University of Calcutta

The University of Calcutta sits behind a high iron fence, defined by its sprawling, cream-colored facade and a wide, imposing portico supported by tall Corinthian columns. Established in eighteen fifty-seven, it was the first institution in South Asia to follow the European model of a modern university. Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, a former vice-chancellor, once famously fought the colonial government to ensure the university remained autonomous and focused on research, even when the British authorities demanded more control over its curriculum.