One of Madhya Pradesh's premier medical institutions, Gandhi Medical College (GMC) in Bhopal, has proudly completed seven decades of service and excellence. Founded in 1954 on the historic grounds of the Fatehgarh Fort, the college recently celebrated its platinum jubilee with a grand global reunion, drawing over 1,200 former students and faculty from India and around a dozen other nations.
The Man Who Gave GMC Its Face
A highlight of the celebrations was the emotional return of 89-year-old Dr. Vinod Kumar Saksena. Long before building a distinguished career with the UK's National Health Service (NHS), a young Vinod answered a call in 1956. The college had advertised for logo design concepts, and his submission was selected. His creation, featuring the Sanskrit prayer "Asato Ma Sadgamaya" (Lead me from untruth to truth), has remained the unchanging visual identity of GMC for nearly 70 years. "I responded to an advertisement... and to my delight, the jury selected my design," recalled Dr. Saksena, witnessing his legacy firsthand.
Global Reunion and Echoes of a Tragic Night
The campus buzzed with nostalgia as batches from different years reconnected. The 1978 batch made a particularly vibrant entrance in coordinated printed jackets, their infectious energy becoming the talk of the event. Dr. SK Patne, a professor of Community Medicine and a 1983 alumnus, shared insights into the college's humble beginnings, operating from the Polytechnic building with hostels at what is now the Jehanuma Palace Hotel. With a 40-year association, Dr. Patne has seen his own children graduate from GMC and now teaches the next generation. "I now have the pleasure of teaching the children of my former students," he noted.
For the batch of 1983, the celebrations were tinged with memories of a profound trial. As first-year students in December 1984, they were thrust onto the front lines of the catastrophic Bhopal gas tragedy. They transformed from trainees to first responders overnight. For Dr. Maneesha Khare Phadke, it was a night of terrifying firsts: "I gave my first injection, donated blood, and helped deliver a baby." Dr. Eify George somberly recalled the overwhelming scale, "We walked through fields of bodies, checking each one to find anyone who might still be breathing." This tragedy became the defining chapter of their medical careers.
Legacy of Excellence and Future Plans
The reunion also showcased the global impact of GMC's alumni. Dr. Prakash Satwani, a 1990-batch graduate, is now a professor at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and a renowned bone marrow transplant specialist. His work extends back to India, where he has helped establish a bone marrow transplant program in Indore that has treated approximately 140 patients. Dr. Satwani announced ambitious plans to launch a similar life-saving service in Bhopal within the next six months, bringing advanced care closer to home.
The 70th-anniversary celebration was more than a party; it was a testament to the enduring legacy of an institution built on service. From its foundational logo to the heroes it forged during one of India's worst industrial disasters, Gandhi Medical College continues to be a pillar of medical education and humanitarian service, now poised to inspire its next generation.
