Queen-Marys-College-Chennai-Queen-Mary-Statue

Queen Mary's College is a government-run college in

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of ...

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

. Founded in 1914, it is the first women's college in the city and the third oldest women's college in India and second oldest in South India after Sarah Tucker College. The college is located on junction of Kamarajar Salai and Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai facing the Marina Beach. The college plays a vital role in education and empowerment of girl children from poor economic sections.

History

It was founded by

Dorothy de la Hey Dorothy Cisley Oldridge de la Hey (6 February 1884 – 18 November 1981) was an English educator who was one of the pioneers in women's education in India. She was the founder of Queen Mary's College in Madras, Madras Presidency in British India in ...

with the support of the

Governor of Madras Presidency This is a list of the governors, agents, and presidents of colonial Madras, initially of the English East India Company, up to the end of British colonial rule in 1947. English Agents In 1639, the grant of Madras to the English was finalized be ...

Lord Pentland in 1914 as Madras College for Women. It was later renamed as Queen Mary's College in 1917. The first three child widows to graduate from South India, Ammukutty, Lakshmi and Parvathy graduated from this college. Originally the residence of Lt Col Francis Capper in the mid-19th century, the building later housed a hotel before becoming a college in 1914. Known as the Capper House, the building was preserved as a heritage building. The college grew significantly under

with many new buildings: Pentland House, Stone House and Jeypore House being built, and by 1923 Science subjects were also taught here. Physics and Chemistry laboratories were also built. In 1928, it was the first college in India to offer a two-year intermediate course in Indian music and in 1930 the music department was formally opened. By the time

left in 1936 the college had grown significantly. Capper House was later demolished to construct a new administrative office for the college known as the Kalaignar Maaligai, which was inaugurated in July 2010. After her, Miss Myers became the Principal till 1946. The first Indian Principal was Nallamuthu Ramamurthi.

Notable alumni

* Yashodhara Dasappa, politician,

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished servi ...

receipt *

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay (3 April 1903 – 29 October 1988) was an Indian social reformer and freedom activist. She was most remembered for her contribution to the Indian independence movement; for being the driving force behind the renaissan ...

, freedom fighter,

Padma Vibhusan The Padma Vibhushan ("Lotus Decoration") is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service". All persons without ...

recipient *

Indira Joseph Venniyoor Indira Joseph Venniyoor (born Indira Poduval; 1925/1926 – 29 December 2020) was an Indian radio broadcaster and Travancore Radio's first English-language news broadcaster. She was a broadcaster with All India Radio until her retirement ...

All India Radio All or ALL may refer to: Language * All, an indefinite pronoun in English * All, one of the English determiners * Allar language (ISO 639-3 code) * Allative case (abbreviated ALL) Music * All (band), an American punk rock band * ''All'' (All ...

broadcaster * Janaki Ammal, scientist * Lakshmi Sahgal, freedom fighter * Charumathi Ramachandran, musician *

Nimi McConigley Nimi McConigley (née Swamidoss; born 12 December 1939) is an Indian-born American politician and journalist. A Republican, McConigley served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1994 until 1996, where she represented the 59th House dis ...

, first Indian American women to serve in any American State legislature *

Vani Jairam Vani Jairam (born as Kalaivani on 30 November 1945), also credited as Vani Jayaram, is an Indian singer. She is best known as a playback singer in South Indian cinema. Vani's career started in 1971 and has spanned over five decades. She has do ...

, musician *

Anuradha Sriram Anuradha Sriram (born 9 July 1970) is an Indian carnatic and playback singer and child actress who hails from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. She has sung more than 700 songs in Tamil, Telugu, Sinhala, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali and Hindi ...

, musician *

M. Narmadha Dr.M.Narmadha born 11th April is a celebrated popular third generation heritage violinist who performs solo violin concerts in both Carnatic and Hindustani classical systems of Indian Music. She is the Daughter of the legendary violinist Padma ...

, musician * A. Kanyakumari, musician * R. Sivabhogam, first women chartered accountant in India

References

External links

Queen Mary's College website

QMC100
{{Coord, 13.045146, 80.279122, display=title Arts and Science colleges in Chennai Women's universities and colleges in Chennai 1914 establishments in India Educational institutions established in 1914 Colleges affiliated to University of Madras