Institute of Psychiatry - COE, Kolkata

Institute of Psychiatry, Kolkata, the third oldest surviving mental hospital of the country, which started its existence 200 years back, has a colourful history. In 1817, it was started as a private asylum by an ex-army man- Mr. I. Beardsmore as the European Lunatic Asylum, Bhowanipore. In 1856, during the regime of Lord Dalhousie, this hospital was taken over by the British East India Company administration. Subsequently, from 1922, it became the responsibility of the British Bengal Government, which changed its name to Mental Observation Ward, Bhowanipore in 1924. In 1989, this mental hospital was incorporated as the teaching, training and research wing of the Department of Psychiatry of the Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (IPGME&R), and was also identified as the Nodal Centre for the United Nations International Drug Control Program by the Ministry of Health, Government of India. In 1991, it was rechristened as Institute of Psychiatry.