Ramniranjan Anandilal Podar College of Commerce and Economics

Rāmniranjan Ānandilāl Podār College of Commerce and Economics, popularly known simply as Podar College or R.A. Podar College, is affiliated with the University of Mumbai, situated in Matunga, Mumbai, India. It is run by the Shikshan Prasarak Mandali also called the S.P. Mandali, which has its headquarters at Pune. The college offers courses in commerce for undergraduate degrees, and the affiliated Wellingkar Institute of Management and Commerce offers postgraduate degrees and postgraduate diplomas in commerce and management.

Location

The College is located in central Mumbai, on Lakhamsi Napoo Road which is on the east side of Mātungā central railway station. The College building is of neo-Gothic style. It is flanked on one side by the famous Ramnivas Ruia College of Arts and Science and on the other side by the Welingkar Institute of Management. All of which are controlled by the Shiksan Prasarak Mandali, Pune

History

In 1941, Seth Rāmdeoji Ānandilāl Podār provided funds of one hundred and fifty thousand rupees—a substantial sum in those times—for establishing the College in the memory of his brother, Rāmniranjan Ānandilāl Podār, giving the charge of running the college to the Shikshan Prasārak Mandali. The College was the first private (non-government) commerce college to be started in Mumbai.

The College started to offer B.Com. degree course in 1942. The first batch of students at Podar College consisted of 150 students. There were just three classrooms and a small staff of competent teachers. Gradually, the number of class rooms increased. The main hall and the library appeared in 1947-48. In 1949, the college started providing some of the teaching and administrative staff with quarters, and students with hostel facilities.

The College received its affiliation with the then University of Bombay (now University of Mumbai) in 1950.

Accolades

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) of India has awarded an A⁺ rating to Podar College.

Students of Podar College have excelled in academics as attested to by the Head of Academic Performance. A large number of chartered accountants, businessmen, educationists, industrialists, bankers, export-import consultants, and tax consultants, as well as members of Legislative Councils and Assemblies and social workers in India and abroad have graduated from Podar College.

Podar College has been one of the pioneers in conceiving the idea of rural camps in various ādiwāsi villages under the auspices of the College National Social Service Unit (NSS). After graduation from Podar College, inspired NSS Volunteers continue their service under the auspices of Sankalp and Nirmiti Youth Foundation. The volunteers work in the villages of Barānpur near Pālghar, and Chandip and Shivansai near Vajreshwari. The NCC Unit of Podar College endorses the phrase Small is beautiful.

Infrastructure

The campus area of Podar College encompasses 27,000 square feet (2,500 square meters). The college building occupies 54,594 square feet (5,055 square meters), and has three wings, each wing consisting of four floors. The auditorium, which is built in an ancient gothic style, has seating capacity of 500 and a semi-circular stage for performing arts. A large conference room has been a recent addition.

The library has a collection of over 60,000 books, including reference books, magazines, and journals, and it occupies the rear wing of the second floor; the third floor above the library forms the reading hall. The library offers the facility of a book bank. The Central Computer Laboratory is equipped with 50 PCs. An Audio Visual Room is attached to the library.

Vocational Courses offered

Two vocational courses are offered as an integral part of the B.Com. course:

• Computer Applications, and
• Travel and Tourism Management

Cultural Activities

• Student's Council

• Artist's Guild & Youth Festival (The Artist's Guild promotes performing arts through several inter-collegiate talent competitions and cultural programs. The Youth Festival participates in inter-collegiate cultural competitions. Podar college has distinguished itself by winning the Youth Festival Trophy 16 times since its inception. University of Mumbai has awarded Podar College the Best College Award.

• The Annual Inter-Collegiate festival 'Enigma' hosts over 100 colleges.
  • The Theme for the 2007 event was 'Enigma Echoes'^[1]
  • The Theme of Enigma 2013 was "Time Machine"

• 'RAPPORT' is the intra-collegiate festival where different divisions from each standard contest over 40 events.
  • The Theme for the 2008 event was 'Rapport Rangeela'^[2]
  • The Theme for the 2009 event was 'Rapport Rock N Rule'
  • The theme for Rapport 2010 was 'Rapport Royale'.
• 'Rostrum Spectrum' is an inter-collegiate literary festival. The event witnesses the participation of more than 60 colleges from Mumbai.
  • The Theme for the 2009 event was 'Rostrum Spectrum - The Renaissance'

Principal

• Dr.(Mrs.) Shobhna Vasudevan

Alumni

R C Lahoti, the former chief justice of India, and noted politician Gurudas Kamat are among the alumni of Podar College.

In the arena of commerce, distinguished alumni of Podar College including Kamlesh Shivji Vikamsey, a prominent chartered accountant. In past he has served as president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) 2005–06,^[3] president, the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA), 2007–09,^[4] board member, International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), 2005–08 and a member of the steering committee of the United Nations for Comprehensive Review of Governance and Oversight within the United Nations, and its funds, programme and specialized agencies, appointed by then Secretary General of United Nations Kofi Annan, 2006.^[5] Currently he is a member of Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), New York.

In the arena of sports and cultural activities, distinguished alumni of Podar College includeSunny Deol, Shilpa Shetty, Rohit Gupta and many others among famous film personalities, Farokh Engineer, Rohan Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sanjay Manjrekar, Shreyas Iyer,G. R. Sundharam, Shishir Hattiangadi, Alan Sippy, Sairaj Bahutule, Jatin Paranjape, Abhijit kale — all in cricket; and Kamlesh Mehta, S. Sridhar, S. Sriram, S. Ramaswamy, Vilas Menon, Vyoma Shah — all in table tennis. Alumnus Janaki Krishnamoorthy was an All India Tennis Champion among under-19 women. Alumnus Ravindra Patil was the chief judo coach of India, and alumni Meherwan Daruwala and Parth Doshi excelled in squash. R.A Podar has also won many basketball tournaments, won Mumbai university champion for many years. One of the best colleges which recognizes National players in many sports and gives admission. National Basketball players include Gurudutt Nayak, Sridhar, Sheshan, Nitin,Ganesh etc. who were not only recognized by college but given jobs by many Nationalized Banks, Income Tax department and continued to play basketball and contribute the game in great way.

Contemporary dancer Astad Deboo has attended Podar College. More than a dozen alumni of Podar College have been honored with the Chhatrapati Award.

The Podar Group

Besides Rāmniranjan Ānandilāl Podār College of Commerce and Economics, the Podār Group supports Ānandilāl Podār High School, Rāmniranjan Podār High School, and Lilāvati Bāi Podār High School.

References

External links

• R.A. Podar College, Official site
• R.A. Podar College, Location

• http://www.podarmoneta.com/ - Official webpage
• http://apnnews.com/2011/12/07/moneta-2011-kicked-off-at-r-a-podar-college-of-commerce-and-economics-in-mumbai/