Reflections on Medicine and Life by Dr. S.P. Kalantri
Holi in Sevagram always brings back memories of Dr. M. L. Sharma—the man who taught pharmacology with flair and led MGIMS through its formative years, shaping the college well beyond its adolescence. In the classroom, Dr. Sharma was a performer. Anyone who learned pharmacology from him will tell you—it wasn’t just a subject; it was … Read more
In today’s world, naming a baby is almost a competitive sport. Parents meticulously curate lists, debate meanings, consult astrologers, and even conduct online polls before settling on the perfect name. But in the 1970s, in the sleepy yet bustling medical campus of Sevagram, things were… different. Dr. Shashi Prabha Ahuja—better known as Dr. S.P. Ahuja—was … Read more
In the summer of 1969, a small Wardha village witnessed the birth of an institution that would shape generations of doctors. Sevagram, once home to Mahatma Gandhi, now nurtured the MGIMS—where medicine met service. But miles away, in the heart of Madhya Pradesh, stood another institute, older yet equally steeped in purpose—Gandhi Medical College (GMC), … Read more
In August 1969, the first batch of medical students arrived in Sevagram. Sixty of them, to be precise—forty-six boys and fourteen girls—armed with dreams, duffel bags, and probably very few clues. But there was one small problem: Where exactly was the college? And more urgently: Where were they going to live? The answer lay just … Read more
It was the winter of 1991, and I was a young faculty member in the Department of Medicine at MGIMS, Sevagram. Life was simple, our means were modest, and our ambitions were shaped more by circumstance than by grand design. One day, a handwritten letter arrived from the President of the Indian Medical Association, Nagpur. … Read more