PM Modi Attends SRCC Centenary, Rides Metro, Unveils Coin

He last visited the college in 2013 as Chief Minister of Gujarat. Thirteen years later, he returned as Prime Minister, travelling by Metro and interacting with students, children and fellow passengers during the journey. Videos of the informal interactions quickly circulated widely. At the beginning of the celebrations, PM Modi released a Rs 100 commemorative coin marking the centenary.

Earlier, in April 2026, he had released a special postage stamp to commemorate the institution's 100 years during a meeting with the SRCC Governing Body at his residence.

Ahead of the event, PM Modi had posted on X that he would be at the "iconic Shri Ram College of Commerce" at 7 pm, praising its academic excellence, institution-building and role in nurturing leaders in business, public life and society.

In his address, the Prime Minister began by naming alumni students and remarked, "I am the sixth player. Today's occasion is historic. It is also significant for the country's education sector. Many generations who have been part of SRCC are connected here."

He paid tribute to the college's founder, industrialist and philanthropist Sir Shri Ram, saying, "I also thank the college's founder, Sir Shri Ram ji. When a person lives for 100 years, their experiences are considered to be a sea of riches. And when an institution does so, it becomes an ocean of achievements."

Who Sir Shri Ram actually was: Born Lala Shri Ram on April 27, 1884, he joined the DCM (Delhi Cloth and General Mills) business at age 25 in 1909 and went on to become one of pre-independence India's most prominent industrialists. His focus, unusually for the era, was on vocational, technical and women's education; as early as 1920 he founded the Commercial Education Trust, whose first institution — the Commercial High School — was progressively upgraded, becoming an Intermediate College in 1926 (the year now marked as SRCC's founding), a degree college in 1930, and a postgraduate college in 1934. He chaired the college's Governing Body from 1942 until ill health forced his resignation in 1962, and passed away in January 1963. On his death, then-President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan said of him: "He was not only a great industrialist but helped many good causes. His contribution to education is memorable." The college has marked April 27 as "Founders Day" every year since.

Established in 1926 by Sir Shri Ram, SRCC has distinguished itself as one of India's leading centres for commerce, economics and management education, holding the highest NAAC accreditation grade ('A++') and ranking 11th nationally in the NIRF College category as of 2023. It has consistently been rated India's No. 1 college for commerce in surveys by India Today, Week-Hansa and Outlook-ICARE, among others. Over a century, it has produced generations of scholars, professionals, administrators, entrepreneurs, policymakers and nation-builders, with notable alumni including former Union minister Arun Jaitley, journalist and India TV chairman Rajat Sharma, and author Ruchir Sharma.

The centenary event brought together current students, former principals, faculty and alumni, underscoring the college's multi-generational legacy. Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi also attended the programme.

The visit formed part of broader outreach to young Indians, with the Prime Minister expected to interact directly with Gen-Z students on their aspirations and the role of education in nation-building.