were set up in Shillong in the early 20th century and the Ganesh Das Hospital was one of them.
In this episode of Shillong’s Iconic Structures, we are featuring the Ganesh Das hospital, one of the oldest and busiest health institutes in the state. Established in 1935, it is a state referral hospital for women and children.
The Ganesh Das hospital is set amid a concrete jungle – with countless numbers of vehicles and people thronging the premises every day, though that would not have been the sight 40 or 50 years ago. It was said to be a landmark located atop a hill called Pasteur Hill, surrounded 
by tall pine trees and overlooking the crystal clear Umkhrah River and the horse race course in Polo ground – a beautiful view indeed!
Let’s further dive into the history of this hospital:
As Shillong, being the capital of the then Assam province, witnessed fast growth in population in the first quarter of the 20th century, the need for a separate hospital to treat women and children was felt. With this thought in mind, a few concerned individuals, including renowned philanthropist, late Jeevan Ram Goenka, came together and raised money to build the hospital under the auspices of the Countess of Dufferin Fund. This fund was established by 
Hariot Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, more commonly known as Lady Dufferin, in 1885 and was dedicated to improving women’s healthcare in India.
The foundation stone was laid by Lady Joyce M. Keane, the wife of Sir Michael Keane, the then Governor of Assam, on November 22, 1933, and the hospital was completed and officially opened on December 3, 1935. The first medical superintendent was Dr (Mrs) G Stapleton in 1935 and history has it that Dr Billiancy Pariat was one of the first Khasi woman doctors who worked in the hospital during the British era.
Have you ever wondered why the hospital was called Ganesh Das despite it being a government hospital? It was learned that Late Jeevan Ram donated his land and money for 
this hospital and on completion, dedicated it to his father late Ganesh Das Goenka.
The hospital started with a bed strength of 32 which later increased to 68 as the number of patients grew. In those days, patients were referred from different parts of Assam and the Northeastern region. At present, the official bed strength is 400 with an addition of 100 with the support of 55 doctors, including the medical superintendent and around 160 nurses.
Arguably the busiest hospital in the state, Ganesh Das caters not only to the people of Shillong and its adjoining areas but receives referral cases from different PHCs, CHCs of Khasi, Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi district and also from different central government organisations and establishments like the CRPF, BSF, military and the like.