Science, Stories and Sevagram: A Physician-Teacher's Reflections
A few years ago, I was invited to speak about snakebites at an annual conference in Nagpur. As a physician who had treated hundreds of patients with venomous snakebites, I was excited to share my experience. On that Sunday morning, as I arrived at the conference hall 15 minutes early, I found only two people … Read more
The Bread Man of Sevagram: A Journey of Passion and Dedication As the Bible says, โBy the sweat of your brow you will eat,โ but as I spoke to Devidas Modak this morning, I couldn’t help but wonder if a new adage was more fitting: โBy the sweetness of your bread, you will live.โ Imagine … Read more
Where did the idea come from? Shailaja Asawe, a niece of Bhavana’s mother, often shares a proud and cherished memory with me. She recounts the day Bhavana was born, proudly exclaiming that as a 10-year-old girl, she was one of the first to lay eyes on the newborn. Every time we meet, Shailaja fondly reminisces … Read more
On a sunny afternoon at the hostel of a medical college, a third-year postgraduate student appeared visibly worried as he skipped his lunch. He approached a group of his senior friends, who were now senior residents in the same hospital. PG: “May I ask you something? Two years ago, I submitted my thesis protocol to … Read more
๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐๐ฏ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ต๐๐ is a devastating disease. At Sevagram, our healthcare providers regularly care for hundreds of patients with severe scrub typhus in the ICU. Unfortunately, around 15% of these patients do not survive. A study from India published a day before in the ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ป๐ด๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ caught my attention. CMC Vellore, PGI Chandigarh and … Read more
Have you had the pleasure of trying Domelette? It’s a delectable creationโan omelette perched atop a dosa. This delectable dish was quite popular amongst MGIMS medical students who craved something novel yet affordable and filling. In the golden days of the 70s and the 80s, it’s just one of the many mouthwatering delights you could … Read more
Have you ever heard of Domelette? It’s not a typoโMicrosoft Word swiftly corrects typos as soon it spots them โ but a unique dish that combines an omelette with a dosa.And in the halcyon days of the 70s and the 80s, it’s just one of the many mouthwatering delights you could find at the India … Read more
Babulal Ganvir and Jagdish Chandra Bose. Since the early seventies, they held sway in Sevagram for a span of thirty years. Babulalji’s Aaloo Bonda was an irresistible treat, and Jagdish’s Masala Dosa was no less mouth-watering. Babulalji ran his canteen on credit, while Jagdish mostly relied on cash. Babulalji spoke Marathi with a soft-spoken tone, … Read more
Sevagram in the 1970s had a canteen that served as a bustling hub of activity for students, staff, and visitors. The canteen provided a space where people could grab a quick bite, catch up on the latest gossip, or simply enjoy Babulalji Ganvir’s generosity. If there’s one thing that people remember Babulalji for, it’s his … Read more
During the seventies, Sevagram was inhabited by simple folks, dealing with their lives in a uniquely engaging, humorous and humane manner. The medical college had just started and boys and girls from Ambala to Ahmednagar and Shahjahanpur to Sambhaji Nagar arrived in the village. Sevagram pleased many no end. Many were overjoyed, but many were … Read more