About DES

Deccan Education Society, Pune was established in 1884 and registered on 13th August 1885 and by five patriotic visionaries- Vishnu Shastri Chiplunkar, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, Mahadeo Ballal Namjoshi, Vamanrao Apte – who were already recognized as the pioneers of new education in India with the Launch of New English School in Pune in the year 1880. This activity of facilitating education was considered as revolutionary step in the dominance of Christian missionaries.

In the year 1885, the renowned Fergusson College was started.

In the year 1919, DES established Willingdon College in The southern region of Maharashtra at Sangli on a 125 acre campus. Recognizing the need for commerce Education, the society started Brihan Maharashtra College of commerce in 1943 and followed by Chintamanarao College of Commerce in Sangli in 1960.

The Society entered in the field of technical education too with the launch of Technical Institute in Pune (1937). in the year 1954, Kirti M Doongursee College of Arts Science & commerce was established in Mumbai.

DES pioneered the management education and started management institute viz. IMDR in 1974 at Pune and IMR at Sangli in 1996, the year 2003 witnessed addition of DES Law College, Pune and the year 2007 DES started Physiotherapy College, Pune. DES also runs an autonomous institute in the field of Vocational Training at Pune.

With a view to imparting basic education at affordable prices, the Society has started many schools at various places in the state. The DES management is trying to expand its educational activities as per the requirements of the society in general, guided and aided by educationists, visionaries, philanthropists and ex-students, in order to pursue its goal “Knowledge is Power”. Because Deccan Education society has always believed and aimed at fulfilling social, cultural and educational aspirations of the society.