Miranda House facts for kids
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| Motto |
स्वाध्यायान प्रमादितव्यम
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|---|---|
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Motto in English
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Learning through self-education |
| Type | University College for Women |
| Established | 7 March 1948 |
| Founder | Maurice Gwyer |
| Accreditation | NAAC (A++ Grade) |
| Principal | Prof. Vijaylaxmi Nanda |
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Academic staff
|
238 |
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Administrative staff
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326 |
| Students | More than 3,000 |
| Location |
,
,
India
28°41′33″N 77°12′36″E / 28.69250°N 77.21000°E |
| Campus | Urban |
| Calendar | Semester |
| Colours | Cocoa Brown Green |
| Nickname | Miranda, Mirandians |
| Affiliations | University of Delhi |
Miranda House is a well-known college for women in New Delhi, India. It is part of the University of Delhi. The college was started in 1948. It has been ranked as the top college in India for seven years in a row (as of 2023).
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Miranda House
Miranda House was founded in 1948 by Sir Maurice Gwyer. He was the vice-chancellor of the university at that time. In a magazine from 1952, he shared three reasons for the college's name. His favorite actress was Carmen Miranda. His daughter was also named Miranda. Lastly, a character named Miranda in William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest was, to him, a perfect example of a lady.
Lady Edwina Mountbatten laid the first stone of the college on March 7, 1948. Miranda House is built with red bricks on the university campus. Its first design was made by architect Walter Sykes George. The building style is similar to other old educational places in India. Over the years, more buildings were added as the college grew. Students and former students of this college are called Mirandians.
How Miranda House Grew Over Time
When Miranda House first opened in July 1948, it had only 33 students. By September of the same year, this number grew to 105. By 1997–98, there were 2,090 students. The number of teachers also increased from six in 1948 to 120 (permanent) in 1997–98. The non-teaching staff also grew from 11 to 120.
The college hostel (student living area) housed 43 students in 1948. Today, 250 students live in the hostel. When it started, Miranda House had six departments. By 2012, it had eighteen. Miranda House was a leader in offering science education for women at the University of Delhi. It started its B.Sc. Honours (Botany) course in 1948. The college now teaches many subjects in humanities, social sciences, and basic sciences.
What Students Learn: Academics at Miranda House
Miranda House offers many courses for students. These include both undergraduate (first degree) and postgraduate (advanced degree) programs. All undergraduate courses started from 2014-15 follow a three-year honours degree system.
Undergraduate Courses
- B.A. Programme (a general arts degree)
- B.A. Honours: Students can specialize in subjects like Bengali, economics, English, geography, Hindi, history, Hindustani music, philosophy, political science, Sanskrit, and Sociology.
- B.Sc. Honours: Students can specialize in botany, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and zoology.
- B.Sc.: This includes life sciences and physical science (with computer science).
- B.El.Ed: This is a four-year course for future teachers.
Postgraduate Courses
Students can also enroll in M.A. and M.Sc. programs. Classes for these are held at the university's departments.
- M.A. programme: Most subjects offered at the B.A. Honours level are available, except for Political Science, Geography, and Sociology.
- M.Sc. programme: Most subjects offered at the B.Sc. Honours level are available. The college also offers M.Sc. in Anthropology.
Learning Other Languages
The college offers one-year certificate courses in French, German, and Spanish. These courses are taught with other departments at the University of Delhi.
Short Courses and Computer Skills
Miranda House also offers short courses. These include a two-month course in computer applications. There is also a 16-week course in computer applications for students who are visually challenged. The college does not charge a fee for this special computer course.
The College Library
The Miranda House Library got its first book on July 22, 1948. At first, it was in just one room. The current library building was built with help from the first librarian, P. Tandon. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi laid its foundation stone on March 7, 1973. The new library has two floors. It includes areas for checking out books, a reading hall, and a section for magazines.
Amba Dalmia Resource Centre
Miranda House was the first college to create a special computer center for its visually challenged students. This center started in 2006. It was made possible by a gift from Ms. Manju Kapur Dalmia, who was a teacher at Miranda House.
D S Kothari Centre for Science Education
The D S Kothari Centre works with the Amstel Institute from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Their main goal is to make science education better in schools. They do this by using computer tools and well-designed learning activities. The center also gives a special 'Science Award' to students. This award is based on test scores and a presentation on a modern science topic. The center also organizes summer internships, lectures, and camps.
Helping Students Find Jobs: Placement Cell
The college has a placement cell. This team helps students with career advice and finding jobs after they graduate. It includes teachers and student volunteers.
College Rankings
| College rankings | |
|---|---|
| General – India | |
| NIRF (Colleges) (2021) | 1 |
Miranda House has been ranked as the number one college in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for many years. It was ranked first in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Life on Campus: Buildings and Activities
Campus Architecture
Miranda House is located in the north campus of the University of Delhi. Architect Walter Sykes George designed it. Its style is similar to other old educational buildings in India. The college hostel is one of the oldest living spaces at the university. The hostel area is shaped like a square, with gardens in the middle. Over the past sixty years, many new buildings have been added. The campus is now considered a heritage building, meaning it's historically important.
