To chronicle history of clinical neurophysiology in post-independence India (1947-1960), with focus on institutional establishment, roles of pioneering physicians, and rapid adoption of electrophysiological techniques.

Foundation of neurophysiology in India dates to the Ayurvedic period, where early scholars displayed fundamental understandings of brain, nerve, and sensory functions. Post-independence period in India saw the fusion of traditional knowledge with neurological and technological advances of the west such as electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and nerve conduction studies (NCS). During this transformative period, visionary physicians including —Drs. Jacob Chandy, B. Ramamurthi, S.T. Narasimhan, and Baldev Singh, also played pivotal role in defining neurology and neurophysiology as distinct scientific disciplines.

Archival and literature review was conducted using PubMed, OVID, and institutional sources from Indian academic centers.

India’s first neurological training center was established at Christian Medical College, Vellore, by Dr. Jacob Chandy in 1948. Later in collaboration with Dr. Baldev Singh, he developed neurophysiology and neurochemistry laboratories, creating India’s first integrated department of neurosciences. India’s first EEG machine was installed by Dr. S.T. Narasimhan in Chennai in 1950. In 1951, Drs. Chandy, Ramamurthi, Narasimhan, and Singh founded the Neurological Society of India (NSI), creating a unified platform for collaboration that accelerated the nationwide adoption of these neurophysiological techniques including EEG and EMG. Concurrently, Dr. E.P. Bharucha in Bombay and Dr. T.K. Ghosh in Calcutta expanded electrophysiological research in epilepsy and spastic disorders. By 1960, major centers across India had fully integrated these technologies into clinical and research practice.

From 1947 to 1960, Indian neurologists were Asia's first to use EEG, EMG, and NCS, advancing the study of tropical neuropathies. Pioneers—Drs. Singh, Narasimhan, Chandy, and Bharucha—created a unique Indian model of neurophysiology. This model successfully integrated modern technology with a focus on public health, guiding the field today.