26 December brings vivid memories of Dr. Sushila Nayar—fondly called Badi behenji—across the kaleidoscope of mind. She was born on this day—103 years ago.
Five decades ago, she began working to implement mission impossible—designing a medical school in Sevagram. She fought all odds, relentlessly and ensured that her dream of starting a rural medical school was translated into reality. We must count ourselves lucky to discover her several qualities- her passion for making healthcare accessible to rural people, her strong views on the growing menace of alcohol in the society, her indomitable zeal, her emphasis on high-quality medical research, her determination and courage to fight for what she thought she was morally right and her compassion for patients struck by leprosy.
We need to strive harder to uphold the highest standards of governance that she exemplified. We, at Sevagram, need to work even harder to blend the right mix of teaching, research, healthcare and community services in our day to day living.
