It is, by any measure, a structure of pride. ‘Osmania General’, in its heydey was a behemoth when it came to providing care and cure to thousands. There were days when VIPs rushed to the hospital to get themselves checked.
There was a time when the hospital was the go-to institute for everything from cardiac to diabetic care. And some of the finest doctors in the world have received training at OGH’s corridors. Today though, the building has been deemed “a risk” to both doctors and patients and the government’s planning to “pull the plug”.
A senior alumnus of the hospital is shocked. “We knew our ‘school’ was in bad shape but none of us... spread around the world could have ever predicted such a fate. Back in the day, when doctors were gods, OGH was the temple.”
City experts, too, are rather troubled with the way OGH has been given the death blow. “Osmania General Hospital was founded way back in 1921 and the structure has survived these years on hope and prayer. Therefore, the report about the demolition is surely tragic. The verdict is being based on JNTU’s statement that claims the structure is beyond repair.
In my opinion, that statement needs to be made public so that people themselves can know what the findings are. It is a property of the citizens too. I mean, tomorrow, they can say, we don’t need Charminar, let’s demolish that. These structures are an integral part of the city, so to demolish them is truly troubling,” says Anuradha Reddy, Co-convenor, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach).
Meanwhile, OGH’s ‘old boys’ are saddened their memories are soon going to be turned into rubble. In a note to the Deccan Chronicle Senior Nephrologist of Gandhi Hospital writes: “I’m an old student of the Osmania Medical College. It is saddening to know such a nice structure getting demolished. When the High Court and the Falaknuma Palace can be renovated, why not the OGH?
The ceiling of the hospital and the two huge portraits of the late Nizam adorning the main edifice, are scintillating works. There used to be no need for air conditioning in the hospital even during peak summers. I do agree that adminstrators did not bother with the maintenance at all. But allow the old structure to be converted into a museum. The building is about to complete 100 years.”
Others are also insisting the damaged building be given a new lease of life. On city’s social media, there’s a clamour to turn the building into a museum, or even something larger because OGH really did represent the good old days of medicine. “In my time, the student-teacher relationships were really good. Dr. V. Shantaram (cricketer V.V.S Laxman’s father) was my professor and was the biggest ever influence on me. We used to look up to them like gods,” reveals Dr S. Vijay Mohan, a former student at the university.
Dr. Mohan however, hints at the invevitable, and the other side of the debate as he says a demolition may not be a “bad idea”. “When a building or structure is on the verge of collapse, there’s no point in risking lives. Whether they want to demolish or keep it as a monument, that’s a different issue. We can treasure the memories, but when experts are saying it’s not safe, we should listen to them.”
