Karnataka: India Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, March 25 inaugurated 'Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SMSIMSR) & 'Sri Sathya Sai Rajeswari Memorial Block', a fully-free-of-cost medical college and hospital, at Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli in Chikkaballapura district.

The SMSIMSR hospital has been set up by Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence, an official release said.

situated in a rural area and established with a vision of de-commercialising medical education and healthcare, Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research' would provide medical education and quality medical care, totally  free of cost to all, it said. The SMSIMSR will start functioning from the academic year 2023, the release said.

Notably, the college will have fifty of its seats filled under the government quota and the remaining fifty will be under the private/management quota. No fees will be collected from all 100 students. They will have to agree to serve for 5 years in the college hospital after their graduation," as per an official statement released earlier.

As per the National Medical Commission website, the college was allowed to have 100 MBBS seats for 2023-24 on March 10, 2023. As a prelude to the establishment of the college, a 350-bed Sri Sathya Sai Sarala Memorial Hospital was established on the campus a few years ago and health facilities are being provided free of cost to needy patients.

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