Khushwant Lal Wig, Physician and Medical Academic
Physician and Medical Academic

Khushwant Lal Wig

Born 30 September 1904 · verify — Died 8 June 1986

Directed the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, advancing medical education and research.

Khushwant Lal Wig (1904–1986) was an Indian physician, medical academic, writer and the director of the All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi. He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and a recipient of Dr. B. C.

✨

A detail that
surprised us

“

In 1962, Khushwant Lal Wig served as the honorary physician to the President of India, a rare honor reflecting his stature in medicine at the time.

The Story

1
🌟 In 1931, Khushwant Lal Wig completed his MRCP at Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, London, an achievement placing him among the earliest Indians to gain this prestigious qualification abroad.
2
Born in 1904 in Gujranwala, Punjab, Wig returned to India to serve as assistant professor at King Edward Medical College and Mayo Hospital Lahore by 1941, right before the upheaval of Partition.
3After 1947, he took charge as professor of medicine at Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Amritsar, until 1958, during which he doubled as faculty at Punjab University, shaping medical education in post-Independence India.
4⚕️ In 1950, Wig was elected Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, later governing its North India chapter, indicating his deep involvement in chest medicine at a time when tuberculosis was a national crisis.

🏅 Awards & Honours

1964
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

In 1950, Wig was elected Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and later became governor of its North India chapter, highlighting his international recognition in chest medicine during a time when tuberculosis was a leading cause of death in India.

📸 Through the Years

📷

No photos yet

Help preserve history — add a photo of this icon

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Gujranwala, Punjab
Khushwant Lal Wig was born to Mohan Lal Wig and Dhan Devi Chib in a wealthy family in Gujranwala, Punjab, British India.
1904
📚
Education
Completed MRCP in London
Wig earned his Membership of the Royal College of Physicians at Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, London, marking a key academic milestone.
1931
⚡
Career
Assistant Professor at Lahore
Joined King Edward Medical College and Mayo Hospital Lahore as assistant professor of medicine, enriching medical education there until 1946.
1941
⚡
Career
Professor at Victoria Jubilee Hospital
Post-Independence, Wig moved to Amritsar to be professor of medicine at Victoria Jubilee Hospital, later known as Government Medical College, Amritsar.
1947
🏅
Award
Elected Fellow of ACCP
Wig became a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and later governed its North India chapter.
1950
⚡
Career
Joined AIIMS New Delhi
Appointed professor of medicine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, beginning a pivotal phase in his career.
1958
⚡
Career
Honorary Physician to President of India
Served as honorary physician to the President of India, a prestigious role linking clinical practice with national service.
1962
⚡
Career
Director of AIIMS
Became director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, steering the institution through critical years until 1969.
1964
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
Received Padma Bhushan from the Government of India for contributions to medical science.
1964
🕊️
Death
Death
Khushwant Lal Wig passed away, leaving behind a legacy in Indian medical education and research.
1986
More moments to come...
+ Add a moment

🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Wig authored approximately 55 medical articles and served as editor of the Punjab Medical Journal, contributing extensively to medical literature in a period when Indian clinical research was still developing its identity.

02 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

Despite being born in British India’s Punjab region, Wig’s career spanned critical locations including Lahore, Amritsar, and New Delhi, reflecting the shifting centers of medical education before and after Partition in 1947.

03 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He received the prestigious Dr. B. C. Roy Award from the Medical Council of India, an award given to medical practitioners who have demonstrated distinguished service, underscoring his clinical and academic excellence.

No quote recorded for Khushwant Lal Wig yet.

🌱 What changed because of them

Khushwant Lal Wig’s tenure as director of AIIMS from 1964 to 1969 helped consolidate the institute’s role as India’s apex medical research and education center. His leadership impacted clinical training standards nationwide and influenced policies on chest diseases and medical trials through his work with the Indian Council of Medical Research. His dual roles in academia and public health shaped generations of physicians and the structure of postgraduate medical education in India.

💬 Social Buzz

💬

What are people saying about Khushwant Lal Wig?

Share posts from historians, journalists and notable voices about this icon. 🇮🇳

💭 Memories & Tributes

Share your memory of Khushwant Lal Wig...
Loading memories...
Is this profile accurate?