Between 1966 and 1969, Indian politics was a storm in motion. Indira Gandhi—once dismissed by Ram Manohar Lohia as a “goongi gudiya” (dumb doll)—defied expectations. Not only did she win the 1967 general election, but she also consolidated power and emerged as a formidable Prime Minister. The Congress party soon split: the old guard became …
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Medical College
The Jouney of MGIMS Library
Long before Sevagram became a sprawling campus of healing and learning, something quietly profound took root beside the Biochemistry lab on the ground floor of the old Kasturba hospital. It was 1969. The college was just finding its footing—and so was its library. A single almirah, 35 books, one table, and two chairs. But what …
A Voice that built MGIMS
August 8, 1968. A date like many others in the national calendar—almost forgotten. But in a modest meeting room in Delhi, something quietly historic stirred. Three minds met. The agenda: to build a medical college in Sevagram Morarji Desai, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, was from Delhi—famoulsy frugal. Beside him sat Vasantrao Naik, Chief …
Happy Birthday, Pendsey!
𝘎𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯, Pendsey. 𝘞𝘪𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘩𝘵 𝘦𝘴 𝘐𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘯? 𝘜𝘯𝘥 Happy Birthday! It’s the 18th of May. Like always, I wake up thinking of you, 𝗗𝗿. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘆. For years, I’d call and surprise you with my rusty German. You’d laugh, loudly. “𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘬,” you’d say. Your accent was better. Your joy, louder. That laugh still echoes. …
Doing away with MD thesis
I must admit that I, too, was—and still am—a medical teacher who guided—or is misguided the more appropriate word?—over three dozen postgraduates in writing their MD theses. I do not wish to stand on a pedestal or adopt a “holier than thou” posture. I have erred, misjudged, behaved badly, mishandled situations, and at times, been …
The Double-Blind MD Thesis
“So, what’s up?” I asked the young postgraduate from a neighbouring medical college. He had just run into me on the road. “I’ve finished my thesis, sir,” he said, sounding both relieved and battle-weary. “Now preparing for the MD exams—just two months to go.” “That’s done?” I raised my eyebrows. “Already?” “Yes, sir,” he nodded. …
April 22. One Year.
22nd April. One Year. Exactly a year ago, in the quiet hours of the morning, Dhirubhai left us. He was 86. It still feels unreal. Time slows when I think of him. When Dr. Sushila Nayar invited him in 1982 to take charge of MGIMS, he hesitated. “I couldn’t even pronounce the names of half …
MGIMS: 1969
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 …
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 Dean and the Lambretta
In the good old days, life in Sevagram was simple. The roads were dusty, the air always hot, and the village felt far removed from bustling cities. Yet amidst this simplicity, something rare filled the air—humility. Once upon a time, the heads of departments and deans were more than just figures of authority. They were …