An English woman named Isabella Bird who had traveled widely in the Eastern countries during her youth looking for an opportunity to serve the people. She had been to India and seen the sufferings of the people, much of them were living below the poverty line. When she went back she married a Scottish doctor named Dr.John Bishop. After a few years of her married life, Isabella was left as widow, and again she traveled to East. About 1888 she visited Srinagar and there she found Dr.Fanny Butler one of the English pioneer woman doctor, working among the women of that city, but with no hospital as her base. Mrs. Isabella generously gave money for the construction of small hospital at Srinagar for Dr.Butler in memory of her husband and named it as John Bishop Memorial Hospital. Not many years later a disastrous flood swept the hospital away. When the question of rebuilding the hospital was considered, as there already existed the Diamond Jubilee Hospital in Srinagar for both men and women, it was decided that the John Bishop Memorial Hospital should be rebuilt in the town of Anantnag, where it would serve not only the women of the second largest town in Kashmir, but also a great number of people who were living without any medical aid being available in time of need, in a very wide district of valley, plain and mountain. The town lies at a height of about 5400feet above the sea level, thirty-four miles from Srinagar and close to the river Jhelum that is navigable from this point. The road which climbs the Banihal pass 9000 feet in the Pir Panjal range and which from there winds over the mountains and through the valleys to Jammu and Punjab. There are also one or two roads ending abruptly a few miles away and many bridle tracks and rough mountains paths radiating to Pahalgam, Kishtwar and far ranges beyond which lies Gilgit and Ladakh. The place was indeed well chosen as the Centre for Medical Mission. When Mrs. Isabella reached Anantnag, she experienced a great difficulty in acquiring a piece of land for the construction of Hospital. At the request of Field Marshal Lord Roberts who was a personal friend of H.H.Maharajah Gulab Singh granted him a piece of land. Building of the Hospital was completed and the first in-patient was admitted in John Bishop Memorial Hospital in June 1902. The Church Missionary Society (CMS) London was approached during this period for doctor who can come to Anantnag and work for the people of the valley. The pioneer doctor Miss. Minnie Gomery M.D., Gold Medalist of Bishop’s College Medical School, Motreal, Canada and her Nursing sister colleague was Miss. Kate Nownham, who had trained at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Scotland. Miss.M.Gomery and Sister Kate Nownham came to Anantnag from Srinagar early in March and although the buildings were still far from finished they began to see a few patients daily. The proper out-patient building was not ready till the beginning of June. So in the mean time they used smaller ward which is also not completed. As it has

neither flooring, nor plaster on the walls it was uncomfortable for both patients and doctors. But in spite of that the patients increased since they have moved to the clean convenient quarters in the older building. Besides the medical work they were very busy in those first few months looking after the workmen. After the building was practically finished and though there are many little faults, the whole effect was very good and both the staff and the patients in the hospital appreciated the comforts. The builder of the hospital was Mohammad, assisted by his son Lassu. Mr.Lassu later continued to work for the hospital almost till his death and his crowing joy was the building of the Chapel in 1943. They started taking the In-patient on June 23 rd 1902, they had about thirty patients from three to nine at one time. They had borrowed six beds from Dr.Neve, Srinagar. They had twelve bedded ward, besides verandah, which used to accommodate more patients. When they had patients more than six, they used to keep the least ill patients on the floor. Patients used to be very friendly and grateful and they used to constantly call down blessing on their heads. Patients had so much faith on the staff and the doctors. The pioneering doctors had learnt Kashmiri and used to communicate in Kashmiri to out and In Patients. Dr.M.Gomery and Miss Nownham retired in April 1935 and Dr.Berly Burt and sis. Pearce came to the hospital for a short time. In 1938 Dr.Noel Fletcher became Medical Superintendent of the hospital and with her came Miss. Dorothy Orton, who were a qualified dispenser and a midwife. Miss. Orton was nearing retirement age but was full of vigor and enthusiasm and it was she who pioneered the first infant welfare clinics to be held at the hospital. Antibiotics had not been discovered by then and this meant that patients who survived the virulent infections so terribly prevalent had to have long and intensive course of treatment. Communication was difficult due to lack of roads and transport. The absence of any trained midwives in the town and district combined to make much of the maternity work a nightmare fraught with tragedy. Miss. Orton died 1944 due to breakdown in health Dr.N.Fletcher delayed to return from United Kingdom. During their old age, Dr.Gomery and Miss Newnham returned to Kurigam for a short period and later left the valley. Miss Nina Drew and Miss Walmsley both nursing sisters were sent by the Central Asian Mission to help the hospital. With much skill and devotion, they had worked in the hospital. There was a shortage of supply of qualified staff from other parts of the country, and even it they had been available it was doubtful whether they would have reached Kashmir as parents were very hesitant to allow their daughters to go to work in Kashmir, a part of India which seemed to them like a foreign country, reached only by one very difficult and dangerous road.

