French envoy Emmanuel Lenain visits PGIMER Chandigarh, designed by architect Le Corbusier

A three-member delegation from France, headed by French Ambassador, Emmanuel Lenain on Saturday France visited the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, designed by famous architect Le Corbusier.

The delegation included also included Bertrand Lortholary, Director General for Asia-Pacific, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and Emmanuel Moulin, Director-General for the Treasury, French Ministry of Economy and Finance, reported PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Prof Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh, welcomed all the dignitaries. He mentioned that French Architects Le Corbusier's and Pierre Jeanneret designed several iconic buildings in the city, including the main building of PGIMER, known as Nehru Hospital.

The PGIMER owes its inception to the vision of the late Sardar Partap Singh Kairon, the then Chief Minister of Punjab and the distinguished medical educationists of the then combined state of Punjab, supported by the first Prime Minister of India Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru.

The institute started in 1962 and Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru inaugurated the hospital now named "Nehru Hospital" on July 7th, 1963.

The Institute was originally under the Government of undivided Punjab. After the reorganization of the state, the administrative control of the institute passed on to the Union Territory of Chandigarh in November 1966.

The Institute became an autonomous body under the Act of Parliament in 1967 functioning under the Ministry of Health.

Prof Lal also mentioned the typical heritage furniture available in PGIMER, Chandigarh.

The delegation visited the Nehru Hospital, Main Library and Research Block A. They were impressed with the beam and open staircase design in Research Block A.

The French delegation was mesmerized to see that some of the heritage furniture is still being used in the main library. Lenain showed interest in cherishing the joint legacy.

The architectural works of Le Corbusier are a stupendous contribution to the Modern Movement and are named UNESCO World Heritage Sites that include 17 building projects from all over the world.

His five-decade career is worth exploring as it included structures which are present across Europe, Japan, India and North and South America.

The Capitol Complex in Chandigarh, India, is considered one of the most significant pieces of the architect's realised body of works, commissioned in the course of what Le Corbusier referred to as 'patient research'.

( With inputs from ANI )