Sophia College – the Parsi Connection

This used to be a palace:
The sprawling Sophia College campus in south Mumbai once belonged to the East India Company. The main building was named Somerset House after Sir Henry Somerset, one of the commanders-in-chief of the Bombay Presidency. In the early 19th century, a part of the vast property was given to a Parsi family (Ashburner). In 1882, the property was acquired by Badruddin Tyabji. Later, in 1917, one Hormusji Nosherwanjee Vakeel bought the property and added a wing. In 1923, the house was purchased by the Maharaja of Indore, who used it as a winter residence. In 1937, the Maharaja of Bhavnagar bought the property.
The college was established in 1940.
(Source: Sophia College)
Courtesy : Nauzer Bharucha

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