Podar College

Rāmniranjan Ānandilāl Podār College of Commerce and Economics, popularly known simply as Podar College or R.A. Podar College, is affiliated with the University of Mumbai, situated in Matunga, Mumbai, India. It is run by the Shikshan Prasarak Mandali also called the S.P. Mandali, which has its headquarters at Pune. The college offers courses in commerce for undergraduate degrees, and the affiliated Wellingkar Institute of Management and Commerce offers postgraduate degrees and postgraduate diplomas in commerce and management.

The College is located in central Mumbai, on Lakhamsi Napoo Road which is on the east side of Mātungā central railway station. The College building is of neo-Gothic style. It is flanked on one side by the famous Ramnivas Ruia College of Arts and Science and on the other side by the Welingkar Institute of Management. All of which are controlled by the Shiksan Prasarak Mandali, Pune

In 1941, a prominent Marwari Industrialist Seth Rāmdeoji Ānandilāl Podār provided funds of one hundred and fifty thousand rupees—a substantial sum in those times—for establishing the College in the memory of his brother, Rāmniranjan Ānandilāl Podār, giving the charge of running the college to the Shikshan Prasārak Mandali. The College was the first private (non-government) commerce college to be started in Mumbai.

The College started to offer B.Com. degree course in 1942. The first batch of students at Podar College consisted of 150 students. There were just three classrooms and a small staff of competent teachers. Gradually, the number of class rooms increased. The main hall and the library appeared in 1947-48. In 1949, the college started providing some of the teaching and administrative staff with quarters, and students with hostel facilities.

The College received its affiliation with the then University of Bombay (now University of Mumbai) in 1950.

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) of India has awarded an A⁺ rating to Podar College.