SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Aug 2: Senior-most professor of the state Dr Arun Kumar Choudhary, head of the pharmacology department at Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital, Dhanbad took the charge as the principal of Phulo Jhano Murmu Medical College Hospital (PJMMCH) Dumka on Tuesday.
He took charge from Dr Arun Kumar, who retired from service on July 31 after spending three decades in three medical colleges in different capacities including the director of medical education in the state health department.
After assuming the office, Dr Arun Kumar Choudhary said that he would soon declare the academic calendar to conduct all academic activities of the institution on time.
“The state government has already initiated steps for filling up vacant posts of senior faculty members and I will focus on regular classes and timely examination,” he said.
Dr Choudhary has vast experience in discharging administrative responsibility as principal and superintendent. He served as the principal of Patliputra Medical College Hospital (PMCH) Dhanbad from 2010 to 2013. Later, he also became the superintendent of PMCH from October 2019 to August 2021.
After the retirement of Dr Arun Kumar, Dr Choudhary is now the senior most professor in all six medical colleges of the state including Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) Ranchi.
Dr Choudhary joined PMCH Dhanbad in 1992 as an assistant professor in the department of pharmacology. In 2004, he became a professor.
Later in 2010, he was selected as the principal through interviews in which all senior professors of the then three medical colleges had participated.
Farewell to outgoing principal Dr Arun Kumar
Dr Arun Kumar, the principal of Dumka Medical College cum director medical education wing of the health department, retired from service after handing over the charge to Dr Arun Kumar Choudhary.
Dr Arun Kumar retired from the job in January this year but the state government had given a six-months extension in wake of his experience and requirement of the medical college.
Dr Kumar had played a major role in getting back the NMC recognition of Dumka medical college.
In more than three decades of service, Dr Arun Kumar served three medical colleges including Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Hospital in Jamshedpur, PMCH Dhanbad and Dumka medical college as superintendent and principal.
He became the superintendent of PMCH in 2010 and later served as the principal. Having seen his experience, the state government sent him to Dumka medical college on the post of professor in the PSM department.
Two years ago, he was assigned the responsibility of principal cum director of medical education.
