Roots in Ahmednagar

Dr. Vidyadhar Ranade grew up in Ahmednagar, a town whose quiet streets carried the memory of India’s freedom struggle. Ahmednagar Fort had once held some of the nation’s tallest leaders behind its stone walls. It was there that Jawaharlal Nehru wrote The Discovery of India, Maulana Azad compiled Ghubar-e-Khatir, and Acharya Narendra Dev reflected on Buddhist philosophy. Babasaheb Ambedkar too wrote Thoughts on Pakistan in Ahmednagar. For a young boy growing up in that atmosphere, history did not feel distant. It lived in stories, in books, in the conversations of elders, and in the pride of the town itself.

His father, Dr. Shriram Ranade, embodied that spirit of patriotism and public service. After studying in Ahmednagar and Fergusson College, Pune, he chose not to join Grant Medical College because it was run by the British. Instead, he entered GS Medical College and KEM Hospital in Mumbai, institutions closely associated with the nationalist movement. There, he completed his MBBS and later specialised in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The Ranade household was steeped in Gandhian values, simplicity, and a strong sense of social responsibility. Vidyadhar grew up hearing stories of the freedom struggle and of his father’s work as a doctor. One story remained etched in his mind. During the freedom movement, when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was imprisoned in Ahmednagar Fort, he refused treatment from a British doctor. Dr. Shriram Ranade was called instead. Years later, when Nehru returned to Ahmednagar as Prime Minister, he broke protocol and told officials, “Let my doctor receive me.”

For young Vidyadhar, medicine was never simply a profession. It was part of a larger tradition of service.

A Natural Pull Towards Sevagram

Long before he joined MGIMS, Dr. Ranade had already heard of Sevagram through another student from Ahmednagar, Dr. Sheel Mohan Sachdev, who had entered MGIMS in 1970 and later moved to the United States. The values of MGIMS resonated deeply with his family. A medical college built around Gandhian ideals, rural service, and simplicity felt like the natural destination for someone raised in a household where those values were lived every day.

Before coming to Sevagram, he studied at Sacred Heart Convent in Ahmednagar, later moved to a Marathi-medium school, and then completed B.Sc. Part I at Mission College, Ahmednagar. He studied on a scholarship of ₹400 per year, a modest amount even then, but one that reflected his academic merit.

In 1972, he appeared for the common entrance examination conducted jointly for AIIMS Delhi, BHU Banaras, and MGIMS Sevagram. The examination was very different from today’s multiple-choice tests. It consisted of two essay-type papers that demanded not only knowledge but also clarity of thought and the ability to express oneself.

When the Maharashtra merit list was announced, he stood third. Only Dr. Parvathi Narayanswamy and Dr. Rajendra Phulgaonkar ranked above him. It was a remarkable achievement and one that confirmed he was ready for the demanding academic journey ahead.

The Interview That Opened the Door

The interview at Sevagram remains vivid in Dr. Ranade’s memory even after so many decades. The panel included Dr. Sushila Nayar, Manimala Chaudhary, Santoshrao Gode, and several others.

Santoshrao Gode, then the President of the Zilla Parishad, asked where he came from. When Vidyadhar replied that he was from Ahmednagar, Gode immediately asked whether he knew Balasaheb Bharde, the prominent Gandhian leader, Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, and an influential figure in Khadi Gramodyog, Harijan Sevak Sangh, and Maharashtra Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. Vidyadhar knew of him well. Balasaheb Bharde was a respected figure in Ahmednagar, and his father often spoke highly of him.

Dr. Sushila Nayar then asked whether he knew about Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution to health. Vidyadhar answered that Gandhi had organised the Natal Indian Ambulance Corps in South Africa around 1899. When Dr. Nayar asked where he had learnt this, he explained that during his school years, his headmaster would teach students about Gandhi every Sunday. Those lessons carried marks in the examination, but more importantly, they gave him a detailed understanding of Gandhi’s life and ideals.

He was asked several other questions, many of which he no longer remembers, but he left the interview with a quiet sense of confidence. He had done well in the written papers and in the interview, and soon he found himself admitted to the MBBS batch of 1972.

Discovering the Spirit of Sevagram

Soon after admission, the new students attended the orientation camp at Gandhiji’s Ashram. Chimanbhai oversaw the Ashram, while Panditji managed the camp. For many students, it was their first close exposure to Gandhian philosophy, rural life, and the values that shaped MGIMS.

