Pune (then, Poona) was the cultural capital of Maharashtra, and earned itself the nickname, ‘Oxford of the East’ way back in the day – owing to its association with the fields of literature, art, theatre, science, etc. as a hub for learning. In 1949, the University of Poona (now, Savitribai Phule Pune University) was established with only 18 colleges. Currently, the University has over ‘433 affiliated colleges, and 232 recognised research institutions’. Even today, Pune has a vast number of educational institutions that span almost every field of study you could imagine – literary, arts, science, commerce, law, medicine, etc. that continue to attract scholars and learners from far and wide. Not to forget, FTII (Film & Television Institution Of India) that has produced big names like Naseeruddin Shah, Mithun Chakraborty, Rajkummar Rao and many more, is also based out of Pune.
#LBBTip: Read more about Pune University’s history, here.