By MS Nazki
There is a famous Indian Army hospital in Kashmir, popularly known as 92 Base Hospital.
For generations of soldiers serving in the Valley, the hospital has come to represent hope in the most difficult circumstances. Soldiers injured during encounters and counter-terrorism operations are rushed here for urgent medical treatment.
The Army Medical Corps has earned respect as the “Saviours” of the “Warriors”, working round the clock to ensure that soldiers receive the best possible medical care and that lives are saved even when the fight is directly against death.
The hospital's reputation has been built not only on its facilities but also on the professionalism, commitment and readiness of its medical staff.
History of the Army Medical Corps
The Army Medical Corps of India traces its origins back to 1764 during the British colonial era with the formation of the early Indian Medical Service.
Key Historical Milestones
1764: The Indian Medical Service was founded in India under British administration.
19th Century: The Indian Medical Department evolved, utilizing compounders, dressers and later hospital assistants.
3 April 1943: The Indian Army Medical Corps was officially formed through the merger of the Indian Medical Service, Indian Medical Department and Indian Hospital Corps. April 3 is celebrated annually as AMC Raising Day.
1948: Following recommendations by a committee headed by Dr B. C. Roy, the medical services of the Navy, Army and Air Force were integrated into the Armed Forces Medical Services under a unified Director General.
The core identity of the Army Medical Corps is reflected in its motto:
“Sarve Santu Niramaya”
It means, “May all be free from disease and disability.”
The Army Medical Corps provides comprehensive medical care to service members, veterans and their families during both peace and war.
The corps has a large network of military hospitals located across the country, providing medical care and specialized facilities to military personnel, veterans, their families and dependants.
Among these hospitals, some have distinguished themselves through their continuous service and the immense trust placed in them by the personnel they serve.
92 Base Hospital, Badami Bagh, Srinagar, is one such institution.
92 Base Hospital
It would not be an exaggeration to say that 92 Base Hospital has become one of the most important military medical institutions in Kashmir.
The trust which personnel have in the staff there is such that they feel that if they are timely admitted to 92 Base Hospital, they have a chance of survival even when life is hanging by a thread.
Early History
The hospital was raised in Rawalpindi during the Second World War in 1942 and was moved to different locations throughout the war.
After demonstrating its capabilities during the World War, it reached Srinagar on 2 October 1948, during the Indo-Pak conflict, and occupied the old Jammu and Kashmir State Forces accommodation.
It was later organized as a static hospital and renamed 92 Base Hospital on 28 August 1970.
The hospital subsequently developed into a major multi-speciality medical institution serving soldiers deployed in the region.
A Multi-Speciality Military Hospital
92 Base Hospital is a 598-bedded multi-speciality hospital, including basic specialities such as ENT, eye care, dermatology, psychiatry, paediatrics and gynaecology.
It caters to soldiers serving in the region and also provides trauma facilities to civilians in the Valley.
The hospital is equipped with diagnostic facilities including automatic analysers, CT scanners and MRI facilities. It also has a licensed blood bank to meet sudden requirements during casualties.
92 Base Hospital has truly lived up to its motto:
“Touching Hearts, Saving Lives.”
The hospital extends its support not only to Armed Forces personnel, dependants and veterans but also to police and paramilitary forces, providing life-saving interventions during critical situations.
The critical care provided by the hospital has helped save many precious lives.
Service During Conflict and Disasters
92 Base Hospital has maintained its tradition of patient care during peace as well as during various conflicts and emergencies in the region.
Its role has included medical support during the Kargil War, Operation Rakshak, Operation Parakram and the Kashmir floods of September 2014.
During the 2014 floods, the hospital not only treated patients but also played a role in medical coordination for rescued civilians.
In 2020, the hospital faced another major challenge as it dealt simultaneously with trauma cases and COVID-19 patients.
The hospital successfully treated COVID-19 patients with a reported mortality of less than one per cent and has the capacity to treat multiple casualties simultaneously.
Treating Battle Casualties
A significant number of cases reaching the hospital involve gunshot wounds and splinter injuries sustained during counter-terrorism operations and encounters.
Whenever information about an injured soldier is received, the hospital's medical staff and specialists are alerted.
Medical personnel residing nearby can reach the hospital at short notice, including during the odd hours of the night.
Many casualties are airlifted from encounter sites and can reach the hospital in around half an hour.
