After sharing Bele’s story yesterday, several MGIMS alumni requested that I describe Premdas. Today, I had the opportunity to interview him, and what I uncovered is truly fascinating. Like Bele, Premdas entered the MGIMS hostel in ’72, originating from Pujai village. Before discovering his place in the Boys’ hostel, he also worked as a daily …
Bonds Beyond Time: Memories from MGIMS Hostels
MGIMS sprang to life during the monsoons of 1969. In the early years, there were no proper hostels. Boys stayed in the Patel hostel, and girls in the nursing hostel. These were not true hostels, but simple shelters that provided a roof over their heads. In 1972, eight hostel blocks were built, labeled A through …
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗡𝗮𝗴𝗽𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗿. 𝗠𝗶𝗵𝗶𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗿
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗡𝗮𝗴𝗽𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗿. 𝗠𝗶𝗵𝗶𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗿 A fortnight ago, Dr. Mihir Wechalekar, an alumnus of MGIMS, class of 1992, received the prestigious 2024 Mid-Career Excellence Award in Australia. This honour was bestowed upon him at the combined New Zealand Australian Rheumatology Association Annual Scientific Meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand. This …
Bhau: The Fearless Hero of Balwadi
Picture this. The year was 1962. The village was Balwadi, nestled on the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The small village was surrounded by thick and dense forests, home to many panthers. These predators often crossed the thin boundary between the forest and the village. Whenever they appeared, they incited panic and terror among …
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻: 𝗣𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀
In 1973, at the age of 17, I enrolled at Government Medical College Nagpur as a medical student. During weekends, Suhas Jajoo and I frequently commuted between Wardha, where our parents lived, and Nagpur, where our college was located. Our mode of travel? The third-class train compartments. Those berths were made of hard, bare wood, …
Surprise and Sentiment: Mr. SR Halbe’s Memorable 76th Birthday
On May 10, an unknown number flashed on my phone. A few minutes earlier, I had received a message from the same number, introducing the sender as Mr. Halbe’s student and current colleague, requesting to speak with me about a surprise event for Mr. Halbe’s 76th birthday. The caller was Mr. Shrirang Padhye, a Mumbai-based …
How an ECG Foiled the Appendectomy Plan
In modern medicine, we often face a common problem: too much testing, diagnosing, and treating. We tend to believe that more tests and treatments mean better care. But sometimes, even simple tests can make things more confusing instead of clear. This confusion can lead to delays in making important decisions, more treatments than necessary, and …
Leading the Way: Introducing MGIMS’s New President
The Kasturba Health Society in Sevagram, which oversees MGIMS, is about to embrace its third President in its illustrious 55-year history. Dr. Sushila Nayar, the visionary founder, led the institute for 31 years, from 1969 to 2001. Following her passing, Dhirubhai Mehta assumed leadership, guiding MGIMS for 24 years. Sadly, Dhirubhai passed away on April …
Dhirubhai Mehta
(1936-2024) It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Dhirubhai Mehta, President of Kasturba Health Society, Sevagram, who left us this morning. He was just about to turn 88 this weekend. Born on April 27, 1936, in Songadh, a village 28 km west of Bhavnagar, Gujarat, Dhirubhai came from a middle-class family. …
Unstoppable: Dr. Chhabra’s Impact on Medicine and Beyond
As the news sinks in, some may rub their eyes in disbelief. Others may find their ears reluctant to accept the truth. Some might dismiss it as a cleverly planted premature April fool story. However, the truth does not change: tomorrow, Dr. Shakuntala Chhabra shall leave Sevagram for good, marking the end of an era. …