About Principal KM Kundnani College of Pharmacy 

Principal K.M.Kundnani College of Pharmacy, Mumbai was established in 1971 under the aegis of Hyderabad (Sind) National Collegiate Board, Mumbai. The management belongs to Sindhi Minority community and has obtained the minority status for its institutions from the Hon’ Bombay High Court in 1989 and interim orders for Prin.K.M.Kundnani College of Pharmacy from Hon’ Supreme Court effective 1994.
Prin.K.M.Kundnani College of Pharmacy is situated in Cuffe Parade, Colaba, thebustling business district of the Mumbai metropolis overlooking the Arabian sea and in close vicinity of the World Trade Centre and the Sassoon docks. The college is approved by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), New Delhi, Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), New Delhi and permanently affiliated to the University of Mumbai.
The Under Graduate Course leading to the award of the B.Pharm. degree by the University of Mumbai has been accredited by the National Board Accreditation (NBA), New Delhi. The college occupies an area of approx. 4,243 sq.mts. spread over 8 floors. It has completed 49 years of majestic standing in this competitive environment along with other Pharmacy Colleges in Mumbai and its outskirts. The college gets grant in-aid from Govt of Maharashtra. The college has excellent infrastructure facilities including state-of-art equipment, instruments, a centralized Instrumentation Centre, Pilot Plant and a well stocked library with thelatest books, national and international journals. These facilities have enabled it to have excellent interaction with the Pharmaceutical and Allied industry of the country, thereby creating good employment opportunities for its students. High academic standards and discipline maintained by the institution during its existence of 48 years has also aided this cause.

The ‘soul’ of the institute is the highly qualified and dedicated faculty skilled in usage of modern tools for pedagogy. Furthermore, the institute has roped in senior and highly qualified visiting faculty for teaching ancillary subjects. A strong bolster of support is the administrative and other non-teaching staff of the college which has helped raise the educational bar. The faculty, administrative and non-teaching staff,and students make the “KMK family”.
The institute has a very positive and progressive attitude. Considering academic performance, research, infrastructure facilities, inbuilt systems and ingrained culture, the B. Pharm. course was accredited twice by the NBA in the years 2001 and 2009 respectively. This clearly underlines the high academic and administrative standards set by the institute. In the 21st century, the pharmacy education shall need new vistas in designing curriculum to understand newly bred disciplines such as Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Drug targeting, Cell & tissue engineering, Pharmacogenetics, Proteomics and newer Biomaterials among others. Hence, the study of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the 21st century may undergo a sea change to include newer concepts, novel curricula and a modern professional outlook. This warrants a spectral vision to bring about paradigm shifts and stoic strength to take up challenges in the process.

We are making conscious efforts at KMKCP to become more proactive in identifying impending issues and challenges in the new millennium’seducational system. This would involve a gamut of steps for analyzing, brain storming, benchmarking, exploring the scope for improvement and implementing the necessary steps. Thus, new initiatives in continuing our task of building a new organizational culture are based on a shared vision and mission. We have to nurture future generations; we have to nurture our Institute and finally we have to nurture our teachers and other associated staff members.

I slept and dreamt that life was beauty………
I woke and found that life was duty”

These words of wisdom were quoted by the Pioneer, Architect and Founder of our College, Vidyasagar “The late Principal K.M.Kundnani” in his message in the year 1984 – 85 and such messages give us an insight into the intrinsic values he stood for, viz., hard work, honesty, sincerity, character and discipline.
Born on 24th August 1904 in Hyderabad, Sind (Pakistan) Principal K.M.Kundnani was the first Sindhi from Hyderabad, Sind to obtain a Master of Science Degree in Physics. He began his career as a Professor at D.G. National College and rose to the post of ‘Principal’ at the time of Partition.

Partition brought along with it pangs of separation and suffering, and agony riddled with insecurity. Here was a man who had lost everything, including a College. Lesser mortals in such a dismal and bleak situation would have cracked from inside, fragmented and ended up with scars and wounds of pain and frustration. Principal Kundnani demonstrated exemplary courage and a steely resolve to draw on his inner reserves of pragmatism, composure and stoical calm to deal with the challenges / obstacles that came his way. With a fiery determination, unflinching faith and a burning desire to succeed he decided to take the bull by its horns. In the mayhem that followed Partition where people were accumulating and protecting their wealth and other valuables and running for their lives, this great visionary brought with him his most prized belongings – a chair, few trunks of books and 20 Carl-Zeiss microscopes. His trusted lieutenant one Mr.Bhatia ensured that these belongings reached the shores of Bombay safely.A seemingly impossible mission at a personal risk was thus born and so was a leader with the quality of transforming adversity into an opportunity. A vision to start a College for the deprived ‘Sindhi Refugee Community’ thus germinated and slowly grew into obsession.

