Banaras Hindu University (BHU), formerly Central Hindu College, is a collegiate, central, and research university located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was established in 1916 jointly by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the Maharaja of Darbhanga Rameshwar Singh, Maharaja of Banaras Prabhu Narayan Singh, Sunder Lal and British Theosophist and Home Rule League founder Annie Besant. With over 30,000 students, and 18,000 residing on campus, BHU is the largest residential university in Asia. The university is one of the eight public institutions declared as an Institute of Eminence by the Government of India.