Vellore : On October 9, the Azim Premji Foundation announced a ₹500 crore grant to Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore, India’s leading healthcare institution. This funding will facilitate the establishment of a new medical college and the transformation of the existing 120-bed hospital into a teaching facility with 422 beds in Chittoor.

The grant aims to enhance CMC Vellore’s unique MBBS education and emphasize the discipline of Primary-cum-Secondary Health Care (PSHC), addressing the growing disparities in the Indian healthcare landscape, as stated in a foundation release.

Located in Tamil Nadu, CMC Vellore is a multi-specialty healthcare institution with a capacity of 3,675 beds. Its primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary care facilities are distributed across Vellore and Ranipet districts in Tamil Nadu and Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh, collectively serving over 3.2 million patients annually and providing subsidies exceeding ₹300 crore.

Dr. Vikram Mathews, Director of CMC Vellore, expressed gratitude for the partnership with the Azim Premji Foundation, highlighting that the new medical college and teaching hospital at the Chittoor campus will serve as a replicable model for relevant medical education, healthcare delivery, research, and outreach. “This initiative will be sensitive to the financial, societal, and resource constraints faced by many Indians,” he noted. He added that the collaboration comes as CMC Vellore approaches its 125th anniversary in 2025.

Anurag Behar, CEO of the Azim Premji Foundation, praised CMC Vellore as a shining example of Indian healthcare. “We are honored to support their efforts in establishing their second medical college,” he stated.

CMC Vellore provides medical, nursing, and allied health education to over 2,000 students annually through 229 courses, all at a fraction of the actual cost.