Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women's University, commonly known as SNDT Women's University, is a state public university based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is dedicated to the higher education of women and is recognised as the first women's university in India and in South Asia. The university operates campuses in Mumbai (Churchgate and Juhu) and Pune, and affiliates a network of colleges across Maharashtra and beyond.
| Name | Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women's University |
|---|---|
| Common name | SNDT Women's University |
| Type | State public university |
| Founded | 1916 |
| Founder | Dhondo Keshav Karve |
| Focus | Women's higher education |
| Location | Mumbai Suburban district, Maharashtra, India |
| Campuses | Churchgate (Mumbai), Juhu (Mumbai), Pune |
| Country | India |
The institution was founded by the social reformer and educationist Dhondo Keshav Karve, who is widely known as Maharshi Karve. Inspired by the Japan Women's University in Tokyo, Karve established the university with the aim of providing higher education to Indian women at a time when such opportunities were extremely limited. The university takes its name from Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey, in whose memory a substantial endowment was given by Sir Vithaldas Damodar Thackersey, enabling the institution to expand significantly.
SNDT Women's University offers undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, diploma and certificate programmes across a range of disciplines, including arts, commerce, science, education, home science, social work, library and information science, management, technology, nursing, and performing arts. It comprises university departments organised into faculties, several constituent institutions, and a large number of affiliated colleges located in Maharashtra and other parts of India.
SNDT Women's University holds a notable place in the history of Indian higher education as the earliest university in the country devoted exclusively to women. It has played a long-standing role in widening access to formal education, professional training and research opportunities for women, and has been associated with social reform movements concerning women's rights and empowerment. Its alumnae include educators, scientists, administrators, artists and social workers active in India and abroad.