The Department of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) was formally inaugurated in March 1993 by Prof. Richard R. Ernst, Nobel Laureate. The department has two clinical 1.5 Tesla whole body MR systems which are used for patient care and research. A joint meeting of the expert and management committees set the guidelines for 60% usage of machine time for clinical work, and 40% for developmental MRI /MRS research work. The 4.7 Tesla animal MR scanner for imaging and spectroscopy of small animals (rodents, mice, etc) has been identified as a “National Facility” by the Ministry of Science and Technology (DBT and DST), Government of India. A vertical bore 9.4 T FT NMR spectrometer is being upgraded to 16.4 T FT NMR spectrometer with microimaging with funding from DST.  

The Department was created through the initial capital investment from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, in the early part of the 8th plan period.  The first phase (Phase-I) of the creation of the Department of NMR was accomplished with the procurements and installation of (i) a Bruker ‘BIOSPEC’ 47/40 animal research MRI/MRS scanner (functional from March, 1993), and (ii) a Siemens ‘MAGNETOM’ 63/84-SP whole body clinical MRI/MRS scanner (functional form October, 1993). Under phase-II, a vertical bore 9.4 T FT NMR spectrometer was installed in April 1996 for multidisciplinary ‘molecular level’ NMR investigation of cells, tissues, etc. Under phase-III, the department procured and installed the second MR scanner (1.5 T Siemens MRI/MRS scanner, Sonata) and recently upgraded the old MAGNETOM MR scanner to a new 1.5 T Siemens MRI/MRS scanner (Avanto).  Recently the department upgraded the console of the 4.7 T animal MR system with advanced electronics and software from grants received from DST. The Department of NMR has a national Research Advisory committee (RAC) which reviews research proposals and provide guidance for the NMR/ MRI facility.