The Annals
King Edward VII Memorial Hospital
“Not for self, but for all”
Setting the Tone: Memory, Ethics, and Gratitude
The opening pages establish the moral and intellectual frame of this volume.
Through symbolism, reflection, and remembrance, they present Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital as a living institution—defined not only by buildings and milestones, but by ideas, values, and people.
Tributes honor figures whose lives embodied this ethos. Dr. Sunil K. Pandya—neurosurgeon, ethicist, historian, and the principal architect of this centenary work—is remembered for his insistence that medicine be grounded in ethics, history, and humanity.
Dr. Manu V. L. Kothari is recalled as a teacher and thinker who expanded medical education beyond technique into philosophy and compassion.
Origins: A Moral and Nationalist Imperative
1925–1945
The founding of Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital emerged from the inequities of colonial medical education.
While Indian students were trained in large numbers, positions of authority remained restricted to the British-controlled Indian Medical Service.
This professional exclusion gave rise to a powerful counter-vision: an institution staffed entirely by Indian physicians, accountable to the public it served.
1926
When the college and hospital opened under the leadership of Dr. Jivraj N. Mehta, they became the first medical teaching institutions in India run entirely by Indian faculty.
Architecturally modern and academically ambitious, the institution embedded bedside teaching, research, public charity, and professional dignity from its inception.
Three Pillars of Founding
Municipal Control
Public Philanthropy
Following the death of King Edward VII, civic commitment to healthcare flourished
Seth's Endowment
Gordhandas Sunderdas’s decisive gift required Indian leadership at every level
Growth with the Nation (1946–2025)
Over eight decades, Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital expanded dramatically in scale, scope, and responsibility—evolving alongside India’s own national journey.
Clinical Excellence
KEM Hospital became synonymous with care for the underserved, delivering advanced medicine at scale regardless of patients’ ability to pay.
The institution pioneered national firsts in cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, nephrology, neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, intensive care, neonatal medicine, transplantation, and electrophysiology.
It stood at the forefront during epidemics, disasters, and public-health crises.
Academic Leadership
The college expanded postgraduate training, strengthened research culture, founded India’s first indexed medical journal, and achieved recognition as a Phase I clinical trials center.
Its faculty and alumni emerged as leaders across India and globally—as clinicians, educators, administrators, and policy thinkers.
Growth did not dilute the founding ethos; rather, the institution matured by deepening its commitment to service, scholarship, and equity.
The Living Memory: Potpourri
The third part captures the inner life and intellectual culture of the institution—elements that resist simple chronology but are essential to its identity.
This section preserves pioneering research papers, historic speeches, departmental histories, journals, museums, student life, and personal recollections.
It includes early scientific contributions in nutrition, pathology, neuroscience, and hematology—including the discovery of the Bombay blood group—alongside reflections on medical education, ethics, research, and institutional stewardship.
Institutional Culture
The rise of the Journal of Postgraduate Medicine and the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics underscores leadership in academic publishing and bioethics.
Departmental narratives reveal how pioneers built enduring centers of excellence with limited resources, sustained by mentorship and shared purpose.
Accounts of hostel life, Gymkhana culture, and institutional traditions illuminate how professional identity at KEM was shaped as much by community as by curriculum.
A Living Legacy
Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital stands as more than a medical institution. It is a national trust—created through philanthropy and municipal courage, matured through scholarship and service, and sustained by ethical commitment across generations.
This centenary volume stands as both record and responsibility, honoring the past while reminding future custodians of the institution’s enduring promise.
About the Endowment
This centenary volume is supported by the Dr. D. R. SarDesai Endowment, honoring Dr. D. R. SarDesai, a distinguished historian, Emeritus Professor and former Chair of the History Department at UCLA.
Though not affiliated with the medical school, his lifelong commitment to rigorous historical scholarship and intellectual independence aligns closely with the spirit of this work.
His endowment represents an act of academic patronage dedicated to the preservation and study of institutional history.
Archival, Cataloging & Scholarly Permanence
A core objective of this volume is permanent archival preservation and global discoverability.
- The Annals is registered with the Library of Congress and has been assigned a Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN), securing its place in the U.S. national bibliographic record and enabling formal academic citation.
- Following publication, the volume will be indexed in WorldCat, the world’s largest global library catalog, allowing libraries, universities, and archives worldwide to discover, catalog, and access the work.
- Standard international metadata—including ISBNs, BISAC categories, and subject headings—has been applied to ensure accurate classification across library systems, digital platforms, and academic repositories.
Together, these measures ensure that the history of GSMC–KEM is preserved not only as a commemorative work, but as a citable, traceable, and enduring scholarly resource.
