Alumni-led donations transform infrastructure at Guntur Medical College

Sustained efforts by Principal of Guntur Medical College (GMC) N.V. Sundarachary have resulted in a major facelift of the institution’s decades-old infrastructure, with more than ₹10 crore mobilised through alumni and individual donors over the past one year.

Several academic blocks and facilities built 60 to 100 years ago have been renovated, alongside improvements to classrooms, laboratories, transport, hostels and basic amenities. A significant feature of the initiative has been the active participation of GMC alumni from various batches, including the GMC Alumni of North America (GMCANA), who together contributed over ₹10 crore during Dr. Sundarachary’s tenure.

At the college-wide level, works worth about ₹2.47 crore were completed. These included the procurement of two buses at a cost of ₹40 lakh each by 1999-batch alumni, renovation of the canteen (₹41 lakh), waterproofing and roof works of the main building, new gates, internal roads, library roofing, dining facilities, examination tables, water coolers, RO plants, landscaping and green carpeting across the campus.

Department-wise development accounted for more than ₹5.04 crore. The Anatomy Department alone received ₹74.5 lakh for renovation of galleries, reading rooms and teaching areas through contributions from the 1984 and 1999 batches and individual donors. Biochemistry and Physiology departments together saw major upgrades, including laboratory renovation, equipment procurement and iron roof replacement, with donations exceeding ₹1.4 crore. Pathology department works, including lab renovation, microscopes, smart boards and lecture galleries, amounted to over ₹70 lakh, largely funded by the 1997 batch and donors from India and abroad.

Clinical departments also benefited through new teaching aids and medical equipment, while hostels received ₹14.8 lakh for recreational facilities, sports infrastructure and renovation of common areas.

College authorities said the coordinated alumni-driven funding model ensured transparent utilisation of resources while preserving heritage structures.

Dr. Sundarachary told The Hindu that the large-scale renovation has significantly improved the academic environment and student facilities at GMC, strengthening its standing as one of Andhra Pradesh’s premier medical institutions.