It was in August 1940 when Pune's Shikshan Prasarak Mandali made an application to the Bombay University for permission to start a commerce college in the city. The organisation already ran Ramnarain Ruia College in Matunga. Industrialist and philanthropist Seth Ramdeoji Anandilal Podar, who wished to build an institution in memory of his brother Ramniranjan Anandilal Podar, who had died at a young age, constructed a building at a cost of Rs 1.5 lakh and gifted it to the Mandali on February 7, 1941. The university granted permission to start the college, and thus began Ramniranjan Anandilal Podar College of Commerce and Economics.

The college, which is the alma mater of various stalwarts, such as Justice R C Lahoti, table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta, actor Sunny Deol, and cricketers Sanjay Manjrekar, Ravi Shastri and Dilip Vengsarkar, will host its platinum jubilee celebrations today, which will also be attended by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, at Sion's Shanmukhananda hall.