The SNDT Women's University which was founded by Bharat Ratna Maharishi Dhondo Keshav Karve, though facing a lot of hurdles in his mission for advancement of Indian Women through education, Maharishi Karve had set up a ashram in 1896 where started aprogramme for schooling as he believed that it is through education that they could be made self reliant and free.
As the ashram school grew with its own pace into a well accepted institution where girls from educated families came to study, this success encouraged Maharishi Karve for establishing a university for women. In 1916 Indian Womens university was launched with five students.
Sir Vithaldas Thackersey an eminent industrialist of Mumbai, committed to the cause of women’s education gave a donation of 15lakhs. The university was named SHRIMATI NATHIBAI DAMODAR THACKERSEY (SNDT)EOMENS UNIVERSITY in memory of his mother.
In 1936 a campus was established in Mumbai and the head office of the university was shifted to Mumbai. The women’s University set out to create an atmosphere where girl’s can blossom into confident, self reliant, responsible individuals who can be a source of strength to there families and the society.
The moto of the university is ' Sanskrita Stree Parashakti ' (An enlightened women is a source of Infinite strength) guide by this philosophy the university has developed many special features which make it distinctive and unique. It caters exclusively to women and offers programme relevant to them offering instructions in four media English, Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi.

The University Today

In 1951 the university accquired statutory recognition from the Government of Maharshtra. The Recognition came along with the rare privilege of jurisdiction across the country.
Today the university has three campuses-Pune Churchgate and Juhu inMumbai. In addition to 37 University departments and 13 constitutent colleges/institutions located on thre capuses it has affiliated colleges in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh. The Programmes are offered through 12faculties viz Home Science, Law, Technology Management, Library & Information Science and Social Work.