1972 batch of Sir JJ Hospital helps restore miniature model of its heritage building

The original model was prepared by Late Bagaji Mhatre. The foundation stone of Sir JJ Hospital was laid on January 3, 1843, and its inauguration took place on May 15, 1845. Dr Shrinivas Shanbag, the 1972 batch alumnus who coordinated the restoration work of the miniature model, said they wanted to give back something to the institution as they celebrated 50 years of passing out

Mumbai: In order to give the current students a glimpse into how Sir JJ Hospital- the state’s oldest medical college and hospital once looked, the 1972 batch of Grant Medical College (GMC) sponsored a restoration work of an 80-year-old miniature model of its original building.

1972 batch of Sir JJ Hospital helps restore miniature model of its heritage building

This will be a step towards preserving the heritage of the building which is steeped in history and allow the students to be proud of its heritage.

The batch, which celebrated its golden jubilee on January 27 and 28, hired a 26-year-old miniature model artist, who recently created a model of the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus.

The restoration work of the miniature model of the hospital was completed in 12 days and is now placed on the ground floor of the main building and there’s a plan to shift it to the museum.

Dr Pallavi Saple, dean of JJ Hospital said the 80-year-old wooden model holds precious memories of how the medical college looked earlier.

“As a student, I had seen this model kept in the foyer of the hospital’s main building. It later went missing. When I returned as a dean, I found it in bad shape and had it in mind to get it restored,” said Dr Saple.

“I was happy when the 1972 batch alumni agreed to help with the restoration of the model. The newly restored model is kept in the foyer of the main building and will be shifted into a to-be-built museum showcasing the illustrious heritage, medical history, and its contribution to society,” said Dr Saple.

The original model was prepared by Late Bagaji Mhatre. The foundation stone of Sir JJ Hospital was laid on January 3, 1843, and its inauguration took place on May 15, 1845. Dr Shrinivas Shanbag, the 1972 batch alumnus who coordinated the restoration work of the miniature model, said they wanted to give back something to the institution as they celebrated 50 years of passing out.

“We had a felicitation programme for our teachers. When we contacted the dean, she expressed her desire to restore the miniature model. We were looking for someone to restore the model and we are glad that Akash Kamble did complete justice to it. He restored the model completely within 12 days and it looks exactly like the building the 1957 batch students studied in,” said Dr Shanbag.

The restoration work costs ₹1 lakh 10 thousand. Kamble (26), who quit his monorail job to pursue his passion for making miniature rail models in 2021, said, “I create miniature modelling of trains. I was happy that the doctors got in touch with me about this. While making the model, I came to know about the rich heritage history of this hospital.”

“The model brings back the memory of old students and it will help us tell the coming generation how GMC looked earlier,” said Dr Saple.

The 1972 batch is now in talks with Kamble (26), an entrepreneur. “It will require touch-ups and brightening up and discussions are currently on. We have not finalised anything yet,” said Dr Shanbag.

BOXES:

First batch of students

JJ Hospital was opened on May 15, 1845, the first patient was admitted on May 28, 1845 and the first batch of students was admitted to Grant Medical College on November 1, 1845.

Henry Vandyke Carter, the illustrator of Gray’s Anatomy- the bible of every medical student- was the 1886-1888 GMC was the second medical college in India to allow women students in 1883. Dr Annie Walke was the first woman to graduate from GMC who later practised as a physician at Cama Hospital.

Meet the famous alumni

1. Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis, from Solapur (Maharashtra) who helped the Chinese during World War II, graduated from the Grant Medical College in 1936. He is known to have treated more than 800 wounded soldiers during the World Ward and operated 72- hours non-stop.

2. Dr Bhau Daji Lad, who played a key role in the political and social history of Mumbai,

Also known by the name Ramakrishna Vithal, he was one of the eight medical students of the first batch of Grant Medical College. He graduated in 1851.

3. Reita Faria (79), India’s first Miss World was a Grant Medical College student and became Miss World in 1966 by beating 50 other contestants. She also created the history of becoming the first Asian to hold this title. She completed her MBBS degree after finishing her tenure as Miss World and went to King’s College Hospital, London for further studies and started practising there.

4. Dr Jivraj Mehta, the first chief minister of Gujarat, was also a student at Grant Medical College.

He was the founder-architect of Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College and King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. He devotedly served the cause of these institutions in the unenviable post of their first Dean over an eventful period of 18 years

5. Dr Rustam Cooper, after whom Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) run Dr RN Cooper Municipal General HospitalCooper Hospital in Juhi is named, graduated from Grant Medical College (GMC) and Sir JJ Hospital. He was the founder of the Indian Association of Surgeons. He was also the first Indian to be conferred membership in the American Association of Surgeons.