In 1930, Shri J. M. Kayande and Shri D. V. Varadpande were thinking of starting a new college for failure students. At the same time, Adv. K. T. Mangalgiri and Shri S. L. Pandharipande, taking inspiration from Booker T. Washington, the famous American Educator, constructed a hut in 1927 and named it as "Malveeya Kuti" with the help of voluntary labour "Shramadan." They were trying to do some positive work in the field of education by way of social work. This attracted the attention of Shri J. M. Kayande and he invited Shri S. L. Pandharipande to join them in starting a new college. Accordingly, on 17th July, 1930 a College was started with the name Nagpur College, by Shri J. M. Kayande, B.A., M.R.A.S. and his colleagues. The Nagpur Shikshan Mandal which was formed in a joint meeting of Neil City High School (now D. D. Nagar Vidyalaya) committee and some members of the Cultural Education Society on 24th February 1932, and registered under act XXI of 1860 in April 1932, took over the charge of the College. The college was admitted to the privileges of the Nagpur University from 1st July, 1932. Affiliation was requested from Nagpur University and the name of the college was changed to City College and Shri S. L. Pandharipande became the first Principal of City College. It is important to note that Nagpur University had declared the college to be established and maintained in its early years by the financial sacrifice of its teachers, under provision of the old college code. As it was necessary to have a foundation society to get the University affiliation, the Management of Neil City High School and Nagpur College came together and established the Nagpur Shikshan Mandal in 1932. As the College was run by the nationalistic minded, patriotic people it served the interest of students who suffered on account of social and political reasons. In December 1938, the Osmania University of Hyderabad banned singing of 'Vande Mataram', in protest of which a large number of students from schools and colleges went on indefinite strike. The student teachers met the political leaders and narrated their grievances but they did not get justice. Finally at a conference of Arya Samaj held in Solapur the students met Adv. J. J. Kedar the then Vice-Chancellor of Nagpur University. He declared at the conference that all the students studying in undergraduate and post-graduate classes would be admitted to respective classes without certificate. So the students came to Nagpur and the Vice-Chancellor asked the Principal Shri S. L. Pandharipande to open a special class for Arts students and to the Principal of Government Science College to open special science classes. Shri Pandharipande readily agreed and opened special classes for these students. Their examination was held in August 1939 and certificates were given to the successful students who had joined these special classes. Some of these students became members of Parliament and State legislature. Shri B. V. Desai was one such student who became member of the Lok Sabha.

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