IP COLLEGE MARCHES TOWARDS HISTORICAL CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
From its origins entwined with the anti-colonial struggle in British India, aimed at empowering women’s education, to its current status as one of India’s preeminent Liberal Arts institutions, Indraprastha College for Women is steadfastly marching towards its Centennial Celebration. Nestled within a meticulously preserved, lush green, and sustainably developed historical national heritage campus, the college inaugurated its centennial celebrations with the commencement of ‘Shruti,’ a two-day Annual Cultural Fest on March 27, 2023. As the oldest women’s college in Delhi University, IP College stands as a testament to education in Liberal Arts, Media and Communication, Computer Science, and Economics.
The college traces its roots back to the establishment of Indraprastha College for Girls in 1904 by Annie Besant, a theosophist and freedom fighter, marking a pivotal stride towards girls’ education in the country. Upon the establishment of Delhi University in 1922, IP College formally attained recognition as a constituent college in 1924. The college’s first Principal was Leonora Gmeiner, an Australian educationist. Over the ensuing decades, IP College has nurtured distinguished alumnae such as mathematician Ajit Iqbal Singh, social activist Aruna Roy, historian Arundhati Virmani, playback singer Jaspinder Narula, social media influencer Kusha Kapila, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, DD News Anchor Salma Sultan, Economics Professor Utsa Patnaik, and former IFS Officer Chitra Narayan.
The inauguration of the annual fest commenced with Navika Kumar, Editor-in-Chief of Times Now, as the Chief Guest. The event featured a captivating indigenous fusion dance performance by the students of the North East Society of the College. The first day encompassed diverse activities including an art exhibition, a history quiz about DU, cosplay, slam poetry, and a street play. The second day was marked by a western singing competition, on-the-spot film-making, inter-college debates, and dance competitions. The much-anticipated performances of the annual fest included foot-tapping showcases by the Indie boy band ‘Twin Strings’ and playback singer Asees Kaur.
Professor Poonam Kumria, the Principal, expressed, “The festival not only provides a platform for exhibiting the artistic and creative prowess of our students but also unites us as a community to celebrate our diversity. We firmly believe that education transcends knowledge acquisition to encompass the development of a holistic personality. Hence, I extend my gratitude to UDAAN for collaborating with us on this event and offering our students this invaluable opportunity.”