Dharanidhar Medical College & Hospital (DDMCH), Keonjhar — formerly known as Government Medical College and Hospital, Kendujhar — is a government medical college established by the Government of Odisha under the Health & Family Welfare Department. Founded following the laying of the foundation stone by Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik on 2 November 2016, DDMCH was built to address the critical gap in doctor-to-population ratio in Keonjhar district and the broader tribal-majority Mayurbhanj-Keonjhar mineral belt of northern Odisha. The college and hospital are named in honor of Maharaja Dharanidhar Bhanj Deo — a historically revered figure who symbolizes the cultural and administrative heritage of the Keonjhar royal lineage in Odisha. The campus of DDMCH spans a sprawling 44.40 acres located along the Joda Road in Keonjhar town, and is approximately 4–5 km from both the Keonjhar bus stand and railway station on the East Coast Railway (Howrah–Chennai line via Cuttack) — one of the most accessible medical college locations in Odisha's interior. The 44-acre campus is designed to serve as both an academic and healthcare hub for the Keonjhar–Mayurbhanj–Dhenkanal–Angul corridor, a region known for its rich mineral wealth (iron ore, manganese, chromite) and tribal communities (Santali, Munda, Ho, Kolha, Bhumij — significant tribal population), yet historically underserved by quality tertiary healthcare. The teaching hospital infrastructure at DDMCH is dual: the primary teaching site is the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), Keonjhar — a 385-bed government hospital situated approximately 5 km from the medical college campus in central Keonjhar town, fully equipped with ICU, SICU, SNCU (Special Newborn Care Unit), 24×7 emergency, OT, and all regular clinical departments. Additionally, DDMCH has built its own dedicated teaching hospital building adjacent to the medical college campus — a 500-bed facility designed to consolidate all clinical training under one roof as it becomes fully operational. The combined infrastructure (DHH 385 beds + DDMCH dedicated hospital 500 beds) provides clinical training for MBBS students across all departments. DDMCH offers the 5.5-year MBBS program with 100 annual seats, following the NMC CBME framework. Total MBBS annual fee: ₹37,950 (first year academic fee) — an extraordinarily affordable rate consistent with Odisha government medical college norms. The college library has over 1,700 books and growing resources. Hostel facilities include a boys' hostel (capacity 300) and girls' hostel (capacity 150) — total 450 hostel seats for 100 students/batch. MBBS internship stipend: as per Odisha government/DMET norms. Compulsory service bond: after MBBS, graduates are required to serve in Odisha government/public health facilities for a prescribed period — verify current bond terms with DMET Odisha at time of admission. NEET UG 2024 AIQ closing rank at DDMCH: General category = approximately 25,000–35,000 range (competitive for an interior Odisha government college). Odisha state quota cutoffs available via OJEE counselling records. The college has been renamed from 'Government Medical College and Hospital, Keonjhar' to 'Dharanidhar Medical College and Hospital' by the Government of Odisha, reflecting the institution's growing identity and the state's commitment to honouring local heritage in its public institutions.