These educational institutions in Bengaluru carry the stamp of heritage, history, and changing academic patterns

The education scenario in Bengaluru might currently be defined by a wide array of institutions — right from public schools to state-of-the-art private schools, international schools, private universities and colleges and much more, but looking back at the pages of history, the city was the home to some of the oldest educational institutions of the country.

The education scenario in Bengaluru might currently be defined by a wide array of institutions — right from public schools to state-of-the-art private schools, international schools, private universities and colleges and much more, but looking back at the pages of history, the city was the home to some of the oldest educational institutions of the country.

Most of such historical institutions, along with some which even have heritage value, have been providing education to students even to this day. Many such institutions are also bound by a common thread — the patronage of the erstwhile Wadiyar dynasty.

In the recently presented budget, the State government announced that a feasibility study would be taken up to create a Heritage and Educational District in a five-kilometre radius of the Central Business District, which would involve all the historical educational institutions in the area. The Hindu visited five such iconic institutions which stand proud in the heart of the city to check on their current status. 

In 1858, to promote education, the British government established the Bengaluru Central High School, which later came to be known as Central College, one of the country’s oldest colleges. While it was first affiliated with the Madras Presidency University, by 1917, it became a constituent college of Mysore University and was later brought under the umbrella of Bangalore University.

Bengaluru City University (BCU) has been established on the same campus. Lingaraja Gandhi, Vice Chancellor, BCU, rightly described it as a blend of old and new. The physics, chemistry, mathematics, zoology, botany and life science departments have remained on this campus for over 100 years now. The chemistry department even houses nine different labs. There is also a 100-year-old library on the campus.

The 160-year-old red heritage building is now being restored for ₹155 crores by the BCU.  “A hall of fame, good drainage system, roads, a thematic park and a huge sports complex are among the things which are coming up here,” said Prof. Gandhi.

Although there is construction activity going on around the vast campus, one cannot help but admire the building for its beauty. Speaking about the historical events and alumni of Central College, Prof. Gandhi said, “C.V. Raman disclosed his Nobel Prize-winning discovery on this very campus. Homi J. Baba was an atomic teacher here. Poet laureate Kuvempu was a teacher here. Both Sir M. Visvesvaraya and Sir Mirza Ismail graduated from here, and so did other notable figures like C. Rajagopalachari, C.N.R. Rao, seer Sivakumar Swami and Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah among others.”