THIS CAN HAPPEN: VOLUME XXXV & XXXVI
Dr. Gangadhar Sahoo
THIS HAS HAPPENED XXXV
Prof. Ramesh Mohapatra, the Professor and HOD of Ophthalmology IMS and SUM Hospital was famous for many reasons.
His walking style is unique. One can recognize him from his walk even a kilometer away from his hindsight. His dress-up is unique. He is always smartly dressed with a full pant with matching belt , a contrast color check half shirt always inserted ,covered by a full white coat kissing his dazzling dust proof boots. He is neatly shaved with a sharp pair of mustaches as if cut with the help of a pair of specially designed scissors and a caliper. This is the brand of Prof. Mohapatra.
When he talks, he always talks sense may it be in the office, in an academic meet, in the class or in the public. In friend circles when he starts arguing he covers, mythology, science, arts, the Bhagbat Gita, the Vedas , the UPANISADS and what not . He had a very sharp memory. He can cite poems and stories even from primary school days . So no body dares to argue with him. Invariably he will prove others wrong.
He has a pair of eagle's eyes . He is expert in finding mistakes especially from the examination answer sheets and official letters. Any faculty holding an official post is afraid of responding to his phone call , apprehending that he or she will be caught on the wrong foot. One day the additional dean of examinations Prof. Rachita was telling that her hands start trembling , lips staggering automatically when she receives a phone call from Mohapatra Sir . She tells, " Scolding is written in my luck today. "
This is just the tip of the iceberg. In college council meetings the decisions of five jewels (the senior most faculty members Prof. B . Pati of transfusion medicine, Prof. T Sahoo of community medicine, Prof. Mishra of Pharmacology, Prof. Debta of Microbiology and Prof. Mohapatra of ophthalmology ) were perfect and unchallenged. They were acting as true adviser and guide of the administrators because of their experience, wit and foresight . Actually they were the assets of the institution.
One incidence I am citing which is exceptionally a hard truth in a private medical college. In the university examination he was pressurized to make a candidate of a VIP parent pass . He stood strong on his view that the failed candidate had scored 5 out of 80 marks in theory and 0 out of 20 in practical and clinical examination . Moreover he showed the performance of the candidate in class tests where it was as bad as the final examination. But the pressure was mounting from different sides in favor of the failed candidate. Prof. Mohapatra remained unmoved . He went to the Honorable Vice Chancellor with all relevant records and placed his resignation letter before him. The Honorable VC congratulated Prof. Mohapatra for his fight against injustice and requested him to withdraw his resignation letter. How many of the HODs can do this ?
One day I had been to his department on a surprise visit at 9.15 am . Prof. Mohapatra was in the OPD , calmly disposing the OPD patients. Rest of the chambers were empty. I asked him where were his other faculty members. His reply was very simple, " They will definitely come but I can't say when. " He is a disciplined man. Punctuality is a part of it. He is never a defaulter. He will be giving his biometric attendance exactly at 9 am daily. The clock may be wrong, not Prof.Mohapatra. People check their time in their wrist watch when they see Prof.Mohapatra entering into the hospital.
His office room is a small cubicle. Many a time Prof. Trilochan Sahoo, Prof. Mishra and Myself meet there for a cup of tea and a plate of freshly prepared hot snacks. This is always sponsored by Prof. Mohapatra. We have a lot of fun and then disperse. The hallmark of his room is a piece of white board fixed in one of the walls. On this board one will find an academic and an administrative calendar for a week, written in blue or black ink. The important events will be highlighted with red ink .
There were different records available in his office which can show details of individual facilities, PG students, UG students, staffs and what not.
Once I enquired to know about an UG student, known to me . He showed me the profile of that student at a glance. I salute him for his commitment towards academics and administration. He had made the administration so smooth and simple.
He is punctual to the power of infinity. Once I asked him how he's maintained this punctuality till date . His answer was very simple. " It's a habit. Habit after due course of time transforms into a part of life. But I am sorry to say that punctuality in modern world is neither recognized nor appreciated. "
"True", I said .
He was citing an incidence of his punctuality in early part of his service at SCB Medical College, Cuttack. He was a junior teacher (now designated as senior resident). It was Sunday. He had OPD duty. He reached OPD at 8.30 am when the OPD doors were just opening. He alone was there, relaxed and stretching. In came Hari,the attendant ."Sir, you need a cup of tea ?"
