Hindu College under Delhi University has undergone an image makeover over the past 10 years, with several buildings displaying the names of corporate donors that faculty members have termed a “rewriting of the institution’s history” after over a century of its existence.
Critics point out that Relaxo Research Centre, Sanganeria Science Block and Smt. Indu Punj Girls Hostel, emblazoned on the facade of the buildings, give a “false” impression that these facilities were entirely funded by private entities.
India’s No. 1 ranked college, established in 1899, also flaunts Sanganeria’s name on the building housing the main auditorium and the faculty block. Sant Sanganeria, the founder chairman of Ultra International Ltd, is a member of the college’s governing body, which has drawn flak for favouring “corporate branding” of the college
infrastructure.
Sanganeria Science Block
Hindu College is a public-funded institution, 95 per cent of whose operational cost is met by the government through the University Grants Commission. According to the National Institutional Ranking Framework, it ranked first among all colleges in 2024
and 2025.
Faculty members on Wednesday said corporate houses had contributed money for repair and renovation, but that did not justify naming buildings after them.
“There is nothing wrong with corporates donating funds to create or renovate facilities in a college or university. But such facilities cannot prominently display the names of such corporates in a manner giving a false impression that they were created by them,” said Prof. Chandrachur Singh, a senior faculty member and secretary of the college’s staff council.
He said DU’s donation guidelines mandated colleges to mention the names of donors on a commemorative plaque for a limited period, depending on the donation amount. The university has ruled out naming structures after donors, no matter the contribution.
“Some of the buildings, such as the one housing the auditorium, have existed
since the college’s inception. Some came up around 2010 with UGC funds. The corporates have shovelled in money to upgrade facilities, prompting the college to display their names on walls and entry points. Even the college name isn’t mentioned on these buildings. This is rewriting the history of the college,” Singh said.
Ratan Lal, an associate professor and president of the staff association, said the governing body was supposed to have 15 members, including 10 from the Hindu Education Trust. He said seven out of the nine trust members in the governing body were linked to corporate houses.
Sanganeria auditorium
“The governing body, dominated by corporate members, is running the institution in an arbitrary manner. There is no transparency in decision-making on any matter. The institution is promoting a model of privatisation and commercialisation of education,” he said.
Lal said students were paying ₹9,000 in hostel fees per month, which was exorbitant. The college does not make public the minutes of its meetings, he alleged.
“There is no clarity on who paid how much money for which building and the basis for the decisions for corporate branding of these buildings. If you ask for information, you will be shouted at,” he said.
The staff association and several students have been protesting for the last one month against college authorities over admission irregularities and other administrative issues, including the building names.
DU has allocated 5 per cent supernumerary seats in its colleges for admission of students under the sports and extra-curricular activities (ECA) category. However, the admission of such students in any particular course cannot exceed one-fifth of the total seats created under the sports and ECA category. This year, Hindu College allegedly violated the norms and admitted excess students in some courses, Lal said.
Principal Anju Srivastava defended naming the buildings after corporate houses.
“Whatever has been done with the support of philanthropists is within the framework of rules, regulations and guidelines of DU. All admissions have been made in conformity with the applicable rules and regulations of the University of Delhi,” Srivastava said in an email response to this newspaper.