Who can forget Dr Kotnis who had sacrifices his life of the service of humanity. You may say those were the old days and the doctors these days are busy minting money and going for strike.

Doctors are always in the service of the humanity as ever. Two recent examples have proved it.

DR CHANDRAKANT PATIL

A senior resident doctor at King Edward Medical College (KEMC), working in inhospitable conditions under the banner of "Doctors for you" died when lightning struck on a temporary bamboo structure functioning as his clinic in a relief camp in Bihar. When the doctors arrived from Mumbai, they were offered shelter in a cowshed (before an NGO got them some space). This kind of reception will makes any one think twice before volunteering further. But all those difficulties didn’t make too much of a difference to Patil. He had fought with hospital authorities for permission to go to the flood affected area. He and another doctor pursued the dean to grant them leave and also brought other volunteers together. In all 48 doctors reached Bihar to work in the conditions not so conducive. Patil was topper at Pune’s BJ Medical College. He voluntarily did the oneyear rural stint most medical students find ways to escape. He had pledged to donate his eyes but the wish could not be fulfilled because of the delay in reaching Mumbai.

DR HARSH KUMAR

This young doctor of AIIMS has always been in the NEWS for many reasons. Being representative of the RDA he is often seen taking aggressive posture. Recently he along with 17 more went to work in flood affected districts of Bihar despite their request being turned down by the health ministry. The went to serve with out pay and took along with them whatever they could from their own resources. Despite there being no assistance from state or central Governments, they have set up a health camp at Bhutiya Canal. They received support from Delhi University volunteers. Their camp is 300 km from the nearest civil hospital. Government doctors are all concentrated in the civil hospital while a camp of more than 50000 is being served by these doctors from Delhi who see more than 500 patients every day. Now people should understand that Dr. Harsh is not synnonymous with giving strike calls.