As the news sinks in, some may rub their eyes in disbelief. Others may find their ears reluctant to accept the truth. Some might dismiss it as a cleverly planted premature April fool story.

However, the truth does not change: tomorrow, Dr. Shakuntala Chhabra shall leave Sevagram for good, marking the end of an era. On Sunday, she will bid farewell to the institute she has called home for nearly five decades.

In the long corridors of this remarkable institute, Dr. Chhabra walked briskly, always striving to complete her never-ending To-Do list. Despite her petite frame, she exuded immense strength and resilience. She commanded attention like a force of nature. With a brisk stride and words flowing incessantly, she radiated an energy that transcended her physical presence. Indeed, her speech often outpaced her thoughts.

Leading the department for half of its illustrious history, she played a major role in safeguarding the well-being of countless mothers and newborns. Her impact on the black cotton soil of Sevagram is undeniable. Her footprints of dedication and discipline are very visible.

In the bustling wards of the Mother and Child Wing, Dr. Chhabra stood as a demanding professor, setting the bar high for her residents. Her determination shone through her gaze and a voice filled with conviction. She challenged her students to push beyond their limits, to stretch their abilities, and to surpass even their own expectations. Encouraging them to dream the impossible.

Her words cut through complacency and mediocrity. They demanded nothing short of her residents’ best. With each bedside round , she would ignite a fire within them, urging them to reach higher, to dig deeper, and to be ready for the challenges that lie ahead.

Her residents, many of whom have now become senior consultants and professors themselves, recount stories of her surgical prowess in handling complex gynaecological disorders—an achievement that has elevated her to legendary status in the operating theatre.

Her residents, now senior consultants and professors themselves, fondly recall Dr. Chhabra’s remarkable surgical expertise in managing complex gynecological disorders—a skill that has earned her legendary status in the operating theater. “It’s as if her fingers were equipped with point-of-care ultrasound probes,” remarked one resident. Another described her as having a “Midas touch,” able to breathe new life into the most challenging cases. “She possessed an innate ability to navigate through surgeries with precision, monitoring every aspect of the patient’s condition—from medications to vital signs and blood transfusions,” shared an anesthetist who had the privilege of working alongside her.

Sure enough, working with her was no easy task. She was often relentless, leaving her residents teary-eyed as they struggled to keep pace with her never-ending red-circled corrections on their MD thesis manuscripts. Many would feel drained, turning into zombies as they revised tirelessly to meet deadlines. Her lengthy rounds in the wards and OPDs, extending into the late hours, along with her formidable presence in the labour rooms and operating theatres, could overwhelm even the strongest of hearts. Nevertheless, during those three years of residency, they acquired skills in Ob Gy that few could match in the country.

It was a time well spent; many vividly remember even today.

But to me, she will be remembered for the remarkable institution she painstakingly built in Sevagram—a sanctuary for children of unwed mothers, facilitating their adoption into loving homes.

She named it Aakaksha.

As if her contributions were not already enough, she went even further, extending her reach to a neglected tribal population 150 miles west of Sevagram, ensuring safe deliveries and providing a secure childhood for impoverished tribal communities.

Melghat became her Maika.

Despite being born into a business-oriented family in Gondia, Dr. Chhabra pursued an academic medical career. In 1966, she enrolled at Government Medical College Nagpur, where she obtained her MBBS degree in 1970. Subsequently, she pursued a Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (DGO) in November 1973. MD followed in April 1975.

Interestingly, she holds a unique distinction at Nagpur University as possibly the only student to complete her concurrent DGO and MD in just two and a half years.

Curious about her choice to pursue Obstetrics and Gynaecology, I asked her what led her down that path. She replied, “Medicine was my first love, and Ophthalmology was a close second. Obstetrics and Gynaecology wasn’t even on my radar. As destiny would have it, during my internship, I began to develop a liking for Ob Gy. The rest is history.”

How did she arrive in Sevagram? She arrived during a tumultuous time in Indian history. In the last week of June 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency, leading to countrywide uncertainty and unrest. It was amidst this upheaval that Dr. Chhabra joined MGIMS as a lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Postpartum Program barely two weeks after the emergency was proclaimed in India.

She came here, trying to verify the myths that the medical students wore a Khadi dhoti and learned under a tree. Fortunately, these turned out to be only myths. Dr. Sushila Nayar and Dr. ML Sharma asked her to join before 7 July 1975, the day the Medical Council of India was set to arrive to approve the courses. At that time, Dr. P. Nayar led the department, with Dr. Kasturi Lal serving as the associate professor. Dr. Acharya had departed for Iran, leaving the department with just two lecturers, Dr. Chella Hariharan and Dr. Kane.

And she stayed put, becoming an integral part of the Sevagram success story. Over the five-decade inning, she not only headed the department but also led the hospital, the medical college, and governed the society that runs the medical college. She proved herself to be a stern administrator who did not have “No” in her dictionary. Every task, no matter how mundane or routine, was deemed “very, very urgent” in her vocabulary.

A noteworthy incident to highlight: Dr. Chhabra survived a snake bite on May 13, 2001, coincidentally on Mother’s Day. Despite the paralysis caused by the Krait, she remained undeterred. After a week in the hospital, she recovered from the venomous bite and resumed serving her patients, leaving a lasting impact in the medical field.

After nearly fifty years of dedicated service, Dr. Chhabra is all prepared to bid farewell to MGIMS tomorrow.

Dr. Chhabra is seeking new challenges, eyeing a role at a multi-specialty hospital in Shirpur, a town in Maharashtra’s Dhule district. Shirpur holds significance as the hometown of Smita Patil, a renowned actress in art-house and parallel cinema. Smita Patil’s own tragic demise in 1986, due to childbirth complications at Jaslok Hospital, just a week after delivering her baby, underscores the pressing need for enhanced maternal healthcare in tribal communities.

Aware of this history and inspired by Smita Patil’s legacy, Dr. Chhabra aims to tackle childbirth-related issues, particularly among tribal communities in the adjoining Dhule, Nandurbar, and Jalgaon districts.

Farewell, Chhabra madam. You are among the rare few whom God created to serve humanity. With such models no longer being created, your life story stands as an open book from which we can all learn.