'Do you treat 400 million Indians for free?’ Know more about Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, former CM of West Bengal, and Gandhiji’s doctor
On Doctor's Day Special, here we turn the pages of history and talk about Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, the facinating facts about his life, and the famous exchange with Mahatma Gandhi.
Doctor's day special
On July 1, each year, National Doctor's Day, has been celebrated to honour and celebrate the day for the humans, who do the biggest to save the life of the humans. But did you know why it is celebrated only on July 1, what's special about this day. So for those, here we tell you that the day honours the legendary physician and former West Bengal Chief Minister, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.
On this occasion, here are a few fascinating facts about the late doctor, with the story of when Gandhi asked him weather he will give free treatment to 400 million people of India.
A birthday that became a memorial
On July 1 each year, India celebrates National Doctors’ Day to honor the people who dedicate their lives to saving others. But do you know why it’s celebrated on July 1? What’s so special about this day? The date honors legendary physician and former West Bengal Chief Minister Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy.
Rejected 30 Times
In 1909, Dr. Roy applied to study at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. The dean rejected his application. Undeterred, he kept applying, and on his 30th attempt, he was finally accepted.
Remarkable achievement
In just over two years, he earned both the MRCP from the Royal College of Physicians and the FRCS from the Royal College of Surgeons, a rare feat.
Classes during World War II
During World War II, when Japanese bombings in Rangoon sparked fear in Calcutta, Dr. Roy was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. But during this challenging time, he organised air-raid shelters to keep schools and colleges running as he also arranged safe places for teachers, students and other staff.
Physician to Mahatma Gandhi
Dr. Roy was politically active during the freedom movement and joined the Civil Disobedience Movement. He developed a close relationship with Gandhi and became one of his personal physicians.
Do you treat 400 million Indians free?
In 1933, when Mahatma Gandhi was fasting in Pune after the 1932 Poona Pact, he refused food and medicine. Dr. Roy went to treat him. Gandhi asked, “Why should I take your treatment? Do you treat 400 million of my countrymen free?” he asked Dr. Roy.
Dr. Roy replied, “No, I could not treat all patients free. But I came not to treat Mohandas Gandhi, but to treat “him” who to me represents the 400 million people of my country.” Gandhi said in jest, “You are arguing like a third-class lawyer in a mofussil (district) court,”
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