В Кангра забыли имя филантропа, заложившего фундамент главного медицинского колледжа штата

Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda in Kangra district has emerged as one of the most important centres of healthcare in Himachal Pradesh but only a few people remember the visionary philanthropist whose contribution had laid the foundation of the institution. Rai Bahadur Jodhamal, a prominent social activist and wealthy member of the Sood community, had played a pioneering role in establishing the Tanda Tuberculosis Hospital before sixties on the land where the prestigious Tanda medical college is situated today. His contribution becomes even more significant when viewed in the context of the period in which the tuberculosis hospital was established. Tuberculosis was then considered one of the most dreaded and often fatal diseases. Effective treatment facilities were limited and hundreds of people lost their lives to the disease. For poor families, access to specialised medical care was almost impossible. Rai Bahadur Jodhamal recognised the urgent need for a dedicated institution for the treatment of tuberculosis patients and came forward and contributed generously towards the establishment of the Tanda Tuberculosis Hospital. He is understood to have donated land and provided other infrastructure and support for the institution. More importantly, he did not merely contribute financially and walk away. Rai Bahadur Jodhamal personally managed the tuberculosis hospital for around 10 years, ensuring that the institution served the patients of the deadly disease. His efforts provided hope and medical care to countless patients at a time when tuberculosis carried fear and social stigma and was responsible for a large number of deaths. Later, the government took over the hospital and it continued to expand. Over the years, the institution evolved and its sprawling premises eventually became the site of Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College and Hospital in 1992. It today serves lakhs of people not only from Kangra district but also from several other districts. However, despite his enormous contribution to public healthcare, Rai Bahadur Jodhamal’s name has gradually faded from public memory. There is not even one block in his name at the Tanda hospital. There is little public recognition of the man who had donated land and contributed to infrastructure development and devoted years of his life to building and managing a healthcare institution that eventually became the foundation of one of Himachal Pradesh’s most important medical institutions.