VMRF had its inception in 1981 with the establishment of the Thirumuruga Kirupananda Variyar Thavathiru Sundara Swamigal (TKVTSS) Medical Educational and Charitable Trust. In 1982, the founder-chairman, Dr. A Shanmugasundaram, instituted the Vinayaka Mission's College of Pharmacy in Salem, the pioneer institution of Vinayaka Missions. In 2001, "deemed to be university" status was conferred on Vinayaka Missions by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India.
Nearly 15,000 students study in the various constituent colleges, and every year approximately 2,000 medical, dental, homeopathy, paramedical, engineering and management professionals besides arts and science graduates graduate from the VMRF campuses.
[4]
Honours
On 6 July 2008, VMRF chancellor Dr. A. Shanmuga Sundaram conferred an honorary doctorate in philosophy on the MIC deputy president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel for his contribution to politics and the Indian community in Malaysia.[5]