Southfield College was founded as Loreto College, in Darjeeling in August, 1961 as a women’s college. At the request of the Government of West Bengal, the Irish Branch of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Darjeeling Loreto Educational Society agreed to take care of its management. However, due to the lack of personnel the Loreto nuns were compelled to hand over the college to the Government of West Bengal, hence to be run as Southfield College.