Hyderabad (Sind) National Collegiate Board

The Hyderabad (Sind) National Collegiate Board, well known as HSNC board, is a charitable trust established by the Sindhi Community in 1922. It currently manages and administers 27 institutes under its umbrella and is presided by Mr Kishu Mansukhani.

The first college established by this Board in post-independence India was the Rishi Dayaram Gidumal National College or R. D. National College (commonly known as National College) founded in 1949 and located on Linking Road, Bandra.

However, the R.D. National College, Bandra traces its roots back to the D.G. National College that was established in 1917 at Hyderabad, Sind of Bombay Presidency, by the Sindhi-speaking Hindu community, under the inspiration of Dr. Annie Besant, President of Theosophical Society and Rishi Dayaram Gidumal, a Sindhi Hindu religious leader. It was first named as "Sind National Arts College Hyderabad" and inaugurated on 1 October 1917 at Besant Hall, Hyderabad by Dr. Ernest Wood who also became its first Principal.[2] It was registered by the HSNC Board in February 1919 and was affiliated with Bombay University in 1921 to offer B.A. and later, B.Sc. degrees.[2] In 1928, it was renamed to Dayaram Gidumal National College, Hyderabad (Sind) (or in short, 'D.G. National College') and remained so until 1947 when Partition happened.[3] Some of its famous Alumni included the veteran BJP leader L. K. Advani. In 1930, Mr. K.M. Kundnani joined D.G. National College as Lecturer and became the Principal in 1947.[2] After Partition, Mr. Kundnani moved to India and re-established the college in Bandra, Mumbai in 1949, with critical assistance from Advocate H.G. Advani.[4] In fact, the entire HSNC Board was also moved from Hyderabad to Bombay along with its equipment, books and movable possessions and was re-established in Bombay.[1]

The college that remained in Pakistan was suspended during 1947-1948 and got renamed as Government College Hyderabad (a.k.a. Kali Mori College) as it was taken over by the Government of Sind, Pakistan.[2] In 2017, the Government of Sindh, Pakistan announced that it shall be upgraded to a University, as it completed one century of existence.[5][6]

The HSNC Board has roots going back over 60 years. The board was managing the National College in Hyderabad (Sind) long before the partition of India, In true spirit of their times, the members of the Board worked to ensure the nations integrity and honour during the National Movement of Indian Independence. After the Partition of the country in 1947, the members of Sindhi Hindu Community migrated to India. Principal K.M. Kundnani, with the vision and mission to promote participation in education, initiated the efforts for starting a college in Mumbai. With active support and encouragement from Late Barrister Hotchand G. Advani, the Hyderabad (Sind) National Collegiate Board came into existence in India in 1949 at Bandra, Mumbai. Late Barrister H.G. Advani was the Founder President and Late Principal K.M. Kundnani was the Founder Secretary and Founder Principal of the first college started by the board known as the Rishi Dayaram National College, Bandra, Mumbai. Since then the Board has been offering unique pre-degree study, undergraduate and post graduate degrees in a wide range of programmes. It has produced professionals’ par excellence in the fields of Arts, Science, Commerce, Management, Education, Law, Engineering, Technology and Para-Medical. All the Colleges under the Board are affiliated to University of Mumbai, are approved by the State Government and recognised by AICTE.

As of 2020, HSNC University has come into existence. It is a cluster university consisting of three prestigious colleges of the board; namely, KC College, HR College & Bombay Teacher's training Institute (BTTI). The University was launched on 11 June by Mr. Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the then-Governor of Maharashtra, in presence of Mr. Uddhav Thackeray, the Then-Chief Minister of Maharashtra

The HSNCB has founded and operates several other educational institutions in India:

The HSNC Board also operates the following schools:

• The R.K. Academy in Colaba, Mumbai
• The Valiram Bherumal Melwani Model High School in Grant Road, Mumbai
• The Master Sitaldas Chanshyamdas Punwani Tutorial High School in Grant Road, Mumbai.(Formerly Known as Master Tutorial High School.
• The Master Tutorial English Primary School in Grant Road, Mumbai
• The Sind Model English Primary School in Grant Road, Mumbai
• The Sri Gangaram Sind National Higher Secondary School in Ulhasnagar
• The Jai Hind Academy Higher Secondary School in Ulhasnagar
• The Little Angel's Academy in Grant Road, Mumbai

The Board presently consists of the following persons:

• President: Mr. Anil Harish, renowned High Court Advocate specialising in Income Tax, Real Estate and Cooperative Housing matters
• Trustee: Mr. Kishu Mansukhani, a trustee of the J. Kundnani Trust and patron of the Board.
• Trustee: Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani, founder & CEO of the Hiranandani Group of Companies, principally Hiranandani Constructions. He is the son of the renowned Dr. Lakhumal Hiranand Hiranandani.
• Trustee: Mrs. Maya Shahani, Chairperson of The Shahani Group of Institutions
• Trustee: Mr. Lal Chellaram, Chairman of Chellaram Shipping
• Executive Committee Member: Mr. Akhil Shahani, Managing Director of The Shahani Group of Institutions
• Executive Committee Member: Mr. Vandan Agarwal, Chartered Accountant associated with the Chellaram Group
• Executive Committee Member: Mr. Adhiraj Harish, Advocate in D.M. Harish & Co.
• Executive Committee Member: Dr. Kavina Mansukhani, Paediatric Dentist
• Secretary: Prof. Dinesh Panjwani
• Member & OSD: Mrs. Padma Shah

Although not operated by the HSNC Board, the following institutions have been founded by and are operated by frequently the same set of persons belonging to the Sindhi Hindu community in Bombay:

• The P.D. Hinduja National Hospital, Mahim, Bombay
• The K.P.B. Hinduja College, Charni Road, Bombay

• The Nationalite, Prospectus of the R.D. National College, Bandra for the Academic year 2005-2006
• Diwan Bherumal Meharchand. "Amilan Jo Ahwal"- 24 March 1919
• Amilan Jo Ahwal (1919) - Translated into English ("A History of the Amils") at www.saibaba-fund.org/sindhis.html

• Official website