5/5 Antu B. 2 years ago on Google
An
attempt
to
look
back
into
the
history
of
a
medical
institution
is
incomplete
as
long
as
we
do
not
pay
adequate
attention
to
the
master
mind
behind
the
making
of
that
institution.
R.G.Kar
Medical
College,
Kolkata
is
not
only
one
of
the
premiere
institutes
of
modern
India
but
one
with
a
rich
heritage
too.
Brainchild
of
Dr.
Radha
Gobinda
Kar,
it
was
the
first
non
government
medical
college
in
Asia.
Radha
Gobinda
Kar
was
born
on
23rd
August,
1852
to
a
physician
father
and
a
devoted
mother,
in
the
district
of
Howrah.
He
did
his
graduation
from
the
famous
Bengal
Medical
College,
later
known
as
Medical
College,
Calcutta.
Established
in
1835,
this
was
Asia’s
oldest
medical
college.
On
completing
L.M.F.
course
he
went
to
England
and
obtained
his
L.R.C.P.
&
L.M.
degrees
from
Edinburgh
and
returned
to
India
in
1886.
Being
a
great
visionary,
Dr.
Kar
soon
realized
that
the
prevailing
colonial
culture
was
a
great
hindrance
for
the
people
at
large,
to
get
the
benefit
of
the
existing
medical
schools—both,
as
students
and
as
patients.
This
prompted
him
to
sit
together
with
eminent
personalities
like
Dr.
Mahendra
Nath
Banerjee,
Dr.
Akshay
Kumar
Datta,
Dr.
Bipin
Maitra,
Dr.
Kumud
Bhattacharya,
Dr.
M.L.Dey,
Dr.
B.B.
Banerjee
&
others
to
discuss
over
the
formation
of
a
new
medical
school.
Accordingly,
“The
Calcutta
School
of
Medicine”
was
founded
in
1886.
To
start
with,
it
was
in
a
rented
house,
at
Baithak
Khana
Road,
but
soon
was
shifted
to
Bowbazar
Street—both
being
locations
in
central
Calcutta.
There
being
no
attached
hospital,
24
bedded
Mayo
Hospital
was
used
for
teaching
the
students.
Medium
of
teaching
was
Bengali
and
duration
of
course
was
3
years.
Donations
were
collected
from
all
corners
of
Bengal
including
the
Viceroy’s
fund
for
commemorating
the
visit
of
the
Royal
Prince.
In
1898,
a
12
Bigha
plot
of
land
(about
4
acres)
was
purchased
for
constructing
the
college
building
at
its
present
site.
30
bedded,
single
storied
hospital
building
was
inaugurated
in
1902
by
the
then
Governor,
Lord
Woodburn
and
the
building
was
named
after
the
Royal
Prince
Albert
Victor.
Subsequently
it
was
converted
into
a
three
storied
building
and
can
be
found
in
that
shape,
even
today!
In
1904,
“The
Calcuttat
School
of
Medicine”
amalgamated
with
another
similar
institute
“College
of
Physicians
and
Surgeons
of
Bengal”,
which
was
established
in
1895.
Gradually
other
buildings
were
constructed
to
accommodate
various
departments
in
the
same
premises.
Finally
“Belgachhia
Medical
College”
was
formally
inaugurated
by
Lord
Carmichael
in
the
year
1916.
The
inaugural
ceremony
was
graced
by
the
presence
of
luminaries
like
Sir
R.N.
Mookerjee,
Maharaja
Manindra
Chandra
Nandi,
Kumar
Manindra
Chandra
Sinha,
Mr.
D.
Mehta,
Dr.
M.N.
Banerjee,
Hon’ble
Nawab
Samsul
Huda
and
Surgeon
General
Edward.
In
the
same
year,
Calcutta
University
gave
affiliation
for
Preliminary
Scientific
M.B.
course
and
48
students
got
admitted.
Next
year,
the
affiliation
was
extended
up
to
first
M.B.
standard
and
100
students
were
admitted.
Finally
in
1919,
University
granted
affiliation
for
final
M.B.
standard.
Unfortunately,
Dr.
Radha
Gobinda
Kar
could
not
witness
this
glorious
moment;
he
passed
away
on
19th
of
December,
1918.
The
then
Governor
General
of
Bengal,
Lord
Carmichael
played
very
important
role
towards
all
these
developments.
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