This department started functioning in 1943 with Bachelor's programmes. The postgraduate programmes were introduced after 1957. The department had such eminent scholars as Pt. Jaydevdev Vidyalankar, Shri Ramchandra Vaman Kumbhre, Prof. Praveen Chandra Jain and Pt. Jagdish Chandra Sharma. They enriched the department with the great breadth of their learning and the depth of intense specialization. Their creative research made an impact upon the community of scholars and their high level of sustained efforts nourished the intellectual life inspired by their association with the faculties of other Universities.