In the grand corridors of Madras Medical College (MMC), where the echoes of history mingle with the aspirations of the future, my family has walked for more than 170 years. For six generations, MMC has not only been our alma mater but also the cradle of our calling. What began in the 19th century with one determined man has blossomed into a lineage of doctors who have served with pride, passion, and purpose.
The story began with my great-great-great-grandfather, Dr. A. Perumal Naidu, one of the earliest Indian graduates of MMC as a Licensed Medical Practitioner. He set up a flourishing practice in George Town and later in Purasaiwakkam, becoming a trusted physician of his era. His decision to step into medicine planted the first seed of a tradition that has since grown into a deep-rooted family tree.
His son, Dr. A. Thirumalai Naidu, added a new chapter. After graduating from MMC, he trained further in England, earning his LRCP, LRCS, and DPH, before returning to serve the Government of Madras Presidency as a Health Officer. He later rose to Deputy Director of Health and Professor of Hygiene at MMC (now called Social and Preventive Medicine).
But the legacy was not his alone—his elder brother, Dr. Srinivasalu Naidu, became the first Indian Professor of Forensic Medicine at MMC and later the Dean of KMC. Another brother too walked the halls of MMC, joining the Department of Health. Three sons of Dr. Perumal Naidu, three proud MMCians, laid the foundation for a dynasty of doctors.
Carrying the torch forward, my great-grandfather, Dr. T. Balamukunda Rao (son of Dr. Thirumalai Naidu), completed his MBBS from MMC in 1943. His career took him to the Southern Railways, where he rose to become Additional Chief Medical Officer, combining clinical excellence with public service.
My grandfather, Dr. B. Premkumar, followed in his footsteps. After completing MBBS in 1964 and MS in 1969 at MMC, he pursued advanced training in England and obtained the FRCS (Edinburgh) in 1973. His illustrious career spanned leadership roles across Tamil Nadu—Head of the Periyar Nagar Peripheral Hospital, Superintendent at Government Royapettah Hospital, Senior Professor and HOD of Surgery at Kilpauk Medical College, and later at Stanley and Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College. He retired in 1999 as the Dean of MMC and Government General Hospital—a crowning achievement in the very place where our family’s journey began. At MMC, he pioneered many administrative breakthroughs, such as reclaiming the name Madras Medical College from a brief period of being called Chennai Medical College, as well as reissuing the Johnson Gold Medal after an 8-year hiatus in its being presented. He was also instrumental in conducting the first ever FRCS(Edin) examination in India. A whole other article will be needed to do justice to his illustrious career.
My mother, Dr. Suchitra Jayaprakash, represented the fifth generation. She completed her MBBS from MMC in 1990, went on to do her DNB in Surgery, and today serves as a Director of Aditya Hospital,Kilpauk. With her, the family’s tradition of surgical excellence and institutional leadership carried into the modern era.
And now, it is my turn. I, Dr. Aditya Jp, entered MMC in 2022 to pursue my MS in General Surgery, completing my training in 2025. To walk the same halls that nurtured five generations of my family before me was both humbling and inspiring. MMC was not just my college; it was the living archive of my heritage.
Today, I serve as a Director and Nodal Surgeon of Aditya Hospital, Kilpauk, where I continue the mission of patient-first, outcomesfocused surgical care. Every decision I make is informed not just by my training, but by the unbroken chain of MMCians who came before me.
It is the great privilege of our family legacy that we were able to learn the art of healing from an institution such as Madras Medical College. Each generation was shaped by its time there, and we are sure MMC will continue to shape generations of doctors to come and create further legacies.
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