Institute Of Anatomy, Madras Medical CollegeMadras Medical College
The Institute of Anatomy was housed in the ‘Red Fort’ of MMC. This particular building, fondly called the ‘Red Fort’ because of its outer colour, is the original ‘Eastern Block’.
Before the 1920s, the then Department of Anatomy was functioning from a smaller area in the Hospital block and the dissection hall was situated in a building adjacent to the railway track (on the south-western side of the Red Fort). When Dr. T. Sundara Reddy took charge as the Professor of Anatomy, he fought with the administration to get the department moved to a spacious, well-lit and well-ventilated area. Thus, the department moved in the early 1920s to the then ‘new’ Eastern Block.
Initially, the Department of Anatomy functioned from the first floor and the Department of Physiology from the ground floor of this building. In 1952, the building became the exclusive house of Anatomy. The dissection hall and museum continued upstairs, while the Histology section with the lab and preparation rooms occupied the ground floor — a setup that lasted until the department moved to the new MMC campus in 2013.
The Department has had an impressive list of Professors and faculty members. Dr. T. Sundara Reddy and Dr. D. SivaSubramania Mudaliar were extremely passionate about Anatomy. Dr. U. Venkataraya Nayak was internationally reputed before his untimely demise. Dr. Anantha Narayana Iyer and Dr. M. M. Cooper added glory to the department.
In the early 1960s, the department was upgraded as an Institute, with Prof. Dr. M. M. Cooper as the first Director. From then on, the fame of the ‘Red Fort’ continued to grow. Successive Directors and a long list of revered teachers — including Dr. M. Muthu, Dr. Saratha Kathiresan, Dr. S. Meenakshi Sundaram, Dr. Gangabai, and others — have immensely contributed to the Institute's legacy.
Anatomy, though often seen as a tough subject, became a magical experience for MMC students during their stint at the Red Fort.
In recent years, the Institute has retained its academic brilliance. With M.D. Anatomy postgraduates carrying the torch, it actively participates in state and national conferences, showcasing research and maintaining continuous academic excellence. The Institute is committed to imparting high-quality knowledge and skills in Anatomy to undergraduate and postgraduate students across medical and paramedical streams. It was certified with ISO 9001:2015 on 9th October 2023.