That short period becomes crucial for the medical staff, who must prepare the required facilities before the casualty arrives.
On reaching the hospital, the patient undergoes a preliminary assessment and the necessary diagnosis is carried out.
If surgery is required, the patient is shifted to the operation theatre. In other cases, immediate treatment, bandaging and other procedures may begin in the trauma centre.
The trauma-care system has evolved considerably over the years, increasing the chances of successful medical intervention.
The cases arriving at the hospital can vary enormously.
One casualty may involve a bullet injury to a hand or leg or a relatively limited splinter wound. Another may involve serious injuries to the ribs, smashed bones or splinters lodged inside the abdomen.
Each case requires a different approach to treatment and care.
The ability of the medical staff to respond to such varying and often critical situations has become one of the defining features of the hospital.
The 2012 Gurez Avalanche
The hospital's role extends beyond treating battlefield injuries.
An example cited by retired Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain relates to the major avalanche in Gurez in 2012.
During a severe winter, several vulnerable Army posts and garrisons in Kashmir were at risk from avalanches.
A major avalanche struck the Gurez garrison, resulting in the deaths of 18 soldiers. Three additional casualties were reported from Sonamarg.
With 21 fatalities, the priority shifted to sending the remains of the soldiers home as soon as possible. Before that could happen, however, post-mortem examinations and documentation procedures had to be completed.
According to the account, personnel from 92 Base Hospital worked through the night to conduct the post-mortems, complete the necessary procedures and prepare all 21 bodies within 24 hours, along with the required documentation.
The episode became another example of the demanding responsibilities carried out by military medical personnel behind the scenes.
The History of Hospitals in India
The story of 92 Base Hospital is part of a much longer history of organized healthcare.
India has ancient traditions of medicine, including Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani, which have been practised for thousands of years.
The history of hospitals in India stretches from ancient healing institutions to modern multi-speciality medical centres.
Ancient Origins
Organized healing institutions appeared as early as the period of Buddha and the Mauryan Empire.
Emperor Ashoka, in the 3rd century BCE, is credited with establishing some of the earliest public hospitals and herbal clinics for humans and animals.
During the medieval period, rulers such as Firuz Shah Tughlaq and later Mughal emperors established state-funded hospitals and dispensaries.
Traditional systems such as Ayurveda and Unani continued to play an important role in healthcare.
Ancient Civilizations
The earliest forms of hospitals were not hospitals in the modern sense but places where people gathered for healing.
In Mesopotamia, temples served as centres of healing. Priests also acted as healers and cared for the sick through rituals, herbs and early medical practices.
In ancient India, practitioners used Ayurveda, rituals, mantras, yoga and spiritual practices to address physical and mental ailments.
The Atharva Veda contains hymns associated with healing, demonstrating the long relationship between medicine, spirituality and society.
Buddhist monasteries later provided organized care to monks and, in some cases, the wider public.
In ancient Egypt, “Houses of Life” served as places where medical knowledge was preserved and physicians treated patients.
In Greece, the Asklepieia, temples dedicated to the healing god Asclepius, served as centres of medical treatment.
The Romans later developed structured military hospitals for soldiers, with wards, sanitation facilities and medical personnel.
Medieval and Modern Hospitals
During the Middle Ages, European hospitals were largely associated with the Christian Church.
Monasteries provided care and hospitality to the sick, poor and travellers.
In the Islamic world, medicine developed significantly through institutions known as bimaristans, or houses of the sick.
Cities including Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo developed hospitals with separate wards, pharmacies, teaching facilities and written medical records.
From the Renaissance onwards, hospitals gradually shifted from charitable shelters to organized medical institutions.
Medical education became increasingly linked to hospitals, allowing physicians to treat patients while teaching and conducting research.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, hospitals increasingly emphasized clinical observation and medical training.
Major developments such as anesthesia, antiseptic techniques and germ theory transformed hospitals into centres of modern medical treatment.
Florence Nightingale's reforms during the Crimean War also transformed nursing and hospital design, emphasizing sanitation, ventilation and patient dignity.
By the 20th century, hospitals had become central to healthcare systems worldwide.
The World Wars accelerated developments in surgery, blood transfusion and trauma care.
Hospitals became increasingly specialized, with departments dedicated to areas such as paediatrics, cardiology and oncology.
In the 21st century, hospitals have become highly technological institutions, equipped with advanced diagnostic systems, electronic medical records, intensive care units and specialized surgical facilities.
