E-Paper
Miranda House principal recalls her Miranda days as a student
Dr Pratibha Jolly, principal of Miranda House College, Delhi University, is a passout of the college she heads today. She recalls her DU days.
A proud alumna of Miranda House, Pratibha Jolly, is now the principal of the same college. Although principals are traditionally seen as strict and prim, Jolly is quite jolly according to her students and colleagues. And she tells us that back in her college days, she would have a “blast with friends” without compromising on classes, though.
“I had a group of very vibrant friends. We used to chat a lot and it was so much fun. I remember, college ke gate se hostel ke gate tak gaane gaate hue jaate the,” laughs Jolly.
And some of the friendships she forged back then, are still intact. “My batch mates are doing great in life and we are still friends, and are still in touch with each other,” says the social media savvy principal, adding, “The atmosphere of Delhi University was great even then, and we learnt so much outside classes as well. Those memories will stay with me forever.”
She adds, “I was a science student and we needed a lot of stamina. 5 baje college lab se free hote the aur fir der tak canteen main gappe marte the. We would have a blast during summer vacations, too... Those were lovely times.”
And then, when she came back to head the same college as the principal, it was a moment of pride. “Initially, I was a faculty member in the university. Then, I went abroad, worked there, studied there and observed things. Later, after a gap of almost 16 years, I became the principal of MH. By the time I came back, I was a changed person. I had a great perspective about life, which helped me as a teacher,” says Jolly. And her regime is a testimony to that , for the college has been ranked adjudged as the best college in India, according to government rankings of educational institutions.
