Vital Statistics

WHAT IS IT? A college for undergraduate studies. WHO’S THE BOSS? Dr Bhim Sen Singh is the principal. HOW CHEAP IS IT? Rs 3,370 (BA) p.a. and Rs 4,245 (BSc) p.a. WHAT ABOUT JOBS? There is a special cell for placements. WHERE TO STAY? There is a boys' hostel and PG facilities are also available near the university area. WHERE IS IT? Kirori Mal College, University Enclave, Delhi 110007; Phone: 011-2766786, 2767939 Fax: 91-11-27666579; Website: www.kmcollege.com

Established in 1954 by American Jesuits, Kirori Mal College started as Nirmala College. Fifty years down the line, the co-educational institute is considered as one of Delhi?s better colleges, especially known for its extra-curricular activities and sports. Not surprisingly, the former vice-chancellor of the University of Delhi (DU), Deepak Nayyar, is full of praise for the college. ?Kirori Mal College is the jewel of Delhi University. It is one of the finest institutions here and has all the ingredients for a college to be successful,? he says.

Honest endeavour

KMC, as it is popularly known, is situated behind the Delhi School of Economics, right next to the bustling Kamala Nagar market ? a favourite haunt of DU students. Says principal Bhim Sen Singh, an alumnus himself, ?This has always been a good college. Culturally, it has been the best in the university but now we are growing academically as well and showing good results. It has been a long journey but we have kept our culture and traditions intact.?

The infrastructure speaks for itself. The campus is compact and lush green. The NS PRADHAN memorial library is fully computerised and houses a mind-boggling array of 1.5 lakh books. It caters not only to the college?s requirements but also stocks leisure books and volumes on issues of general awareness, especially in the industrial sector.

The college also has modern, well-equipped and efficiently managed laboratories for all the science courses ? including physics, chemistry, zoology and botany. The geography and statistics departments have their own laboratories. The auditorium was built in 1954 and has witnessed scintillating performances by its students. And that?s not surprising, for among the old boys are the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Satish Kaushik and Kulbhushan Kharbanda.

Avenue to the future

The placement cell ?Avenues? is headed by the principal and has been working hard to secure jobs for students. Among the companies that visited the college last year were Wipro Technologies, Wipro Spectramind, McKinsey, Taj Group of Hotels, GECIS and ABN Amro. Kirori Mal College alumni now occupy senior positions in varied professions ? academics, civil and defence services, and corporate houses, for instance.

KMC was one of the first colleges in Delhi University to start a sexual harassment and gender forum called Parivartan. Run by students and teachers, it acts as a counselling cell for students. Parivartan also includes a College Complaints Committee. Students feel it is a great step forward as it provides valuable counselling to those in need of advice. ?The teachers, male and female alike, have become part and parcel of the cell,? says Singh.

Creative call

The college is widely known for its co-curriculum. Dramsoc ? the dramatics society ? is particularly active. ?KMC is popular because of its extra-curricular activities,? stresses Abhishek, a third-year student who is a member of Dramsoc. ?The best thing about our college is the kind of freedom which it gives us in terms of creativity,? he says.

Kirori Mal College, the principal says, is celebrating its 50th year with dignity and grace, in tune with its culture. And while the celebrations are on, it has already chalked out plans for the future. The college has introduced university norms regarding attendance which, Singh feels, would further strengthen its credibility. Besides, a girls' hostel is also being planned. New professional courses and evening classes could also become a part of the college curriculum soon. ?KMC is a motivating name with a rich and inspiring past. Students can derive strength from the name itself,? says Singh.

RITAMBHARA MEHTA

Old memories

Subir Malik, band member and manager, Parikrama

Musician Subir Malik has fond memories of his old college. A key figure in the popular rock band, Parikrama, Malik graduated from Kirori Mal College in 1991.

And not surprisingly, his best memories of college are that of its music room, which, he says, almost played the role of the college band. “It opened right in front of the canteen, another place where the students use to hang out,” he says. “Even though our canteen was not the most happening of places, the atmosphere on the whole was amazing,” he jokes.

Malik stresses that KMC gave students full support in exploring their talent “in terms of space and finances”. What he learnt in college was a simple but effective maxim: “It is important to stick together and there is no substitute for hard work,” he says, and adds, “My experience was brilliant.”

Based on a conversation with Ritambhara Mehta