Banaras Hindu University was founded by the nationalist leader Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in 1916. The University played an important role in the Indian independence movement and has contributed even after independence through a large number of eminent scholars, scientists and technologists.

History of Banaras Hindu University
In 1898 Annie Besant founded the Central Hindu School in Varanasi. She felt that there should be learning institutions based on ancient Hindu philosophy. Malviya supported this idea in 1911 he left his legal practice and sought to organize a larger university using the Central Hindu School as a base. In April 1911, Besant and Malviya met and decided to unite their forces and work for a common Hindu University at Varanasi. The Government of India offered funding if it would become part of the new university. Therefore the merging of the university took place in November 1915.

Departments of Banaras Hindu College
It has 140 teaching departments. Its engineering college (IT-BHU), science, linguistics, journalism & mass communication, law and medicine (IMS-BHU), Faculty of Management Studies are ranked amongst the best in India. The University covers the entire range of higher education, relating to all branches of humanities, social science, technology, medicine, science, fine arts and performing arts. It has six centres of Advanced Studies and ten Departments, which are under Special Assistance Programme along with specialized Research Centres. The four-degree colleges of Varanasi are affiliated to the University, which are Arya Mahila Degree College, V.K.M. Kamachha, Vasant College for Women, Rajghat and D.A.V. Degree College.

A reputed museum, the Bharat Kala Bhavan is located in the University campus, which is treasure house of rare collections. Banaras Hindu University has two main types of subunits: Institute and Faculty. It includes the Institute of Agricultural Sciences (IAS), Institute of Medical Sciences, Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development.

Some Faculties Include:
* Faculty of Arts
* Faculty of Commerce
* Faculty of Education
* Faculty of Law
* Faculty of Management Studies
* Faculty of Performing Arts
* Faculty of Science
* Faculty of Engineering
* Faculty of Agriculture
* Faculty of Medicine
* Faculty of Ayurveda
* Faculty of Dental Sciences
* Faculty of Social Sciences
* Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vijnan Sankaya
* Faculty of Visual Arts