 Sir
Ronald Ross Institute, located in Begumpet has a significant
place in the history of health research. The small ancient
building is where the Malria parasite has been
discovered by Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Ross in
1897. Ronald Ross was born on May 13, 1857, at Almora
(India). His father Sir C.C.G.Ross, was a General
in the English army. He studied medicine at St. Bartholomew's
Hospital in London and entered the Indian
Medical Service in 1881. Later he initiated the study
of malaria. In 1894 he decided to make an experimental
investigation in India of the hypothesis of Laveran
and Manson that mosquitoes are connected with
the propagation of the said harmful disease.
 For
his research, Ross has selected Secunderabad as
an ideal place as the Malaria fever was more prevalent
here in those days. Ross set up his laboratory in the
old Begumpet hostpital building, where Malaria patients
used to come for the treatment. After two and a half years'
restless research, Ross succeeded in demonstrating the
life-cycle of the malaria parasite in mosquitoes, thus
establishing the hypothesis of Laveran and Manson. He
was awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1902 for
his research. As such extraordinary discovery was happened
under its shelter, the old Begumpet Hospital building
acquired historical significance. Keeping the significance
of the building and to conserve it as one of the historical
monuments in the city, the then Nizam government handed
over the building to Osmania University authorities.
 The
building, which was built before 1895 has wittnessed many
transitions : first as a military hospital, then as an
officers mess and later as The Institute of Malarial studies,
Osmania University. The building is a typical military
structure of that period with a linear, large multipurpose
central hall, walls and verandahs on either side. The
building was constructed with bricks and mud mortar and
has a timber framed tiled roof, rennovated by Architectural
Conservation Cell (Thane), in 1997 on the ocassion
of centenary celebrations of the Sir Ross's dicsovery.
 At
present one main hall of the building houses a small museum
displaying the laminated pictures of Sir Ronald Ross,
and different stages of Malaria ailment. The museum may
be tiny but bestows plenty of knowledge to the researchers
and enthusiastic visitors. For instance, one of the pictures
in the museum shows Sir Ross's dairies and his observations,
stagewise with diagrams. Another board displays pictures
of the microscope which Ross developed and used for his
exclusive reserach. The pictorial represenation of the
life cycle of the mosquito and malaraia parasite, information
on natural predators of the mosquito larvae like Gambusia
affinis and Hydra can be seen here.
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
(INTACH), a voluntary organisation which has been
engaged in protecting the heritage structures has several
plans to develop the Sir Ronald Ross Institute, into a
centre of excellence and tourist attraction. Efforts are
on to acquire the open land adjacent to the institute
building for landscaping and laying of approach road from
main road. Prof.C.Subramanyam, director of the
Ronald Ross Institute, said "there are also plans
to conduct training classes in parasitology in the institute
in order to establish it as a second tropical institute
after Calcutta".
The institute is located in the adjacent lane to the
Hotel Ramada Manohar, near Begumpet airport. The
museum will be open from 8 am to 5 pm except Sundays.
Contact Prof.C.Subramanyam or Mr. Younus (attandant),
who will be available in the institute premises, even
if the museum is locked. |
3:40:47 PM 
