Government Mohindra College, Patiala

Government Mohindra College, located in Patiala, Punjab, India, was founded in 1875 when Viceroy Lord Northbrook laid its foundation stone. It was named after Maharaja Mahendra Singh of Patiala after his death in 1876. Initially affiliated with the University of Calcutta, it became one of the first colleges affiliated with the University of Punjab, Lahore, in 1882. After the partition of India in 1947, it came under Punjab University, Chandigarh, and since 1962 has been under Punjabi University, Patiala. The 21-acre campus, located opposite the National Institute of Sports, includes a Central Library, Computer Center, Health Center, girls' hostel, a 600-seat auditorium, a botanical garden, and sports facilities. The college is funded by the Punjab Government and the University Grants Commission, with campus maintenance handled by the Public Works Department. It offers financial assistance to disadvantaged students and exempts undergraduate tuition for girls. Shri Atul Krishna Ghosh was its longest-serving principal. A commemorative postage stamp honoring the college was issued in 1988, and it is believed to have inspired the fictional college setting in Edmund Candler's novels.