ISABELLA THOBURN COLLEGE

Isabella Thoburn College, formerly known as Lucknow Women's College and informally called IT College, is a private multidisciplinary college for women located in Lucknow, India. It was named after its founder, Isabella Thoburn, the first woman American missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church to arrive in India in 1869. The institution began as a girls' school on 18 April 1870 with just six students in Aminabad bazaar, Lucknow. By 1871, it had grown and relocated to a house called Lal Bagh. In 1886, it was renamed Lucknow Women's College and began teaching Fine Arts under the University of Calcutta, later affiliating with Allahabad University in 1894. After Isabella Thoburn's death in 1901, the college was renamed in her honor. In 1923, it moved to the 32-acre Chand Bagh estate, where it remains today. The college has two units: a degree college affiliated with the University of Lucknow, and a professional studies section affiliated with Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses in various disciplines, including engineering and management. The college has hostel facilities, a chapel, and other academic buildings. In 2012, the Government of India issued a postage stamp featuring the college. Notable alumnae include writers, academics, and public figures such as Ismat Chugtai, Qurratulain Hyder, and Dr. Mohini Giri.