In the summer of 1969, a small Wardha village witnessed the birth of an institution that would shape generations of doctors. Sevagram, once home to Mahatma Gandhi, now nurtured the MGIMS—where medicine met service.

But miles away, in the heart of Madhya Pradesh, stood another institute, older yet equally steeped in purpose—Gandhi Medical College (GMC), Bhopal, founded in 1955. It carried the same name, the same ideals, and unknowingly, it would share something more—a steady stream of doctors who would walk its corridors before finding their way to Sevagram.

And so, in the 1970s and ’80s, a quiet migration began. Young men who once wore crisp terricot white aprons in Bhopal chose to wear not-so-crisp khadi shirts and trousers in Sevagram. They arrived at MGIMS, bringing with them the ethos of their alma mater, exchanging the beauty of lakes for the rustic simplicity of Wardha.

Admittedly, they arrived with selfish intent—after all, isn’t that the reason one seeks a job or career advancement? But as they stayed, they found themselves learning medicine on a broader canvas. In time, Sevagram became their second home—a home they would never forget.

𝗗𝗿. 𝗥.𝗠. 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗱𝗮, a GMC Bhopal alumnus of the 1970 batch, walked through the gates of MGIMS in 1980 and remained for 24 years until he breathed his last in Sevagram in 2004, teaching and practising ENT, and shaping countless students in his journey.

𝗗𝗿. 𝗦.𝗞.𝗧. 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝗻, from the 1974 GMC Bhopal batch, followed in his wake, spending a decade in the ENT department at MGIMS before going on to lead departments at Nanded, Akola, and Aurangabad.

𝗗𝗿. Sanjay Diwan, a 1979 batch Bhopal alumnus, worked in the department of Medicine at MGIMS between 1989 and 1995. His journey later took him to another medical college in Wardha, where he led the Medicine department.

Surgery, too, had its torchbearers—𝗗𝗿. 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗷 𝗠𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝘆𝗮, a GMC Bhopal alumnus of the 1977 batch, made Sevagram his home as a lecturer between 1984 and 1986.

Meanwhile, Pediatrics found two guardians—𝗗𝗿. 𝗔.𝗣. 𝗗𝘂𝗯𝗲𝘆, a 1970 Bhopal alumnus, nurtured young lives at MGIMS from 1980 to 1985 before going on to head Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi. 𝗗𝗿. 𝗠𝘂𝗸𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗹, from the GMC Bhopal 1976 batch, carried forward this legacy between 1985 and 1991 before leading the Pediatrics department at Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai.

These were not just names; they were bridges between two institutions—one in a bustling state capital, the other in the rustic simplicity of Sevagram. Through their work, they echoed the same message: medicine was not merely about making money but about infusing life with meaning.

Decades have passed. Generations have come and gone. Now it takes just a little over six hours to reach the city of lakes by road. But the bond between these two institutions—woven through history and the ideals of the Mahatma—remains unbroken.

And there are several MGIMS alumni who have made Bhopal their second home—but that is a story for another day, another post.

Two colleges. One name. One tradition. And a legacy that refuses to fade.