In the early sixties of the last century, the leading founder, a renowned Physician and a worthy son of the soil and a cluster of equally enterprising lovers of education came together to establish the college by donating land and fund and most importantly their time and effort to provide education up to the level of graduation to students from economically backward families who could not send their wards to the cities and specially to female students and students from backward classes. This was a time when there was no college between Amta and Haripal from South to North and between the city of Howrah and this part of the districts of Howrah and Hooghly from East to West. The college drew its name from the twin villages Purash and Kanpur as it was located at the junction of the two villages and the second half of the name was to commemorate the father of the leading founder.

Purash-Kanpur Haridas Nandi Mahavidyalaya opened on 29th September 1966 by an order of the University of Calcutta and grew up to meet the dreams of people of a twenty miles square area surrounding the college. Initially the college started with Arts and Commerce faculties. Science faculty was introduced in 1986. It is a co-educational, non-government, grant-in-aid Degree College, affiliated to the University of Calcutta, recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under 2f and accredited with ‘B’ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in 2007. The college enrols nearly one thousand students every year and for their teaching and learning 20 dedicated full time and part time teachers remain engaged along with 14 non-teaching employees who always provide their best services on behalf of the college to look after the interest of the students.