Science, Stories and Sevagram: A Physician-Teacher's Reflections
Reading Time: 7 minutesDr. Swarna Lata Samal, born on April 14, 1948, passed away this morning. She leaves behind a legacy of simplicity and selfless service. Life, for Mrs. Samal, was a tumultuous journey. Filled with highs and lows , her life journey tested her resilience and spirit. She faced tempests that would have shaken the bravest of … Read more
Reading Time: 10 minutes(2 April 1947-3 December 2023) I begin this obituary with deep respect for Dr. Narendra Samal (formerly known as Naziruddin Khan until 1985), a remarkable pathologist who exemplified the principles of gender equity as a true role model. Dr. Samal’s dedication to gender equity was evident in the decisions he made to support the professional … Read more
Reading Time: 2 minutesThis morning, I hung up my boots and stepped down as the Medical Superintendent (MS) of MGIMS Hospital. Twelve years ago, I reluctantly took on this role. As a physician-teacher with no prior management experience, the early days were daunting. It felt like being thrust into Test cricket at Sabina Park without ever having played … Read more
Reading Time: 8 minutesDr K.V. Desikan, a legend in leprosy, passed away on 23rd October, 2022. He was ninety six. In a career spanning more than sixty years, Dr. Desikan invested considerable effort and time trying to understand the mystery that shrouds leprosy. He began working in an area few others cared about. Leprosy, in the early fifties, … Read more
Reading Time: 5 minutesThe passing away of Dr BC Harinath evokes so many memories. He came to Sevagram in 1970, fresh with a PhD in Biochemistry from the USA. Sevagram was a small village then and young Harinath had trouble adjusting to Sevagram. The first batch of medical students had arrived only a year ago and Dr Harinath … Read more
Reading Time: 3 minutesExactly a year ago, on this very date, a 64-year-old person arrived in the repurposed Covid block of Sevagram. He hailed from Washim—a town 225 km south-west of Sevagram—tested positive in the neighbouring medical school and was admitted to what was once a Medicine ICU. He was the first patient in our Covid ICU, the … Read more
Reading Time: 4 minutesOn May 5,1982, on a hot afternoon, I entered the MGIMS medicine ward in Sevagram. Unlike the noisy government medical college, Nagpur where I was trained, this hospital sounded remarkably calm and tranquil. I ran into an unkempt resident in the medical ward doing a pleural tap at the patient’s bedside. With a stethoscope hanging … Read more
