Bengaluru, Nov 22 (IANS): The Karnataka government has named the medical college and research institute in the city's Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"The state-run medical college opened in 2018-19 has been renamed Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College and Research Institute," Health and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said here on Sunday.

Located in Shivajinagar in the city's central business district, the 152-year-old hospital has also been teaching students pursuing medical degrees since late 19th century during the British Raj.

Deemed an autonomous university, the institute was named Lady Curzon Hospital by then Mysore Commissioner Lewin Benthon Bowring when he opened it in 1868 with 104 beds, including 24 for women patients.

"The college-cum-hospital has been in the forefront of fighting the coronavirus pandemic along with the state-run Victoria Hospital in the city market area," said Sudhakar.