Mahitala Dhibesra Adulyadej Vikrom, the Prince Father[1] (Thai: สมเด็จพระมหิตลาธิเบศร อดุลยเดชวิกรม พระบรมราชชนก RTGS: Somdet Phra Mahitalathibet Adunyadetwikrom Phra Borommaratchachanok, 1 January 1892 – 24 September 1929), formerly Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of Songkhla (Thai: สมเด็จเจ้าฟ้ามหิดลอดุลยเดช กรมหลวงสงขลานครินทร์) or Mahidol Songkla, was the father of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) and King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) of Thailand, and the paternal grandfather of King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X).

Like the other sons of King Chulalongkorn, Prince Mahidol started his education at the Royal School within the Grand Palace.

Following the wish of his half-brother, King Vajiravudh, he then entered the Imperial German Naval Academy at Flensburg-Mürwik.

The start of World War I compelled the Prince to come back to Thailand in 1914; he was assigned to a teaching post at the Royal Naval Academy.

Mahidol diligently looked after his students, and thus became close to Miss Talabhat, who then accompanied him back to Thailand three years later to attend the funeral of Queen Saovabha.

While there, they married under the royal blessing of his half-brother King Vajiravudh at Sapathum Palace before returning to Harvard.

After his study, he went to Edinburgh for a break but was also asked to represent the Thai government in liaising with the Rockefeller Foundation, which was offering monetary and technical help to improve Thailand's medical and public health education.

He returned to Thailand in the same year to take the position of Director-General of the University Department in the Ministry of Education.

In 1925 he went to Heidelberg, Germany to have his kidneys treated before going back to his alma mater Harvard University, this time to study medicine.

One of the first things he did when he returned was to set up scholarships for students in the fields of medicine, nursing, and public health.

Three weeks after he started working, he visited Bangkok to attend the funeral of his uncle, and was never able to return to Chiang Mai.

He donated a large amount of his own fortune to set up scholarships which enabled university lecturers in science and medicine to further their studies.

The students sent abroad under his scholarships became key players in modern medicine of Thailand: many were regarded as great teachers, and some helped establish new medical schools and universities.