Kerala

Happy Doctor’s Day!

First of July has been designated as Doctor’s Day in India. The Government of India declared July 1 as Doctor’s Day in commemoration of the birth and death anniversary of the eminent physician and patriot, Bharat Ratna Dr. B.C.Roy. A random survey amongst the people around us, including doctors, will testify to the fact that only a few are aware of this occasion. The day holds a special significance for medical practitioners in India as it is on this day that doctors are appreciated and felicitated for the irreplaceable role that they play in the society.

Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy was born on July 1, 1882 at Bankipore in Patna, Bihar. His career as a physician in India started in 1911 when he came back from UK after completing his MRCP. He excelled not only as a physician, but also as an educationist, social reformer and freedom. He was a leader of Indian National Congress and later became the first Chief Minister of West Bengal, a position he held until his death on July 1, 1962, on his birthday. He dedicated his life for the upliftment of Indian society, especially the downtrodden, and even in his later days he kept aside an hour every day to treat poor patients. Thus July 1st was considered an appropriate day to be designated as Doctor’s Day in India.

This special day is an ideal opportunity to remind people of the critical role doctors play in our lives. Doctor’s Day is the time for patients to acknowledge and appreciate doctor’s ability to comfort and heal. Doctor’s Day is also a significant day for doctors themselves as it provides them with an opportunity to revitalize and rededicate to the practice of medicine. Doctor’s Day is thus a time for doctors to reflect on their own careers, realize the responsibility they bear and redirect themselves onto an ethical path of healing those in need.

Dr.Abdulla Cherayakkat

[The author is Managing Director of Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS), Kozhikode]

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