If there is one thing that has quietly defined the city of Madras over centuries, it is its place at the heart of healing. From traditional Ayurveda and Siddha practices whispered through families, to colonial-era hospitals and cutting-edge modern medicine, Chennai has long been a city where care, knowledge and service converge. Today, it is proudly called India’s health capital—a title earned through history as much as through present-day innovation.
This Madras Week, DakshinaChitra Museum and Public Health India have come together to celebrate that legacy with a special exhibition, Healthcare Heritage of Madras: Tracing the Roots of India’s Health Capital.
The exhibition sweeps across 350 years of medical history. Visitors will discover how India’s very first modern hospital took root in Fort St. George in the 1640s, and how institutions like Madras Medical College shaped generations of doctors. The exhibit will also feature the rise of mission hospitals, the pioneering era of corporate healthcare led by Apollo, and the intricate network of public hospitals that made Chennai a destination for healthcare.
What makes this show especially engaging is its focus on women in medicine. Stories of doctors, nurses, and midwives, who entered the profession at a time when women were scarcely visible in the workforce, have been carefully curated. As Solomon Thirumurugan of Public Health India explains, “At a time when women weren’t even in the formal workforce, women trained to become doctors in Madras. We’re telling that story and celebrating their legacy through this exhibition.”
Beyond the milestones, there are interesting anecdotes tucked in. One display explains how the word Saavugraki originated from horse-drawn carriages once summoned to carry not passengers, but the deceased, from the hospital.
The exhibition also carries a contemporary edge with QR codes linking to digital story maps, enabling visitors to trace over 50 institutions and 20 pioneering women across the city’s medical landscape, even after they leave the gallery.
“Madras has over centuries earned the title of ‘healthcare capital of India’. Today, over 40 per cent of all medical tourism in India comes to this city,” Solomon points out. That figure alone underscores why this exhibition matters.
Tickets with museum entry. Till August 29 . 10 am to 7 pm. At Kadambari Art Gallery, DakshinaChitra Museum, ECR.