Thiruvananthapuram: When scores of patients and bystanders throng the prestigious Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), at least some of them recall the erstwhile Travancore royal family's benevolence.
The origin of the SCTIMST dates back to 1973 when the late Chithira Thirunal gifted it land and building. The then deputy chairman of Planning Commission, P. N. Haskar inaugurated the Center in 1976, when inpatient treatment got under way. Satelmond Palace, Poojapura, nearly 11 km away, hosts the biomedical technology wing, thanks again to the royal family.
Seeing Chitra’s success, Marthanda Varma gave land adjacent to Pattom Palace to the former management of Sree Uthradom Thirunal Hospital. However, an SUT hospital source told DC that Marthanda Varma had been unhappy with the running of the hospital, which made him cancel the lease deed. This paved the way for Bright Life Network of Hospital group’s takeover SUT hospital in a big deal. Marthanda Varma breathed his last at SUT.
Kerala Council of Historical Research director P. J. Cherian says, “When we launched the family history campaign in early 2000, I observed families that came to attend it were moved by the way Marthanda Varma interacted with them. They shared anecdotes with him.”
