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The Madras Institute of Neurology, Madras Medical College, Chennai

Article  in  Neurology India · November 2015

DOI: 10.4103/0028-3886.170058

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COMMENTARY

The Madras Institute of Neurology, Madras Medical College,

Chennai
Vengalathur Ganesan Ramesh, Kesavamurthy Bhanu1, Ranganathan Jothi2
Department of Neurosurgery, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, 1Institute of Neurology, 2Institute of Neurosurgery, Madras
Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

ABSTRACT
The Madras Medical College and its affiliated Government General Hospital, Chennai, are among the oldest medical institutions
in India. The Madras Institute of Neurology (MIN) was the second neurosciences department to be started in India. The MIN
has trained several batches of illustrious neurologists and neurosurgeons. This article briefly traces the history of the MIN,
its important milestones, and its current developments.

Key words: History of neurosciences in India; Madras Institute of Neurology; neuroscience training in India

Introduction of the city of Madras (Chennai) in 1639. In 1835, the medical

The Madras Medical College (MMC) and the affiliated
Government General Hospital, Chennai [Figures 1 and 2],
are among the oldest premier medical institutions in this
part of the world. The institution has various specialty
and superspecialty departments providing state‑of‑the‑art
medical care to the needy community free of cost. It is run
by the Government of Tamil Nadu and has undergraduate,
postgraduate, and superspecialty medical courses in all the
specialties. The various departments have been upgraded into
full‑fledged institutes of excellence. The Madras Institute of
Neurology (MIN) is one of the earliest institutes under MMC and
the second neurosciences department to be started in India.
school attached to the general hospital was started and
soon became the MMC. In the same year, but a few months
earlier, the first medical college was started in Calcutta.
The first batch of students graduated in 1852. In 1857, the
MMC was affiliated to the University of Madras and soon
became a center of excellence imparting training in all the
medical and surgical specialties. It is now one of the premier
institutions in the country with undergraduate, postgraduate,
and superspecialty courses. The courses offered by the MMC
are affiliated to the Dr. MGR Medical University in Tamil Nadu
from 1988. The Government General Hospital with around
3000 beds, which is attached to MMC, has all specialty and
superspecialty departments in medicine and surgery with

Address for correspondence: Dr. Vengalathur Ganesan Ramesh,

Brief History of Madras Medical College and Department of Neurosurgery, Chettinad Hospital and Research
Government General Hospital Institute, Kelambakkam, Chennai ‑ 603 103, Tamil Nadu, India.
E‑mail: drvgramesh@hotmail.com

The British East India Company started the Government

General Hospital, Chennai, in 1664, soon after the founding
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For reprints contact: reprints@medknow.com
DOI:
10.4103/0028-3886.170058

PMID: How to cite this article: Ramesh VG, Bhanu K, Jothi R. The Madras
Institute of Neurology, Madras Medical College, Chennai. Neurol India
xxxxx 2015;63:940-6.

940 © 2015 Neurology India | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow

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Ramesh, et al.: The Madras Institute of Neurology
Figure 1: Government General Hospital (Tower blocks)
state‑of‑‑the‑art facilities, and caters to the needs of public
without levying any expenses on the patients.
History of Madras Institute of Neurology
Dr. B. Ramamurthi, after his return from Newcastle, UK,
in 1950, after undergoing training in neurosurgery under
Professor G. F. Rowbotham, started the Department of
Neurosurgery in the Government General Hospital on the
auspicious Vijayadasami day (October 1950), with a few beds
in the general surgical ward. The department was expanded
later. Dr. S. T. Narasimhan, who had been trained in the
United States, and had brought the first EEG machine to
Chennai, joined Dr. Ramamurthi in the department. Cerebral
angiography was introduced in 1952, with the joining of Dr. K.
M. Pillai and Dr. M. G. Varadharajan, the neuroradiologists.
Dr. V. Rajagopal, after undergoing training in neuroanesthesia
in the United Kingdom, joined the department in 1953.
Dr. S. Balaparameswara Rao joined the department as the
first neurosurgery trainee and holds the unique distinction
of starting neurosurgery departments at Vishakhapatnam
and Hyderabad. Dr. V. Balasubramaniam, who was a brilliant
surgeon, as well as Dr. M. Natarajan, subsequently became a
part of the department. Dr. G. Arjundas joined the department
as the first neurologist in 1957 after undergoing neurology
training at Queen’s Square, London. Dr. S. Kalyanaraman,
after his neurosurgical training under Prof. Norman
Dott and Prof. Gillingham at Edinburgh, also joined the
department. The neurology division got strengthened
further by Dr. K. Jagannathan, who joined in 1962 after
neurology training at the Queen’s Square, London. After
that, the department came to be called as the Department
of Neurology and Neurosurgery.
Stereotactic surgery was started in the department after the
3‑week visit by Dr. Lawrence Walsh and Dr. Denis Williams
from Queen’s Square, London, in 1960. Leksell’s stereotactic
machine was installed in 1962 [Figures 3‑7]. M.S. (Neurosurgery)
program affiliated to the University of Madras was started
Neurology India / November 2015 / Volume 63 / Issue 6
Figure 2: Madras Institute of Neurology (MIN)
in 1959, and Dr. V. Balasubramaniam was the first candidate
for the program, qualifying in 1961. Later, the nomenclature
was changed to M.Ch. (Neurosurgery). D.M. (Neurology)
was also started in 1966, and Dr. Krishnamoorthy Srinivas,
who joined the department after neurology training in
the United Kingdom, was the first candidate. Dr. T. S.
Kanaka, who joined the department, became the first Asian
woman neurosurgeon to qualify in 1968. The neurosurgical
team of Drs. V. Balasubramaniam, S. Kalyanaraman and
T. S. Kanaka, led by Dr. B. Ramamurthi, and supported
well by their neurology counterparts, Drs. G. Arjundas and
K. Jagannathan, pioneered the technique of stereotactic
surgery. A large number of stereotactic procedures for
involuntary movements, behavioral disorders, psychiatric
disorders, epilepsy, and spasticity were performed, and
many papers were published. Madras soon became a center
of international acclaim in stereotactic surgery. In 15 years,
more than 1700 stereotactic operations were performed in
Madras, and lesions were placed in almost every important
part of the brain. The department was further strengthened
with the joining of the neurologist, Dr. Zaheer Ahmed Sayeed,
after his training in Canada, as well as Dr. K. Valmikinathan,
the neurochemist, after his training in the United Kingdom
with Professor Cummins. In 1967, a separate head injury ward
was started, which was the first of its kind in the country to
exclusively deal with head injuries. Neuropathology was also
added with the arrival of Dr. Sarasabharathi.
Influenced by the Montreal Neurological Institute during
his visit there for training under Prof. Wilder Penfield, it
was Prof. B. Ramamurthi’s dream to start a similar institute
in Madras that housed all the branches of neurosciences
under one roof. Mr. C. N. Annadurai, the Chief Minister of
Tamil Nadu, laid the foundation stone for the construction of
the MIN in 1968. The project was completed in around 4 years,
with part contribution from Dr. Achanta Lakshmipathi, the
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Ramesh, et al.: The Madras Institute of Neurology

Figure  4: Visit by Sir Douglas Miller in 1956 and the inclusion of Indian
Neurosurgery into the Commonwealth

Figure 3: General Surgical Unit of Dr. Sangham Lal in 1951 (Dr. B. Ramamurthi

was posted as a neurosurgeon in this unit on his return from the United
Kingdom)

Figure 6: Laminectomy in “A” theater, General Hospital, Madras, in 1958

Figure 5: Visit by Sir Wilder Penfield in 1957. Seen in the picture are
Dr. G. Arjundas, Dr. S. T. Narasimhan, Dr. B. Ramamurthy, Dr. R. Narayanan,
Dr. S. Balaparameshwara Rao, and Dr. Penfield

Figure 8: Stereotactic frame being applied in 1963

father‑in‑law of Prof. B. Ramamurthi. The MIN was declared

Figure 7: Visit by “Ticky” Walsh and Dennis Williams to establish stereotaxy
in the MIN (1963). Seen in the picture are Dr. G. Arjundas, Dr. B. Ramamurthi,
Dr. K. Jagannathan (standing), Ticky Walsh, and Dennis Williams
open in 1972 by the President of India, His Excellency Mr.
V. V. Giri, in the presence of the Governor, Mr. K. K. Shah,
and the Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi [Figures 8‑15].
The 25th anniversary celebrations of the MIN in 1975 were a
grand success and were attended by more than 120 foreign
neurologists and neurosurgeons [Figures 16‑21]. A special
issue of Neurology India was brought out on the occasion,
which was a well‑documented compilation of the clinical and
research work done at the MIN. The MIN was acknowledged
as a center of excellence in stereotactic surgery and clinical
neurology, and many trainees from all over the country visited

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Ramesh, et al.: The Madras Institute of Neurology
Figure 9: The three giants of Indian neurosurgery: Drs. Ram Ginde, Jacob
Chandy, and B. Ramamurthi in Madras in 1964
the MIN and underwent training. Dr. B. S. Virudhagirinathan,
the clinical neuropsychologist, who also had his training in the
United Kingdom, strengthened the department by his presence.
After the retirement of Dr. B. Ramamurthi in January 1978, Dr.
P. Narendran, who had already started the Department of
Neurosurgery at the Stanley Medical College, took over as the
Head of MIN. Prof. P. Narendran started microneurosurgery at
the MIN in 1979, with the arrival of Zeiss operating microscope.
In 1980, the Chief Minister Mr. M. G. Ramachandran
commissioned a CT scan in the MIN. This was only the second
CT scan in a government institution in the country (after the
one setup at the AIIMS, Delhi) and the first to be started by a
state government. CO2 laser, ultrasonic suction aspirator, and a
machine to monitor evoked potentials were commissioned at
the institute. Neuro‑ophthalmology and Speech Therapy wings
were also added to the institute. In 1984, Dr. P. Narendran
and Dr. K. Logamuthukrishnan organized an international
conference and workshop on intracranial pressure, which was
a landmark event. After the retirement of Dr. P. Narendran, Dr.
K. Jagannathan was appointed the Head of MIN. Subsequently,
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman became the Head of MIN, and during his
tenure, the 40th anniversary celebrations of the MIN in 1990
were marked by an intense academic activity, with monthly
symposia and seminars in neurology and neurosurgery. The
CT head scan was replaced by a new whole‑body CT scan. Dr.
C. U. Velmurugendran became the Head of the department
after the retirement of Dr. Kalyanaraman, and during his
tenure, the 1993 Annual Conference of the Neurological
Society of India (NSI) and the 1997 Annual Conference of
the Indian Academy of Neurology were hosted by the MIN
at Chennai. Several specialty clinics, namely the epilepsy
clinic, the headache clinic, and the movement disorder clinic,
were started. 1999 was marked by 12 protocol seminars in
neurology. Dr. R. Gajendran, Dr. K. Chellappan, and Dr. M.
Mohan Sampath Kumar became successive Heads of MIN.
Neurology India / November 2015 / Volume 63 / Issue 6
Figure 10: Felicitation from the President of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, on
the occasion of the inauguration of Head Injury Unit (1967)
The year 2000 saw the golden jubilee celebrations of the
MIN, which was presided over by Dr. B. Ramamurthi in the
presence of Chief Minister Mr. M. Karunanidhi [Figure 20]. The
culmination of these celebrations occurred with the Annual
Conference of NSI at Chennai in the year 2000. The subsequent
years saw the upgradation of the facilities including the starting
of a new head injury intensive care unit with state‑of‑the‑art
facilities, an air‑conditioned library and a computer center.
The MIN has seen a steady growth in the facilities and academic
activity keeping with the times. The successive Heads of the
department, MIN—Dr. Kamakshi Shanbogue, Dr. Geetha
Lakshmipathy, Dr. A. V. Srinivasan, Dr. V. Natarajan, Dr. V. Sundar,
Dr. K. Deiveegan, and Dr. K. Maheshwar—have all contributed
to the academic growth and improvement of facilities at the
MIN, upholding the glorious traditions of the institute. The
Annual Conference of the Neurotrauma Society of India was
hosted by the MIN in 2010. Recent years have seen the addition
of two more high‑end operating microscopes, craniotomes
and drills, new ultrasonic suction aspirators, neuroendoscopic
sets, new stereotactic surgery equipment, separate stroke
ward with facilities for thrombolysis for acute stroke,
plasmapheresis, botox injection, computerized EEG, video EEG,
ENMG, EMG, VEMP, P300, new evoked potential equipment,
polysomnography, and transcranial Doppler. TROPICON 2014,
the Annual Conference of Tropical Neurology Subsection of
Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN), was conducted by the MIN.
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Ramesh, et al.: The Madras Institute of Neurology

