History: The university was established as University of Health Sciences by the Government of Andhra Pradesh and was inaugurated on 9 April by N. T. Rama Rao, the then-Chief Minister of the state. It started functioning on 1 November 1986. Following the death of Rama Rao, a directive was issued by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to rename the university “Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences”, carried out on 2 February 1998. The university celebrated its silver jubilee from 1–3 November 2011. The university has graduate and postgraduate degrees, diploma and super-specialty courses in modern medicine; graduate and postgraduate degree courses in dental surgery, nursing, Ayurveda, homeopathy, and Unani; graduate degree courses in naturopathy, physiotherapy and medical laboratory technology, as well as a postgraduate course (M.Sc.) in applied nutrition. The number of colleges affiliated to the university since its establishment has risen from twenty-seven to 184. The degrees awarded by the university are recognized by professional statutory bodies, including the Medical Council of India, the Dental Council of India, the Central Council of Indian Medicine, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Indian Nursing Council.