Pincode 110001: Tracing the history of St Stephen’s, among the oldest colleges at DU

The main administrative building is a prominent structure with a red-brick facade, elegant arches, tall columns and large windows. The chapel is another notable feature designed by George and added in 1952.

St Stephen’s College, St Stephen College, delhi university, Delhi University’s North Campus, Delhi news, New Delhi, Indian Express, current affairs

The building was designed by Walter George. Archive

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A two-storey red brick building located in Delhi University’s North Campus, St Stephen’s College has behind it decades of history and several eminent alumni who went on to occupy the highest levels of bureaucracy.

Founded on February 1, 1881, by Rev Samuel Scott Allnutt, also the first principal of the college, Stephen’s was a product of the Cambridge Mission to Delhi. It was first housed in Shish Mahal in Chandni Chowk from 1881 to 1890. It then moved to a building designed by Swinton Jacob, chief engineer of Jaipur State, near St James Church on December, 8, 1891. It was on October 1, 1941, that the college moved to its present location at Delhi University Enclave.

Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi on their first visit to St. Stephens College. (Express archive)

Designed by Walter George, the building has a distinct architectural style — a combination of gothic, Victorian and colonial elements. The main administrative building is a prominent structure with a red-brick facade, elegant arches, tall columns and large windows. The chapel is another notable feature designed by George and added in 1952.

In his book, A History of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, FF Monk elaborates on the institution’s journey from a school to a college.

He wrote, “The St Stephen’s High School was so powerful a means of reaching the higher classes as to form a most important part of the work of the Mission. It was also felt that the influence of the missionaries would be greatly increased if they held classes in some secular subjects and did not confine their teaching to direct religious instruction. Should a college be re-established at Delhi, the committee would view with favour all attempts by the missionaries to gain influence among students at the college, as well by assisting them in their studies as by holding classes for direct religious instruction.”

Monk goes on to write that in a meeting of the Mission Council, it was “resolved that subject to the consent of the Cambridge Committee, and provision from England for necessary funds, classes should be opened in connection with St Stephen’s school in January 1881 to carry on instruction up to the standard required for the B.A degree, but they should be limited to scholars of St Stephen’s and other mission schools, the right being retained, however, to open classes to students from other schools should it seem desirable to do so”.

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Allnutt took charge of the educational activities. In a letter to his father, dated February 2nd, 1881, he wrote: “Yesterday saw the opening of our college… we have five boys, or young men perhaps I should say, and might of course have many more but that we decline to open our ranks to outsiders for the present… The chief subjects are Logic, Psychology (Ambercrombie’s Intellectual Powers, a thoroughly good Christian treatise) and various selections from English literature… Everyday we commence with Scripture teaching.”

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By the next year, it became affiliated to the University of the Punjab.

Speaking to The Indian Express, former principal of Hindu College and writer Kavita Sharma said, “It was supposed to be based on the OxCam model and meant to train people for administration and governance. Back then, everyone you came across in the civil services was from St Stephen’s as it was an exclusive college.”

On the collaboration and later the rivalry between Hindu and Stephen’s, she said, “Stephen’s did not have a biology lab so Hindu College principal Thadani had given them permission to use their labs. It stopped later.”

Sharma also said cricket further fuelled the rivalry: “Even during my time as a student at DU from 1966-71, the rivalry was so intense… For the cricket teams of both colleges, winning the match was a do or die situation.”

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PEPSICO’s former executive director Vivek Bharati (66), who studied economics at St Stephen’s from 1971-76, reminisced about his time as a student. “Everybody aspired to study here. It had the best talent from all schools across the country. Sports too were nurtured… There used to be a Chancellor’s trophy for all-around sports performance which Stephen’s had won during my time.”

“The bureaucracy was full of Stephanians, as there was not much diversity in job profiles. Later on, the trend of IITs came in. There were certain traditions which the students were proud of upholding. There was no violence in college, they were known as the good boys of the university. There was a culture of life, discussing and debating and a certain level of discipline in college,” added Bharati.

College principal John Varghese spoke of the important role St Stephen’s played during the independence movement. “S K Rudra, who went on to become the first Indian principal of the college, had written to Gandhiji when he was a barrister telling him he should come to India and do the good work he was doing in South Africa. When Gandhiji decided to come to India, the (Angelican priest) CS Andrews gave up his position as principal for Rudra because it was time for an Indian to head the college. Gandhi later gave Andrews the name ‘Dinabandhu Andrews’.”

On the college’s ‘elite tag’, he said, “Even in the past we’ve had students from across socio-economic backgrounds studying here. The criterion which was predominant was academic credit, and that continues even today…”

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He also said the rivalry between Stephen’s and Hindu college was a myth: “On the sporting field, the rivalry is there, and in the spirit of sport that competition has been there and it will continue.”

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

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