Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha's School of Fashion Technology

Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha (MKSSS) is an education society dedicated to women's education, founded by Dhondo Keshav Karve in 1896 in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Originally established as the Hingane Stree Shikshan Samstha in the village of Hingne near Pune, it began as a home and school for widows, with Parvatibai Athavale as its first student. Over time, the institution expanded into a large network of 60 educational units across Maharashtra, all dedicated exclusively to girls' education, with branches in engineering, architecture, management, nursing, fashion technology, and vocational training. Among these institutes is the School of Fashion Technology, Pune, which was established in 1998 as part of the Samstha's broader initiative to diversify its educational offerings beyond traditional women's schooling. Other institutes run by the Samstha include Cummins College of Engineering for Women (1991), Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture for Women (1994), Hiraben Nanavati Institute of Management and Research (1996), the M. N. Institute of Vocational Training, K. B. Joshi Institute of Information Technology, and a Cummins College of Engineering for Women branch in Nagpur. The overall parent institution has been ranked between 201-300 in the NIRF engineering rankings in 2024.