In 1870 the Maharaja of Vijanagaram first floated the idea of starting a Medical College in Lucknow. But the idea was watered down due to paucity of funds. In 1905 the visit of King-Emperor, George V, then Prince of Wales, inspired the idea of establishing a college to commemorate the occasion. The originator of this fine ideal to commemorate the occasion was late Raja Sir Tassadnq Rasul Khan of Jehangirabad to whom Sir Harcourt Butler wrote on 1st December 1905. “It must ever be a source of pride to you to think that the first suggestion of such a movement came from you absolutely spontaneously.”

On 22nd March 1906, the Secretary to Govt. U.P. wrote to the Registrar, Allahabad University “It is the desire of subscribers to the Foundation of King George’s Medical College that this College should be the best in the East and it will be aim of Government that the College shall give to its students the best education possible.” The project was warmly taken up by all and the Taluqdars and Zamindars of Agra and Oudh gave princely donations. Sir Harcourt Butler himself was largely responsible for rapid maturation of the scheme by the energy in collecting subscriptions and by his talents in organisation.