A Brief History
Guntur, an important town in the state of Andhra Pradesh, is the Deccan Peninsula in Southern India. (Deccan is a derivative of Dakshin, ‘South’). In olden days, Guntur was known as Guntaluru (Guntalu = undulating ground, uru=village). Close by is the river Krishna, Annapurna – “She who supplies food”. The Krishna delta is extremely fertile, and moreover there has been a vibrant civilization here with an unbroken (and almost undisturbed) history of two thousand years of not more. As a consequence, Guntur District truly seems to be a land where both Lakshmi the goddess of wealth and Saraswathi the goddess of knowledge dwell ubiquitously, blessing the people.
It is fascinating to review the history of the College not only for documentation but also for posterity. It makes us aware that the human mind is unpredictable and wavering, however educated or evolved one is! The reader will soon enough understand what I mean.
In the early years of this Century, coastal Andhra districts were part of the Madras Presidency administered by the British, while the interior districts belonged to Hyderabad State ruled by the Nizam. One of the advantages of British rule was higher education.
There were two Universities in Madras in those days: Madras University catered to the needs of the Tamil-speaking areas and Andhra University, the Telugu speaking ones. Both enjoyed a reputation for excellence. In the year 1926, the British proposed to institute a Medical School affiliated to Andhra University, and the Raj allocated fifty acres of land for this purpose at Nallaparu, about 10 Kilometers from Guntur. At that period the Central Jail from the Andhra region was located in Guntur Town. The Government decided to move the jail to Rajahmundry, and as the Nallapadu site was quite undeveloped, the land and buildings of the jail were allocated for the new Medical School.
Thus it came to be that in the year 1927, after the completion of the central jail buildings at Rajahmundry, Guntur Medical School was inaugurated in the erstwhile central jail compound. In the same year the hospital located in the Choutra locality of Guntur was shifted to newly constructed buildings at the present site. More buildings were added in the course of time, but the original buildings of the central jailhouse the Physiology and Biochemistry departments to this day. We can still see the remains of the strong iron gates of the prison through which the inmates used to be let out to breath fresh air occasionally. The lecture galleries created at that time are being used even now.
The Second World War brought new developments. In 1941, Andhra University, the premier academic institution of the region, was shifted from Visakhapatnam to Vijayawada because of the fear that the Japanese could bomb the port town of Visakhapatnam. The shift, which lasted for a period of four years, had no effect on the working of the Medical School. In 1945, the Zamindars of Vijayanagaram made ploy in order to get Andhra University back to their native land. They offered a munificent donation of land to enable the Raj to shift the University back to Visakhapatnam. The Government accepted the offer, and thus the University was moved back to Visakhapatnam. A decision was also mad to shift the Medical School from Guntur to Visakhapatnam, although there was no Logical compulsion to do so. Thus Guntur was deprived of a well-established academic institution. It is amazing how even in the days of the mighty Raj; an administrator could waver in his mind and change decisions! The story of our College has many more chapters and the next one was about to begin.
With the shift of the Medical School, the buildings also fell vacant. They were handed over to the district Educational Officer to start a training school. The previous Anatomy building, presently housing the Central Laboratory, was occupied by the Muslim training school and the Physiology Block was used for the Hindu training school and an elementary school. Apparently, in those days, segregation according to religion was the accepted convention. In 1946, at the end of the Second World War, the British decided to sanction the budget for the creation of two new medical colleges in Madras Presidency, one at Guntur and the other at Madurai. These were to be called the post-war medical colleges, to serve the needs of the growing population. Such medical colleges were also created all over the country. We must remember that during the war years the British did not have time to think of the needs of society. Guntur Medical College started functioning in the year 1946, with only the non-clinical departments of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Physics, Chemistry and Zoology.
Lt.Col.G.V.Sathyanarayana Murthy, who was appointed Special officer to set up the proposed college, wasted no time. All the departmental laboratories got equipment for their needs. The Govt. also sanctioned the budget for creating the clinical departments. At this time the British allowed native rule. The composite Madras state was in essence the former Madras Presidency, which included the Andhra region. Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, a famous Barrister and selfless patriot, was appointed the Prime Minister and Achanta Rukminamma Lakshmipathi, a Gunturiaan, the Health Minister.
