Bhawani Dayal Arya College when established in 1972 was known as Bhawani Dayal High School. The College is named in the memory of a great freedom fighter for Indians in South Africa Swami Bhawani Dayal Sanyasi. Swami Ji was also a great champion of rights of Indians. He was born in Johannesburg on 10th September, 1892 and departed from this world on 9th May, 1950.

The school had started in a temporary shed in Bhawani Dayal Memorial Primary compound with 28 students and 2 teachers.  The foundation of a new building was laid by Pt. Raghwa Nand MBE (President of Arya Samaj), on 15th August, 1972. The school was officially opened by the Permanent Secretary for Education, Mr Filipe Bole on 3rd April 1976 with 388 students and 17 teachers.

In 1980, a new canteen and the only quarters attached to the school was constructed.

The growing population in the Nakasi area pushed the Samaj to add new classrooms. The foundation for a double storey (Southern Wing) for which the foundation stone was laid by Mr Shiu Pal Nandan in 1981 and opened in 1983 by Dr. Ahmed Ali, Minister for Education and Youth.

A very important addition to the college - the multi craft workshop was made by the Ministry of Education in 1982. Another classroom was added to this building in 1988. Currently, the multi-craft has been abolished because of diminishing number of students and these buildings have been renovated to cater for Industrial Arts Department. In 1984 Form 6 was introduced at the college and in 1989 the college was upgraded to level 1 status. In 1993, Form 7 education was introduced taking the college to a new height.

Then in 1990, the Industrial Arts workshop was constructed. Five new classrooms together with a new toilet block were completed in 1993. (L- shaped Southern Wing).

In 1992, Cadet training began but was abandoned two years later due to some financial constraints.  The school changed its name in the year 1997 at the Silver Jubilee Celebrations. Due to demand for intake in the school another L- Shaped building in Northern Wing (consisting of 5 classrooms and a special Hawan room) was constructed. The pressure for admissions at Form 7 level saw the completion of the Central Wing with 3 classrooms.

Today Bhawani Dayal Arya College has a total of 24 streams. There are 5 streams each at Year 9 to 12 levels and 4 streams at Year 13 level. The current school roll is 834 with 50 academic staff and 5 ancillary staff.