Dharmagiri, Kothamangalam
0485 – 2829000

About Us

St. Joseph College of Paramedical Science

About Us

Dharmagiri hospitals date back to the year 1934 when the hospital was established of a hillock in Kothamangalam by Msgr. Joseph C. Panjikaran M.A; PhD; D.D; DCL, the founder of Medical Sisters of St. Joseph with the purpose of providing medical aid for the poor and downtrodden in the society. He named the hospital “Dharmagiri” (Charity Mount) and he thought it should radiate the “Compassionate Love of Jesus Christ” to all those who approach for medical aid.

St. Joseph’s Hospital at Kothamangalam town is an extension of what was begun by Msgr. Joseph C. Panjikaran. The hospital started as a small dispensary in 1953 and from this humble beginning, over the years it has grown in stature to a full-fledged 300 bedded Multispeciality hospital providing quality health care to all sections of the society at affordable cost. Besides the various medical, surgical and superspeciality services, there is School of Nursing, College of Nursing (INC recognized) and School of Medical Laboratory Technology. We also have community health projects in the form of rural medical aid programmes and regular free eye camps in various parts of Idukki and Ernakulam District.

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St. Joseph

Joseph was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus Joseph is venerated as Saint Joseph in the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church and Anglicanism. His feast day is observed by some Lutherans. In Catholic traditions, Joseph is regarded as the patron saint of workers and is associated with various feast days. The month of March is dedicated to Saint Joseph. Pope Pius IX declared him to be both the patron and the protector of the Catholic Church, in addition to his patronages of the sick and of a happy death, due to the belief that he died in the presence of Jesus and Mary. Joseph has become patron of various dioceses and places.

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Joseph C. Panjikaran

Joseph C. Panjikaran (1888-1949) of Shertallay was a Syro-Malabar Catholic monsignor, historian, theologian, journalist, and the founder of the Dharmagiri Hospital, Kothamangalam, and the Congregation of the Medical Sisters of St. Joseph (Dharmagiri sisters). The cause of his canonisation was initiated by the Diocese of Kothamangalam in 2010. Joseph C. Panjikaran was born on 10 September 1888 in the village of Uzhuva, in the diocese of Ernakulam as the son of Chacko Panjikaran and Mariam Kanichattu. Panjikaran became director of the propagation of faith in the Vicariate of Ernakulam. He believed that the church had responsibility to provide medical services to the poor and the sick. He opened a hospital named Dharmagiri at Kothamangalam, Kerala in 1934 and founded the congregation of Medical Sisters of St. Joseph in 1944. He died of a heart attack on 4 November 1949

Our Mission

As Catholic health care providers grounded on Gospel Values, MSJ education mission aims at striving to continue the healing mission of Jesus through creating empowered, committed, compassionate, skilful, caring, innovative and courageous health care providers who make a difference in building a healthy family, society and nation.

Our Vision

Inspired by Jesus our Guru, MSJ is passionately committed to mould quality professionals with character and competence to touch the humanity with compassionate heart and bring about wholeness.