The college has changed a lot over time. Its main parts are the college building, the library, and the hostel. In the 1950s, new lecture halls were built. The principal's office, college office, and teachers' lounge were also added. The college auditorium and cafeteria were built during this time too. Some old classrooms were changed into the administrative block. In its Golden Jubilee Year (50th anniversary), the college auditorium was updated. A rock garden was also created.
The Miranda House hostel was founded in 1948 by Sir Maurice Gwyer. Lady Edwina Mountbatten laid its foundation stone. The building was designed by Walter George. The dining hall has a high ceiling and long tables. There is also a common room and a coffee lounge. The hostel is a Heritage Building, so it has been carefully restored. It has 120 twin rooms and seven rooms for four people. A warden and housekeeper manage the hostel daily.
Student Life: Clubs, Sports, and More
Women's Development Cell
The Women's Development Cell at Miranda House is a key part of the college. It is made up of women who work together for a world where everyone is treated equally.
Student Societies and Clubs
Miranda House has many cultural clubs and societies. These include:
- Mridang (Indian Dance)
- Tanz (Western Dance)
- Anukriti (Hindi Plays)
- Ariels (English Plays)
- Geetanjali (Indian Music)
- Orpheus (Western Music)
- Celluloid (Film Club)
- Snapshots (Photography)
- BlueQuill (Creative Writing)
- Enactus (Social Entrepreneurship)
- Adwitiya (Fine Arts)
- Shabdita (Hindi Literary Society)
- Debating Society
- Quiz Society
- Gandhi Study Circle
- TULA
- MH Vatavaran (Environment Club)
Students can join these societies through auditions or trials.
National Cadet Corps (NCC)
The Miranda House NCC Company has 160 cadets. Eighty of these cadets are in the Army wing. Students can join the NCC for two years of training.
National Service Scheme (NSS)
The NSS has two main activities. Volunteers teach children of the college staff and underprivileged children nearby. They also read and record books for visually challenged students at the college. NSS volunteers also take part in social campaigns and competitions.
Sports and Games
The sports department organizes competitions for new students in cross-country race, basketball, and table tennis. Cross-country races are often held for social causes, like "Run for Peace." The college offers special coaching for basketball, chess, cross-country race, softball, tennis, table tennis, track and field, and volleyball. College teams compete in tournaments. Many students are chosen to represent Delhi in national competitions. The college also hosts an inter-college table tennis tournament. A big event in the sports calendar is the college's Annual Sports Day.
Student Leadership: Students' Union
The Students' Union is made up of a president, vice president, general secretary, and two central councillors. Students elect these leaders. The Students' Union organizes TEMPEST, which is the annual cultural festival of Miranda House. They also help solve problems that students might have.
Student Activism and Change
Students at Miranda House have a history of speaking up for what they believe in.
- In 1970, students voted to stop the "Miss Miranda" beauty contest. They protested against judging people based on their looks. This was led by Madhu Kishwar, a student leader.
- During the Sikh riots in Delhi in 1984, Miranda House students set up camps to help the victims. Filmmaker Shonali Bose, who was a student there, later made a film called Amu about these riots.
- In 2015, students protested against "unreasonable curfew times" for women. This campaign was called "Break the Cage."
Leaders of Miranda House: Former Principals
- Veda Thakurdas (1948–1956): She was the first principal. She was the first woman to get an MA in mathematics from Punjab University.
- S. Krishnaswamy (1957–1964): She helped start science courses at the college.
- M. Chandy (1964–1971): During her time, an exchange program with American women's colleges began.
- A. C. Janaki amma (1971–1981): The new library building was built while she was principal.
- T. S. Rukmani (1982–1993): She was a former student of Miranda House. She later became a professor at Concordia University in Montreal.
- Kiran Datar (1993 to 2000): She was also a former student. She received the Mahila Shiromani Award for her work in education.
- Dr. Pratibha Jolly (2005-2019): She was a physics teacher and worked on making science education better using technology.
Famous People Who Studied Here: Notable Alumni
Many successful women have studied at Miranda House. Here are some of them:
- Anita Desai, author
- Anjolie Ela Menon, artist
- Anuja Chauhan, author
- Brinda Karat, politician
- Indrani Dasgupta, model
- Madhur Jaffrey, actress and cookbook author
- Mallika Sherawat, actress
- Meira Kumar, first female Speaker of Lok Sabha (India's Parliament)
- Mira Nair, filmmaker
- Nandita Das, filmmaker and actress
- Neeti Mohan, singer
- Sheila Dikshit, politician and former Chief Minister of Delhi
- Shonali Bose, filmmaker
- Shovana Narayan, famous Kathak dancer
- Swara Bhaskar, actress
