A ‘breach of faith’

When students and professors of Grant Medical College attached to the J. J. Hospital in Bombay read the timetable for the theory examination of postgraduate medical and surgical students, they noticed that the word "Government” had been added to the institution’s name, which has now become Grant Government Medical College. A similar change has been effected in the B. J. Medical College in Poona, which is now known as the B. J. Government Medical College, reported Mid Day (MD) in its issue of May 17, 2012.

Both these are government run colleges, but have been endowed by the Jejeebhoy family, for whom these changes have not gone down well. The current Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy termed it "a unilateral, inexplicable act on the part of the government, which amounts to complete breach of faith.” Since the land is bequeathed property, no changes can be made to the original name, some of the alumni informed MD. However, when the newspaper put this to Dr Pravin Shingare, chief of directorate of medical education and research and former dean of the J. J. Hospital and Grant Medical College who played an important role in effecting the change, he responded, "Whatever amendment has been made in the name is within the rules as per government resolutions.” His explanation was that students applying to foreign universities were asked to obtain a letter from the College certifying whether it was government aided or private, and each year thousands of such letters had to be signed. So representatives from 13 government-run medical colleges across Maharashtra came together and decided to incorporate the word "government” in the name of these institutions.

The new name, Sir J. J. Government Hospital, has hurt feelings

Other knowledgeable persons whom MD contacted differed with Shingare’s contention. Goolam E. Vahanvati, attorney general of India opined: "No changes can be made if the land is bequeathed on certain conditions” while according to senior advocate Pranav Badhacha "it is impermissible to change the name contrary to the direction and wishes of Jejeebhoy.” He also felt that no public interest is served by the change of name which is uncalled for and seems to be the result of some bureaucratic wishes.

The present Sir Jamsetjee elaborated that "his ancestors had mooted the idea of bequeathing the land for the hospital, which was accepted by the East India Company... It was agreed and approved by the then government that, firstly the hospital will be named after Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, special wards will be provided for those with letters of recommendation from Jamsetjee or his heirs, and finally the hospital management would have two representatives nominated by the government and Jejeebhoy and his heirs.” All these suggestions were accepted. When MD asked Jejeebhoy whether he would take steps to ensure that these conditions are implemented, he declined, stating that the institution is over 165 years old and it is too late to do so. "I am sad about the condition in which the hospital is today and the way it is presently run,” he told MD.

Neurologist Dr Noshir Wadia, 87, one of the senior­most alumni of the College and chairman of the Friends of the Grant Medical College and Sir J. J. Group of Hospitals Trust too felt that the reason for the change "does not appear convincing.” Several other hospitals in Bombay which are run by the municipal corporation have not found it necessary to include the word "municipal” in their names, he informed MD.