And thus, rose the ‘Phoenix’ from the smoke and ashes of Partition, to be resurrected and to rise in youthful freshness with the power of Sun God, often considered as an emblem of immortality. And befittingly, Principal K.M.Kundnani College of Pharmacy, the only College of the Board to be named after him, during its Silver Jubilee function in 1996 selected ‘Phoenix’ as its mascot as a tribute to the great educationist.
Hyderabad (Sind) National Collegiate Board was founded in 1949, a result of the combined efforts of two visionaries – Committed Philanthropist Principal Kundnani and Legal luminary Barrister HotchandG.Advani who strongly believed that education was pivotal to the overall progress of a community. The Board today has in its fold 22 institutions imparting highest quality education which have risen out of the hardships and obstacles that had to be overcome to reach this pinnacle of glory. A barren marshy piece of land in Bandra was selected to build R.D.National College with no facilities like roads and electricity. B.G.Kher, Minister for Khar lands at that point of time was reluctant to grant permission for the College building. However, Principal Kundnani’s perseverance and commitment for the said purpose enabled him to procure the permission and raise funds in part by mortgaging his wife’s ornaments for Rs.10,000/- and through donations by wealthy Sindhi businessmen.

A touching anecdote was narrated by our ex-Principal, Dr.J.K.Lalla, highlighting Principal Kundnani’s humility and modesty apart from his single-minded determination in starting R.D.National College. Principal Kundnani was running a temperature of 105°C when the Local Inquiry Committee visited the College for inspection. The team was shocked to find an exhausted Principal Kundnani sitting on the steps waiting for them. When one member of the LIC asked him why he took so much trouble to come to college with high fever, Principal Kundnani replied with all humbleness, “How can I not come Sir, when you are all coming for inspection?”

The members of the LIC assured Principal Kundnani that they would take care of the inspection process and sent him home immediately. That was the respect and awe Principal Kundnani commanded. The seeds he laid, the work he did and the force of will power he demonstrated in fulfilling his dreams ensured that they would find glorious expressions.Principal K.M.Kundnani College of Pharmacy, the first technical institution of the Board was born in the year 1971. Principal Kundnani’s role in it’s genesis and growth was colossal.

The Founder Principal of R.D. National College and KishinchandChellaram College, Founder Secretary and finally President of H(S)NCB, Principal Kundnani was gifted with a photographic memory and an almost sponge-like ability to absorb everything around and finally translate it into reality. He had an eagle’s eye for minute details and was a stickler for perfection. Under his able supervision without any contractors the K.C.College building was completed within five months. It is difficult to give estimated amount of money he must have saved for the Board through his foresight and vigilance.

A strict disciplinarian himself, the values he upheld and propagated strongly were integrity, austerity, good character and discipline. In his own words ‘Without discipline man is like a log of wood, being buffeted by waves’.In 1932 he became the Founder Member of the First Himalayan Expedition Club and retained his interest in hiking, trekking and mountaineering to a ripe old age.
The “nationalist” spirit in him believed strongly that the fruits of his relentless pursuits in the field of education would enrich generations of students to come. With a rare foresightedness he was instrumental in procuring plots of land at Bandra, Worli, Churchgate, Cuffe Parade and Ulhasnagar, all of which have become strategic points today. A true philanthropist, he waived fees and provided financial assistance to several deserving economically backward students.

Deeply religious, Principal Kundnani’s birthday every year used to be celebrated with the holy recitations of ‘Guru Granth Sahib Paath’ followed by kirtans and bhog.

Every dream always has gaps and a possibility of things going awry. His was a journey full of trials and tribulations, difficulties and disappointments and ultimate success. Obstacles did not deter him, neither did bureaucratic delays dampen his spirit. However, there remained one unfulfilled dream amongst a long list of countless achievements, the dream to start a Medical College, the ‘JOTEJOY Hospital and Medical Research Centre’. [The name was fondly coined by him amalgamating his wife’s name ‘JOTU’ and his name Joy (Khushi)]. Certain MCI requirements and his failing health prevented that dream project to see the light of the day.

Principal Kundnani received many awards for his long meritorious service in the field of education, the one which gave him maximum satisfaction was probably the ‘HonorSummuns Gold Medal’ given by ‘Watumull Foundation of Honolulu’ in recognition of his tireless efforts and success in founding, building and guiding the Colleges of H(S)NCB.
This great educationist and patriot was truly an ocean of knowledge and compassion who epitomized a way of life without thought for reward or riches. His mind was constantly seeking knowledge, daring to push the frontiers of achievements right upto his sad demise on 7th November 1992.

WE THE STAFF AND STUDENTS OF PRINCIPAL K.M.KUNDNANI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY FEEL HIGHLY HONOURED TO HAVE HAD THE LEADERSHIP OF SUCH A TOWERING PERSONALITY WHO HAS LEFT HIS FOOTPRINTS ON THE SANDS OF TIME !
THE KMK FAMILY SALUTES VIDYASAGAR THE LATE PRINCIPAL K.M.KUNDNANI AND PAYS OUR HOMAGE BY PLEDGING TO FOLLOW HIS FOOTPRINTS AND TO STRIVE HARD TO ACCOMPLISH HIS IDEALS THAT WOULD STAND THE TEST OF TIME !!! 

Information compiled from: Principal KM Kundnani College of Pharmacy Website