About Our Founder
Dr. Nomal Chandra Borah
GNRC (formerly known as Guwahati Neurological Research Centre), the first super specialty healthcare centre in North East India, was established in 1987 by neurologist Dr. Nomal Chandra Borah. Born into the family of a marginal farmer in Sonitpur district of Assam, Dr. Borah has scaled professional and entrepreneurial heights through the sheer dint of his intellectual capability and indomitable spirit, steadfast in his pursuit of delivering ‘Health for All, Smiles for All’, through his social enterprises.
Dr. Nomal Chandra Borah received his medical degree from Guwahati Medical College in 1975 and joined the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi as a Senior Resident, where he completed three years’ training in Neurology, leading to DM degree. In 1984, to address the inadequate availability of quality healthcare in North East India, Dr. Borah decided to return to Assam and set up neurology clinic at Maligaon in Guwahati, which was known as Guwahati Neurological Research Centre (GNRC). On October 17, 1985 the clinic was registered as Guwahati Neurological Research Centre (Pvt) Ltd. In 1987, the first super specialty healthcare centre in North-East India – Guwahati Neurological Research Centre, in Dispur, was established.
During this period, Dr Borah was guided by Dr. K V Mathai, well-known neurosurgeon from Vellore, who supported Dr. Borah in his endeavour. Dr. Mathai’s presence helped Dr. Borah to consolidate the vision of creating a centre of excellence in Neuroscience with clear goal of quality patient care, teaching, training and clinical research. In 1994, Guwahati Neurological Research Centre became a public limited company and on January 19, 2001, Guwahati Neurological Research Centre was registered as GNRC Ltd.
In 2004, Dr. Borah established the Asian Institute of Nursing Education with the vision to provide quality education in nursing. It presently offers courses in B. Sc Nursing, Post Basic Nursing and M. Sc Nursing. In 2006, Dr. Borah established Medishop Retail Chain to facilitate employment for local youth. In 2008, Dr. Borah established another facility of GNRC in Guwahati – GNRC Sixmile.
In 2011, concerned that most private healthcare facilities, including those set up by him, were unaffordable for the majority of the population, while public healthcare facilities were over-burdened, Dr. Borah initiated determined efforts to formulate a model that enabled access to quality, affordable healthcare for the majority of the population. He conducted numerous conversations with members of the local communities, in the attempt to understand the challenges they face in accessing affordable, quality healthcare. These conversations led to the formulation of an operating and service delivery model, which found its expression in GNRC Institute of Medical Sciences, which commenced operations in early 2014 at North Guwahati.
In the same year, this initiative by GNRC was recognized by the World Bank Group (WBG), through its India Development Marketplace (IDM) initiative, to receive a grant of US$150,000 to help scale its operating model. This campus, popularly known as GNRC Medical, provides affordable access to quality healthcare services through an ultra-low-cost model.
Vision, Value & Milestones
Our Vision : "Health for All, Smiles for All"
Our Value : "Patient-Centricity, Above All", reflected through the value propositions of Quality, Inclusivity & Value, Trust
- Quality : We endeavor to provide quality healthcare delivered in alignment with our core principle – Patient First. For those we serve, this translates as prompt service, scientific evidence-based healthcare practice model through use of appropriate technology, enhanced by empathy.
- Inclusivity & Value : Irrespective of their financial situation or any other attribute, we treat everyone equally and ensure no access or affordability barrier prevents them from receiving quality healthcare.
- Trust : We consistently build and strengthen relations with patients and their family members, by treating patients as family members, delivering quality healthcare, maintaining transparency in transactions, adopting structured regular communication with patients and their attendants.