Events on the larger scale were proceeding headlong. In 1947 India became an independent nation – surely one of thee biggest events of its history. Agendas, priorities and codes of conduct saw a sea change. In the year 1948, his political opponents with the ploy of a no-confidence motion removed Prakasam Pantulu from the office of the Prime Minister, by just one vote. Politics in the country were no different then! Omandur Ramaswamy Reddiar took over as the Premier of Madras state, and almost inevitably, the Telugu-speaking areas of the state came to be at a disadvantage.
One of the side effects of the change in leadership was that work on the clinical departments of Guntur Medical College was abandoned. The Government decided to close Guntur Medical College but retain Madurai Medical College. Thus the Gunturian unwittingly became a victim of discrimination! The equipment in the College was all packed to be shifted to Madurai and the services of all the non-gazetted staff were terminated.
Tanguturi Prakasam, the lion of Andhra, took a whirlwind tour of Andhra region and started a campaign informing the public of the closing of the College. The public responded actively. As the agitation was reaching its height, the government appointed a medical college development committee with the help of the Indian Medical Association. (Imagine the respect given to IMA in those days by the Government!) The committee, to which Gunturians should be grateful, consisted of Dr.Shankar Venkat Rao, Dr.Kanakpalli Hanumantha Rao and Sri Goparaju Hanumantha Rao of Guntur, and Dr. Koki Shankar Rao of Repalle. Meanwhile, the agitation started by Tanguturi continued. A demand was made that the Government should not shift the equipment to Madurai till the report of the Committee was submitted. The committee’s views were honored by the Govt. and compromise was reached with the Andhra’s. The Government that the college would not be shut down made an assurance. However it was decided not to develop the college further. Arrangements were made to send students to Madras and Visakhapatnam for clinical training. This arrangement of clinical training continued till the year 1954. On the contrary, Madurai Medical College continued to be developed. The narrow traits of regionalism, casteism and other such isms were largely absent during the independence struggle, but came into practice as soon as self-rule was granted!
In the year 1954, the Telugu-speaking Andhra state was formed, with Kurnool as the capital. Tanguturi again became the first Chief Minister of the State. He lost no time sanctioning the budget for the college of commences clinical courses, and clinical training started in the very same year. In the year 1956, professor D.Jagannadha Reddy was appointed the Principal. His predecessors were giants in their own field: Professors K.Govinda Menon, Sarah J.Sourie, C. Vareed, B.Lazarus, and D.V.SubaReddy. D.J.Reddy affectionately known to one and all as DJ served with distinction for 8 years. It was during DJ’s tenure that the clinical departments were established and the main building of the college was constructed. DJ Reddy has surely been the most influential person in moulding the College, as it exists today. Certainly, the statues and painting that form the subject matter of this book were created at his behest. In the subsequent 37, years, some 37 individuals have held the office of Principal-an average of slightly over one year incumbent! This happens because the practice is to appoint the senior-most Professors as Principals. Whatever the other advantages, usually one year is too small a period to make a worthwhile contribution.
About the Sculptor
Bellamkonda Venkateswara Rao will remain immoral, an Amarasilpi, as long as Guntur Medical College exists on this earth. Born in a family of sculptors, he learnt the art from his grandfather and father. Later he was apprenticed to his Guru, Bellamkonda Koteswara Rao, an art teacher at repalle, a town near Guntur famous for sculptors and their masters. Bellamkonda later secured a diploma at the famous School of Art at Egmore in Madras. It is interesting to know how DJ appointed Bellamkonda at the College. DJ gave a photograph of Atlas from a book and asked Bellamkonda to show his talent before he could be appointed! He was given all material from the college funds and a subsistence allowance. Bellamkonda made a makeshift scaffolding of Bamboo in the Oval Garden and sculpted the huge structure of Atlas, which we see today. It took a year for him to complete! No complaints of inadequate allowance! At its completion DJ kept his word in deed, creating the post of Modeler and regularly appointing him to it. No permissions, no employment exchanges, no interference! The role and authority of a Principal has been eroded in the fifty years of Post independent India! Today the Principal, if not dynamic and fearless, can only be a glorified clerk, at the beck and call of men of authority and sometimes at the mercy of students!
