The National Institute of Siddha (NIS) on GST Road at Tambaram Sanatorium runs a 220-bed hospital whose outpatient department is open on all 365 days of the year. In the general ward, a patient pays a one-time Rs 100 registration fee and nothing for daily consultation, medicines, therapies or food, according to the institute’s FAQ page.
NIS is an institute of the Union Ministry of Ayush, set up as a joint venture with the Tamil Nadu government and inaugurated on 3 September 2005. Siddha is the traditional system of medicine rooted in Tamil texts and practice, and NIS is its national centre for teaching, research and hospital care.
How NIS was set up
The institute’s About NIS page explains the funding arrangement. The Centre and the state shared capital costs in a 60:40 ratio and recurring costs in a 75:25 ratio for the first five years. Courses are affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University in Chennai, with the syllabus following norms set by the national regulator for Indian systems of medicine.
The campus covers 14.78 acres at Tambaram Sanatorium, and the hospital on it is named Ayothidoss Pandithar Hospital, after the nineteenth-century Madras Siddha physician and social reformer.
What the hospital offers
The hospital page lists outpatient units built around the branches of Siddha medicine:
- Pothu Maruthuvam (general medicine) and Sirappu Maruthuvam (special medicine)
- Varma Maruthuvam (varmam pressure-point therapy) and Pura Maruthuvam (external therapies)
- Kuzhandhai Maruthuvam (children) and Sool and Magalir Maruthuvam (pregnancy and women’s health)
- Aruvai and Thol Maruthuvam (minor surgery and skin)
- Siddhar Yoga Maruthuvam, Noi Naadal (diagnosis), Nanju Maruthuvam (toxicology) and Gunapadam (pharmacology)
External therapies listed include thokkanam (therapeutic massage), varmam, leech therapy, poultices, oil treatments, steam inhalation and fumigation. Support services include biochemistry, pathology and microbiology labs, X-ray, ultrasound, ECG, spirometry and a pharmacy.
NIS also runs outreach outpatient clinics in semi-urban and rural areas around Chennai, including a peripheral clinic in the tribal area of Kothimangalam near Thirukazhukundram.
Fees and admission rules
| Service | Charge (as listed, user charges dated 13.01.2023) |
|---|---|
| General ward admission | Rs 100 one-time registration |
| Daily consultation, medicines, therapies, food (general ward) | Free |
| Payment (special) ward | Rs 1,000 per patient per day |
| Medicines from the dispensary | Free |
The special ward has 12 beds in six air-conditioned rooms, two patients to a room. Thokkanam and some tests carry small charges listed on the institute’s user charges page.
To be admitted, a patient first goes through the OPD, where the unit doctor decides whether in-patient treatment is needed. An attendant must stay with the patient and sign an undertaking, and address proof such as an Aadhaar card, ration card, voter ID or bank passbook is required. Outpatient registration can be done through an online form linked from the website.
What NIS does not treat
The hospital is clear about its limits. It does not offer emergency care, major surgery, treatment for burns or severe injuries, complicated fractures, road accident or medico-legal cases, terminal care, termination of pregnancy, or care for highly infectious diseases. For emergencies, an allopathy doctor is available and patients are referred to the Government Hospital at Chromepet or elsewhere; one mobile medical unit is kept for transfers. Doctors at NIS are not allowed private practice, so a patient cannot see the same doctor at a private clinic.
Anyone on medicines for a long-term condition should talk to their treating doctor before changing or combining treatments.
Getting there and planning a visit
The campus is on the Grand Southern Trunk Road at Tambaram Sanatorium, so the nearest suburban station on the Beach to Chengalpattu line is Tambaram Sanatorium, and many MTC buses running along GST Road stop close by. The site’s location map page gives directions. Because outpatient hours are not listed on the website, it is sensible to call the hospital number before travelling, carry previous prescriptions and test reports, and bring an address proof in case admission is advised. First-time patients can register online in advance to save time at the counter.
Courses and research
The NIS home page lists 60 seats in the BSMS undergraduate degree, 58 seats in MD (Siddha) and 12 PhD seats. Its research work covers Siddha pharmacology and drug standards, and its recent notices include a six-day continuing medical education programme for doctors on the pharmaceutics of Siddha drugs. The director is Prof. Dr G. Senthilvel.
Quick answers
Is the NIS hospital open on Sundays?
Yes. The institute says the OPD and in-patient wing work on all 365 days with no holiday.
How much does treatment cost at NIS?
A general ward stay carries a one-time Rs 100 fee, with consultation, medicines, therapies and food free. The special ward costs Rs 1,000 a day.
How do I contact the NIS hospital?
Hospital phone 044-2238 0789, mobile and WhatsApp 72004 93977, email chennai-nis@gov.in.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