In 1950 Dr.N.Fletcher returned to Anantnag, accompanied by Miss. Marjorie Cruse who has taken over the business management and secretarial work of the hospital. In 1952 sis Harrison was sent by CMS to develop antenatal and infant welfare clinics. The provision of a Land rover in 1956 was a great boon to the hospital and it made possible for fieldwork. From 1954 to 1957 Dr. June Farrer had helped in the hospital. Autumn of 1957 saw the wonderful evening when electric light was first switched on in Anantnag was great joy, when the hospital blazed with lights. Until then all night work has to be carried on by the light of hurricane lanterns in the wards and petromax lamps in the theatre. During 1957 a gift from Canada made it possible to build a reading room and rest room for the male relatives of the patients. Before Dr.N.Fletcher left on retirement Kh.Saif-ud-din made a generous gift of two private wards in memory of his beloved daughter, her husband, family and nursemaid who were swept away by a disastrous flood in Pahalgam. In the late 1950 a memorable event occurred a student who had just completed her studies at Anantnag Girls High School asked that she might be enrolled as a trainee nurse. There was no educated Kashmiri girl available as candidates for nursing training in those days. This meant that at last a cherished dream became a reality. A nursing school was started by Sister Grace Butt and Edna Jones who left in 1974 the hospital had training school for Auxiliary Nursing Midwives, which was recognized by the state government. In the year 1964 Dr.N.Fletcher got retired. After her retirement the CMS had given over the management of the hospital to Anglican Church of India which later became Church of North India in 1970 after merging with five other churches. Till date the management of the hospital is being taken care of by the Diocese of Amritsar, CNI Mr. Sahai rendered valuable help in the interim period. During his stay Dr.Mitchell had constructed quarters for doctors inside the campus, which was supervised by the administrator Mr.S.S.Girgan. An experienced doctor Dr.M.Xavier together with her husband heard and answered God’s call to serve Him. During her time there were many renovations done in all the structures in the hospital were covered by tin sheets. A new hospital was constructed on the site acquired at Pahalgam and regular health visits were made to the centre. The hospital actively participated in Immunization program & family planning program. Sis. Grace Butt who was the nursing tutor had trained may ANM’s and after her retirement Sis. Barbara took over the work. After Dr.Xavier retired there were many doctors who came in to help the hospital functioning. Dr.Isa Das, Dr.Lal and many others. But when the militancy started in the year 1989 the hospital faced much set back and all the facilities were hampered. The

hospital staff suffered much due to closure, but tried to guard the campus and the hospital equipment. The phase from 1989 until 1996 was marked by short term commitments by different doctors. From 1992 to 1996 there was no permanent doctor at the hospital. This phase coincided with the most violent phase of the armed insurgency and military action in the valley. During such a period Mr.Ramesh Landge President of Cooperative Outreach of India COI partnering with CNI made efforts to revive the work. Many doctors were called and motivated to work here. Dr. Joseph Daniel M.S. Ortho from St. Stephen’s Hospital, New Delhi came to reopen the hospital. At his request and after much prayer Mr. Joshua Daniel, Presedent, LEF Chennai requested Dr. Sarah Nageswari to take over the responsibilities. At that time, she was working as a Senior Gynecologist at a Mission Hospital in Narsapur, Andhra Pradesh for the past 18 years. Dr. Sarah Nageswari took over as the Medical Superintendent in 1997. She arrived at a time when the hospital was struggling with no doctors and was having trouble providing for even the basic medical needs of the community. She came to Anantnag, Kashmir for the 1 st time in January 1996 for a month to survey the hospital. During that time, the Hospital staff suffered much due to lack of salaries as the hospital was closed, but they tried to guard the campus and all equipment from being taken away. She did 75 tubectomies and 3 caesareans and paid their salaries. One day as she was alone in the hospital, some militants (HM) suddenly entered our hospital and took away our Land rover. Later on, they left it some 17 kms away. But as it was my first visit. There were many troubles in reviving the work. The second time when she came here permanently, 40 days after my arrival, 4 Ikwans (surrendered militants) attacked us and took away cash and valuables at gunpoint threatening us not to inform the police. After this incident Government gave security. Once she was given porridge mixed with finely crushed glass pieces to eat, but miraculously I was un-harmed. Gradually they started understanding. Work started increasing, slowly but steadily. People have a lot of trust on this hospital. God has given me good Christian staff with a definite calling and sacrifice. Some of them even resigned their government jobs and joined us. God helped us to reopen the Nursing School, which had been closed for 15 years due to militancy. Now it has 100 local students. (Both FMPHW and GNM).

Hospital is having devoted staff and works on low salaries. This helps the management to save funds for expanding infrastructure. In Dr. Sarah Nageswari tenure, the hospital was added by new infrastructure and equipment.

For an institution to be truly effective an essential requisite is the passion and commitment of the staff and that is something which the people at JBMH have. Challenges are many and so are the needs.