In 1870, the Maharaja of Vijaynagaram first floated the idea of starting a medical college in Lucknow and offered to donate Rs 3 lacs, but due to paucity of funds this was not passed by the Government and the dream of the Maharaja could not take shape. It was in 1905 that, to commemorate the visit of Prince of Wales to India, the Raja of Jehangirabad and Sir Taussuduq Rasool requested the Raja of Ayodhya to persuade Sir James LaTouche, Lt. Governor of United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) to recommend the establishment of the medical college to the Governor of India. This time the Government gave its sanction but with the condition that the people of United Provinces raise a sum of Rs 8 lacs.
The first hospital associated with King George's Medical University was built in 1914, and was called King George Hospital. The funds allocated to the college could hardly be expected to cover the cost of a hospital on a comparable scale. Thus this task was undertaken by the Government of India. The building was again designed by Sir Swinton Jacob after making a spot study of great medical centres in Europe and adapting it the needs of this country.
The first postgraduate examination in Medicine and Pathology was held in 1918. The King George's Medical University and associated King George's Hospital were formally transferred under the Lucknow University in 1921, on the establishment of the University of Lucknow and the campus had the privilege of hosting the first convocation of the University on 30th October, 1922. In the year 1931, great need was felt of a women's hospital. The Queen Mary's Hospital across the Shahmina Road was built and formally inaugurated on 4th November 1932 with a bed strength of 52.
A major milestone in the history of this institution is it's conversion and upgradation as the King George's Medical University. This came about by an act passed on the 16th September 2002 by the Government of Uttar Pradesh under Chief Minister Sushree Mayawati. This is the only medical university in the north and one of 3 such universities in the country. Substantial funds were earmarked for the new university. The 1st Vice Chancellor of this university was Prof. K. M. Singh, followed in May 2003 by the appointment of Padmshri Prof. Mahendra Bhandari on this post. In December 2003, on the request of alumni and teachers, its historical name was restored and the new university came to be known as the King George Medical University. However, in 2007, with the return of Sushree Mayawati as Chief Minister, the institution's name was again changed to King George's Medical University.
With all these changes, and many more on the anvil, the new university is all set to forge into the new millenium with renewed commitment, vigour and enthusiasm.
