Mumbai, April 24: The 100-year-old KEM Hospital run by the BMC is set to be renamed after the proposal was approved on Friday at a meeting of the BMC’s Health Committee. Health Committee Chairman Harish Bhandige confirmed the development.
Proposed new name and rationale
The proposed new name for King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital is “Kaushalyashreshtha Ekalavya Memorial (KEM) Hospital.” A few months ago, Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha had raised the issue during a visit to the hospital and later wrote a letter stressing the need to revive the country’s indigenous heritage and pride through such changes.
The move is part of a broader initiative to remove symbols of the colonial era and prioritise names rooted in Indian culture and history. Several prominent places in Mumbai have undergone similar renaming in the past.
Assurance on continuity and process
Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Bhandige said that the change would not create confusion for visitors. “People will continue to refer to it as KEM Hospital. Technically, there will be no inconvenience. At the same time, we will move away from the colonial legacy and adopt our own identity,” he said.
He added that the proposal will now be sent to the municipal commissioner for administrative approval, followed by final clearance from the BMC general body. “We are taking this step to promote Indian culture by renaming the hospital,” Bhandige added.
Institutional legacy of KEM Hospital
KEM Hospital was established about a century ago in memory of King Edward VII. The hospital is one of India’s most respected public healthcare institutions, marking a century of medical innovation and patient care on January 22.
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The hospital and its medical college began admitting patients on January 15, 1926, and were officially inaugurated on January 22, 1926. Starting with just 125 beds, KEM has grown into a major tertiary-care centre with 2,250 beds. In its first year, it treated 1,311 outpatients, admitted 274 patients, and performed 110 surgeries.
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