It has a heavenly period when I underwent my education in Lady Hardinge Medical College for seven years .The first two years were devoted to the study of basic sciences what we call today as Premedical. After matriculation from Lahore I was admitted in L.H.M.C in 1927. Departments of biology ,physics and chemistry were located where department of pharmacology is located today . there was a botanical garden where now stand the multistoreyed flates for lecturers. Lady HURTOG took classes for English under the maulsaree trees, and Miss RAM was our wonderful teacher of organic chemistry.

Where was Connaught Place then? To see a cinema we had to go to kashmiri Gate in tongas. Regal building was just coming up . Yet it was fun and our campus was a paradise on earth.

In those days we had to go to Lahore for the professional examinations and we were given a grand good luck farewell by the students and the staff. Our staff members would all see us off at the railway station. All of us would be presented with a black cat brooch for luck.

In the scorching heat of june we travelled with our precious possessions (the books and skeletons),in the famous IIIrd class compartments of the train. We would be received at Lahore Stations by the eager and energetic tonga wallas who would cry with excitement "kurian aa gayina" and be driven down to Queen mary school at neck speed. Of course we were accompanied by a staff member and a few servants to make our stay of approximately one month comfortable.

Outside the examination hall we would be mobbed by the boys of king EDWARD MEDICAL COLLEGE, who wanted to know the important questions from us because one of the examiners would be from our college. In those days these were the only two medical colleges affiliated to PUNJAB UNIVERSITY.

After the Ist professional examinations we had a long vacation because the next session would starts in September.

In third year, we studied pathology, medical jurisprudence and pharmacology. We learnt our pathology from the post mortems conducted by DR. Beaty in civil hospital. It was in this period, I almost became totally blind because of over dosage of quinine causing retinal damage. But, I was nursed and looked after by my sister and my loving teachers. In spite of my temporary handicap, I stood Ist in the university amongst all the boys and girls in the second professional examination.

In our Time,sports was compulsory. Senior students of each hostel block would take a roll call in the basket ball field which used to be where the pathology department now stands.

The 3rd professional examination was held after two years. During this time we went to civil hospital for male surgery. Indians students had to work very hard because most of our British teacher were somewhat partial to the Anglo Indian students. By the time I reached final year we were only 12 students who took the 3rd professional examnition and only 3 students passed . Our standard of educations and examination was very high

I was one of the 10 house surgeons working day and night in the hospital. Service and welfare of the patients used to be our prime concern. Social service was thoroughly ingrained in us by our teachers who ere basically missionaries devoted to their work. Our rapport with out teachers was built on our close association of living together and shopping together on Punchkuian Road. On Saturday Pheri wallas would spread their wares in our grounds selling all kinds of goodies. For books we all loved to go to Galgotia.

In those days Mahatma Gandhi used to live in Daryaganj. Some of us, used to sneak out of the hostel early in the morning to attend his prayer meetings. We too were part of the satyagrah movement and invited Gandhiji to our college. Our British teachers were not one bit pleased but had to give in . He addressed us in the convocation hall, where we all spun Khadi thread. After his 'talk' and seeing this dynamic man, even the staunchest of the Westerners were totally overwhelmed by his charisma.

Then happened the nature's most devastating calamities -Quetta earth quake . I was a house surgeon volunteered to help and was issued a military permit . They called me the little choudhari . I stayed in a tent amongst the Pathan refugees, looking after them, amputating their gangrenous limbs, treating their women and children delivering babies and what not. These four months spent in Quetta carved my career and I decided to take up surgery. To cut the long story short , that is how I became professor of surgery and then the principal of Lady Hardigne Medical College .

I remember all this and much more and feel proud that my alma mater was blessed by Gandhiji and today it is flourishing and radiating. .