Digital Access, eBook Distribution & Flipbook Experience
In keeping with the principles of access, equity, and knowledge sharing, the Annals is published in multiple digital formats:
- ePDF Edition – Enables free global access, including a flipbook-style reading experience for intuitive browsing, page turning, and archival viewing.
- eBook Editions – Available on major global platforms, including Apple Books, Google Books, Amazon Kindle, and Kobo, ensuring broad international reach and long-term platform preservation.
- Open Access – Digital editions are freely downloadable for non-commercial use, supporting scholars, students, alumni, and institutions worldwide.
These formats ensure compatibility with libraries, personal devices, classrooms, and archival systems—making the Annals both readable today and preservable for decades to come.
A Living Institutional Record
Beyond commemoration, this centenary volume serves as:
- A primary reference for historians of medicine, medical education, and public health in India
- A permanent institutional archive for GSMC–KEM and its global alumni community
- A teaching and ethics resource reflecting the humanistic foundations of medicine
- A model framework for centenary documentation and institutional memory
Published by GOSUMEC Foundation USA, the ANNALS reflects a long-term commitment to preservation, transparency, and global access—ensuring that the legacy of Seth G.S. Medical College & KEM Hospital is not only remembered, but responsibly archived, widely discoverable, and freely shared with future generations.
COPYRIGHT
Website + Book Print & Digital Editions
© 2026 GOSUMEC Foundation USA
All rights reserved.
Copyright is retained by GOSUMEC Foundation USA.
Digital editions are made available for open scholarly access.
Commercial reproduction or distribution requires prior written permission from the copyright holder.
METADATA BLOCK
Title
ANNALS of Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College & KEM Hospital (1925–2025)
Subtitle
Nationalism, Foundation, and Growth
Author
Sunil K. Pandya
Editor
Lopa Mehta
Publisher (Digital Editions)
GOSUMEC Foundation USA
Fremont, California, USA
Publisher (Print Edition)
Bhalani Publishing House
Year of Publication
2026
Edition
First Edition (Digital)
Description
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBNs
- ISBN 978-9-381496-98-5 (Cloth)
- ISBN 979-8-9943479-0-4 (ePub)
- ISBN 979-8-9943479-1-1 (PDF)
Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)
2025925518
Library of Congress Classification (LCC)
DS436 .P36 2026
Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)
954—dc23
Subjects (Library / Academic)
- Medical education—India—History
- Medicine—India—History
- Hospitals—India—History
- Institutional history—India
- Colonialism—India
- Postcolonialism—India
Notes
Publisher-supplied cataloging data.
Final cataloging is determined by individual libraries.
WORLDCAT / OCLC–READY METADATA
For Library Catalogers & Archivists
Main entry:
Pandya, Sunil K., 1936–2024.
Title:
Annals of Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College & KEM Hospital (1925–2025) : nationalism, foundation, and growth / Sunil K. Pandya ; edited by Lopa Mehta.
Publication:
Fremont, California : GOSUMEC Foundation USA, 2026.
Physical description:
1 volume (various pagings) : illustrations ; 24 cm.
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers:
- LCCN: 2025925518
- ISBN 978-9-381496-98-5 (Cloth)
- ISBN 979-8-9943479-0-4 (ePub)
- ISBN 979-8-9943479-1-1 (PDF)
Subjects (LCSH):
- Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College—History.
- King Edward Memorial Hospital (Mumbai, India)—History.
- Medical education—India—History.
- Hospitals—India—History.
- Medicine—India—History.
- Colonialism—India.
- Postcolonialism—India.
Classification:
- LCC DS436 .P36 2026
- DDC 954—dc23
PLATFORM & DISCOVERY METADATA (NON-COMMERCIAL)
Google · Amazon · Apple · Kobo
Title:
ANNALS of Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College & KEM Hospital (1925–2025)
Subtitle:
Nationalism, Foundation, and Growth
Author:
Sunil K. Pandya
Editor:
Lopa Mehta
Publisher (Digital):
GOSUMEC Foundation USA
Fremont, California, USA
Publication Year:
2026
Edition:
First Digital Edition
Categories / Discovery Codes
(Provided solely for indexing and discoverability; no commercial sale intended)
BISAC:
- MED000000 – Medical / General
- HIS036000 – History / Asia / India
- MED027000 – Medical / Ethics
Keywords:
medical education in India; history of medicine; KEM Hospital; Seth G.S. Medical College; colonial medicine; postcolonial India; institutional history; public hospitals
Rights & Access Statement
© 2026 GOSUMEC Foundation USA.
All rights reserved.
This digital edition is open access and made freely available worldwide for educational, scholarly, and non-commercial use.
Commercial reproduction, redistribution, or derivative use requires prior written permission from the copyright holder.
Pricing & Availability
- Price: $0.00
- License: Non-commercial, open scholarly access
- Territory: Worldwide