Brief History of Our Trust
H R SHAH MAHILA ARTS AND COMMERCE COLLEGE, managed by Dakshin Gujarat Mahila Kelavani Mandal, is founded by the noble family of Hon. late shree H R SHAH, Who generously donated to accomplish clearly their love for education. Grandfather late shree Raychand Nemchand Shah played a herculean role in establishing an educational institute in his time when he had intended to start a Jain Commercial School on his own land and donation of big amount at Raychand Road, Navsari, by deciding to hand it over to Jain Sahayak Mandal for its administration. But as he passed away on 17/11/1948, his elder son late shree Hasmukhlal Shah was appointed at the school committee as one of the trustees. In the year 1949, at the age of 21 he became active, though his own educational career was obstructed due to adverse family circumstances. With good perseverance, he diverted his remorse toward educational activities, dreamt and left as a heritance by his father, as part of his life and sustained it till his last breath.
Development of The Jain Commercial School that had been started by Raychand family’s donation on their own land. DAKSHIN GUJARAT MAHILA KELAVNI MANDAL firmly decided to start educational activities for girls that began from 10/06/1968 in Navsari. Late shri Nanubhai Kuunvarji Desai became the bearer of his noble task. The movable and non-movable properties of Raychand Nemchand High School, which were totally in useless condition, were inherited by DAXIN GUJARAT MAHILA KELAVNI MANDAL due to late shri Hasmukhlal’s efforts. The result was the Pre- Primary Training College and Commerce Diploma institute for girls and a college affiliated with S N D T UNIVERSITY, Bombay from 15/06/1969.
Considering the whole area of south Gujarat, the aim of DAKSHIN GUJARAT MAHILA KELAVNI MANDAL was to provide facilities at educational-field and to establish institutes for vocational courses so that girls could have self reliance in life. The activities of Trust commenced at Pre- Primary Training College situated at Navsari that was followed by the beginning of Mahila Arts College and Mahila Vidya Bhavan High school. These three sister concerns  which were run by DAKSHIN GUJARAT MAHILA KELAVNI MANDAL had the inspiration and support of Late Shri Surajram Bachkaniwala as its Chairman and trustees like late shree Hasmukhlal Shah, late shri Nanubhai Kuunvarji Desai, late Smt. Vimalaben Sidhdharth, and Late Shree Popatlal Vyas. When Mahila Arts College started it had experienced the question of students’ strength but day by day girls enrollment increased but in 1977 due to the beginning of the new education system, existence of the college was endangered. In 1981 Gujarat Government‘s earnest request to affiliate Mahila Arts College with South Gujarat University, Surat, the local body and by affiliating the college with South Gujarat University, Surat the Trust was hopeful to gain students strength, so decision was taken to join commerce faculty with Mahila Arts College and include Home Science a fruitful subject for girls as special subject with other four special subjects. Mahila Arts College came under the name Mahila Arts and Commerce College in 1981. The credit was of late shree Hasmukhlal Shah, because in respect to affiliation with South Gujarat University, a condition was laid to have independent college building, which was very challenging to obey and in the rented building facilities were unavailable. At that time the late shree Hasmukhlal Shah was so firmly determined to encourage girls’ education that he declared to take all responsibilities upon himself along with huge financial donations. Navsari kelavani Mandal’s other trustees’ co-operation and good faith was and is most appreciable that helped him to successfully get a piece of land in the middle of the city. Without delay on getting the land he started to use his declared donation to erect the ground floor building in July 1981 under his observation. Due to uncontrollable circumstances and unhygienic surrounding of the area due to the open gutter at the west side, the building remained in non use condition. When the municipality had closed the open gutter, the chances arose to utilize the building but due to the sudden demise of Shree Hasmukhlal Shah the work of construction stopped functioning. But the college continued to work at the rented building with the increasing students’ strength.
After the death of the late Shree Hasmukhlal Shah, his two sons Shree Atulbhai Shah and Ashokbhai Shah expressed wholehearted intention to accomplish their father’s unfinished mission. The owner of the rented building and the administrators did good favour so that the existing college building of 27 class rooms, with all necessary facilities and sufficient teaching –administrative staff, is at work from 01/01/1996.Mahila Arts and Commerce College that became known as H R SHAH Mahila Arts and Commerce College in March 1998, is today working with the introduction of co - education in June 2012. All are grateful to Hon. late shree Hasmukhlal Shah, Trustees and family for their plethoric contributions towards the Education.