In 1870, the Maharaja of Vijaynagaram first wished to start a medical college in Lucknow and offered to donate Rs 3 lacs, but due to paucity of funds this was not passed by the Government and the dream of the Maharaja could not take shape. In 1905, to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales to India, the Raja of Jehangirabad and Sir Taussuduq Rasool requested the Raja of Ayodhya to persuade S
ir James LaTouche, Lt Governor of United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) to recommend the establishment of the medical college to the Governor of India. This time the Government gave its sanction but with the condition that the people of United Provinces raise a sum of Rs 8 lacs. The fund raising activities were successful and the foundation stone was laid by the Prince of Wales on 26 December 1905 on a plot of land donated by the UP Government on the bank of River Gomti. Sir Swinton Jacob, the famous architect, designed the building in Indo-Saracenic style, so as to blend naturally with the minarets and monuments of this 'nawabi' city. The medical college was formally opened in October 1911, the year when His Majesty King George V and Queen Mary visited India, by the then Lt. Every year since 1916, the 'topper' of the Final Professional Examination is decorated with the 'Hewett Medal' in honor of the man who opened the portals of the college to 'Georgians'. Dr KS Nigam was the first Hewett medallist of this college. W Selby was the first Principal and Professor of Surgery and Lt. CA Sprawson was the first physician. Initially the faculty consisted of five professors and two lecturers. The college was affiliated to Allahabad University.
