The person primarily responsible for the establishment of AIIMS was India’s first Health Minister, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. She played a pivotal role in conceptualizing and setting up AIIMS, which was envisioned as an institution of national importance for medical education, research, and healthcare delivery.
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Rajkumari Amrit Kaur (1889–1964) was a pioneering Indian freedom fighter, social reformer, and politician. She hailed from the princely state of Kapurthala and was educated in England. Amrit Kaur joined Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement and actively participated in the Indian independence struggle.
Her most notable contribution came in the field of public health. Serving as the Health Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet from 1947 to 1957, she spearheaded the establishment of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which became a premier medical institution in India.
Amrit Kaur was the first woman to hold a cabinet position in independent India, breaking gender barriers in governance. She also represented India on the international stage, serving as the President of the World Health Assembly.
Her dedication to social welfare, women’s rights, and education earned her widespread recognition, including the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, in 1954. Amrit Kaur’s legacy continues to inspire generations of Indians.