Hansraj principal’s son to tie the knot today — on college grounds; triggers protests
Students allege restricted access to the grounds as the campus is readied for the wedding; the DU Registrar says the principal is a campus resident and use of space is permitted.
By Monday afternoon, the invitation had triggered a protest on campus, with students alleging access to the ground was blocked for them. (Source: https://www.hansrajcollege.ac.in/) Titled “Wedding and Blessing Ceremony”, this floral e-invite card announced a marriage that would take place on “Tuesday, February 10, 2026”. The venue? “Gate No. 5, Hansraj College, Delhi-110007”.
According to the invitation, the groom is the son of Rama Sharma, the principal of Delhi University’s Hansraj College. And going by the card, he appears to be tying the knot on the college premises.
According to the invitation, the groom is the son of Rama Sharma, the principal of Delhi University’s Hansraj College. (Special Arrangement)
By Monday afternoon, the invitation had triggered a protest on campus, with students alleging access to the ground was blocked for them.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Principal Sharma said, “This is a facility given to faculty and staff of Hansraj college. This is not something new. Even if I wasn’t a principal here, I would be allowed to use the college premises to conduct private events. And when it comes to the allegations of cancelling sports events, it is a logical fact that the wedding date in any wedding is set way before, so why would we choose any date on the same date of a sports event if we were to use the college premises? These are all false claims. No sports event has been cancelled so far and none is scheduled for today (the day of the wedding).”
DU Registrar Vikas Gupta also told The Indian Express, “The principal is the resident on campus and it is permitted for residents to use the space for a personal event, provided they maintain cleanliness of the premises. Recently, two college principals lost their parents and they held a kriya in the college… It is natural for them to act as a resident and use the space occasionally.”
In a statement during the protest, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) said the wedding invitation itself underscored what it called the administration’s double standards.
While the card lists Hansraj College as the venue for a private wedding and reception, the organisation claimed students are barred from using the college ground after 4 pm for sports activities and are frequently denied permission to organise freshers’ welcomes and farewell events. Even the annual Khelo Hansraj sports tournament, SFI alleged, was rescheduled to make way for the wedding.
“The Principal treats our campus like a private estate while students are forced to function within arbitrary restrictions,” alleged Asikul Islam, secretary of the SFI’s Hansraj College unit.
Students also raised objections to the alleged use of the Hansraj College hostel in connection with the wedding. The hostel has remained closed for nearly a year after being declared unfit for habitation, displacing several student residents.
The SFI claimed the facility is now being used as accommodation for wedding guests. “When the hostel was shut, students were told it was unsafe to live in. That concern seems to disappear when the space is needed for a wedding,” the SFI statement said.
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