Indian Institute
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Indian Institute in central Oxford, England is located on Catte Street at the east end of Broad Street.[1] Sir Monier-Williams started the Institute at Oxford in 1883 to provide training for the Indian Civil Services.[2]
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[edit] History
In June 1881, plans were submitted to the University of Oxford's Hebdomadal Council to build an Indian Institute. The original site was occupied by four old buildings. The building was designed by Basil Champneys. Originally there was a low shop to the south, but Hertford College has now encroached on the Institute with a much taller building.
[edit] Indian Institute Library
The Indian Institute Library opened in 1886. It is a dependent library of the Bodleian Library, the main library of the University. It specialises in the history and culture of South Asia, especially the Himalayas and Tibet.[3] The library was formerly located in the Indian Institute building, but is now close by, on the top floor of the New Bodleian Library. Along with the library, the institute contained lecture rooms and a museum. Some contents of the museum are now present in the Ashmolean. The original Indian Institute building is now the Modern History Faculty of the University of Oxford.
[edit] The Institute's aim
The aim of the Indian Institute was:
The work of fostering and facilitating Indian studies in the University; the work of making Englishmen, and even Indians themselves, appreciate better than they have done before the languages, literature and industries of India.[4]
[edit] The building
The Indian Institute was first designed by Basil Champneys, sometime during 1885.The building was built of Milton stone in the style of the English Renaissance, with different oriental details to the designs of Basil Champneys. In 1974, Nikolaus Pevsner indicated that the rounded corner cupola would make an excellent point de vue at the east end of Broad Street.
[edit] See also
- University of Oxford
- Departments of the University of Oxford
- Buildings and structures in Oxford
- Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
- Hertford College
[edit] References
- ^ 1911 Encyclopedia reference on Indian Institute. Retrieved on 2007-03-02.
- ^ From the extract of Kelly's directory for 1900.. Retrieved on 2007-03-02.
- ^ Bodleian Library: Department of Oriental Collections: 'Indian Institute Library', http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/oriental/iil.htm, accessed 2007-02-14.
- ^ Aim of the Indian Institute. Retrieved on 2007-03-02.
[edit] External links
- Old Indian Institute, Broad Street, Oxford (including photographs)
- Indian Studies at Oxford from the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
- Indian Institute Library now in the Bodleian Library
- The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
