Dr. Anant Ranade arrived in Sevagram in 1942, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s vision. The Ranade family hailed from Jamkhandi, a city in Bagalkot district, Karnataka, once ruled by Shrimant Gopalrao Patwardhan. The rulers of Jamkhandi bore the title ‘Raja’ and belonged to the Patwardhan dynasty. Dr. Ranade’s father, Damodar Ranade, served as the Diwan of the Jamkhandi state.
Dr. Anant, along with his brothers Jayant and Yeshwant, moved to Sevagram in 1942, deeply influenced by Gandhian principles. The three brothers received their early education at the Nai Talim School in the village, an institution rooted in Gandhiji’s philosophy of basic education. Later, Dr. Ranade pursued formal training in Ayurveda in Kolkata. Upon completing his studies, he returned to Sevagram and dedicated himself to serving rural communities. Alongside Manimala Chaudhari, he traveled to nearby villages, offering medical care to underserved populations.
In 1948, when Dr. Sushila Nayar left for the United States to train in public health, she entrusted Dr. Ranade with the responsibility of overseeing Kasturba Hospital. To support nursing services, an Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM) course was started in 1945, which later evolved into the Kasturba Nursing School in 1973. Dr. Ranade managed the hospital with dedication until 1969 and played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Kasturba Health Society in 1964. He was among its founding members, alongside Dr. Sushila Nayar, Dr. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Ms. Manimala Chaudhari, and other committed Gandhian leaders.
Dr. Ranade’s contributions extended far beyond the hospital. He organized cataract surgery camps in villages, performing thousands of surgeries and restoring vision to countless individuals. His unwavering commitment to community health earned him widespread respect and admiration.
In 1989, Dr. Ranade left Sevagram to live with his nephew, Dr. Sharad Ranade, in Nagpur. He lived a long and fulfilling life, passing away peacefully at the age of 99 in 2018.