The post of Modeler still exists today, and the present incumbent is the sculptor Krishna Subba Rao, whose creations are to be seen all over Andhra and in other states too.
The Campus
At the time when I joined, another prized possession of the college was the abundant forest in the campus with serpents, reptiles, scorpions, beautiful birds and the greenery everywhere. The national bird, the peacock could often be seen in the morning jumping over the compound wall of the adjacent star girls high school. From across the same wall through the storm drains the cobras used to move into the campus. So the drains had to be closed. The serpent, which is an integral part of most medical logos, has been the native of this medical school. The viper and the cobra are often seen in the campus and it was not uncommon for them to visit the departments scaring the students and staff.
It often occurred to me whether a snake park on the lines of Adayar in Chennai should be created in the College to save the precious cobra, which gives the life saving sanjivani (heparin), which keeps the blood flowing in the circulatory system before life abandons us with brain death! But the apprehension that these creatures someday might create a sensational story for the paparazzi who would be waiting for such an opportunity, I got the Jungle cleared with instructions to allow the creatures to leave safely and not to kill them.
The rich fauna in the college still exists. The best time to enjoy is the mornings when the different birds chirp, the lovely ramachilukas (parrots) move from tree to tree making love with each other, the cuckoos coo and the squirrels move in rapid fire fashion to gulp their feed. It seems as if the birds really enjoy their morning release from their nests.
Sculptures and Paintings in the College
Imagine taking a walk through the campus to view the sculptures and painting. I have described in this booklet what you would see in the course of this stroll. Most of the portraits and sculpted figures are recognizable, especially if their names are affixed, but some of you light not is familiar with these personalities and their role in the history of medicine and of the College. Therefore I have given a brief description of each work of art. I have also written up the thoughts and reflections that passed through my mind and inspired me when I viewed these works. Imagine that the tour stars as you enter the College premises.
The portals of the college
The portals of the college face north with two huge wrought iron gates. Each gate has a wicket gate to its side. To the left of each gate is a circular sentry post on top of which, the name Guntur Medical College is exhibited in an iron-lettered nameplate, painted green. Large globe lights on each pillar illuminate the gate aptly at night. Atop the main building is the college logo and the nameplate ‘Achanta Rukminamma Building’ made of an iron casting. These exist even today, but the saplings of Ashoka trees planted by DJ have grown so tall that they hide the nameplate of that visionary behind the birth of this institution. A day before I laid down office, a new nameplate painted on a wooden board was fitted on the northern part of the building below the flag post where the national flag is hoisted nowadays on national days.
As one-steps into the college compound one can imagine the genius of DJ and the artistic excellence of Bellamkonda. In front of the main building is the Oval Garden where several beautiful statues stand. Long cement tables are laid out in the garden. Innumerable students have used them since the dawn of the college. Those are the tables on which many parents and guardians of students gaining admission into the college eagerly wait to see that admission in confirmed. Quite often at the time of the university examinations, parents and guardians can be seen eagerly waiting to know from their wards how they fared. The students sitting on those tables might be thinking about their beloved parents, uncles and aunts and grandparents, and the pranks they had with them. What are more interesting may be the daydreams about their dear boy friend or girlfriend. They might sometimes think of the quirks of some Professors and Assistant Professors, of the fear of the ensuring examinations, of the aspirations of some of excel, of their triumphs and failures, of their dreams of crossing the seven seas in search of green pastures.
The oval garden was the seat of an interesting thought unfortunate episode a few weeks after I assumed office. One afternoon as I was admitting the new entrants to the college, there was a sudden commotion and I was called t intervene amongst two warring groups of students. It took me and some senior Professors a marathon 12-hour session around the oven table in the Principal’s office to get the two groups reconcile. At stake was a paltry issue. Such incidents are still not uncommon in our medical colleges or indeed in our country! Often they arise out of vendettas held by a small number of persons. I feel wise counsel rather than confrontation or provocation can eliminate such episodes.