Dr. Tapan Kumar Lahiri going towards his home after work. Image Courtesy – Utsav Chaurasia
Many people in the world have left an impact on us and inspired other people also through their works and principles. “Padma Shri” awardee Dr. Tapan Kumar Lahiri of India has surprised people with his perseverance and dedication that we could not help saluting him.
The man was born in Kolkata. He studied medicine in the United States of America through the 1970s and was posted as a lecturer at Banaras Hindu University in India for Rs 250 per month. He did not get married to give service to needy patients.
Tapan Kumar Lahiri is a cardiothoracic surgeon, medical academic, and author from the state of Uttar Pradesh. He was the former Professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh, India. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honor of “Padma Shri” in 2016 for his contribution to medicine. He was awarded “Padma Shri” on the occasion of Republic Day by the former President of India Shree Pranab Mukherjee.
Dr. Lakotia of BHU said, “Such a person is always ideal for all of us. Experience like him comes handy for everyone. He donates food every moment of his life for the patients. He believes that Karma made him a doctor so that he could help every needy patient.”
Though the eminent cardiologist started his career at BHU, Varanasi at Uttar Pradesh, he is today next to the God in that city. He earned his fame and respect due to his lifelong medical service to society.
Dr. Tapan Kumar Lahiri receiving the Padma Shri award from the President of India. Image Courtesy – Voice for Men India
Dr. Lahiri commented after receiving the “Padma Shri” award, “With the grace of Lord Vishwanath and Maa Annapurna, I will keep serving patients till my last breath. I am thankful to the government for giving me the Padma Shri award.”
Dr. Lahiri refused to meet Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at his residence. He was one of the prominent people of Varanasi whom Yogi Adityanath wanted to meet. Dr. Lahiri told the officers who were in charge of assisting him to meet the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, “If the Chief Minister wants to meet me, ask him to come to my OPD.”
After that, the meeting with the Chief Minister was postponed. Now it is said that the Chief Minister could have met Dr. Lahiri in his OPD if he wanted. But if VVIPs went there, patients might be inconvenienced! Earlier, it was reported that Dr. Lahiri had given such a reply not to meet the then Prime Minister of India, Chandra Shekhar Singh.
Read: The inspiring life story of Dr. Radha Gobinda Kar
There really are people like Dr. Lahiri in the world. Before his retirement, his basic salary was Rs 84,000. Including other allowances, it was above Rs 1,00,000. He has been donating his entire salary to the poor since 1994. Now, after retirement, he gets enough from his pension, but takes money as much as he can eat twice a day. The rest of his pension is donated to the BHU so that the poor patients can be benefited from it.
He is still running free medical services at BHU. Dr. Lahiri is still seen walking towards home or towards the BHU hospital with a bag in one hand and a black umbrella in the other. But he is a doctor in a country like India who treats patients free of cost. People of Varanasi know him as the God. He is still following the dream of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya to establish Banaras Hindu University, the largest residential university in Asia and one of the largest in the world.
Nowadays, we know that most doctors rob patients. Today, most doctors lead luxurious lives, drive big, expensive cars, and collaborate with pharmaceutical companies and pathology centers for commissions. Even the doctors providing service in various government hospitals in India, use to prescribe such medicines that cannot be found in other medical shops other than some nearest medical shops of those respective government hospitals. Sometimes, the names of those medical shops are also mentioned by those doctors and their assistants. This is a clear-cut picture of the commission set-up between the doctors and the medical shops. At last, a huge amount of commission goes to those doctors’ bank accounts. Doctors today have now become businessmen. To be very frank, we are passing through an era where many doctors do not miss to produce bills by placing the corpses on the ventilator.
But astonishingly, Dr. Lahiri, who has trained thousands of doctors in medical colleges for three decades, does not have his own four-wheeler.
Dr. Lahiri at his residence. Image Courtesy – Utsav Chaurasia
As much as he is committed to his profession, so is his punctuality. Today he is about 75 years old, but people at Banaras Hindu University watch him and match their clocks. He visits BHU at a particular time every day. The university awarded him the status of Emeritus Professor upon his retirement.
He arrives at the BHU at 6 am every day and returns home after working for 3 hours. Similarly, he performs his duties every evening. He still walks from his residence to the hospital on foot. Dr. Lahiri is still seen walking home or to the BHU hospital with a bag in one hand and a black umbrella in the other. In return, he does not take any benefit other than accommodation from BHU.
The hearts of the millions of poor patients are beating who were unable to get expensive treatment due to lack of money. While suffering from serious heart diseases, most of the poor patients were proceeding into the face of death, Dr. Lahiri saved them by becoming an angel.
The news media should focus on the news of such people like Dr. Tapan Kumar Lahiri so that a strong message goes to society and the greedy doctors nowadays should learn some lessons.