Prof.Mohapatra, " Hari ! How could you read my mind. Two cups please, one for you and one for me. Stay blessed. "
At that point of time he was surprised to see Prof . Bijoy Kumar Nanda entering into his OPD in his morning walk suit with a cap on his head and a baton in his hand . He was the HOD, pathology and medical superintendent.
"Good morning Dr. Mohapatra. How are you? I came through all the OPDs. Most of the OPDs are yet to be opened. Yours is the only OPD which is functional and you are the only doctor I am meeting in the OPD block. Thank you very much. Keep it up. SCB Medical College Hospital needs doctors like you . Sincerity never goes unrewarded. "
He left the OPD but left an invaluable remark which was written with indelible ink in the mind of Prof.Mohapatra. Not only SCB Medical College needs doctors like Prof. Mohapatra but the whole world needs. Discipline is the key word of medical science. Punctuality is a part of it . Punctuality is not just coming on time and leaving on time. It's something extra . Punctuality without commitment is not punctuality in true sense. Prof. Mohapatra is a bright example of discipline and punctuality.
This speaks volumes of Prof Mohapatra. If one wants to meet a legend, please meet Prof. Mohapatra. Pray Lord Jagannath to bless Prof.Mohapatra a long and healthy life so that he can show the light of wisdom to his next-generation of physicians.
.
THIS HAPPENS: VOLUME XXXVI(How did I become a doctor?)
Dr. Gangadhar Sahoo
Anu is a NEET aspirant. As usual I am very much anxious, apprehensive and curious as well. So many questions were coming to her mind . What will be the result? Which college will she get ? If not the Govt Medical College, what will she do ? Can her father take the burden of her study in a private medical college? Will she take a second chance? She doesn't like to lose a valuable year. But can her father spend it on cores ? She also does not want to be a burden on her father.She knows the financial condition of her family. Among all these questions she was totally confused and in a dilemma about what to do . One-day she asked me to tell how I became a doctor. Most probably she wanted to take a leaf out of my experience.
All the readers may ask me who is Anu ? How did she know me or how did I know her ? That part I will comply with later . Today I am giving her reply to her valuable question.
HOW DID I BECOME A DOCTOR?
I was born in a remote village in Keonjhar district, Odisha. I had my school education from primary to higher secondary education in my village schools . Passing a high school was a great achievement at that time. I was in the second batch of my high school. Earlier all who passed the high school board examination had their schooling in different towns nearby . Very few were opting for higher education. Most of them were satisfied with the job of a teacher starting from primary school to high school. At that time my imagination was stretched up to the level of a teacher not beyond . I had never thought of becoming anything other than a teacher.
When I was a class three student I had the opportunity of meeting an MBBS doctor. In our village an elderly man had fallen ill. It was not possible to shift him to Anandapur , the Sub Divisional Headquarters hospital. Bullock carts were the only mode of transportation at that time. Dr. Nikunja Bihari Das ,MBBS was the 1st MBBS doctor posted there. When approached, he agreed to visit our village to see the sick patient. But how would he come? Our village is on the downstream of the River Baitarani. So it was decided that he would come by boat.Anandapur is around 10 km away from our village. It took about one hour to reach our village .
When the boat reached the river ghat, hundreds of people irrespective of age and sex were there to welcome him . With the tune of traditional musical instruments and traditional methods he was taken on a procession to the patient's house . I had the chance of having a glimpse of him.It looked as if a deity was taken on a procession in a festival season. At that time I had felt that the doctor is an incarnation of God.
I had my college education in BJB College Bhubaneswar, the best college at that time (in the late 1960s and early 1970s). Passing from a village high school, taking admission in the premier college of the state and staying away from home for the first time in a four seated room in a hostel was a herculean task for a homesick boy of 16 years . In the college the smart students from English medium schools were differentiated from others from their style of speaking, dress and behavior. In every activity in the college be it in academics , sports or cultural events, their ego and superiority complex was significantly marked. We the rural background students were in general called CHUDAS (a form of baked brown rice). We will be seen with half pants , half shirt and a pair of Hawaiian slippers , racing after the class is over from one lecture theater to another to occupy seats in front rows. As per the academic standard I was maintaining among the top 15 . Out of this elite group around 5 opted civil service, one banking , one engineering and 4 medical. Actually I had no preference for any stream. Because physics was my favorite subject I had some weakness towards physics. In the plus 2 examination result I was in the best 20 of the university. I applied for a physics honors course in Ravenshaw College, Cuttack, the oldest and one of the best colleges of the state.
