Dr.Vishnumurthy H.C :

Dr. Vishnumurthy was the founder of Gopala Gowda Shanthaveri Memorial Hospital (GGSM Hospital) in Mysore. Born in a small village in theertahalli taluk, Shimoga district, he always wanted to serve people even when young. He was enrolled to Karnataka medical college (MBBS), Hubli, Karnataka on a merit scholarship after which he joined master’s in surgery (MS) at Mysore medical college. After graduation he was a faculty of Mysore Medical College, until he took voluntary retirement in 1980.

He started a 10-bed hospital called “Mini-hospital” which eventually turned into a 40 bedded hospital in 1983 called Gopala Gowda Shanthaveri Memorial Hospital in Mysore. The expansion in 1994, turned this 100-bed hospital into one of the most reputed, and oldest hospital of Mysore. Further expansion in 2009 has transformed this institution to a health education hub which runs 200 bedded Multispecialty hospital, Nursing school, Nursing college, Neurological institute, Gynecological center, and various health courses affiliated with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), among others. Students from this institute have a great reputation for training and are currently working in various hospitals in India and abroad.

Dr. Vishnumurthy with his down to earth personality and socialistic approach was a great doctor, journalist, poet, social justice advocate and a philanthropist. He was an ardent follower of Gopala Gowda, a socialist politician who brought social reforms to southern India along with his associate Ram Manohar Lohia.

He has written many books, participated in many social cause struggles, and was responsible to provide affordable health care for rural population in and around Mysore. Even today, GGSM Hospital provides quality health care for underserved and rural population with a very low-cost model. His dream was to provide good education, health, and quality of life for rural population.

Rekhamurthy

Rekhamurthy is the administrator of GGSM Hospital. She was born in Shimoga district and finished her schooling and college in Mount Caramel, Bangalore. Since her childhood she was always eager to help the needy. Being a home science graduate and a daughter of an agriculturist, she was always keen on charity work.

She married Dr. Vishnumurthy and moved to Mysore in early 1970’s. Since then, she has considered Mysore as her hometown and has served the Mysore rural population in various capacities including hospital administrator, social activist, and a philanthropist. Even at age 75, she manages the hospital and gets involved with various charity work for the underserved population. Few of her social reforms include providing financial assistance for non-affordable patients, teaching, and guiding children from a sweeper colony in Mysore, providing financial assistance to various charity programs which provide drinking water and rural health.

Popularly known as “Rekhamma”, she is revered and worshipped by her staff, doctors and friends for her extremely warm nature, helpful hands, and great personality.