Doctors’ Day

Today, that is July 1, is celebrated as doctors’ Day in India, to remember, acknowledge, commend doctors for their services. The idea seemed to have germinated in the state of Georgia, USA where grateful patients, relatives and citizen used the occasion to thank doctors by sending cards to them and their wives (do not forget the immense sacrifices that spouses of doctors have to make) or even putting flowers on the graves of the ‘benefactors’.

Many countries now have their own days to celebrate the occasion. Also the methods and reasons have changed much from the “gratitude” and “emotion” based one by the citizen to an “award” or “recognition” based one by the health care industry, media or the government.

This specific day for celebrating Doctor’s Day in India has was chosen as it was the birthday of one of the most illustrious doctors of the country, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.

The life story of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, also known as BC Roy after whom the national awards for extraordinary achievers in medicine are given, is interesting. He was born on this day in 1982 in Patna where he received his early education. He went on to receive his medical education in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and then sailed to England for further studies.

What I found interesting is that his application for admission to St Bart’s College in London was rejected by the dean 30 times before being accepted, indicating how persevering and “obstinate” he must have been. He then obtained both his MRCP and FRCS degrees in just over 2 years, before deciding to return home.

In his early professional life he worked in the provincial medical service and did private practice charging a fee of Rs 8 per consultation. Later, e served as a faculty at The Calcutta Medical College for several years.

He joined public life or politics in 1925, and rose through the rungs to become the chief minister of West Bengal. During his long tenure, several hospitals and clinics were built in Kolkata that still serve as the backbone of the government’s health services.

Dr Roy was a visionary; he tried to decentralize the development of West Bengal, that was till then concentrated only in one city of Calcutta, and developed several towns such as Durgapur, Kalyani, Bidhan Nagar and so on. He did not marry, dedicated all his savings to the welfare of the state, and died at 80 on the same day that he was born — July1. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1961.

A commemorative day is not a bad idea. Although doctors seem to have been projected in India as the latest class of villains and robbers, several phone calls, cards and telephone messages from grateful patients and their relatives on this day do touch the heart and reinforce our belief that the decision to choose this profession was a good one!