New Delhi, May 15, 2025 — In one of the most distressing incidents to strike a Delhi-based academic institution in recent memory, a fire engulfed the library of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce (SGGSCC) on Thursday morning, destroying a vast collection of books, manuscripts, and academic materials. The flames, which reportedly began around 8:55 AM, turned a sanctuary of learning into smoldering wreckage within hours.
No injuries have been reported, thanks to swift evacuation efforts, but the scale of loss to knowledge, history, and infrastructure has stunned students, faculty, and Delhi University officials.
🔹 Flames and First Response
The fire was first noticed by college maintenance staff who saw smoke coming from the third floor of the four-storey library building. Within 15 minutes, it had spread across all levels, fed by flammable materials like paper, wood shelving, and electronics. Firefighters from Delhi Fire Services responded with 10 fire tenders, working for over four hours to contain and extinguish the blaze.
Preliminary investigations point to an electrical short circuit as the possible cause, though an official forensic report is awaited. According to fire officers, the building lacked active fire suppression systems such as sprinklers or smoke detectors, exacerbating the damage.
🔹 Library’s Academic and Cultural Value
SGGSCC’s library, established in the mid-1980s, was not just a storehouse of academic texts—it was a cultural beacon. Housing more than 55,000 titles, the library supported a robust commerce and economics curriculum while also fostering research in religious studies, especially Sikhism. Its Sikh Centre for Inter-Faith Studies drew researchers and scholars from across India.
“It was one of the few libraries where you could access early 20th-century texts on Sikh economics and theology. Now, we have only the memory of what was,” said Dr. Inderjeet Malhotra, Associate Professor of History.
The library also included digital archives, university exam papers, rare journals, and historical newsletters from alumni dating back to the college’s founding.
🔹 Student Distress and Academic Uncertainty
For students, the incident has caused academic chaos. Final-year students, in particular, have lost research material, preparatory notes, and personal belongings stored in lockers or study areas.
“I had months of research handwritten in notebooks, with annotations and references pulled from resources that no longer exist,” said Jasleen Kaur, an M.Com. student. “This fire has wiped out part of my academic life.”
Exams scheduled for next week are likely to be postponed. Faculty members have urged the University of Delhi to offer academic support, including deadline extensions and alternative resources.
🔹 The Bigger Question: Were Warnings Ignored?
According to insiders, concerns had been raised about the aging electrical systems in the library and lack of fire drills. A routine audit conducted in late 2023 highlighted potential vulnerabilities in wiring and emergency preparedness, but implementation of corrective action appears to have been delayed due to budgetary constraints.
“There were cracks in the infrastructure—literally and figuratively. We were aware of the risks, but it’s a tragic irony that it took a fire to highlight them,” shared a senior administrator under condition of anonymity.
Delhi University officials have now mandated fire audits for all affiliated colleges within 30 days and promised emergency funds to colleges that require urgent renovations.
🔹 Community and Government Response
The Delhi Government has announced a ₹5 crore emergency relief fund for SGGSCC, with ₹2 crore earmarked for library reconstruction. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in a tweet, called the incident a “colossal loss to education” and assured central assistance.
Alumni groups have also come forward, with the 1999 and 2008 graduating batches pledging financial and technical support for restoring digital archives and procuring academic texts.
🔹 Path Ahead: Digital Rebuilding and Preservation
SGGSCC’s management has already initiated plans to set up a temporary digital reading room in one of the vacant campus halls. They are also collaborating with national repositories and online academic platforms to recover at least part of the lost collection digitally.
In his statement, Principal Dr. Jaswinder Singh emphasized that the tragedy must lead to transformation.
“We are not just rebuilding a structure; we are reimagining what a 21st-century academic library should be—resilient, secure, and accessible to all.”
