Pune146;s Pundits

When Bhrigu Khanna from Ludhiana applied to Pune8217;s Symbiosis College for Arts and Commerce, it was almost a matter of family honour. ...

When Bhrigu Khanna from Ludhiana applied to Pune8217;s Symbiosis College for Arts and Commerce, it was almost a matter of family honour. 8216;8216;It was an accepted fact in our family that if you were above average in studies, you studied in Pune,8217;8217; says this second year B.Com student from Symbiosis.

And Khanna is not the only one heading towards Pune. The city where even former prime ministers Narasimha Rao and V P Singh came to study has become a hot academic destination for students from all over the country.

According to Mangesh Karad, executive director of Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune has been an academic centre for over a hundred years. 8216;8216;The difference is that while earlier students would come here to pursue basic graduation degrees in arts or commerce, now it8217;s the courses in management, computer science engineering, law, medicine and pharmacy that are most sought after,8217;8217; he says.

At the Pune University8217;s Master of Business Administration PUMBA course, of the 42,000 applications received last year for 179 seats, 25,000 were from outside Maharashtra. A year before that, 15,000 out of the 25,000 applications received were from outside Maharashtra. 8216;8216;At least 60 percent of the applications are from outside every year. The popularity of the MBA course has grown by leaps and bounds,8217;8217; says Y S Vaishampayan, faculty member at PUMBA.

And Symbiosis retains its holds over outstation students. This year of the 14,800 applications received at the Symbiosis Institute of Business Management SIBM for its MBA course, 10,200 were from outstation. Of those admitted, 110 out of 120 students in the first year are from outside Pune. In the second year the number is 143 out of 180, says Prof Arun Mudbidri, director SIBM.

And it8217;s just not students from the country that are coming knocking. The number of foreign students enrolled in the colleges affiliated to the University of Pune has increased from 456 in 2000-2001 to 676 in 2001-2002 to 1204 in 2002-2003. 8216;8216;Pune8217;s reputation as the Oxford of the East is not unfounded,8217;8217; explains Dr S B Majumdar, director Symbiosis Society. 8216;8216;Today it has the largest number of engineering colleges in the country Pune University has 31 engineering colleges affiliated to it and four reputed medical colleges. Along with the University of Pune and SNDT University it has five deemed universities8212;the highest in the country.8217;8217;

Well-connected to all parts of the country by air and rail, Pune8217;s pleasant weather and rich culture are also part of the city8217;s attraction.

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Pune8217;s success story also owes much to its pragmatism in changing with the times. Says Ram Takawale, professor Emeritus at the University of Pune and secretary of the Network of Educational Transformation: 8216;8216;Professional courses are more in demand and Pune anticipated this trend.8217;8217;

Good paying guest accommodations and a large number of private hostels all contribute to Pune8217;s a popularity. Endorses Vasant Gowarikar, former vice-chancellor of University of Pune: 8216;8216;Pune has always had the largest density of educational institutions, of scholars and long tradition of scholarship. Most importantly the city has a culture of accommodation of students from all parts of the country.8217;8217;

While there is no exact figure for the total number of outstation students in Pune, Dr Mujumdar puts it close to a lakh. Pune8217;s attraction just got stronger.

with inputs from Nisha Nambiar

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More