The days were filled with discussions, lectures, and shared experiences. Dr. Ranade remembers listening to Dada Dharmadhikari with particular admiration. His speeches left a lasting impression. They were not merely lectures but reflections on life, morality, and public service.

Life at Sevagram in the early 1970s was remarkably simple. The admission fee was only ₹1,200. Mess charges were around ₹60 per month. Students lived with few comforts but with a strong sense of purpose. There was little distraction and much camaraderie.

The environment of Sevagram was unlike that of any other medical college. Students were constantly reminded that medicine was not only about acquiring knowledge and skills but also about understanding the lives of ordinary people. They were encouraged to think about rural communities, poverty, and the social realities that shaped illness.

For Dr. Ranade, whose family already valued simplicity and public service, Sevagram felt less like a new world and more like a continuation of what he had learnt at home.

Teachers Who Left a Lasting Mark

Dr. Ranade speaks with deep respect about the teachers who shaped his years at MGIMS. He remembers Dr. Indurkar, Dr. Kane, Dr. Kolte, Dr. R.V. Agrawal, Dr. M.L. Sharma, Dr. M.D. Khare, and Dr. S.P. Nigam among many others.

These teachers were rigorous, disciplined, and deeply committed to their students. They demanded hard work and precision, but they also taught with sincerity and passion. They represented a generation of medical teachers who believed that training a doctor was about much more than completing a syllabus.

The academic standards at Sevagram were high. Students were expected to think critically, examine patients carefully, and understand the science behind medicine. They were taught not to take shortcuts.

When Dr. Ranade later joined Government Medical College, Nagpur, for his residency in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, he realised just how strong his foundation from Sevagram had been. The knowledge and discipline he had acquired there helped him stand out. He was able to impress Professor Shastrakar, the respected Head of the Department, because of the rigorous training he had received at MGIMS.

That experience confirmed what he had always believed. Sevagram had prepared him exceptionally well, not only in medicine but also in the habits of careful thinking, hard work, and humility.

Carrying Sevagram Forward

Even today, decades after leaving MGIMS, Dr. Ranade carries Sevagram within him. He remains deeply grateful to the institution that shaped his career and values.

He sees his life as part of a larger story that began with his father’s commitment to medicine and public service. His father’s example, the Gandhian atmosphere of his home, and the years spent in Sevagram all flowed together to shape the doctor he became.

For Dr. Ranade, MGIMS was not simply a place where he studied medicine. It was where he learnt what it meant to serve people with sincerity, humility, and compassion. It taught him that medicine is not only about curing disease but also about standing beside people in moments of fear, pain, and uncertainty.

The gratitude he feels toward Sevagram remains undiminished. The institution gave him knowledge, confidence, values, and lifelong friendships. More importantly, it gave him a sense of purpose.

That purpose continues to guide him even today.

He chose Obstetrics and Gynaecology largely because he secured a house job in the specialty. His father and elder sister were both gynaecologists, and the family ran a small hospital in Ahmednagar, now Ahilyanagar, which further shaped his interest in the field. Although he had been good at Medicine, postgraduate training had not yet started at Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences during his house job. He therefore applied to Government Medical College Nagpur, where he was selected for MD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Dr. V. D. Shastrakar Madam was his postgraduate guide.

He worked for many years in the government health services, including at the Civil Hospital in Ahmednagar, now Ahilyanagar, and also served at several other postings following transfers. He retired from government service in 2011. After retirement, he has been working for the past 14 years as a consultant gynaecologist at the Health Advice Call Centre, Aditi, under the Government of Maharashtra and the National Health Mission, Government of India, through the Maharashtra State toll-free helpline 104.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was also associated with the Government of India’s helpline 1075, which became one of the most important sources of information and advice for people seeking guidance on COVID-related problems. Through this service, he counselled and advised callers not only from India but also from countries in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.

His wife, Dr. Shubhada Ranade, is an MD physician and also holds a Diploma in Child Health. She completed her MBBS from Pt. J. N. Medical College, Raipur. She obtained her MD in Medicine from B. J. Medical College under the guidance of Dr. Pradeep Diwate, and later completed her DCH from Mumbai. She is originally from Bhilai. He lives with his family in Pune.