2024 – Page 2 – Matter of Fact

𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗚𝗜𝗠𝗦 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

4 January 202616 June 2024 by SP Kalantri

A medical college, known by any other name, would still produce MBBS and MDs. Wasn’t it William Shakespeare who wrote in Romeo and Juliet: ‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.’ Well, it does matter. 𝗠𝗚𝗜𝗠𝗦 certainly sounds better than 𝗠𝗚𝗖𝗠𝗦. Back in 1969, … Read more

𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲: 𝗠𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗠𝗚𝗜𝗠𝗦

4 January 202615 June 2024 by SP Kalantri

In November 1981, I earned my MD in Medicine from the Government Medical College, Nagpur. Guided by Dr. BS Chaubey, known for his razor-sharp mind, clinical acumen, and rapid-fire diagnoses, I underwent rigorous training. His witty and incisive remarks during ward rounds were a hallmark of his teaching style. Spending two-and-half years in Ward 23 … Read more

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵: 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹

4 January 202613 June 2024 by SP Kalantri

In the scorching summer of 1975, my elder sister, then in her 30s, fell seriously ill. Dissatisfied with the medical care she was receiving in Bhopal, we quickly moved her to Wardha, where my parents lived. Kasturba Hospital in Sevagram was still in its early stages back then. 𝗗𝗿. (𝗠𝘀) 𝗣. 𝗡𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗿, an Obstetrics and … Read more

At the helm: MGIMS Student’s Section Chief

4 January 202610 June 2024 by SP Kalantri

In the early seventies, when MGIMS was just beginning, many people, not just doctors and administrators, played important roles in its growth. Now, as these pioneers retire, their stories are at risk of being forgotten. It’s crucial to record and preserve their contributions for future generations. Dr. Bipin Amin (1975) recently requested me to write … Read more

Memories in Monochrome: Prime Minister’s Visit to Adhayan Mandir

4 January 20268 June 2024 by SP Kalantri

In 1969, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited MGIMS. She spoke to a small group of medical students in the Adhyayan Mandir near the old Kasturba hospital. I’m unsure about the occasion of Indira Gandhi’s visit, as I was only a ninth-grade student at Swavalambi Vidyalaya in Wardha at that time. This morning, I stumbled upon … Read more

MGIMS Hostel Chronicles: The Tale of Premdas

4 January 20267 June 2024 by SP Kalantri

After sharing Bele’s story yesterday, several MGIMS alumni requested that I describe Premdas. Today, I had the opportunity to interview him, and what I uncovered is truly fascinating. Like Bele, Premdas entered the MGIMS hostel in ’72, originating from Pujai village. Before discovering his place in the Boys’ hostel, he also worked as a daily … Read more

Bonds Beyond Time: Memories from MGIMS Hostels

4 January 20265 June 2024 by SP Kalantri

MGIMS sprang to life during the monsoons of 1969. In the early years, there were no proper hostels. Boys stayed in the Patel hostel, and girls in the nursing hostel. These were not true hostels, but simple shelters that provided a roof over their heads. In 1972, eight hostel blocks were built, labeled A through … Read more

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗡𝗮𝗴𝗽𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗿. 𝗠𝗶𝗵𝗶𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗿

4 January 20263 June 2024 by SP Kalantri

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗡𝗮𝗴𝗽𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗿. 𝗠𝗶𝗵𝗶𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗿 A fortnight ago, Dr. Mihir Wechalekar, an alumnus of MGIMS, class of 1992, received the prestigious 2024 Mid-Career Excellence Award in Australia. This honour was bestowed upon him at the combined New Zealand Australian Rheumatology Association Annual Scientific Meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand. This … Read more

Bhau: The Fearless Hero of Balwadi

4 January 20261 June 2024 by SP Kalantri

Picture this. The year was 1962. The village was Balwadi, nestled on the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The small village was surrounded by thick and dense forests, home to many panthers. These predators often crossed the thin boundary between the forest and the village. Whenever they appeared, they incited panic and terror among … Read more

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻: 𝗣𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀

4 January 202627 May 2024 by SP Kalantri

In 1973, at the age of 17, I enrolled at Government Medical College Nagpur as a medical student. During weekends, Suhas Jajoo and I frequently commuted between Wardha, where our parents lived, and Nagpur, where our college was located. Our mode of travel? The third-class train compartments. Those berths were made of hard, bare wood, … Read more