Hearty Welcome !!!
Message from Principal
I would like to share with you the short history of the college. The emergence of missionary education spreading across the wider parts of erstwhile Madras Presidency at the end of 19th century and start of the 20th century saw education reaching the unreached spaces.
One such defining moment was the establishment of The American College in Madurai, started initially as ‘Pasumalai College’ at Pasumalai near Madurai. Established in 1881, under the initiatives of G.T. Washburn, an American missionary, this institution of higher education is known for its focus on academic excellence.
Its alumni form part of the national and international elite as scientists, intellectuals, administrators, corporate managers, ministers, leaders, etc.
Mark Your Calendars for December 9, 2023, as we invite you to join the Grand Alumni Carnival. This is not just a gathering; it’s a celebration of our cherished American College heritage.
Its a pride and honor to unleash the history & legacy of our college and its evolution to our alumni community.
The century old American College main building symbolizes this slogan, as this grandiose structure modelled on the Indo-Saracenic architecture represents a synthesis of Muslim designs and Indian materials developed by British architects in India during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The hybrid has combined diverse architectural elements of Hindu and Mughal with Gothic cusped arches, domes, spires, tracery, minarets, and stained glass, in a wonderful, almost playful manner. Rather than Gothic or Victorian, the architecture signifies the arrival of modernity in Madurai.
The Main Hall of the building was indeed a central element in the major intellectual shift that took place then in the form of public lectures to the citizens of the city. Eminent literary scholars and international figures like Rabindranath Tagore and French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau visited the college and delivered lectures in the Hall.
In fact, Tagore gave public lectures in the year 1919 and collected Rs. 2,365 out of which he gave Rs. 365 for starting an endowment in the American College.
With more than 136 years of history behind, the college is remembered for its pioneering role in the cause of college autonomy. American College has many firsts in its history. G.T. Washburn Hall is the first student hostel on the college campus in South India and the first college in India to use computers. The Daniel Poor Memorial Library is the first library in the southern part of Tamilnadu to be fully automated, and pioneered the use of Bar Code in libraries. Its successful beginning of a Choice Based Credit System began with the college autonomy in 1978. Its completion of 136 years of higher education bears testimony to the position that the college currently enjoys.
Dr.M Davamani Christober
Principal & Secretary
The American College, Madurai,
