Reflections on Medicine and Life by Dr. S.P. Kalantri
Clinical stories and reflections on evidence-based medicine, research, and patient care.
She was just 33. At first glance, she looked heavy. And she was—79 kilos. That’s not what we usually see. Most women who come to us are thin, often undernourished, their bodies shaped by years of poverty and hard work. But her weight was hiding something. A lump in her breast had grown quietly for … Read the essay
Shankar sat on the old wooden bench outside his workshop, absently rubbing his rough, unshaven chin. The bright sparks of welding had once lit up his face, but now it was worn, lined with worry. He had battled difficult customers, unpaid bills, and broken machines, but this was different. This was a fight he knew … Read the essay
Radhika was never one for outbursts. But that day, as she lay in the hospital bed, her voice shattered the silence like a storm. Her eyes burned with fury. “How dare you talk to me?” she shouted, her chest rising and falling with anger. “Get out! Don’t come near me! Don’t touch me!” Her words … Read the essay
“Stop this vomiting,” she said firmly, her voice steady enough to make even the nurse stop fidgeting with the clipboard. “Ease the pain a little. Once I gather some strength, I’ll take you to my village. You’ll sit on the mud floor, eating from banana leaves. Hot jowar bhakris, fresh off the chullah, with just … Read the essay
Pandurang (name changed) is not a guru. He doesn’t stand on a stage, preaching to thousands. He isn’t a YouTuber making millions from daily wisdom. He hasn’t written books, nor made money from his teachings. He is a daily wage laborer from a village near Hinganghat, a 73-year-old man who never went beyond primary school. … Read the essay