Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University

History

In 1870, the Maharaja of Vijaynagaram first floated the idea of starting a medical college in Lucknow and offered to donate Rs 3 lacs, but due to paucity of funds this was not passed by the Government and the dream of the Maharaja could not take shape. It was in 1905 that, to commemorate the visit of Prince of Wales to India, the Raja of Jehangirabad and Sir Taussuduq Rasool requested the Raja of Ayodhya to persuade Sir James LaTouche, Lt Governor of United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) to recommend the establishment of the medical college to the Governor of India. This time the Government gave its sanction but with the condition that the people of United Provinces raise a sum of Rs 8 lacs.The fund raising activities were completed within a few months, notable contributors being Maharaj of Balrampur, Maharaj of Ayodhya, Raja of Jehangirabad, Rana Sheoraj Singh and Nawab Yusuf Ali. The Government of India was then informed of the collection and the Prince of Wales laid the foundation stone on 26th December 1905 on a plot of land donated by UP Government on the bank of River Gomti, where once stood the beautiful Macchi Bhawan. Lt Governor Sir James Latouche took an active part in the planning of this project. Sir Swinton Jacob, the famous architect designed the building in Indo- Saracenic style, so as to blend naturally with the minarets and monuments of this 'nawabi' city.The medical college was formally opened in October 1911, the year when His Majesty King George V and Queen Mary visited India, by the then Lt. Governor of United Provinces - Sir John Prescott Hewett. Every year since 1916, the 'topper' of the Final Professional Examination is decorated with the 'Hewett Medal' in honor of the man who opened the portals of the college to 'Georgians'. Dr KS Nigam was the first Hewett medallist of this college. Col. W Selby was the first Principal and Professor of Surgery and Lt. Col. CA Sprawson was the first physician. To start with the total faculty consisted of 5 professors and 2 lecturers. On the advice of the General Medical Council of Great Britain, a framework of admissions and courses of study was organised. Initially, the college was affiliated to the Allahabad University.The first hospital associated with Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University was built in 1914, and was called King George Hospital . The funds allocated to the college could hardly be expected to cover the cost of a hospital on a comparable scale. Thus this task was undertaken by the Government of India. The building was again designed by Sir Swinton Jacob after making a spot study of great medical centres in Europe and adapting it the needs of this country. It was ready in time for the clinical training of the first batch of students in 1914. A 226 bed hospital was formally inaugurated by the Viceroy Lord Harding on the 10th January 1914. In his speech the Viceroy reaffirmed the confident hope of the King Emperor that the college and its apparatus would be the 'best in the East'. To select the hospital equipment, Major Selby spent several months in England, interviewing manufacturers and inspecting their apparatus.The first postgraduate examination in Medicine and Pathology was held in 1918. The Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University and associated King George's Hospital were formally transferred under the Lucknow University in 1921, on the establishment of the University of Lucknow and the campus had the privilege of hosting the first convocation of the University on 30th October, 1922. In the year 1931, great need was felt of a women's hospital.

Description

Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University is situated in the heart of the historic city of Lucknow which is the capital of India 's most populous state Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow lies about 500 km east of Delhi . The city was the seat of the Nawabs of Awadh in the 19 th century and a centre for the arts - music, painting, dance, 'shatranj' or chess, kite flying and 'tehzeeb' or culture. The university campus adjoins the crowded 'Chowk' area and is off Shahmina Road , very close to the bank of River GomtiThe university campus is spread over an area of roughly 100,000 sq metres. It is situated about 5 km from Charbagh Railway Station and is well connected to all parts of the city by public transport systems such as bus, tempo and taxi. Originally, the main administrative building, called the Administrative Block and the Anatomy and Physiolgy buildings were built in the early 20 th century. As the institution grew, more and more departments were created in new buildings. Therefore the campus really consists of a conglomeration of buildings housing the various departments, which came up over a period of 100 years as and when the need was felt. There are separate buildings for Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Cardiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery, Rheumatology, Geriatric Mental Health, Surgical Oncology, Chest Medicine, Pathology, Pharmacology, Anaesthesiology, Opthalmology, Urology and Community Medicine. Cardiothoracic Surgery