Denomination All faiths Phone 079 2630 8057 Founded 1955 | Gender Coeducational Type of business Jesuit, Catholic | |
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Established 1955; 62 years ago (1955) Principal Fr (Dr) Robert Arockiasamy, SJ Ministry Fr (Dr) Roland D'Souza, SJ | ||
St. Xavier's College, founded in 1955, is the only grant-in-aid Christian institution of higher education in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is run by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
Contents
Beginnings
After the establishment of St. Xavier's High School in Ahmedabad and St. Xavier's College in Bombay, the Gujarat Jesuits entered into university education at St. Xaviers College, Ahmedabad. At first students were prepared for the two-year intermediate exam in arts, sharing space and buildings with St. Xavier's High School, Mirzapur. The foundation stone of the new college was laid by His Lordship Bishop Pinto on 1 January 1956. By June that year only the ground floor, first, and part of the second floor of a large structure, 347 feet long with a 177-foot side wing, had been completed, and used by the College from 20 June 1956. A hostel to accommodate 150 students was soon completed. For the first year Arts there were separate divisions for Gujarati and English medium students, and for Inter Arts only English medium. The science faculty began with chemistry, physics, and biology. There were 570 students on the rolls – 150 in the arts faculty and 420 in the first year science. The College was also constituted a postgraduate centre for Hindi.
In the academic year 1957-58, there were 301 students in Arts and 952 in Science. In 1958, two vacant plots adjacent to the football field were purchased, extending the campus by 20,000 sq. yds. Later, an adjoining plot east of the college building (hockey field) was purchased. In February 1959 St. Xavier's College hosted the All India Philosophical Congress, which used its hostel and lecture halls.
In 1959 Br. Augustus Lobo joined the staff and founded the Social Service League, which was absorbed into the National Service Scheme. The League built huts for those displaced by floods (Mandava), set up wells in villages prone to drought (Nani Kishol), or afforded immediate relief to those hit by natural calamities. Through Br. Lobo also, the blind who entered the College were provided with readers throughout the year and writers at the examinations.
In June 1962 the Carmelite Sisters of Charity inaugurated the St Xavier's Ladies Hostel for the out-station students of the College.
Academics
The Faculty of Arts has departments in Economics, Psychology, English, Gujarati, Hindi, and Sanskrit. The Faculty of Science has departments in Biochemistry & Biotechnology, Botany, Zoology, Chemistry-IC, Mathematics, Physics-Electronics, Statistics, and Computer sciences. The Faculty of Commerce has BCom-BPS.
Accreditation history
Notable alumni
Some notable alumni are Sanjay Lalbhai (CEO, Arvind Mill), actress Parveen Babi, Anil Bakeri (CEO, Bakeri Group), film actor Rajeev Khandelwal, author-translator Rita Kothari, an orator Radha Mehta.