MY EXPERIENCE WITH A LEGENDARY PRINCIPAL PART I & II

Dr. Gangadhar Sahoo

It was an  incidence during my postgraduate career in VSS Medical College Burla from 1976 to 1979. Dr. Ramesh Mahapatra and I were the room mates. We were staying in the 3rd floor, directly under the scorching sun. It was in the Month of May . Summer in Burla is horrible. One day we were taking rest after the first half duty. At about 3pm my sleep was broken by the repeated knock at the door. I opened and surprised to see Mr. Panigrahi Babu, the head clerk of the college in front of the doctor. "Are you Dr.Gangadhar Sahoo, 1st year PG ObGy? " He asked.

"Yes.What is the matter? Why are you here at this odd hour?"
"The principal had asked you to meet him on some urgent work. Please come. "

I gently replied, "Yes, Panigrahi Babu! I will meet him tomorrow definitely. Can you tell me the cause of his summon?”

"No. It's principal's order. You have to meet him now and that too I will accompany you to his office. Please put on your dress and get ready without any delay. You know Prof. Kar!  How much particular is he!" I started trembling in apprehension. I could not guess why I was called for ,that too so urgent? I knew Prof.Kar since my undergraduate days in SCB Medical College Cuttack, when he was the Prof. and HOD, Pharmacology. He was a great teacher. His style of teaching was different. He always kept the tempo of the class with such a combination of seriousness and humor, students forget their time. His note in the class was so much substantial that I never followed any Pharmacology book in my MBBS carrier. Yes! As a teacher and examiner I knew him. During the university examination I was introduced for honors by him.  To my bad luck I couldn't stand to his expectations. But I don’t know anything regarding his administrative capabilities. It was not required also.

Immediately I got ready. I and Panigrahi Babu walked to the Principal's office, hardly about 500 meters from our hostel. Panigrahi Babu with his bicycle in hand was walking with me as if a police officer was escorting an accused to the police station. With loads of apprehensions and queries in mind, trembling body and sweating I entered into the principal's chamber. Prof. Kar was looking at the horizon through the window when I entered wishing him "Namaskar Sir!".
Turning towards me," Sit down. You are Gangadhar Sahoo. You passed your MBBS from SCB Medical College, Cuttack and doing postgraduate course here in ObGy.  Have you adjusted to the new place and new course? Are you comfortable in the department and hostel? " So many questions.
By that time I had settled myself . I replied to all his queries. But till then I had not got any hints of my summon to his office. He offered me a glass of water , handed over an inland letter to me and asked me to read. That letter was from my father addressed to the principal. The letter reads like this.

My father had not received any letter from me since my admission. He had posted me 5 letters (at that time letter through the post office was the only mode of communication) and  none of those was responded. Moreover the situation of Burla was not good at that time because of the constant conflict between medical and engineering college students. In the previous conflict a few months earlier an engineering college student was the casualty for which both the institutions were closed sinedie. So it was natural for a father to be worried. Principal Prof. Kar asked me, "Did you read it? What do you make out of this letter from your father? "

"Sorry Sir, I will reply to my father.  " Saying that I was about to leave. "No. Please sit down. You boys can't understand the heart of your parents. You are so casual. Even you have no time to drop a postcard to your father. You digest everything including the money sent by your parents but forget to acknowledge even."Saying this he handed over a blank inland letter and asked me write whatever I want to write to my father. After writing I was about to stand up to leave the office.
"No. No. I can't believe you. Sit down. Please write down correctly the address of your father and hand over the letter to me. Then you can go. I will post it myself. "

Now I understand the heart of the parents. How much they were concerned for their children!
Hats off to such principals also , who were so much student loving, caring and exemplary in teaching morals through their actions. Gone are those golden days.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH A LEGENDARY PRINCIPAL (Part II)

