The history of the institute dates back to the pre-independence era of India. The Bhore Committee report formed by the Ministry of Health pointed out the need of trained personnel and an institution in the field of chest diseases country. Officials, then decided to establish such an institution in the country which would train people in this field. The Directorate of Ministry of Health, Government of India, lodged an application to Sir Maurice Gwyer, the then Vice-Chancellor of University of Delhi, to start a course in chest diseases at the earliest. In 1946, Sir Maurice Gwyer constituted a committee for this purpose. On the recommendation of committee a proposal was submitted to the Government by the Vice-Chancellor for the establishment of a new institute. In the beginning, the teaching and training facilities of the Lady Hardinge Medical College, Irwin and Silver Jubilee Hospitals in Delhi, were used by the institute. A diploma course in chest diseases was started in 1947 and Dr. R. Viswanathan, the then Deputy Director General, Health Services, Government of India, was appointed as the Honorary Director of the course. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the then Deputy Prime Minister of India, laid the foundation stone of the institute on 6 April 1949. The institute is also named after him. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur opened the institute on 12 January 1953 and R. Viswanathan served as the first Director of the Institute. The hospital wing of the institute, named after Dr. R. Viswanathan, is called Viswanathan Chest Hospital . The hospital started working in 1956 but it was inaugurated on 25 October 1957 by the then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
Present form
Institute, today, fulfils the national need to provide medical education in field of chest diseases and relief to large number of patients in the community suffering from chest diseases. Postgraduates are trained in pulmonary medicine and allied subjects in the institute. Research and new diagnostic technologies are developed. The institution provides the infrastructure for specialized clinical and investigative services to patients. The institute has also played a role in conducting investigations for the pandemic influenza H1N1 virus.
Campus
The institute is located in the heart of the north campus of the University of Delhi, providing the requisite academic environment. V. P. Chest Institute has all the infrastructure needed for its students to pursue academic studies and research.
Library
The library began in 1955 but it has journal issues dating back as far as 100 years. The institute has over ten thousand books,23 thousand bound journals, and national and international reports in the field of pulmonary disease and allied sciences. Library has journal subscriptions and also receives some journals in exchange with other institutions.
Hostel
Hostel is also named after the surname of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, as Patel Niwas. The foundation stone of the hostel was laid on 7 April 1962 by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi, Dr. C.D. Deshmukh. The hostel was inaugurated on 6 April 1965 by Dr. C.D. Deshmukh on the Sixteenth Foundation Day of the Institute. The hostel has 30 rooms for boys and 10 rooms for girls on each floor of the three-storeyed building of Patel Niwas.
Misc
Apart from library and hostel, the institute has an animal house, publication unit, medical photographic studio and a canteen.
V. P. Chest Institute has its own governing body for management, administration and academics. The management's aim is all round development of the student. The Director is the administrative and academic head of the Institute. The administration wing is organized under the Joint Registrar who reports to the Director. The Joint Registrar is assisted by three Assistant Registrars looking after General administration, Accounts, Establishment, Purchase and stores, and other sections of administration.