Figure 11: Foundation stone for the Madras Institute of Neurology laid by Figure 12: Madras Institute of Neurology under construction (1970)
the Chief Minister, Mr. C. N. Annadurai in 1968

Figure 13: The famous five: Drs. Kalyanaraman, Ramamurthi, Balasubramaniam,

Jagannathan, and Arjundas

Figure 14: Plaque showing the inauguration of Madras Institute of Neurology

in 1972 by Honorable President of India, Mr. V. V. Giri, in the presence of
the Governor, Mr. K. K. Shah, and the Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi

Figure  15: Visit by the President of India, Shri V. V. Giri, to the MIN.
Dr. B. Ramamurthi explaining stereotaxy. Seen in the picture are Dr. V.
Balasubramanian, Dr Appasamy (anesthetist), and Dr. R. Govindan

The 16th Joint Annual Conference of Indian Epilepsy Association

and Indian Epilepsy Society was organized at Chennai in
February 2015, with the faculty of Institute of Neurology, MMC, Figure 16: Early days of neurosurgery at the MIN

944 Neurology India / November 2015 / Volume 63 / Issue 6

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Ramesh, et al.: The Madras Institute of Neurology
playing an active part. A vocational training program for women
with epilepsy has been started in 2014. Over the years, several
batches of D.M. (Neurology) and M.Ch. (Neurosurgery) students
have passed out from the MIN, and many Ph.D. scholars have
also qualified from this institute.
Figure 17: The Silver Jubilee Scientific Congress of the MIN, 1975
Figure 18: International gathering at the Silver Jubilee of the MIN (1975).
Mr. Robin Sengupta seen in the bow tie
Figure 19: Delegates for the Silver Jubilee Scientific Congress at the MIN (1975)
Neurology India / November 2015 / Volume 63 / Issue 6
Owing to the enormous increase in the clinical burden, associated
with a commensurate increase in the strength of the faculty
and students in neurology and neurosurgery, the government
bifurcated the MIN into the Institute of Neurology in late 2014
and the Institute of Neurosurgery in early 2015, to improve the
administration of the institute. Dr. K. Bhanu took over as the first
Director of the Institute of Neurology, and Dr. Ranganathan Jothi
took over as the first Director of the Institute of Neurosurgery
under the MMC. However, both the Institute of Neurology and
the Institute of Neurosurgery are continuing the old tradition of
combined academic activity and interaction among the faculty
members of neurology and neurosurgery. The combined weekly
Wednesday clinical meetings, journal clubs, and grand rounds are
being continued as before in the glorious traditions of the MIN.
The MIN has several firsts in the country
• Starting of stereotactic surgery,
• Being the first comprehensive neurosciences institute
with all neuroscience specialties under one roof,
• First D.M. (Neurology) course,
• First CT scan in the state government institute and
second in a government institute in the whole country,
• Highest number of neurologists (199 D.M. so far) and
neurosurgeons (142 M.Ch. so far) to quality, and
• Highest number of Ph.Ds. in neurosciences (22) to quality.
Some of the important contributions to neurosciences from the
MIN
• Madras Motor Neuron Disease—Dr. K. Jagannathan
• Stereotactic surger y in behavioral disorders—
Dr. V. Balasubramaniam, Dr. B. Ramamurthi
• Cerebellar stimulation in spasticity—Dr. T. S. Kanaka
• Concentration method for creatine phosphokinase to
overcome dilution effect—Dr. K. Valmikinathan
• Short course of chemotherapy for tuberculoma of the
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Ramesh, et al.: The Madras Institute of Neurology
