Tibbia College, also known as The Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, is a public university located in New Delhi, India. The university which offers education and training in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine, had its origins dating back to the late 19th century. The college, which was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1921, offers Bachelor degrees in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery and Unani Medicine and Surgery. On February 15, 2008, the Delhi government announced about its intentions of developing the college into a university, in recognition of the college's contributions to Ayurvedic and Unani medicine.

Beginning years

It was first established by Hakim Abdul Majeed in 1882 in Gali Qasim Jan, a locality in Chandni Chowk, one of the oldest and busiest markets in New Delhi, India. In 1889, after inauguration by a local commissioner, it was referred to as Madrasa Tibbia that functioned under the Anjuman-e-Tibbia society. After the death of Majeed in 1901, his younger brother Hakim Wasil took over the Madrasa and in 1903, Masih-ul-Hakim Ajmal, better known as Hakim Ajmal Khan raised the quality of the institution. The efforts of Ajmal Khan helped extend the site over an area of 50 acres including a garden of herbs.

Inauguration

Five years after Lord Hardinge, the then Viceroy of India laid the foundation stone of the Tibbia College on March 29, 1916, the institution had buildings that housed classrooms, laboratories, hospital pharmacies, hostels, office and staff quarters. A mix of classical, colonial, Mughul and Indian architectures was utilized for constructing the institute's buildings.^[1] Ajmal Khan previously corresponded with Mahatma Gandhi during the Khilafat Movement, a political campaign launched mainly by Muslims in South Asia in the aftermath of the World War I. Due to his close association with Gandhi, on February 13, 1921, the latter had inaugurated the institution.

Activities

It was Ajmal Khan who brought two ancient systems of medicine, Ayurvedic and Unani, to one platform resulting in the institution to be one of its kind in India. The main objective behind the institution is to promote Indian medical science and to amalgamate both these systems of medicine. Dr. Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, a notable Pakistani scientist in natural products chemistry was requested by Ajmal Khan to initiate the Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbi Research Institute. He continued to be the institute’s director until after Ajmal Khan’s death in 1927.

Besides the college and hospital, Ajmal Khan helped establish Hindustani Dawakhana and Ayurvedic Rasayanashastra for manufacturing medicines. The Dawakhana, which appears as a Gothic cathedral with its curious blend of Asiatic and Latin architecture was founded in 1910. Due to the availability of the herbal garden within its campus, the dispensary was able to obtain patents for 84 rare herbal formulae like Musafi, Sarbat-e-Sadar, Sekhon and Hebab-Kebatare. The institution developed and researched several unparalleled medicines, such as, Roulfiaserpentina, the medicine to recover the lunatic mind.

Administration

In 1973, the college was affiliated to the University of Delhi The four-year Bachelor degrees that are offered by the university are Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS)  and the achelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery