College History

The College

Situated in a quiet corner of Chinsurah, the headquarters of Burdwan Division and Hooghly District, Hooghly Mohsin College is one of the premier academic institutions of India, promoting the cause of higher education for one hundred and eighty six long years. Following a blueprint prepared by Macaulay and with the help of a trust fund of the legendary philanthropist Haji Mohammed Mohsin, the college started its journey on the 1st day of August, 1836 in Perron’s house, a magnificent piece of architecture overlooking the river, Hooghly.

For the first one hundred years of its existence, the college was known as New Hooghly College. On the occasion of its centenary celebrations, the college was renamed as Hooghly Mohsin College. This glorious House of Learning nurtured some of the doyens of the nineteenth century Indian Renaissance. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the composer of ‘Bande Mataram’ and other eminent writers of Bengal like Dwijendralal Roy, Sanjib Chandra Chattopadhyay, Rangalal Bandyopadhyay were distinguished students of this college. Biplabacharya Jyotis Chandra Ghosh, Mujaffar Ahmed, Kanailal Datta, Bhupati Majumder, Charu Chandra Roy, Pramathanath Mitra, Brahmabandhab Upadhyay, Debendranath Mondal who were associated with this college as students or teachers, dedicated their lives to the cause of Indian Freedom Movement. A versatile genius, Judge and Jurist, wise leader, writer and historian, Syed Amir Ali was an eminent alumnus of this college of national heritage. Famous scientists such as Dr. Upendranath Brahmachari, Sahairam Basu and J.N. Bhar significantly contributed to Science and Medicine in the global perspective. Noted singers of India like Shyamal Mitra and Satinath Mukhopadhyay who contributed immensely in the cultural world, were students of this college. Since its historic inception as the First Seat of English Education in India in 1836 to the present, this college has been nurturing talents who have always done our country proud. The Main building, the Science Blocks and the cheerful college garden lend quite a unique touch to the ambience of the college campus. Besides the Under Graduate and Post Graduate Departments, the college has a separate Law Section. The college provides its students an excellent setting where they can recognize and utilize their full potential to pursue higher education, become professionals and eventually play their own roles in the enrichment of the intellectual resources of the country to drive and shape her future. By fostering a family environment where educational, social, and emotional needs are addressed through a holistic approach, the college constantly strives to mould its students into successful and responsible citizens.

The college was affiliated to University of Calcutta since 1857. The college was later affiliated to University of Burdwan since its inception in 1960. Since then the college is a constituent college of the University of Burdwan. On 1st August 2021, the college observed its 186th Anniversary celebrations with due homage to the Founder and noted Alumni who made the college a significant place of higher education in India. The Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Burdwan University, Prof. Nimai Chandra Saha; the Hon’ble former Vice Chancellor, West Bengal State University, Prof. Basab Chaudhuri; the Principal, Hooghly Mohsin College, Prof. Purushottam Pramanik; distinguished members of the Alumni Association of Hooghly Mohsin College; faculty members; non-teaching staff members and students of the college joined this programme.