1949

Foundation stone of the Institute was laid down by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on April 06.

1951

Ad-hoc Governing Body was appointed by the Executive Council of University of Delhi for Administrative affairs of the Institute in November.

1951

Main building of the Institute was completed in December.

1953

The Institute was formally opened by Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, the Union Minister of Health, Government of India. Prof. R. Viswanathan was appointed as the first Director. The grant for 1953-54 was Rs. 2 lakh in January 12.

1955

A regular Governing Body was constituted by the Executive Council of the University of Delhi for the management and administration of the Institute on January 21.

1955

The first meeting of the regular Governing Body was held on April 4.

1955

Prof. A.S. Paintal reported the discovery of lung deflation receptors, a historical landmark in understanding the functioning of lung and its diseases.

1957

Prof. R. Viswanathan took over as full-time Director of the Institute. Previously, he was the Deputy Director General of Health Services, Govt. of India and Honorary Director of the Institute on 1^st July.

1957

Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru said in a message: “It was a brave act of the University of Delhi to start the V.P. Chest Institute” on September 24.

1957

Clinical Research Centre was inaugurated by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of the Republic of India on October 24.

1959

Indian Association for Chest Diseases was inaugurated by Sir A.L. Mudaliar on January 24. It was rechristened as National College of Chest Physicians (India) in 1981.

1959

The Indian Journal of Chest Diseases, a Quarterly Journal, was started under the joint auspices of the V.P. Chest Institute and the Indian Association for Chest Diseases in July.

1959

A ward of 20 beds was opened to admit in-patients in July.

1959

By a resolution of the Governing Body, V.P. Chest Institute was nominated as A National Institute for Teaching and Research in Chest and Allied Diseases.

1960

A Diploma course in Tuberculosis Diseases, which was started in March 1947, was re-designated as “Diploma in Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases” (DTCD) from XIV Course. The XV DTCD Course started from July, 1960.

1961

Celebration of Foundation Day of the Institute was started on April 6.

1962

Foundation stone of Patel Niwas, a Post graduate Hostel, was laid down by Dr. C.D. Deshmukh, Vice-Chancellor, University of Delhi on April 7.

1964

Prof A.S. Paintal joined as Director of the Institute after the retirement of Prof. R. Viswanathan on August 1.

1965

Patel Niwas was inaugurated by Dr. C.D. Deshmukh on the XVI Foundation Day of the Institute on April 6.

1966

Biochemicals Unit of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for preparation and sale of special biochemicals was inaugurated by Shri M.C. Chagla, the Union Minister for Education on April 6.

1966

Prof. A.S. Paintal was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

1969

Padma Shree was awarded to Prof. R. Viswanathan.

1974

Padma Bhushan was awarded to Prof. R. Viswanathan.

1981

Prof. A.S. Paintal was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London.

1984

Prof. A.S. Paintal was elected General President of the Indian Science Congress Association.

1985

Prof. H.S. Randhawa was elected Vice-President of the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.

1986

Prof. A.S. Paintal was appointed as Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research.

1986

Padma Vibhushan was awarded to Prof. A.S. Paintal

1986

Prof. A.S. Paintal was elected President of the Indian National Science Academy.

1991

Prof. H.S. Randhawa joined as the Director of the Institute on November 10.

1994

Lucille Georg ISHAM Award was bestowed upon Prof. H.S. Randhawa

1997

Prof. H.S. Randhawa was elected Honorary Member of International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.

1998

Dr. V.K. Vijayan joined as the Director of the Institute on October 5.

1999

Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Foundation Day of the Institute on April 6.

1999

24 hour Respiratory Emergency Services started on June 14.

1999

His Excellency, Shri K.R. Narayanan, President of India, received the copy of Compendium of Activities 1949-99 on November 12.

2000

A New Ward (with an additional 40 beds) was inaugurated by Dr. A.K. Walia, Honourable Minister for Health, Govt. of NCT of Delhi on August 30

2000-06

Dr. V.K. Vijayan was elected International Regent, American College of Chest Physicians, U.S.A.

2001

A Respiratory Critical Care Unit was started on March.

2001

CT Scan Centre was inaugurated by Honourable Padma Shree Dr. C.P. Thakur, the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India on March 15.

2001

1st Refresher (CME) Course in Respiratory Diseases started on April 21.

2001

Inauguration to Tobacco Cessation Clinic on November 21.

2002

Inauguration of the State-of-the-art Oxygen Plant by Prof. P.N. Srivastava, Chairman, Governing Body, V.P. Chest Institute on August 14.

2003

"Bhoomi Pujan" to start the construction work of the Golden Jubilee Auditorium on May 28.

2006

Inauguration of 8-bedded Intensive Care Unit by Prof. P.N. Srivastava, Chairman, Governing Body (VPCI) on January 10.

2006

Inaugration of the Golden Jubilee Auditorium by organising an International Symposium on Herbal Drug Research and Therapy on December 8.

2007

The Hospital wing of the Institute, Clinical Research Centre has been renamed as "Viswanathan Chest Hospital" in honour of the Founder Director of the Institute and the Golden Jubilee Auditorium has been renamed as "Paintal Memorial Golden Jubilee Auditorium" in honour of the former Director of the Institute by a resolution of the Governing Body on March 2.

2011

Inauguration of the National Centre of Respiratory Allergy, Asthma and Immunology by Prof. P.N.Tandon, President, National Brain Research Centre Society and Chairman, governing body, V.P. Chest Institute, Delhi on February 12.

2011

Permission from Medical Council of India to start DM (Pulmonary Medicine) course with annual intake of two students per year from the academic year 2011-12 on March 15.

2012

Dynamic website launched on August 15.

2012

Prof. Rajendra Prasad joined as the Director of the Institute on November 21.