Gajara Raja Medical College

Gajra Raja Medical College Gwalior
Established	1946
Dean	Prof. (Dr.) Amrita Mehrotra
Location	Gwalior, India
Affiliations	Jiwaji University
Website	www.grmedicalcollege.in

Gajra Raja Medical College (or GRMC) was established in 1946 as the first medical college in Madhya Pradesh, India. GRMC was inaugurated on 1 August 1946 by H.H. Jiwaji Rao Scindia. The college building was inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on 5 December 1948.

Background

In 1942 Dr Bhagwat Sahai, a physician in Gwalior, was the Medical Superintendent of the JA Hospital. He was also personal physician of Rajmata Smt. Gajra Raja Scindhia. After the death of Rajmata Gajra Raja Scindhia (12 January 1943) his son Maharaja Jiwaji Rao Scindhia, who inherited a large sum of money, created a trust called "Gajra Raja Memorial Trust" with Sardar Phalke, DK Jhadav and Dr. B. Sahai as its members. Dr. B. Sahai who once dreamt of establishing a teaching center in Gwalior saw the possibility of his dream being fulfilled and proposed a medical institute. A proposal for the same was made and approved after lot of difficulties and financial sanction was given in the budget for 1945-46. A total sum of Rs. 20 Lacs was sanctioned on the occasion of the birth of Madhav Rao Scindhia in 1945.

On 21 November 1945 Lord Wavell (the Viceroy of India) on his visit to Gwalior laid the foundation stone of the college as the 17th medical college of India. A building of the Gwalior Medical Association, near JA Hospital, was used as lecture hall and accommodation was built on either side of it for Anatomy and Physiology Departments. A space for 35 students for dissection hall and physiology laboratory was planned as a temporary measure.

The construction was carried out by Mr. Munnalal Misra, a contractor who worked day and night to finish the work by August 1946. A swimming pool form a previously existing Dhobhi Ghat (Washerman Place) was also built from the fund, and a sports ground from the marshy land of river drain was prepared.

The college administration approached Agra University for affiliation and a team consisting of Dr.CB Singh, Professor of Surgery, Dr. PN Wahi, Professor of Pathology at Agra Medical College and Shri.LP Mathur, Registrar Agra University visited Gwalior College and gave permission for the affiliation.

36 students were admitted as the first batch, and a hostel at Bhausahib Shinde's Kothi was made with eight students occupying it.

Inauguration

Inauguration of the college was by His Highness Maharaja Jiwaji Rao Scindhia, the ruler of Gwalior state. The work of Contractor Shri Munnalal Misra's work was accorded recognition by giving him the honour of a 'Poshak' and a cash award of Rs. 500.00

The college was recognized by the Medical Council of India in 1946. Postgraduate training started in 1951.

The Neurosurgery wing was given to the college by Prof RS Dharkar, who started the first Neurosurgery Hospital of Central India. He also trained many of the neurosurgeons presently practicing in India and received Padma Shri Award for his dedicated service to the public of central India.

The Department of Medicine was first one to introduce telemedicine in Madhya Pradesh along with a complete ambulance fitted with monitor linked to ICU in the JA Hospital.

The medical college was given an autonomous status at the end of the 1990s and since then has run as an autonomous body governed by a board of members. A new OPD section especially for Department of Ophthalmology was built on the first floor of the existing Madhav Dispensary. The department of Radiology has added a CT Scan facility with BOLT (sharing) introduced by the government of MP.

The college was derecognised by the Medical Council of India in July 2009 for not complying with the MCI norms.

Glenn Beck a right wing conservative American talk show host on Fox News made a mention of this college while comparing the quality of India's medical doctors with respect to their American counter parts.