Doctor for the Poor

It was 1977 and I was doing my PUC course - pre university course.
I had study holidays and was at home, preparing for examinations. Father was digging deep the well as water level had gone down.

They were using some explosives for digging. Sometimes some of the detonators used would not explode. Those would be collected and kept safe in the motor room at the fields.
I used to utilize that room for studies. I saw the detonators and started playing with one. I was a mischievous lad then! The detonators had two wires - one is positive and the other was negative . I took a flash light and removed the batteries and started connecting them to the batteries. Nothing happened. I tried again. Alas! The detonator blasted! Left hand wrist, stomach, chest everywhere injuries . I was crying and shouting. My father was rushing from the fields to me. He bandaged the wounds with towel and was carrying to the house. Mother also was rushing and one bus was coming. We stopped the bus and boarded to go to hospital.Mother checked her tiny typical surukkupai - purse; only one  10 Rupee  note was there. Tickets each 35 paise totaling 1.05 Rupee were taken to Attur, the nearest town. We got down at Attur bus stand hired a horse cart for 2 Rupees and rushed to Ramadoss Nursing Home. We had only 6.95 Rupees.

The doctor with genuine smile saw us. Immediately took me to the new operating room; Removed the pieces; did the surgery and admitted to the hospital to the new room built. Virtually we did not have any money. He did not ask any! One nurse was sent to bring the medicines. All treatment was going on. Not even a single Rupee was asked. Tea from doctor's home was served to me.
It was a heavy drought season in whole Tamilnadu. Agriculture was not at all possible due to scarcity of water. Even drinking water was not available. With all our resources father was trying to dig deep the well and all money was going there.

Dr. Ramadoss was usually called as the Doctor for the Poor. By a single glance he would understand the disease of the patient and more importantly the patient's finance condition. For many patients he used to treat for free and give bus fare to go home !
He was our family doctor! For  four generations- grand father, father,me and my children- he gave us treatment. Whenever possible we used to pay for the medicines only. Only some vegetables, milk, some rice for Pongal festival - these are the doctor fees we used to pay! I used to prepare for the examinations at the hospital. He tried with all possible treatment to discharge me before the examinations commence. Exactly two days before I was discharged with a small sling in my left hand. We did not pay any money. He did not ask also . After the harvest we assured to pay the bills. I attended the examinations and passed in first class!

This is Dr. Ramadoss! A great soul and a wonderful human being!  He always approached the patients gently and charged them what they could afford!
If a specialist is to be consulted he would find someone who would charge very reasonably!
Any of our family function he would find the time to attend.
When I was at  the age of 13, my milk teeth of 8 numbers did not fall and the permanent teeth also started growing. My mouth was full of teeth and as I was trying to close my mouth, my looks were very awkward. One day while visiting him, he looked at me and asked me to show the teeth. After that he told his assistant to hold me tight and asked me to open my mouth. Within no time he took a dentist tong like a cutting plyer and pulled out all the protruding teeth. Even I kicked him a little during this process !
My father was a big fan of him. Many times he gave treatment to my father and my father used to say that he was living because of him. Father used to keep a photo of him in our home. Everyday he used to see the photo till date.

Such a great soul is no more now. Maybe the Almighty wanted a better doctor to take care of His Holy staff and called our doctor back!
In the city of Attur nobody will forget him.
We lost a great human being! He will be always in our hearts!

May his soul rest in peace.

SIM CARDS IN OUR LIVES

SIM CARDS IN OUR LIVES

During my trip in April 2015 to UK, my son Arun gave me a SIM card for the local usage. The SIM was not fitting to my Iphone slot and we were searching to cut it to fit to the Iphone.

We approached a store in Coventry, West Midlands, and asked to help one Indian salesman. He happily agreed and asked 5 Pounds as the service charge. I was shocked. Almost 500 Rupees! Arun informed that the cost of the SIM card itself is only one Pound

I said no need to cut and came back and we decided to approach one more shop where the students usually go!

Arun was having classes at the University and he excused himself.  I decided to roam around the places in the city centre. There was a Main Market.

I went inside and saw one Punjabi young man’s vegetable shop. I was checking the vegetables. Almost all vegetables were available. I purchased some and I asked him in Hindi where I could cut this SIM card to fit to my phone. He said he was also selling SIM card and he was doing part time job in that vegetable shop! He just asked me to hand over the SIM card and gave me a new SIM card which would exactly fit to Iphone. He said in Hindi, “Uncleji do not worry both SIM cards are from the same company, you can talk to your son free of cost.” He helped insert it into my phone and activated it. I asked,” How much?” He simply laughed and said, “We just exchanged the SIM cards; no charges!” I wished him all the best and called Arun and informed the new number.

I had some Pounds which I wanted to deposit in Arun’s account. Being first time in that place I found a little difficult to locate the Bank.

In the entrance of a mall I saw one Indian selling SIM cards of a mobile company. There was a small umbrella and he was trying very hard to sell. As usual people do not care to stop. I approached him and he asked me whether I wanted a SIM. I told him my SIM card story and asked him the way for the Bank, He explained and showed the way. Then I asked him who he was and what was he doing. He said he was a student and doing part time job to support his expenses in turn to reduce his parents’ financial load. He was doing his M.S. in construction management! I was impressed. Then I found the bank and deposited the money.

During my second visit to Coventry this August 15, I came to know that two of Arun’s apartment’s partners were doing part time selling the SIM cards. Arun was also trying to get some part time job.

I returned to Kazakhstan, one day Arun called and informed that he was also selected as a salesman for one mobile company. Now he is selling SIM cards to reduce my financial load!

In UK if you see anyone selling SIM cards, most probably that person will be a student! May be he would be an intelligent post graduate, who is not having any ego, who respects all the jobs!!

If you want to buy a SIM card you could always support a student!