Hindu Hostel

The Eden Hindu Hostel, situated on the Pyaricharan Sarkar Street, was built in 1886 to provide boarding facilities to the students of Presidency College (now Presidency University). The initial funds were raised by Sir Ashley Eden, Lieutenant Governor of Bengal from 1877 to 1882, following a decision to build a hostel for Presidency taken at a meeting held on 6 March 1879. The first floor was funded by the 1891 gift of 32000 rupees made by Jyotiprasad Garga of the Mahishadal Raj estate in Medinipur. In 1895-96, a new three-storeyed block was built, at right angles to the main two-storeyed block. The buildings were constructed in the Indo-Sarsanic style. The architect was W. B. Gwyther. The first batch of 91 broaders were admitted in 1887. The first superintendent was Kunjabehari Basu, Head Assistant to the Director of Public Instruction. At different points of time, students from other colleges like Government College of Art and Craft, Goenka College, Maulana Azad College and Sanskrit Colleges have lived here. The Board of Trustees that had been formed in June 1879 to look after the administration of the hostel, relinquished charge to the government in 1898. This is a view of the inner courtyard of the Eden Hindu Hostel.