| Year | Milestone |
| 1984 | Guwahati Neurological Research Centre, the first Neurology Clinic in North East India was set up at Maligaon, in the outskirts of Guwahati, with EEG and Lab services |
| 17th October, 1985 | Guwahati Neurological Research Centre was converted into a Private Limited Company |
| 5th January, 1987 | The First Hospital under Guwahati Neurological Research Centre Private Ltd was opened to the public at Dispur |
| 9th February, 1987 | GNRC installed the first CT Scan machine (Hitachi-CTW 400) in the entire North Eastern region of India |
| 1989 | GNRC Hospitals conducted the First Micro Neurosurgery in North East India |
| 1992 | EMG Lab was set up |
| 1992 | First ICU of the Northeast India was set up at GNRC with eight beds and in the same year GNRC Hospital successfully conducted the First Stereotactic Surgery of the Region |
| 19th April, 1994 | Guwahati Neurological Research Centre Private Ltd became Guwahati Neurological Research Centre Ltd. |
| 21st July, 1994 | The ICU of Institute of Neurological Sciences was inaugurated by Honorable Late Hiteswar Saikia |
| April, 1995 | First MRI machine of the Northeast India was installed at GNRC Hospital |
| 1997 | Coronary Care Unit launched and Cardiology services started at GNRC Hospital |
| 10th January, 1998 | GNRC Heart Institute was inaugurated by Honorable Governor of Assam Mr. S.K.Sinha |
| 25th April, 1999 | Cardiovascular Surgery Unit and First Cathlab of North East India was established at GNRC Hospital |
| 1999 | DSA Procedure started |
| 2000 | First Open Heart Surgery was successfully carried out |
| 2000 | Critical Care services were started at GNRC Hospital |
| 2001 | Joint Replacement surgery was started at GNRC Hospital |
| 19th January, 2001 | Guwahati Neurological Research Centre Private Ltd was registered as GNRC Ltd company |
| 5th January, 2003 | Free ward facilities started |
| 26th June, 2003 | GNRC Hospital was accredited with ISO 9001: 2000 |
| 4th January, 2004 | Regional Stroke Centre launched at GNRC Hospital |
| 5th July, 2004 | Asian Institute of Nursing Education was established; affiliated to SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai |
| 25th August, 2004 | GNRC Medishops were established |
| 24th August, 2005 | GNRC Hospital was accredited with ISO 14001: 2004 |
| 19th January, 2006 | Life First Ambulance, the first Cardiac Ambulance with all life support facilities in North East India was launched |
| 13th October, 2006 | GNRC Epilepsy Clinic, the first dedicated Epilepsy clinic of North East India was launched |
| 10th September, 2007 | GNRC Swasthya Magazine was launched |
| 4th February, 2008 | Second Hospital under GNRC Ltd was opened to the public at Sixmile |
| 11th January, 2011 | GNRC Assure was launched |
| 19th January, 2011 | Comprehensive Epilepsy Care Centre launched |
| 17th December, 2011 | GNRC Pain Clinic inaugurated |
| 5th January, 2012 | GNRC completes 25 years of its service to the people |
| 21th March, 2012 | GNRC Medireach, a social initiative of GNRC Hospitals opened for the rural people of Assam |
| 1st October, 2012 | OPD services started in GNRC North Guwahati |
| 28th January, 2014 | GNRC Hospitals signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore General Hospital |
| 3rd February, 2014 | Inpatient services introduced at GNRC Medical, North Guwahati |
| 10th May, 2014 | GNRC Launches New Scheme for Free Treatment of Accident and Emergency Patients |
| 19th June, 2014 | GNRC receives an award from India Development Marketplace, funded by World Bank Group |
| 17th August, 2014 | GNRC signs Memorandum of Understanding with Pawan Hans for medi-chopper service. On the same day GNRC launched a mass-awakening programme titled 'Swasthya Yatra.' |
| 8th March 2015 | GNRC Hospital launches North East Association for Road Safety |
| 12th June, 2015 | GNRC launches Free Ambulance service for the state of Assam. |
| 21st March, 2016 | GNRC Hospitals, Dispur receives NABH (entry level) accreditation |
| 13th May, 2016 | GNRC Hospitals, Sixmile receives NABH (entry level) accreditation. |
| 17th August, 2017 | GNRC unveils Affordable Health Mission |
| 17th August, 2017 | Outpatient Clinic at Paramount unit was opened to the public under GNRC Sixmile |
| 27th October, 2017 | GNRC Hospitals, Dispur receives ISO 14001: 2015 certification for EMS |
| 1st July, 2018 | GNRC Medical, Barasat was opened to the public of West Bengal (OPD Services) |
| 30th July, 2018 | GNRC Medical, North Guwahati receives full NABH accreditation |
| 27th August, 2018 | Outpatient Clinic at Good Health unit was opened to the public under GNRC Dispur |
| 3rd September, 2018 | Inpatient services introduced at GNRC Medical, Barasat |
| 12th May, 2020 | GNRC Telehealth App launched for GNRC Swasthya Mitra |
| 12th July, 2020 | GNRC Good Health COVID Care Hospital was opened to public |
Message from CMD
Dr. Nomal Chandra Borah
CMD, GNRC Hospitals
Health is a fundamental human right and critical for human dignity. A healthy population is essential for socio-economic growth – it determines average life expectancy, the number of persons in the productive age bracket, productivity, earning capacity, employment, contribution to welfare, etc. of a society. However, health problems are increasing each day with the rise of pollution, consumption of contaminated water, and the adoption of unhealthy lifestyle practices. But the good health of a community is essential for its peace, happiness, and prosperity. Preventive healthcare, promotive healthcare, early intervention, and healthy lifestyle practices can address such health problems. This is how each member of society can achieve freedom from ill-health.
To support your pursuit of health, well-being, and prosperity, we combine the science of medicine with the art of healing, to facilitate “Health for All, Smiles for All”. At GNRC, we are convinced that ‘Quality’, ‘Value’, and ‘Trust’ are the bedrock for effective healthcare delivery.
