Shija Academy of Health Sciences (SAHS), Imphal, holds the historic distinction of being the first homegrown private medical college in Northeast India. Established in 2021 by the Shija Hospitals and Research Institute (SHRI) — a household name in Manipur's healthcare sector — SAHS represents a transformative milestone in the region's medical education landscape. The National Medical Commission (NMC) granted formal permission for the college to commence operations from the academic session 2021–2022 with an annual intake of 150 MBBS students, under the NMC letter No. NMC/UG/2020/000092/032984 dated 01-11-2021. Located at the eco-friendly, green HealthVillage campus in Langol, Imphal West, the institution is approximately 9–10 km from Bir Tikendrajit International Airport (Imphal) and is easily accessible by local transport. The campus is set against the scenic foothill of Langol, offering a serene and pollution-free environment ideal for focused medical learning — one of the most aesthetically appealing medical campuses in Northeast India. The founding organization, Shija Hospitals and Research Institute, has a remarkable legacy of its own. Originally established as Shija Clinic in 1985 at Paona Bazar, Imphal, SHRI has grown over four decades into a 350-bed NABH Pre-Entry Level certified super-specialty hospital with 60 critical care beds, staffed by over 1,399 caregivers including 165 full-time doctors. SHRI is empanelled by CMHT, PMJAY (Ayushman Bharat), and 30 other government and private organizations, and has treated more than 57,000 patients including dialysis patients under these schemes. SHRI's medical achievements are extraordinary — the hospital set a Guinness World Record for the successful removal of the largest neck tumor (40% of total body weight) in the world in 2006. It has performed successful re-implantation of 8 totally amputated hands and fingers, and is a leading centre for kidney and cornea transplantation, keyhole surgery, plastic surgery, interventional radiology, advanced stroke management, cardiac sciences, joint replacement, neurosciences, gastroenterology, renal sciences, eye care, and palliative care in Northeast India. SHRI also operates a Common Biomedical Waste Management system for the state. The SAHS academic block features modern, technology-driven infrastructure including e-classrooms with smart learning tools, state-of-the-art clinical skills laboratory, high-tech departmental laboratories for anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, and microbiology, a central library with an extensive collection of medical books and e-resources, and modern auditorium and conference facilities. The campus is Wi-Fi-enabled throughout. Academically, SAHS follows the NMC-mandated Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum. The college is affiliated with Manipur University for academic and examination purposes. Admissions for the 150-seat MBBS program are conducted through the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), Manipur for state quota and through MCC for All India Quota. The fee structure for AY 2025-26 (5th Batch), as officially notified by the Government of Manipur, is: State Quota: ₹5,00,000 per year; Management Quota: ₹17,00,000 per year. Additional fees include a hostel deposit of ₹75,000 and a refundable caution deposit of ₹25,000. The college offers separate hostel facilities for boys and girls with modern amenities, Wi-Fi connectivity, cafeteria, and 24-hour security. SAHS envisions evolving into a global healthcare and medical tourism hub. Future plans include a satellite 100-bed hospital at the international border town of Moreh (bordering Myanmar) for primary and secondary care in border areas, and a Rural Health Centre within a 40 km radius of the main campus. The college aims to stop the massive outflow of Manipuri students to other states and countries for medical education — estimated at over Rs. 500 crore annually leaving the state — by providing quality private medical education locally. Intern stipend at SAHS is approximately ₹20,000–₹25,000 per month. Placement rate is reported at 70–80%, with graduates going to government hospitals, Shija Hospital, Apollo, and other private institutions, or pursuing PG programs through NEET PG. The highest package offered has been ₹7.56 LPA and average package approximately ₹4.25 LPA.