Dr Brown’s enduring seed of service

Dr Edith Mary Brown felt a calling to serve the Lord in a far-off land, facing challenges that few could imagine. With a dream and a prayer, she founded the first medical school for women in Asia, the Christian Medical College (CMC) in Ludhiana, in 1894. Beginning with just four students, the CMC has now evolved into the CMCH

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(Christian Medical College and Hospital) and stands as one of the country’s premier medical institutions and hospitals.

On her birth anniversary, celebrated on March 24, the city remembers Dr Brown’s immense contribution to the establishment of the CMCH in 1911. The road on which the hospital is located is named Brown Road and the hospital was once affectionately known as Brown Hospital by the locals.

We decided to visit the Dr Brown Heritage Centre, located on the CMCH campus, to explore the rich legacy Dr Brown left behind. This centre is a treasure trove, not only for the faculty and students of CMCH but for the entire city. Visitors can view many of Dr Brown’s personal items, such as the desk she used for writing, the first electricity bill of CMCH and other preserved belongings. Some of the items on display include her box, Bible, clock, passport, piano and the very table on which she wrote.

There is also a hand-written account statement by Dr Brown and the first electricity bill of the hospital. In addition to Dr Brown’s personal artefacts, the centre preserves many landmark items, with pictures adorning the walls.

One MBBS student remarked, “I’m in awe of all the items here. The table where Dr Brown used to write has such Victorian-era vibes. It is beautifully crafted with intricate carvings. I can just imagine her sitting there, writing prescriptions.”

Another student said, “I come here often and find it so peaceful. Behind this calm atmosphere lies the story of Dr Brown’s struggles. Her piano reflects her love for music. It seems she was quite a music lover.”

After retiring from the CMCH in 1942, Dr Brown lived in Srinagar, where she provided medical services from a houseboat. However, upon learning about the casualties caused by communal clashes during the Partition, she returned to Ludhiana to tend to the injured. It was during the Partition in 1947 that the CMCH began offering health services to male patients, mostly injured immigrants from Pakistan. Prior to that, the CMCH had only been providing services to women and children.

Dr Brown passed away on December 6, 1956, in Srinagar at the age of 92, and she is buried there. The Heritage Centre also showcases pictures of her grave, which many doctors have visited over the years as a mark of respect and remembrance.

Her legacy is beautifully encapsulated by the saying, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” This was shared by CMCH Principal Dr Jeyaraj Pandian after his visit to Dr Brown’s grave in Srinagar.