The college was established in the year 1916 in Lahore, which was then the capital of undivided Punjab, and an education hub.[7] During the last decade of 19th century, and early 20th century, the Sanatana Dharma Sabha had become a popular movement in the region and established a number of schools and colleges in the region.[8] The founders of the college were great sanatanis Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and Pandit Deen Dayal Vachaspati. Pandit Rekhi Ram was most instrumental in collection of huge amount of donation for development of college. During the partition of India in 1947, the college was uprooted from Lahore and was rehabilitated in 1948 near Ambala Cantt. The Campus of Lahore was reopened as MAO College .The college was re-established at Ambala Cantt due to efforts of Goswami Ganesh Dutt and other members of college's management.[9]
The college is affiliated to Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra for all academic purposes.[11] The college is now run by S.D college society, New Delhi. The parent body of which is Sanatan Dharma Pratinidni Sabha, New Delhi.[9] The college also has a unit of National Service Scheme (NSS) unit with 123 volunteers, 50 males and 73 females.[12]
In 2010, the college was granted the status of ‘College with Potential for Excellence’ by the University Grants Commission (UGC).,[13] thereafter in 2014, it was regranted the status for the period for 2014-2019.[5]
Notable alumni
Sushma Swaraj, politician and former Minister of External Affairs of India.[14]
Abdus Salam, Nobel Prize Winner from Pakistan when the college was in Lahore before partition in 1947.[15]
Anilendra Ganguly, the mathematics teacher of Abdus Salam and the recipient of the Sir Devaprasad Sarbadhikari Gold Medal (1981) from the University of Calcutta.[15]