Delhi NCR
Meeting people at Maitreyi College
Maitreyi is a South Campus women's college in Bapu Dham, Chanakyapuri, with an A++ NAAC grade, strong science departments and some of the best kept lawns in DU. Society life centres on the stone amphitheatre, and Rhapsody each April is the biggest day of the year.
Maitreyi College is a DBT-recognised 'star college' across all four of its science departments (Botany, Zoology, Chemistry, Mathematics), a status most DU arts-and-science women's colleges of its size do not hold across every science department at once.
The story of Maitreyi College
Maitreyi College was established in July 1967 as a women's college of the University of Delhi. It is named after Maitreyi, the Vedic philosopher of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad known for her dialogue with Yajnavalkya on the nature of the self, a choice that frames the college around women's intellectual inquiry.
The college built its home in Bapu Dham, Chanakyapuri, a red-brick campus with a long stone passage linking its science, library and administrative blocks. It grew to offer programmes across arts, science and commerce at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Its four science departments, Botany, Zoology, Chemistry and Mathematics, received Star College status from the Department of Biotechnology, and the college holds an A++ grade from NAAC.
What the campus is like socially
Maitreyi is calm, green and quietly ambitious. Students joke about being underrated, then point to the lawns, the A++ grade and their science labs. The stone amphitheatre is where dance, music, fashion and theatre societies practise, and where many friendships begin.
Satya Niketan market is a short walk away, with cafés and food spots shared with JMC and Sri Venkateswara students, so South Campus social life is right outside the gate. Sports teams in basketball, baseball and athletics add another way to find your crowd.
Traditions every Maitreyi College student knows
- Rhapsody: Maitreyi's annual cultural fest, held over two days in April. Past headliners include Guru Randhawa, Hardy Sandhu, Darshan Raval, Arjun Kanungo and Aastha Gill.
- Amphitheatre rehearsals: Societies take over the stone amphitheatre for practice sessions, especially in the weeks before fests.
- Garden pride: The college has won DU's Best Garden award, and its lawns are a point of pride among students and staff.
Campus lore and insider spots
- The stone amphitheatre: The most photographed corner of campus and the default rehearsal space for half the societies.
- Bhel puri and chole kulche: The canteen order every senior recommends to freshers, with Mother Dairy for summer afternoons.
- Named after a philosopher: Maitreyi debated the nature of the self in the Upanishads, and her name sets the tone for the college.
- The JMC next door: Maitreyi shares its neighbourhood with Jesus and Mary College, and outsiders mix the two up constantly.
How to find your people here
Join a society or the fest committee at Maitreyi College in your first few weeks. DU friendships tend to form around a shared activity, not the classroom, and the North or South Campus ecosystem makes it easy to meet people from other colleges too.
Fests and societies at Maitreyi College
Signature fests
- Rhapsody
Notable societies
- Abhivyakti (Theatre Society)
Societies worth knowing at Maitreyi College
- Zeal: The Western dance society, a regular competitor on the DU fest circuit.
- Abhivyakti: The theatre society.
- Nrityakriti: The Indian dance society.
- Trenchant and Vaachik: The English and Hindi debating societies.
- Enactus Maitreyi: The social entrepreneurship society, alongside Meraki, the entrepreneurship cell.
- Dravya: The finance and investment cell, popular with commerce students.
Careers, internships and placements
Maitreyi's placement cell runs workshops, mock interviews and internship drives, and consulting, audit, analytics and FMCG recruiters visit campus. Commerce and economics students tend to be most active in placements.
Many graduates go on to master's programmes, law, CA or civil services preparation, and the alumnae list includes an IAS officer, an Indian Economic Service officer, scientists and engineers at ISRO and Microsoft, and officers from the Army and Air Force.
Notable alumni
- Priyanka Bose: Actor and model, known for Gulaab Gang and the film Lion.
- Sugandha Garg: Actor, singer and TV host, known for Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na.
- Malini Agarwal: Founder of MissMalini.com and former radio DJ.
- Sakshi Mittal: Indian Administrative Service officer, listed among the college's distinguished alumnae.
- Wing Commander Deepali Ghosh: Retired Indian Air Force officer.
Rivalries and eternal debates
Maitreyi sits in DU's crowded women's college comparison set, measured against Miranda House and LSR on name value and against Gargi and Kamala Nehru on everything else. Commerce and science applicants often weigh Maitreyi against Sri Venkateswara and Gargi for the same seat. On the fest circuit, Zeal and Abhivyakti compete with sister societies across DU, and every trophy counts.
What Maitreyi College is talking about now
Rhapsody announcements and society reels drive Maitreyi's online buzz, and students actively push back on old DU stereotypes about off-campus women's colleges.
Meeting people at Maitreyi College by interest
A lot of friendships here form around a shared interest rather than a class or a hostel wing. If you are into theatre and dramatics, poetry and open mics, reading and book clubs, running, and food and cafe hopping, those pages cover where that scene actually happens in India and how to find people near you who are into the same thing.
Colleges nearby
Maitreyi College sits close to St. Stephen's College, Hindu College, Lady Shri Ram College, Miranda House, and Shri Ram College of Commerce, all part of the same Delhi NCR student scene. Cross-college friendships often start at inter-college fests, hackathons, or shared-interest communities rather than in class.
Similar campuses across India
If you are looking beyond your own campus, students at Ramjas College, Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, and SGTB Khalsa College share a similar campus culture, and Zyber works the same way at each: showing you verified people nearby who match on interest, intent, or timing.
Zyber on campus
Zyber is built for meeting people nearby in real time, with verified profiles only. At Maitreyi College, that means showing you people near you who share your interests or your drive, whether or not you overlap on a class or a society.
New to Maitreyi College? Start here
If you are just starting out, these freshers guides are written for exactly this moment: first week of college checklist, how to choose societies in college, making friends beyond your branch, and internship in first year.
FAQ: Maitreyi College
Where is Maitreyi College located?+
Maitreyi College is in Bapu Dham, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, near Jesus and Mary College and Satya Niketan, and is grouped with DU's South Campus.
When was Maitreyi College founded?+
Maitreyi College was established in July 1967 as a women's college of the University of Delhi.
Is Maitreyi College a girls' college?+
Yes. Maitreyi is a women's college of the University of Delhi.
What is the Maitreyi College fest called?+
Maitreyi's annual cultural fest is Rhapsody, usually held over two days in April.
What is Maitreyi College's NAAC grade?+
Maitreyi College is accredited with an A++ grade by NAAC.
Who is Maitreyi College named after?+
It is named after Maitreyi, a philosopher of the Vedic period known from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
How do I make friends at Maitreyi College?+
The fastest way to make friends at Maitreyi College is to join a society or activity group in your first few weeks and keep showing up, since Delhi NCR's campus culture here rewards consistency over one-off networking.
What societies should I join at Maitreyi College?+
At Maitreyi College, the societies and clubs tied to what you actually care about, not the biggest or most popular ones, tend to build the strongest friendships.
What are the main societies and fests at Maitreyi College?+
Maitreyi College's social calendar centers on Rhapsody, alongside societies like Abhivyakti (Theatre Society).
How do I meet people from other colleges nearby?+
In Delhi NCR, cross-college friendships usually start at inter-college fests, hackathons, or shared interest communities rather than in class. Apps like Zyber help by showing you nearby people at other campuses who share your interests.
Stop Scrolling. Start Connecting.
Download Zyber free and start meeting people nearby, right now.
See meeting people in Delhi NCR, events in Delhi NCR, the freshers guide, the Meet People pillar, or read what Zyber is.