Science, Stories and Sevagram: A Physician-Teacher's Reflections
Insights into medical ethics, human rights, and the art of teaching in a rural medical college.
Reading Time: 7 minutesI call her Badibai—the elder mother. It is a heavy title, perhaps, for a woman who is my sister, but from the moment I opened my eyes to the world, her affection has been as encompassing and natural as a well-worn cotton sari.
Reading Time: 3 minutesThis morning an old man stepped into my office, his jacket sagging and a faded muffler loose around his neck. His wooden tulsi beads had deepened in colour with age as he joined his palms with a shy, familiar smile. ‘Gabbar,’ I said. ‘So you have come.
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe bustle of modern elections brings back memories of an older, quieter contest in Sevagram. I recall the Lok Sabha battles of Dr. Sushila Nayar, ‘Behenji’, and the humble scooters that powered a movement of great medical and social work.
Reading Time: < 1 minuteFourteen years after his passing, the image of Dr. B. S. Choubey stepping into Ward 23 remains startlingly clear. Immaculate in dress and flawless in clinical judgement, he commanded a respect that taught us more than any lecture ever could.
Reading Time: 2 minutesA tribute to the spirit of a man who balanced the rigors of his profession with a deep-seated humanity. This reflection captures the essence of a life lived with purpose and the quiet impact he left on everyone in Sevagram.
Reading Time: 2 minutesTwenty-four hours can change the trajectory of a clinical case—or a life. Looking back at a pivotal day in the wards, these memories serve as a reminder of the thin line between crisis and recovery in the practice of medicine.
Reading Time: 4 minutesOur GMC Nagpur batch of ’73 is a little emptier today. Remembering Rajendra—a dear batchmate from B Batch, Roll No. 117—and those quiet moments on the dissection hall benches where our lifelong medical journeys first began.
Reading Time: 2 minutesYesterday, I wrote about the miracle pill that found a home in every drawer and pocket. Today, I reflect on the post-miracle buzz—the warnings about its darker side, from weakened bones to fading B12 stores, and the delicate balance of clinical care.
Reading Time: 2 minutesAn hour from now, I will be sitting in the Medicine OPD, thinking about a drug that the whole world seems to prescribe. This modest little tablet, born to tame the fire of acid, has quietly conquered the globe without firing a single shot.
Reading Time: 2 minutesTwo men from across the ocean entered my life and forever altered the course of my medical practice. This is a story of mentorship, transatlantic influence, and the unexpected ways our professional identities are forged by those who believe in us.