In the late 1960s, a young man stepped off a dusty bus in Sevagram. Tukaram Sitaram Gawande had traveled over 200 kilometers, seeking relief from a stubborn fistula. Kasturba Hospital, known for its Ayurvedic treatments, offered hope. The cure worked. But Sevagram offered something more. He stayed. Fate, however, had its own script. In April …
Lessons That Last a Lifetime: Saying Goodbye to Dr. A.P. Jain
Physicians vary greatly: some prioritize art, others science; some are humble, others overconfident; some are bold, others cautious; some trust intuition, others data. Where did Dr. A.P. Jain fit among them? Nowhere and everywhere. He was art and science, instinct and intellect. He revered the power of physical signs but never dismissed modern technology. He …
Holi and Dr. M.L. Sharma
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 …
What is in a Name…
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 …
A Tale of Two Cities
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), …
The Prize that Meant the World
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. …
The Prize that Meant the World
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. …
The Road that Built Sevagram
Yesterday morning, during my rounds at Sevagram Hospital, I observed a flurry of activity along the road connecting the main gate to the Medicine department. Workers were laying hot tar on gravel, the air thick with the sharp scent of asphalt as rollers smoothed the surface. By evening, a transformation was complete: a gleaming black …
The Road
This morning, on my rounds at Sevagram hospital, I walked past the small patch of road connecting the main hospital gate to the Medicine department building where I work. Workers swarmed the area, spreading hot tar on the gravel, smoothing it with heavy rollers. Steam rose as the molten surface settled, the sharp smell of …
When Medicine Lost, Obstetrics Won!
The girl was born in Gondia, the youngest of six, the apple of her father’s eye. While her family thrived in business, she set her sights on medicine. She pursued her MBBS at Government Medical College, Nagpur. The year was 1966. During her undergraduate years, one man recognized her brilliance—Dr. G.S. Sainani, the head of …