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Fergusson College is one of the elite colleges in western India, in the city of Pune. Built in 1885, the college was named after its first patron, Sir James Fergusson, the then governor of Bombay province who donated a then princely sum of Rs 1,200. The college is now under the jurisprudence of Pune University.
After the Revolt of 1857, Indian luminaries of that period saw a pressing need to modernise its education system to fight against British imperialism. Stalwarts in the Indian independence movements such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Vishnushastri Chiplunkar G G Agarkar and Mahadev Namjoshi put in their collective efforts to in the formation of a modern school for Indians. The result was The New English School in 1857. Boosted by its success, the Deccan Education Society was formed in 1884 and a year later the Fergusson College was started. The college was inaugurated by William Wordsworth, the grandson of the poet William Wordsworth and principal of Bombay's Elphinstone College. Other stalwarts such as R G Bhandarkar and M G Ranadé played an important part in the construction of the college.
The British allowed the college to remain autonomous, giving it a free hand in education. The college on its part maintained a completely apolitical stance, choosing to rescind itself of politics, a policy that continues up to this day. The college has produced illustrious alumni such as Prime Ministers: PV Narasimha Rao and V P Singh. Political stalwarts such as Veer Savarkar, VN Gadgil, SM Joshi, Acharya Kriplani, Nanasaheb Goré, humourist P L Deshpande, and actress Smita Patil.
One of the most talked about features of the college is the little bridge that connects the girls' hostel to the college. This bridge is aptly named "The Bridge of Sighs".
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