of
Library and Information Science. It was
inaugurated by Prof. Harsha Parekh. Dr.
Neera Desai
 Memorial Lecture was arranged by
RCWS at Juhu campus. Sanskrit Divas,
Teacher’s Day, Hindi Diwas, Reading Day
(Vaachan Din) were celebrated in a big way.
NSS Unit organised Disaster Management
Programme for 500 SNDTWU students during
December vacation. International Women’s Day
was celebrated on March 8, 2016. Dr. Pallavi
Darade, Additional Commissioner BMC was the
Chief Guest.
Dr. Heena Gavit, the youngest Member of
Parliament was the Chief Guest for
Inauguration of Grand Finale of Yuva
Mahotsav (Youth
 Festival) on Sept 7, 2015. Grand Finale ceremony was marked by the
presence of Shri. Vinod Tawde, Hon’ble
Minister, Higher and Technical Education.
125th Birth Anniversary
of Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
was celebrated with a series of
programmes. Guided tour to monuments in
Mumbai related to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was
planned in which many teachers and
 non-teaching staff participated. The other
programmes included Panel Discussion, Talk
by Dr. Ramdas Bhatkal, Publication of
Bibliography followed by cultural programme
by Dr. Chandanshive at Churchgate Campus;
talk by Dr. Narendra Jadhav, followed by
cultural programme by Ms. Jyoti Gajbhiye at
Juhu Campus and Lecture by Mr. Sadashiv
Kulkarni followed by Musical programme at
Pune campus.
This year in April 2016, Ministry of Social
Justice under its Dr. Ambedkar Foundation
awarded Dr. Ambedkar Chair to SNDT Women’s
University. Research will be undertaken by
the Chair Professor.
 Celebration of Maharshi’s Birth Anniversary
on April 18, 2016 was an auspicious occasion
during the Centennial year. One-hour Music
programme title “Dnyan Surya Arghya Tujala
scripted, choreographed and conducted by the
SNDT College of Arts and Commerce, Pune.
New building of ‘Jankidevi Bajaj Institute
of Management Studies’ will be constructed
at Pune with Rs. 7 Crore grant from Bajaj
Group . Bhoomi Pujan was conducted at the
hands of Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Prof.
Vasudha Kamat on February 2, 2015.
On May 12, 2016, Padma Vibhushan Shri Rahul
Bajaj inaugurated Janki Devi Bajaj Institute
of Management Studies (JDBIMS) at Maharshi
Karve Vidya Vihar, Pune. This 35000 sq ft
two story building with sprawling campus
will start conducting session of MMS and MBA
for 2016-17.
SNDTWU is one of the 9 universities in
Maharashtra to get Rs. 20 Crore Grant under
RUSA during its Centennial year. Maharshi
Karve Auditorium, Juhu will be renovated
from some of these funds. Similarly Post
graduate Block at Pune will be newly built.
eLearning centre, Research Centre are a few
more initiatives recently granted under
RUSA.
Centennial Year Convocation was marked by 54
Gold Medals. The number raised from 5 to 54
during the Pre-Centennial and Centennial
Year. Shri. Sudhir Mungantiwar, Hon’ble
Minister of Finance was the Chief Guest at
the Convocation. He promised to give
Centennial grant to the First Women’s
University. He granted Rs. 75 Crore
Centennial Grant to the university in the
month of May 2016 for 8 proposals submitted
by the University.
Shri. Vinod Tawde, Hon’ble Minister, Higher
and Technical Education made the
announcement of Rs 75 Crore Centennial Grant
to the University on May 11, 2016. Maharshi
Karve Seminar Complex was inaugurated at the
hands of Shri. Vinod Tawde, Hon’ble Minister
of Higher and Technical Education. This is
the State–of-the-art seminar facility with
Dr. Iravati Karve Senate Hall, Sushree
Mahadevi Verma Hall (with UGC support), as
well as many other meetings spaces.
 Three books viz. Coffee Table Book on
‘Maharshi Karve’, Marathi
version of
Maharshi’s Presidential Address at the 29th
Indian National Social Congress where he
first announced the need for Women’s
University, ‘Tejonidhichya Tej-shalaka’ a
book based on women who worked with or under
the guidance of Maharshi were published on
this occasion. Hon’ble Minister also
released a film “The First Hundred Years” on
the hundred years of SNDT Women’s
University. This 28-minute film is scripted
and directed
by Ms. Suhasini Mulay.
The Churchgate campus is named after the
Founder Maharshi Karve Vidyavihar. The
University Library is named as Maharshi
Karve Library, Churchgate, Maharshi Karve
Library, Juhu and Mahrashi Karve Library,
Pune.
The three hostels on three campuses are
named after three great women who worked
closely with Maharshi for the cause of
Women’s education: Baya Karve, Parvatibai
Athavale and Sitabai Annigeri.
A Medicinal Plant Garden is created at Juhu
campus which is named as Baya Karve
Vanaushadhi Udyan. It has more than 600
plants of more than 120 varieties of
medicinal plants.
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