Dr. Gangadhar Sahoo

Dr. Ramesh Mahapatra had joined in the Dept of Ophthalmology and I in the Dept of ObGy at the same time in VSS Medical College Burla. We both were roommates. Days were passing by smoothly. Dept. Ophthalmology was conducting camps in rural areas to render service to the poor. Cataract operation was the commonest surgery done in the camps, free of cost with dedicated post operative care. Postgraduate trainees were getting hands-on training in the camps.  Dept. of Ophthalmology had a minibus donated by UNICEF specifically for this purpose. The bus was carrying one senior ophthalmologist, 3 trainees, two staff sisters, one OT assistant and an attendant cum sweeper. It was carrying sets of instruments, diagnostic tools , autoclave for sterilization, medicines and other accessories needed for surgery. Fifteen days earlier a health check up camp was being routinely organized for selection of cases for surgery. As per protocol, a number of cases were enrolled, preoperative preparations  advised and asked to report at the camps on the particular date fixed for surgery. Camps were usually held in schools or panchayat offices. Once Ramesh, my roommate, was on such a camp duty.

During his absence Panigrahi Babu, the head clerk of the Principal office of VSS Medical College Burla had come twice to our room searching for Ramesh. When I asked Panigrahi Babu what was the urgency,  he replied that it was confidential. I told Panigrahi Babu that Ramesh had gone on a camp duty and would return at the completion of the camp.

Ramesh returned from the camp. I told him the story . After submitting the joining report in the Department he went to the college office to meet Panigrahi Babu. Panigrahi Babu told him that principal Prof Kar wanted to meet him as there were some unspecified complaints against him . He asked Ramesh to wait till the principal came . After around half an hour Prof Kar came to the office. Panigrahi Babu arranged the meeting without any delay and asked Ramesh to go to the chamber of the principal. Principal was alone and welcomed Ramesh offering him a chair to sit. He had some formal conversation with Ramesh about his family, department, study and the camp experience.
“Do you know Prof. U K Nanda?” was the question of Prof Kar to Ramesh.
He answered in the affirmative. “He is the Prof and HOD ObGyn.”
“How could you know him? Have you got any patients treated by him ?”
“My friend and roommate Gangadhar is doing PG in ObGy Dept. I know about him from Gangadhar.”
“Had ever Gangadhar told you against him in any pretext?”
Ramesh was surprised at that question and asked Prof.Kar what was the matter for which he was asking such questions. “Gangadhar had no business to talk against his HOD,”he replied boldly.
Then Prof. Kar took out a sheet of paper from his drawer and gave it to Ramesh to read.
Ramesh went through the writings written in Odia all bogus things against Prof. Nanda.
Below it was signed with  R C M . After reading Ramesh handed over the paper to Prof Kar .
“Are you that R C M ?” asked Prof Kar . “We searched through all the registers of the college and hospital and couldn't find anyone whose name tallied with R C M except yours . Therefore I called you for discussion. Please excuse me . Don't feel hurt. As a part of my duty I have done this. You please do one thing. Whatever you told about Prof Nanda, you write it on the back side of this paper and go.”
Ramesh did that and left the office with a sigh of relief, “Thank God.”

What is learnt from this anecdote about Prof Kar?

He is a true leader, concerned for his colleagues. He is straight forward. He cleared all his doubts before framing someone. It's a great quality of an administrator.

Prof Gangadhar Sahoo is a well-known Gynaecologist. He is a columnist and an astute Academician. He was the Professor and HOD of O&G Department of VSS MEDICAL COLLEGE, Burla.He is at present occupying the prestigious post of DEAN, IMS & SUM HOSPITAL, BHUBANESWAR and the National Vice President of ISOPARB (INDIAN SOCIETY OF PERINATOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY). He has been awarded the BEST TEACHER AWARD of VSS MEDICAL COLLEGE,BURLA in 2013. He has contributed CHAPTERS in 13 books and more than 100 Scientific Articles in State, National and International Journals of high repute. He is a National Faculty in National Level and delivered more than 200 Lectures in Scientific Conventions.He was adjudged the BEST NATIONAL SPEAKER in ISOPARB NATIONAL CONVENTION in 2016.