The future of hospitals is expected to include greater use of artificial intelligence, automation, telemedicine, personalized medicine and sustainable infrastructure.
The history of hospitals is ultimately a story of humanity's continuing commitment to healing.
The Development of Modern Hospitals in India
The Portuguese and the East India Company played an important role in the introduction and development of Western medical institutions in India.
After Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to India in 1498, the Portuguese established Goa as their centre on India's western coast.
The East India Company later became the dominant colonial power and established Madras, present-day Chennai, as one of its major centres.
In 1639, EIC officials Andrew Cogan and Francis Day were instrumental in establishing Fort St George near Madrasapatnam.
The first modern hospital in India was established within the fort.
The First Hospital, 1664–1678
The East India Company had long made provisions for surgeons to care for its employees.
The first hospital in Fort St George was established in late 1664.
The facility occupied the former lodgings of Andrew Cogan and could accommodate approximately 8–10 men.
As the fort became increasingly congested, the hospital was subsequently moved and expanded several times.
The Second Hospital, 1679–1688
The second hospital was established near St Mary's Church and was considerably more spacious.
By 1688, it had developed into a two-storeyed building managed by the church.
The Third Hospital, 1688–1690
The hospital was temporarily moved to St James Street in the fort.
The Fourth Hospital, 1690–1712
The fourth hospital was established at the northern end of the fort and was known as the Hospital of Elihu Yale.
It was built in Tuscan style and was considerably more spacious.
The hospital was initially used for Company soldiers but was later opened to the European public.
The facility was staffed by surgeons and other medical personnel and became associated with some of the earliest documented medical and medico-legal practices in India.
The Fifth Hospital, 1712–1746
The hospital was further expanded during the tenure of Governor Edward Harrison.
It was intended to accommodate between 100 and 150 inpatients.
The hospital was eventually affected by the increasing military conflict between the British and French in the region.
When the French occupied Madras during the Second Carnatic War, the hospital was abandoned and its staff transferred elsewhere.
After Madras was returned to the British, the hospital was moved outside the fort.
The Sixth Hospital, 1753–1757
The hospital was established outside the fort on land acquired from Portuguese residents.
However, the location presented several problems and further improvements were required.
The Seventh Hospital, 1757–1758
The hospital was moved to Muthialpettah, closer to its eventual site.
Surgeons Robert Turning and James Wilson urged further expansion and improvements in equipment and facilities.
The hospital was again affected by military conflict and was subsequently moved.
The Eighth Hospital, 1758–1759
During the siege of Madras, a field hospital was established inside the fort.
The house of Solomon Franco was used as the field hospital during the siege.
The Ninth Hospital, 1759–1772
After the war with the French, the hospital was moved to an area previously occupied by Armenian churches and a cemetery.
Concerns about the location eventually led authorities to search for a more suitable site.
The Tenth Hospital, From 1772
The hospital was finally shifted to a site known as Hogga Hill, or Nari Medu, meaning wolf mound in Tamil.
The elevated and relatively open location was considered suitable for a large hospital.
The hospital was designed to accommodate approximately 600 inpatients.
Over time, the administration of the hospital underwent further reforms and became increasingly centralized.
The development of this institution represents an important chapter in the evolution of organized hospital care in India.
Armed Forces Medical College
The Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) was established on 1 May 1948 in Pune, following recommendations of the B. C. Roy Committee.
It became an important institution for the training of medical officers for India's Armed Forces.
The Graduate Wing was inaugurated on 4 August 1962 by the then Defence Minister V. K. Krishna Menon.
The College of Nursing was established in November 1964 to provide specialized nursing education and training for military service.
AFMC is located on a 119-acre campus where several historic buildings date back to the British era.
Today, it functions as a major institution providing specialized and super-specialized medical officers to the Indian Armed Forces.
The People Behind Military Medicine
Lieutenant General (Dr.) Madhuri Kanitkar
Lieutenant General (Dr.) Madhuri Kanitkar is an Armed Forces Medical College graduate who became the third woman in the Indian Armed Forces to reach the rank of Lieutenant General.
She took the AFMC entrance examination without initially telling her parents and later convinced her father to allow her to continue her medical training.
She topped her batch at AFMC and received the President's Gold Medal.
She later trained as a specialist and established the first paediatric nephrology unit in the Army Medical Corps.
