Allahabad University, the fourth-oldest university in the country, turned 125 on Sunday.
The occasion was marked by a cultural event and the showcasing of a 125 feet-long painting canvas. The Central University, once known as the “Oxford of the East,” was established on September 23, 1887. However, Viceroy of India Lord Northbrook, on December 9, 1873 laid the foundation stone of the Muir Central College, named after Sir William Muir, then Lt. Governor of the United Provinces. With the promulgation of the ‘Allahabad University Act of 1921,’ the Muir Central College merged with the university.
The building was designed by eminent architect Sir William Emerson, in a unique mix of Indo-Saracenic, Egyptian and Gothic styles.
Over the following years, the university lost some of its glory, but after a sustained campaign, it regained its Central University status in 2005.
It has had on its rolls a host of distinguished people, including one President and two Vice-Presidents, three Prime Ministers (one, acting), several Chief Ministers, Union and State ministers, and four Chief Justices of India.
The university’s Senate Hall, also a national heritage site, celebrates its centenary this year.
