Located at Fort, Dhun Building, which housed Mumbai’s seven-decade-old institute – Sir JJ College of Commerce, was demolished over the last month, after being declared dangerous to live in, by the municipal corporation. Established in 1952 by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (landlord), the institute was started with the aim of training young women in office administration and has trained innumerable secretaries and stenographers during the era of typewriters.

Starting out with only typing classes, other subjects were added along the way, shared former honorary director of the institute, Homi Mehta, in a news report (FPJ) who took over the management of the institute after the passing away of wife Homai Mehta, who worked as a secretary with the Tata group.

Even before it became a training institute, it was established as the Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy Parsi Benevolent Institution Commercial Classes, in 1914. In the 1970s, Godrej and Boyce donated typewriters and started the Godrej Typing Wing. A few decades later, the S B Bhabha Computer wing was incorporated to keep in pace with technology. It was esteemed as a popular academic institute at a time when career-oriented women faced limited opportunities and had to opt for secretarial work, doing well as typists, stenographers and office assistants, thanks to this training. With advanced technology programs replacing traditional typewriting and shorthand courses, the institute had to curtail its courses.

With the dilapidated building has been razed over safety concerns, no confirmed action has been taken on reconstruction plans provided to the Municipal Corporation.