Prayag hospital started functioning in 1963 as a hospital for medical patients. It was established by late Dr. V. S. Parayag, a leading physician and cardiologist of that era.Shree medical foundation, A REGISTERED CHARITABLE TRUST, was established in 1981. It took over the running of PRAYAG HOSPITAL soon afterwards.After an initial period of stabilization, a brand new critical Care Unit was established here in 1985. This was the first Critical Care Unit of the City of Pune. For the first time in Pune, the seriously ill patients of all medical disciplines [ tauma, coma, respiratory failure, Liver of Kidney failure cardiac cases, Shock, serious infections etc] were being treated in a single unit. At that time this was a completely novel concept. It was the ONLY Critical Care Unit not only in the city of Pune, but in the state of Maharashtra.Over the next 15-20 years, this unit became the unique pioneering centre of the development of the speciality of Critical Care Medicine in the country. The development of Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine, a professional body of specialists started in 1992. In 1993, the society got established. It started the training programmes for specialists in the field of Critical Care Medicine. A number of young doctors took training in the field of Critical Care medicine in the Unit. Today, some of these doctors are in charge of the Critical Care units in major hospitals. [like Jahangir, Deenanath, KEM] in the city. Some who were trained here, have developed these units in cities of Maharashtra like Kolhapur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Latur, Jalgaon etc. some have gone on to other countries like Australia, UK, USA. All of them value their initial training in this unit and admit to the part played by this Unit in shaping their careers.The national board of Examinations recognized the importance of Critical Care Medicine as a speciality in 2000 and developed the course on fellowship in this speciality soon. The first ever NATIONAL Exit examination of this course took place in Prayag Hospital in 2001-2. Since then, all over the country, this course has spread its wings.Today there are more than 140 centres training Critical Care consultants in India. The seeds of this speciality were sown in this small unit in 1993.Besides the training of young doctors, the amount of patients treated for their critical illness and lives saved thereof, have been innumerable Luminaries like Late Pu La Deshpande, Vijay Tendulkar, BKS Iyengar, Kaifi Azmi chose this iconic unit for their own treatment.Critical Care Unit at Prayag Hospital, thus stands as a unique symbol of dedication, sincerity, honesty, training and value based patient care. It has stood as a light house to all those practising Critical Care in India.