Who is Dr. Nomal Chandra Borah? The rags to riches journey from a marginal farmer’s family in Assam to national recognition

Dr. Nomal Chandra Borah, founder of GNRC Group of Hospitals, has received two national lifetime achievement awards for his work in neurology and nursing education. The honours were announced in Guwahati in December, by the Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN) and the Association of Nurse Executive (India) (ANEI).

The awards come as Dr. Borah completes nearly five decades in medical practice and healthcare institution building in Northeast India.

Early life in rural Assam

Dr. Borah was born into a marginal farming family in Assam. He grew up with limited financial resources and often lacked basic facilities. Despite these constraints, he continued his education and performed well in school.

To manage daily needs, he used low-cost alternatives, including making pens from bamboo and ink from crushed fruits, according to accounts of his early life.

Medical education and training
He completed his MBBS from Guwahati Medical College. He later specialised in neurology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.

During this period, neurological care facilities were limited in Assam and most parts of the Northeast, requiring patients to travel outside the region for treatment.

Founding GNRC Hospitals
In the mid-1980s, Dr. Borah established the Guwahati Neurological Research Centre (GNRC). The institution later expanded into a multi-specialty hospital group operating in Assam and West Bengal.

GNRC became the first centre in Northeast India to offer comprehensive neuroscience care and later introduced DNB Neurology training in the region.

Alongside hospital services, Dr. Borah initiated community-focused healthcare programmes such as GNRC Medireach, Swasthyamitra and the Universal Health Mission. These programmes aimed to extend preventive and basic healthcare services to rural and underserved populations.

He also set up the Asian Institute of Nursing Education in 2004 to support nursing training and leadership, and launched the GNRC Medishop retail chain.

National lifetime awards
The Indian Academy of Neurology, the country’s apex body for neurologists, conferred its Lifetime Achievement Award on Dr. Borah for his contribution to neurology and training in the region.

In its citation, IAN referred to his “awe-inspiring life story of grit, determination, and service,” and noted his role in establishing neurological services and training programmes in Northeast India.

The Association of Nurse Executive (India) also presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award 2025, recognising his work in nursing education and community healthcare initiatives.

Reacting to the awards, Dr. Borah said: “These recognitions belong to my patients and their family members, colleagues, mentors, students, and the GNRC family. I remain committed to making healthcare more ethical, equitable, and accessible for all.”

Founded in 1985, GNRC Hospitals operate nearly 1,000 beds across Assam and West Bengal. The group runs tertiary care facilities and community health programmes and remains active in medical education and clinical research.