From the Vice Chancellor's Desk:

With the dawn of the new yeat and as we approach the centenary of the establishment of this institution, we wish to strengthen bonds of frienship with Georgians around the globe. For the past 100 years, King George Medical College, now a medical university has provided quality educational opportunities to students at all stages of their career. Now it is our turn to give back to the institution as it prepares to build a new 'state of the art' Centenary Hospital. We promise to have an academically charged environment to facilitate cutting edge research as well as significant modernisation in the medical education technology. Our patients and our students would be our priorities in the century that follows.

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous 2004,

Mahendra Bhandari

                                                                                                         Round Up of 2003
We started the year 2003 as the Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University. By an act passed by the Government of Uttar Pradesh under then Chief Minister Mayawati on 16th September 2002 the King George Medical College was upgraded as the Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University. The university was to be a unique one of its kind - one of only 3 such institutions in the country and the only one in the north. Under the leadership of its first Vice Chancellor Prof KM Singh, the new university made rapid strides. However, the administration changed in May 2003 with the appointment as regular Vice Chancellor of Padmashri Prof Mahendra Bhandari, Director of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow. With the new leadership came many new ideas as well as all round development. Many changes were effected within a short span of time, some of which are listed below:

• College Timings : College timings for clinical teachers were increased in August 2003, the new timngs being 9 am - 4 pm for weekdays and 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays.
• Research Cell: Under the new VC, the scope of the Research Cell was expanded and Dr Shally Awasthi, Professor of Pediatrics was appointed as Faculty in Charge of Research Cell to oversee all its activities. With this, research in the medical university has been revamped and energized . Reforms in research administration have been introduced, with electronic accounting and round the year external and internal auditing. There are currently about 75 extramural research projects with funding of about 1.5 crores. In addition, intramural research grants for younger faculty have been initiated. An intramural grant of Rs 9 lacs has been given to 11 projects out of 23 applicants. Research awards for students and an award of Rs 10,000 for the best published thesis have been announced, and a research methodology workshop held. The institutional ethics committee has been reconstituted as per ICMR norms.
• Buildings & Renovation: Building and renovation work is progressing at a brisk pace. All over the campus one sees hectic activity. Much of this work was started under the last Vice Chancellor, Prof KM Singh. Gandhi Ward, Surgical Ward VIII, Outpatients, lecture theatres, Pediatric Residents' Room etc are being renovated. New construction on underground parking lot and Registrar Office is underway.
• KGMC gets its name back: On the request of some alumni and retired teachers, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav agreed to restore the old name of the institution, which is linked to its history. The proposal was ratified in the Vidhan Sabha and the order to this effect passed in December 2003, making the new university the King George Medical University.
• Cafetaria: A cafetaria for students and staff was a long felt need on the campus. With the efforts of the KGMU Welfare Society, an outdoor fast food cafetaria was opened in the campus in the lawn next to the Central Library on 18th December. The cafetaria, run by Ritz Restaurant, was inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor.