British imperialism was evident even in the medical field. Most of the Indian doctors of eminent capabilities were denied professional posts by the British Indian Medical Service officers in the then medical colleges teaching western medicine. The nationalistic fervour could not tolerate this injustice. This led to the birth of the twin institutions of Seth G.S. Medical College and K.E.M. Hospital in Mumbai. The college started functioning in June 1925 and the first Foundation Day ceremony was held on 22nd January, 1926. Since then 22nd January is celebrated as the Foundation Day of these institutions every year.

    After the death of King Edward the VII in 1910 a sum of Rs. 5.52,872 was raised by Mumbaikars and made available to Bombay Municipality to provide hospital services to the growing population, particularly to the mill workers of Bombay, who were the backbone of the economy in those days. The land, adjoining the Haffkine Institute, was donated by the Municipality and when Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas expired a dispute arose amongst his successors which was settled amicably by the combined efforts of Sir Phirozeshah Mehta, Sir Chimanlal Setalvad and Sir N.G. Chandavarkar. As a token of gratitude, a sum of Rs. 12 lakh ( later raised to Rs. 14,50,000) was offered from the estate of Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas to the Bombay Municipality on the condition that the college be named after him, and on a further condition that Indian nationals not in government service be appointed on the staff of the hospital and the medical college. Thus, enshrining the memories of King Edward and Seth Gordhandas, the first-ever Indian medical institution was born.

    The first Dean was Dr. Jivraj Mehta, who had the privilege of treating Gopalkrishna Gokhale. He was also the personal physician to Mahatma Gandhi whom he nursed in the Yeravda jail when he developed appendicitis after his prolonged historical fast at the same place.

    These institutions had to prove their mettle not only having to navigate through the inconvenient imperialist attitude but also had to serve the Indian medical scenario. In the pre-antibiotic era, the plague, the smallpox, malaria, leprosy and tuberculosis were rampant. Tuberculosis had no cure. Only the rich could afford the sanitorial treatment in Switzerland. Others could only die, coughing blood. What held this nascent and turbulent population together was the fabric of Indianness, which meant to wrest freedom at any cost.

    Apart from teaching and patient care, research was also one of the major activities promoted by these institutions. Money for research was not forthcoming easily although the British IMS officers used to spend the money allocated for research purposes on holidays at hill stations. It was the Indian doctors , practising and teaching as honoraries in these institutions, who responded tremendously to overcome this crunch.

    Those were the days of prayer meetings, prabhat pheris, picketings in front of liquor shops’ and satyagraha. Needless to say these efforts at nonviolent uprisings were met with brutal crushing, lathicharges and trampling of people under the hooves of horses unleashed on them. And to the clarion call of Mahatma Gandhi many of the youth of that generation gave up their studies and propspective lucrative practice and joined the bloodless revolution. In those days doctors and lawyers were the people who made the maximum money and commanded a much enviable social status. Student later took to teaching in a high schools. One such medical student later took to teaching in a high school. He was Tankasali who emerged as a role model par excellence at the K.E. Board’s High school at Dharwad.

    The post-independence era saw the institution growing in stature in all aspects of medical management. Rated as the ninth largest medical institution in the world, and the only one of its kind in Asia, it has many firsts to its credit. The first ECG machine was made available here. The first heart transplant in this part of the world was carried out here by Dr. P.K. Sen and his team of doctors. The first test-tube baby in India was born here with Dr. Indira Hinduja in charge. It also bore a major brunt of providing medical assistance in the darker days of bomb blasts and communal flare ups and in the days of natural calamities like earthquakes and floods.

    What started as a medical college admitted 46 students, six of whom were females, and as a hospital with a bed strength of 125, has grown to such heights so as to admit 1800 undergraduate and 750 post-graduate students, treats around 10,000 patients on outpatient basis and 2000 inpatients daily. This stupendous task is carried out despite the major hurdle of insufficient funds made available to it.

    Till a couple of years ago there was a tree, a Traveller’s Palm, which used to stand at the entrance of Seth G.S. Medical College. It’s flared fans used to beckon the best talents in our midst to take up medical studies in this college, their first choice. The tree does not exist any more, highlighting the heritage stone arch behind it. But it exists in spirit. So do the discerning ears hear the shuffles of the dhoti-clad Dr. Jivraj Mehta as the leaves rustle through the corridors of these twin institutions.

*Associate Professor in Anatomy, Seth G.S. Medical College and K.E.M. Hospital, Parel, Mumbai