| AISSMS Institute of Information Technology | |
| Motto: | सत्याला मरण नाही |
| Established: | 1992 |
| Type: | Private Autonomous |
| Principal: | Dr Pradeep Mane |
| City: | Pune |
| Country: | India |
| Campus: | Urban |
AISSMS (All India Shri Shivaji Memorial Society's) Institute of Information Technology is a private engineering college located in Pune,[1] Maharashtra, India. The college is affiliated with the Savitribai Phule Pune University and was founded by Chhatrapati Shri Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur, leading to the college's establishment in 1992. The institute is located close to the Regional Transport Office and shares its campus with a pharmacy college, polytechnic, and business school. At present, AISSMS offers bachelor's degrees in various branches of engineering:
AISSMS IOIT is located in the heart of the city in the area of Shivajinagar, near R.T.O, around a 5-minute walk from the Pune railway station, and is easily accessible from all parts of the city. The college is located on 11 acres (45,000 m2) of land and boasts a large ground on campus which is used for various sports competitions, parades, and events.AccommodationAISSMS IOIT offers high-quality accommodation facilities for both boys and girls:
Each hostel accommodates up to 100 students of the respective gender.
Rooms are spacious, well-ventilated, well-furnished, and well-illuminated. Each student is provided with a single bed, a chair, a table, a study lamp, and suitable storage facilities.
The hostel includes a spacious dining hall where healthy and delicious meals are served at reasonable rates.
The hostels are set in calm and pleasant surroundings, landscaped with greenery.
Each hostel is managed by a separate residential Rector, responsible for the comfort and welfare of the occupants, as well as maintaining discipline and harmony among the students. Regular updates are provided to parents regarding the well-being of their children.
On November 10, 1917, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj announced his proposal to establish a Memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Pune. The proposal included a central hall with a life-size statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and a hostel for a hundred Maratha students. This institute aimed to serve as a rallying center for Maratha activities across India, supporting the advancement of the Maratha community.
Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj sought the support of various Maratha rulers and sent Pawar and Khaserao Jadhav to garner their backing. Khaserao Jadhav, who was deeply interested in Maratha education, was tasked with overseeing the project. By the end of November 1917, Khaserao visited Pune, estimating the cost of the memorial at three lakhs rupees.
On December 27, 1917, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj presided over the 11th session of the Maratha Educational Conference in Khamgoan, where further discussions about the memorial were held. Subsequently, 7.5 acres of land were acquired in Bhamburda village (now Shivaji Nagar) for one lakh rupees.
Foundation Stone Laying CeremonyOn September 1, 1921, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj wrote to Lord Reading, the then Governor-General of India, requesting the Prince of Wales to lay the foundation stone of the Shivaji Memorial. Despite initial reservations, the Viceroy was persuaded to ensure the Prince’s presence.
The foundation stone laying ceremony on November 19, 1921, saw thousands of people welcoming the Prince of Wales with great enthusiasm. The Prince was escorted through the crowds, and a grand procession accompanied him to Bhamburda. In his speech, Shahu Maharaj praised the Royal House of England for its liberal educational policies and celebrated Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s contributions to Indian history.
The Prince of Wales, during the ceremony, acknowledged Shivaji’s role in founding an empire and creating a nation. The Times of India highlighted Shahu Maharaj’s contributions during the Great War and his description of Shivaji as a figure embodying the essence of humanity.
Completion of the MemorialRajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj convened a meeting of the All India Shivaji Memorial Society on May 25, 1922, but passed away on May 6, 1922, before the meeting could take place. The responsibility for continuing the work fell to HH Alija Bahadur Madho Rao Scindia, who also passed away on June 5, 1925.
Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj then took on the task of completing the memorial. He aimed to unveil the statue by June 16, 1928, the reputed 300th anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth. Initially, the statue was to be created by Rao Bahadur Mhatre and Nanasaheb Karmarkar. However, due to slow progress, the entire project was reassigned to Karmarkar.
The statue, measuring 13.5 feet in height and weighing 15 tonnes, was cast at Mazgaon Docks on June 1, 1928. The casting process involved 175 workers and was a historic achievement in Indian foundry work. The statue’s transportation was a complex task due to its size, requiring special arrangements to pass through the Khandala tunnel.
The statue arrived at Bhamburda on June 10, 1928, and was unveiled by Sir Leslie Wilson, the Governor of Bombay, on June 16, 1928. The Memorial Hall, the current main building of the residential school and society office, was completed by October 1931 at a cost of Rs 4,65,000. It was inspected by Field Marshal Sir Philip Chetwode and deemed fit for a military school.
Establishment of the Military SchoolIn his speech on November 16, 1931, Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj advocated for the building to be utilized as a military school, given its prominence and the legacy of Shivaji Maharaj’s military prowess. The Shri Shivaji Preparatory Military School was formally inaugurated on September 20, 1933, by Sir Frederick Sykes, the then Governor of Bombay.
In September 1934, the All India Shri Shivaji Memorial Society acquired 25 acres of land near the confluence of the Mullah and Mutha rivers to promote the military school’s ideals.
In 1972, the Society expanded its educational offerings by starting a day school and junior college. By 1992, the Society ventured into higher and technical education, establishing ITI, Polytechnic, Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Pharmacy, and Engineering Colleges, as well as a Management College. All these institutions, except the Polytechnic, offer undergraduate and master’s programs affiliated with Pune University.
The institutions have received national accreditation and international collaborations with universities in the UK, USA, and Germany. They provide world-class education from KG to PG, equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories for research and development. The Society’s alumni have achieved notable success globally, and its institutions continue to grow and adapt to technological advances.
In December 2013, the Society is set to host the President of India for the unveiling of the statue of Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, celebrating his legacy as a visionary, reformer, and founder of the Society.
AISSMS’s Institute of Information Technology offers a broad spectrum of clubs and organizations designed to cater to various student interests and skill sets:
AISSMS IOIT encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities and express their creativity through various publications. One such platform is the college magazine, Aayam, which showcases the literary and artistic talents of students. The magazine covers a wide range of topics, including technology, culture, and student achievements.[3] The magazine serves as a creative outlet for students and highlights important events, achievements, and developments at the institute.
The annual festival ALACRITY was launched in 2010 by AISSMS’s Institute of Information Technology. True to its name, which signifies enthusiasm, Alacrity represents a vibrant celebration of cultural, technical, sports, and social events. Since its inception, the festival has become one of the most eagerly anticipated intercollegiate events in the region, attracting participation from institutions across India. Featuring over 60 individual competitions, Alacrity is ranked among the Top 10 college fests in Pune by Campus Times. Celebrated as an event "of the students, for students, and by the students," Alacrity proudly carries the tagline "Reward of Being an Engineer."[4]
AISSMS IOIT actively hosts and participates in several national and international conferences. One of the major events held at the college was the "ESCI 2021 (2nd International Conference on Electronics, Communication and Aerospace Technology)", which took place from March 5, 2021.[5] This conference brought together researchers and professionals from academia and industry to discuss the latest advancements in electronics, communication, and aerospace technology.