Mrs. A.V.N. College

Mrs. A.V.N. College, founded in 1860, began as a school in Visakhapatnam and grew with public support, especially from local zamindars. It became a high school in 1866 under European headmaster E. Winckler, who later became principal when the institution was elevated to college status in 1878 under the name Hindu College, affiliated as a second-grade college to Madras University. In 1892, landlord Ankitam Venkata Narasimha Rao donated funds, land, and a building in memory of his wife, leading the college to be renamed Mrs. A.V.N. College. The college started with 50 students in 1878 and grew significantly by 1938–39, celebrating its Diamond Jubilee. In 1960, it celebrated its centenary. Over time, the college expanded its academic offerings to include Intermediate, undergraduate (B.Sc., B.Com.), postgraduate (M.Com.), and diploma courses such as Diploma in Engineering and Diploma in Elementary Education, introduced in 2012. The college was awarded a NAAC B++ grade in 2023. Notable alumni include Nobel laureate Sir C. V. Raman, mathematician Prof. C. R. Rao, and revolutionary Alluri Sitarama Raju.