In 1957, the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan conceived the idea of establishing an engineering college in Mumbai. The Engineering Personnel Committee of the Planning Commission had made certain recommendations for the establishment of new engineering colleges and polytechnics, in order to increase the technical manpower in the country. The Government of India accordingly had initiated a liberal policy for setting up private engineering colleges in the states. The proposal of the Bhavan to start an engineering college was favourably received by both the central and state governments.

The total outlay of this project was Rs.70 lakhs. The central and state governments contributed Rs.20 lakhs and Rs.10 lakhs respectively while the Bhavan contributed Rs.28 lakhs. The Sardar Patel Memorial Hall Committee and the Nizam’s Charitable Trust donated Rs.1 lakh each and the remaining amount of Rs.10 lakhs was collected by means of grants, donations and advertisement revenues.

The foundation stone of the college was laid on the 17^th of September 1961 by Shri Y.B. Chavan (the then chief minister of Maharashtra who later became the defence minister of India) who had taken a keen interest in the fulfillment of the project. Sardar Vallabhai Patel was closely associated with the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and in 1946 he was elected an honorary member of the Bhavan in recognition of the keen interest he took in the activities of the Bhavan. It was thus decided that naming the Engineering College after the late Shri Sardar Patel would be a fitting tribute to the "Iron Man" of India.

The shamiana specially erected on the Bhavan’s ground for the occasion was packed to capacity and a huge cheering crowd had to be kept outside for want of space. It was a golden day in the history of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan for, the college was being inaugurated by none other than Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India.

Pandit Nehru who flew down from the capital especially for the occasion paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, his long time aide during the freedom struggle and expressed his happiness at having to associate himself with an institution named after such a great man.

Dr.K.M.Munshi the Kulpati of the Bhavan welcomed Pandit Nehru and said that his visit was yet another landmark in the history of the Bhavan. Dr. Munshi added that the Bhavan stood for the reintegration of Indian Culture and its aim was to revitalise the fundamental values of the land to meet the needs of the technological age.

During the course of his inaugural speech, Pandit Nehru stressed on the importance of engineering education and the training of a skilled cadre of technical personnel.Pandit Nehru also referred to the extraordinary feat of the Russian "Twin Cosmonauts" and said that all differences and distinctions which separate us would vanish and the world would become one. He affirmed that," Trained men can rebuild a country; money cannot do it.  Its only hard work, intelligently directed that produces results". Also present with Pandit Nehru were politicians and people of great repute such as Shri Morarji Desai, Shri Y.B. Chavan and Shrimati Vijaylaxmi Pandit.

THE FIRST ANNUAL DAY: The first annual day of the college was held on November 9^th 1963. The honourable Dr. Zakir Hussain, the then Vice-President of India was the chief guest. In his address to the crowd, Dr. Hussain referred to the task of building a great nation and said," The work of building it up has to continue from generation to generation. The generation that is being educated and trained here has to take up its due share in this process". Dr Hussain encouraged the young students that there was a bright future awaiting them and that as engineers, they would have the task of taking the country forward into a new technological era.

THE FIRST COLLEGE MAGAZINE: The first magazine of the Sardar Patel College of Engineering was appropriately titled "SUKARMA" which the editors believed was symbolic, standing for all work that is good and beneficial to mankind. Its publication and success was due to the combined efforts of the staff and the students of the college. This magazine was a start and it definitely infused inspiration in the students to take a keener interest in literary and various other activities leading to the multi-faceted and wonderfully diverse college that S.P.C.E. is today