In the year 1959 on 24th January two persons of Nandigram locality, Kishore Chandra Maity of Dhanyakhola and Benimadhab Pal of Roynagar circulated a printed Hand bill convening a meeting on 26th January, 1959 of the local persons interested in education to be assembled at a local High School “Nandigram Brajamohan Tiwary Sikshaniketan”. They expressed their desire in the call that they wish to establish a Degree College at Nandigram for imparting higher education and like to donate their savings of money for the purpose.
Dr. Bholanath Chanda, who was a revered personality of Nandigram almost begged from door to door to collect cash and kind for Sitananda College. Unfortunately, he had a difference of opinion with the Governing Body of the College which was later solved peacefully by the intervention of the then Principal.
On 26th January, 1959 the meeting was held and the two peasants mentioned above donated Rs. 50,000/- each for the establishment of the proposed College. Late TaraknathBera donated his land in memory of his father late Haranath Bera which took shape in the College ground. A General Body was formed in the meeting consisting of 53 enthusiastic persons interested in education of the locality and the Hon’ble SDO. The General Body members pledged to contribute Rs. 2/- (Rupees two only) each for making a fund for preliminary works for the establishment of the College. Prof. Probodh Bhowmik, the then Head of the Anthropology Department of University of Calcutta also contributed a lot for the establishment of the College. Without mentioning his contribution to the history of the college will remain incomplete.
In the first meeting of the General Body of the proposed Degree College held on 4th February, 1959, an interim Governing Body was formed taking SDO of Tamluk Sub-Division as the President and the Sub-Registrar of Nandigram as the Secretary, one Police Officer of Nandigram P.S., three Head-masters of local High Schools, two M.L.A. of Nandigram Assembly Constituency and twelve local gentries. One cannot forget the enthusiasm of former Principal Nirmalchandra De Khan who sweated it outto separate it from Mahisadal and established examination centre in this College. He also dreamt of building of a stadium in Sitananda College ground but he passed away before the fulfilment of the dream.
Afterwards the General Body and interim Governing Body (Ad-hoc) held twelve meetings encouraged and inspired by tremendous enthusiasm of local people. Lands were procured as donation from local people. Constructions were erected to accommodate students in class rooms, teachers’ room, laboratories and college office in tiles headed structures. All these were developed with donations of cash, materials and service/labour free of cost from local people.
Finally, on 19th July, 1960 the proposed college was accorded affiliation from the University of Calcutta and the Sitananda College; Nandigram began its journey from 21st July, 1960. It came under the umbrella of Vidyasagar University from 1985 onwards.
Respected professors of this College Sri Prabhat Kumar Chakraborti, Sri Manoranjan Das, Sri Dilip Kumar Tiwari acquired training in NCC and introduced Annual Camp, Army Attachment Camp, Calcutta Camp, Special Camp, 26th January Camps of NCC in this College. They also got permission for setting up firing range in College ground.
There is an interesting story behind the name of the college. The college got its name ‘SITANANDA’ from the first part of the name of two principal donors. They are Sitanath Pal, the father of Benimadhab Pal and Ananda Mohan Maity, the father of Kshirode Chandra Maity. ‘SITA’ of Sitanath Pal and ‘ANANDA’ of Ananda Mohan Maity are combined together to give a final shape in the name of the college.
The college started functioning initially with two faculties – Arts and Science. Honours courses were introduced in different subjects in different years like Bengali, Mathematics and Political Science in 1966. In 1997 the college got affiliation in History (Hons.). From 2006-2007 session Education and Chemistry Honours courses and from 2008-2009 Physics Honours course have been introduced. General Courses in Education, Bengali, Philosophy, Political Science, History, English, Sanskrit, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Zoology had been introduced from its inception. Anthropology was introduced from the inception of the college and it is also interesting to note that it is the second Anthropology Department at the Undergraduate level in its history in West Bengal. Botany, Geography and Nutrition have also been introduced. P G Courses in Bengali and Sanskrit have been introduced from the session-2017-18.
At present the college office is fully computerized and automated with Internet facilities. The college has five spacious and well-equipped Blocks – Administrative Block, Arts Block, Science Block, Kazi Nazrul Block and New Science Building (P.G. Section).
Recently, the Reading Rooms (teachers and Students) of the Library have been refurnished with air-condition facilities. There are ten well equipped laboratories, a Museum of Zoology, a Boys’ Common Room, a Boys’ Hostel, a Girls’ Hostel, three Playgrounds, two Ponds with three Pucca Ghats and a Canteen for Teachers and Students.
The college is marching forward with success and glory. Presently, it has more than 1669 students and interestingly, girls comprise of the formidable part of it. The college is gifted with a healthy academic atmosphere fostered and nurtured by teachers, students and management of the institution. Moreover, the scenic beauty of the college with its ponds, plants and gardens provide it with an aesthetic look. Peace and happiness prevail upon the idyllic ambience of the academia which gives a sensation of ancient Topovan to both the teachers and learners. In the past years the college has produced thousands of promising talents who are now playing significant roles in the reconstruction of an ideal society and a strong, secular and democratic nation. Posterity waits with lighted candles and flowery crowns to welcome the coming days of success towards which the college is steadily marching ahead.