In the meantime the MBBS selection list was out which was published in all the Odia daily newspapers. Earlier I had applied for selection in an MBBS course in compliance with the advertisement in the Odia newspaper . The selection process was on the basis of the intermediate science marks and career marks. In the list of candidates qualified for MBBS admission, I had got a seat in SCB Medical College , the oldest and the best of only three medical colleges in Odisha. In the list of 150 selected candidates 10 to 15 were from BJB College Bhubaneswar and Prafulla Baral, my close friend, school mate and from my village ,passed from Bhadrak science college had got a seat in SCB Medical College.
I had already taken admission in Physics Honors Course in Ravenshaw College. Then I got selected for MBBS courses in SCB Medical College. I was in a dilemma which one to leave. Personally I was in favor of Physics because I had no idea about medical science. My uncle at that time had passed the graduation course from Ayurvedic Medical College, Puri . He was the driving force to motivate me to get admitted to SCB Medical College. He motivated me how becoming a doctor was something special at that time. It reminded me of the incident of Dr. Nikunja Bihari Das , the only MBBS doctor of our subdivision. My family members , relatives, school mates and villagers all were in support of this noble profession. At last I agreed and took admission in May 1970 in SCB MedicalCollege Cuttack . From that day I had never looked back.
Actually I had no dream of becoming a healer . I had no idea about medical science before entering into the medical college. But gradually I adapted to the circumstances. How and why I became an Obstetrician and Gynecologist is totally a different story. But I had an inclination to be a teacher. God blessed me to be a healer and a teacher. I am proud to be a part of both the prestigious, pious and noble twin professions . For this distinction I owe a lot to my family members, teachers, students, patients, well-wishers and critics. Pray Lord Jagannath to bless them all ,wherever they are whether on this earth or in Heaven.
It's possible to write this anecdote because of the inquisitiveness and curiosity of an innocent NEET aspirant , Anu . Anu was not known to me nor I have met her till date . But the following emotional mail written by her tells the whole story. The mail goes like that .
“ It may seem unusual for someone like me to mail a person of your stature. I am Anukriti Gupta, a Neet aspirant, but unlike others, I wasn’t always a bright student scoring high marks in mock tests and in school.
I came to know about you when my mother was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst a few years back, before the outbreak of the pandemic. It was a very hard time for my family, as my mother is the heart and soul of it. My father’s friend told him about you, so my father decided to get an appointment, and you treated her. I wasn’t able to go with them as my father always prioritizes studies over family matters.
That was when I first learned about you, and I did some research on Google. I found out that you did your MBBS from SCB Medical College and your MD/MS from VSS Medical College Burla.
Knowing that you have served for more than 30 years in the field of medicine and healthcare inspires me greatly. I also dream of serving the nation as you have. For students like me, you are an inspiration, sir. To fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor, I started my preparation in class 11th and even took a year off to focus on my studies. I put my heart and soul into the preparation, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. When I took the exam this year, I was confident I would score well, but I don’t think I did. Due to my anxiety and the pressure of the exam, I filled out the OMR sheet incorrectly, which will significantly reduce my marks. My parents are now asking me to take admission in a private college, as they are not willing to allow me to take another year off.
Upon researching private colleges, I found out that you were the Dean of the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital. Studying there would be a dream come true from me because, even though you are no longer the Dean, your legacy remains. What better place for me to start my journey than the institution where you ended the tenure of your service?
Reading your thoughts is still my favorite part of the week as they fill me with great positivity and self-belief.
“You are my Saraswati” I learn from you
“You are my Lakshmi’ I learn from you
Some very wise words said by you sir because the cup should always be full even if I change the size to big or to small as per my need.
Thanking you,
Yours Faithfully ,
Anukriti Gupta .”
Viewers Comments