Figure  20: Faculty of MIN in the early days: Sitting: Drs. G. Arjundas,
T. Kanaka, B. Ramamurthi, V. Balasubramaniam, K. Jaganathan, and S.
Kalyanraman. Standing: Drs. K. Kalyanraman, K. Srinivas, P. B. Ramanujam,
R. Govindan, and C. U. Velmurugendran
brain—Dr. S. Rajeswari, Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, Dr. Zaheer
Ahmed Sayeed.
Current Facilities
Neurology
Presently, the Neurology wing has five neurology units. The
D.M. (Neurology) course has an annual intake of 14 students. There
are also five scholars enrolled for Ph.D. (Neurology). The Neurology
wing has state‑of‑the‑art facilities including a stroke ward with
facilities for thrombolysis for acute stroke, plasmapheresis, botox
injection, computerized EEG, video EEG, ENMG, EMG, VEMP, P300,
latest evoked potential equipment, polysomnography machine,
and transcranial Doppler. There are regular presentations of
papers at the annual conferences of the IAN and other neurology
conferences, and publications in journals.
Neurosurgery
The Neurosurgery wing has 6 neurosurgical units. The
M.Ch. (Neurosurgery) course has an annual intake of nine students
for the 3‑year program and two for the 6‑year program. There
are two Ph.D. scholars in neurosurgery. There is an exclusive
neurosurgical operation theater complex with four tables for
elective surgery, and one exclusive emergency operating table.
There are three operating microscopes, including two latest
high‑end microscopes, craniotomes with drills, ultrasound
suction aspirators, neuroendoscopes, latest MRI, compatible
stereotactic apparatus, and C‑arm image intensifier. There are
regular presentations at the annual conferences of NSI and other
neurosurgical conferences as well as publications in journals.
The Neuroradiology facilities include four CT scanners
and two (including 3‑tesla) MRI scanners and a facility for
digital subtraction angiography. The Neuropathology and
Neurochemistry wings have also been updated.
946 Neurology India / November 2015 / Volume 63 / Issue 6
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Figure 21: Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the MIN and NSICON 2000
The regular Neurology–Neurosurgery combined weekly
programs, including the Wednesday morning clinical
meetings and Friday morning grand rounds are held regularly,
as had been the trend in the early days of the MIN. The other
combined activities include the medical audit meetings and
journal clubs. Periodical symposia, seminars and invited
lectures are a regular feature. There are a number of orations
instituted in the names of previous teachers, which are
delivered by eminent neuroscientists from India and abroad.
Vision for the Future
Neurology
Owing to the increase in patient load and increase in the
number of trainees, more space is required. Hence, it is
proposed to have a separate multistoried block for neurology,
with the latest amenities and a state‑of‑the‑art library.
Neurosurgery
The neurosurgical patient load is also increasing with the
preexisting space constraint. There is a proposal to expand
the building, with wider space and more floors. There are
plans to develop subspeciality units in neurosurgery, a
separate endovascular neurosurgical facility, and facilities
for epilepsy surgery and deep brain stimulation.
Acknowledgments
T h e a u t h o r s e x p re s s t h e i r h e a r t f e l t t h a n k s t o
Dr. M. C. Vasudevan, Dr. K. Shyam Sundar of Voluntary
Health Services Hospital, Chennai, and Dr. K. Sridhar of
Global Hospitals, Chennai, for providing some of the rare
historical photographs of the MIN.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.