She was promoted to Lieutenant General on 29 February 2020 alongside her husband, marking a historic occasion in which both spouses attained three-star ranks.
She subsequently served as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Medical) and later as Dean of AFMC.
Captain Devashish Sharma, Kirti Chakra
Captain Devashish Sharma was an Armed Forces Medical College graduate and an Army Medical Corps officer who was awarded the Kirti Chakra.
He served as the Regimental Medical Officer of 26 Punjab and chose to accompany troops on dangerous patrols.
He was also an accomplished swimmer, guitarist and poet.
In 1994, terrorists were hiding inside a house in Dangarpur village in Kashmir when a gunfight broke out.
Captain Sharma moved forward to treat injured soldiers and was struck by a bullet in the thigh.
Despite being wounded and bleeding, he continued to treat his men.
He crawled under enemy fire and shot a foreign terrorist while continuing to provide first aid to the injured soldiers.
He later succumbed to his injuries while being airlifted to the hospital at the age of 26.
His story remains an example of the dual responsibility carried by Army medical officers, who serve as both healers and soldiers.
Captain Anshuman Singh, Kirti Chakra
Captain Anshuman Singh hailed from Bardiha Dalpat village of Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh and was born in 1997.
The son of Army veteran Subedar Ravi Pratap Singh and Smt Manju Singh, he was the youngest of three siblings.
He completed his schooling at Rashtriya Military School Chail in Himachal Pradesh.
While studying there, his inclination towards the Armed Forces grew and the foundation of his future military career was laid.
He subsequently joined the prestigious Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, to pursue his medical education.
After completing his studies, he joined the Indian Army and was commissioned into the Army Medical Corps.
He dedicated himself to providing medical care and support to his fellow servicemen.
He married Ms Smriti Singh, an engineer by profession, on 10 February 2023.
Siachen Glacier Fire Accident
On 19 July 2023, Capt Anshuman Singh was serving with 403 Field Hospital of 26 Punjab Battalion, on attachment from 26 Madras, deployed in the Siachen Glacier.
The Siachen region remains one of the most challenging military environments, with troops operating at altitudes exceeding 19,000 feet in extreme weather conditions.
As a Regimental Medical Officer, Capt Anshuman was responsible for providing medical care to troops deployed in the area.
In the early morning hours of 19 July 2023, at approximately 3 a.m., an ammunition stockpile caught fire at the Chandan Dropping Zone in Siachen.
Capt Anshuman heard the call of fire and immediately rushed out of his Fiberglass Hut.
He quickly realized that several soldiers were trapped and needed to be rescued.
Without caring for his own safety, he moved into the affected area to rescue his fellow troops.
Despite the dangerous conditions and rapidly spreading fire, he searched for survivors and helped bring them to safety.
He managed to rescue four to five individuals from a nearby Fiberglass Hut that was rapidly filling with smoke and was on the verge of catching fire.
His calm instructions helped guide the individuals to safety.
He then noticed that the Medical Investigation Room had been engulfed in fire.
He returned to his Fiberglass Hut to retrieve the medical aid box.
However, the flames had spread rapidly and engulfed his shelter, aided by high-velocity winds.
Despite repeated efforts, he could not be rescued.
His mortal remains were recovered from the shelter after the fire was extinguished.
Capt Anshuman Singh made the supreme sacrifice at the age of 26 while serving the nation.
For his outstanding courage, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice, he was awarded the nation's second-highest peacetime gallantry award, the Kirti Chakra, posthumously.
His mother, Smt Manju Singh, and wife, Smt Smriti Singh, received the award from President Smt Droupadi Murmu on 5 July 2024.
Capt Anshuman Singh is survived by his father, Subedar Ravi Pratap Singh (Retd), mother, Smt Manju Singh, and wife, Smt Smriti Singh.
The Lifeline Behind the Warriors
From battle casualties and traumatic injuries to natural disasters and medical emergencies, the work carried out by military hospitals often happens away from the public eye.
92 Base Hospital, Badami Bagh, represents that critical link between the battlefield and survival.
Its history is also part of the larger story of the Army Medical Corps, whose personnel have continued to serve soldiers during war, conflict, disasters and peace.
Behind every soldier who returns from a battlefield injury is a chain of people who worked to save that life.
Doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians, support staff and medical officers all form part of that chain.
And at the centre of that effort stands the enduring mission of military medicine:
Touching Hearts. Saving Lives.
