The Osmania General Hospital

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  • History of Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad, India:


  • Founded in 1866: Initially established as Afzal Gunj Hospital during the rule of the 6th Nizam, Nawab Mir Mahboob Ali Pasha.

  • Renamed in 1910s: The hospital was later renamed Osmania General Hospital after Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam, who envisioned a modern medical facility for the public.

  • Inaugurated in 1925: The current building, known for its Indo-Saracenic architectural style, was completed and inaugurated in 1925 under the Nizam's reign.

  • 1925 - interior view.  Pic Credit - MIT Dome


  • Designed by Vincent Esch: The iconic structure was designed by British architect Vincent Esch, also known for designing the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata.



  • Revisiting the conception and execution of Osmania Hospital:

  • Excerpted from Deccan Chronicle Article https://www.deccanchronicle.com/amp/nation/current-affairs/310723/osmania-general-hospital-the-journey-of-a-masterpiece-on-the-riverfro.html

  • "As per the plan, the buildings of the Hyderabad High Court and the City High School were developed on the south bank of the river. Among the buildings damaged due to the floods on the north bank was the Afzalgunj Hospital. It was repaired and resumed its services but in 1915 the need to develop a new Civil General Hospital was felt to meet the growing medical needs of people.

Different sites were surveyed and officials zeroed in on the Gosha Mahal area for the purpose.The Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, however, rejected the ideas as he wanted the riverfront to be developed as suggested by Visvesvaraya. On September 18,1917, he issued a firman saying “Instead of constructing the general hospital at Gosha Mahal Kunta, it should be constructed at Afzalgunj but on the river bank and after completion it should be named Osmania General Hospital.” He sanctioned an amount of Rs 3.5 lakh for acquiring necessary land, according to archival records accessed by the writer.
The southern river bank presented a slum-like picture with huts, mud houses and other semi-pucca structures as well as small temples, mazars and graveyards. Many of the houses were rebuilt haphazardly after the 1908 floods destroyed the area. The PWD acquired nearly 300 such buildings and razed them to make way for the new hospital. A total of 12.5 acres of land was acquired on the river bank excluding the land for developing the Afzal Shahi Road.

For designing the building, PWD hired the services of British architect Vincent J Eschwho had already designed the High Court and the City High School. His fee was fixed at Rs 30,000. Esch prepared the plan in consultation with Dr A Lancaster, who was the Director of Medical Services. It was approved by the Osmania Hospital Committee chaired by Sir Akbar Hydari and had Syed Mehdi Hasan Bilgrami, F E Gwyther, M Karamatulla and Mehr Ali Fazil among its members.
The three-storied main block designed in the Indo-Saracenic style had 17 domes of various sizes, of which nine appeared on the front of the façade, two at the two ends, two in the intermediate and five in the centre at different levels. The octogen below the largest dome had glazed windows. The top platform was constructed with rolled steel beams covered with cement concrete.

A park was developed along the hospital building to give it an exquisite look. “The proximity of an extensive public garden is a decided advantage to the Hospital as it presents a bright outlook to the patients and a refreshing walk to the invalids,” a 1925 PWD report said.  

Out of the four tenders received for the construction, the bid of Narotham Dass was selected. The fact that Dass had just constructed the High Court building across the river went in his favour. He signed the agreement on June 24, 1920.The initial plan was to cost Rs 18.5 lakh for the construction of the main building; nurses' and doctor’s quarters; gates, compound wall and servant quarters; fittings and furniture.

Meanwhile, Lt Col B Jeevan Singh succeeded Dr Lancaster as head of the medical services. He suggested the addition of Out Patient Dispensary, kitchen, mortuary etc. With this, the cost went up to Rs 21.22 lakh in 1923. Among the fittings was ‘an Electric Lift big enough to carry a stretcher.’ The hospital provided 468 beds spread over 18 wards, of which 36 were meant for paying patients.

After OGH came into existence, Afzalgunj Hospital ceased to exist and its building was transferred to the Hyderabad Medical School (later renamed Osmania Medical College). The Afzalgunj Hospital conducted the historic chloroform experiments in the late nineteenth century, resulting in two landmark Hyderabad Chloroform Commissions.

The construction of architectural marvels and palatial buildings to house utilities like schools, colleges, hospitals, revenue offices and courts was the norm in princely states like Baroda, Mysore, Travancore etc. Large buildings denoted status and power in princely India in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.The riverfront in Hyderabad was a part of this trend.

While inaugurating the High Court building, Mir Osman Ali Khan called stately buildings on the riverfront “ornaments to my capital.” With the proposed demolition of OGH, Hyderabad is all set to lose one of its most precious ornaments.

[Dinesh C Sharma is a journalist and researcher based in New Delhi. His upcoming book is on the making of modern Hyderabad] 


Key Features of the Hospital:

  • Free Public Healthcare: It was one of the first hospitals in India to offer free healthcare services to all, irrespective of caste, creed, or class.

  • Important During Epidemics: Played a critical role in treating plague, cholera, and tuberculosis outbreaks in the early 20th century.

  • Heritage Structure: The building is classified as a heritage structure, admired for its domes, arches, and Indo-Islamic architectural elements.

  • Current Situation:


Pic - 1990s. 



Pic Credit - Print. 




Further Reading

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/amp/nation/current-affairs/310723/osmania-general-hospital-the-journey-of-a-masterpiece-on-the-riverfro.html


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https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2024/Feb/08/the-legacy-of-osmania-general-hospital


HYDERABAD : The fusion of old and new elements both forms and trans-forms the skyline of this city. A monument caught in a debate between preserving the past and embracing the future is Osmania General Hospital. Originally established in 1866 as Afzalgunj Hospital, it relocated to its current site on the south bank of the Musi River in 1926. Since then, the hospital has borne witness to medical breakthroughs, tirelessly serving thousands of patients and training hundreds of doctors and nurses.


Among its significant milestones, Afzalgunj Hospital hosted one of the first chloroform trials in 1888 as part of the Hyderabad Chloroform Commission, sponsored by Nizam V, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, and led by Dr Edward Lawrie.


The hospital also boasts the distinction of nurturing the world’s first female anaesthetist, Rupa Bai Furdoonji, who played a pivotal role in these commissions. The present site also housed Hyderabad Medical School, where Nobel laureate Sir Ronald Ross made the discovery of malaria.


Following the devastation caused by the 1908 Musi floods, the original structure was washed away. On the directive of Nizam VI, Mir Osman Ali Khan, the present building was erected, and designed by British architect Vincent Jerome Esch in Indo-Sarcenic style.


A majestic tamarind tree stands in front of the main heritage block, commemorated with a cement plaque recounting how it served as a lifeline during the floods as 150 individuals clung to its branches, escaping the deluge. Beneath its protective canopy lies a memorial grave, honouring the lives lost to the calamity.


Article excerpt. 


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https://thebetterindia.com/327025/history-and-legacy-of-osmania-general-hospital-demolition-in-hyderabad/


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