Padm Bhushan Dr. Dukhan Ram (1899-1990)
Dr. Dukhan Ram was born in a poor Vaisy family at Sasaram in Bihar on July 15, 1899. He lost his father when he was only four years old. Being very poor, he could not afford even the village Pathshala. But while looking after the village cattle he used to watch and listen to the village teacher teaching the students. He could recite extempore whatever the teacher taught the previous day. This caught the attention of the teacher who was prompted to let him sit in one corner while he was teaching, on compassionate grounds. While still very young, he used to watch with admiration the village doctor, Dr. Jaffer Hasan, going in and out in a palanquin with village folks bowing their heads with folded hands. He started nursing the hope to emulate the revered doctor. It will be obvious that he surpassed his ambition in more ways than one.
Dr. Ram had brilliant career. He stood first in Lower Primary scholarship examination in Sahabad district in 1908 & got Rs. 3/- per month scholarship. In 1911, he again got the first rank in Upper Primary scholarship examination & got Rs. 4/- per month as scholarship. This enabled him to pursue his further higher education. In addition, he supplemented his income by giving private tuition to rich students and selling readymade garments brought from Calcutta to Sasaram during the holidays.
In
1917, he stood first in Bihar & Orisa state in
Biharotkal-Sanskrit Samiti Vyakaran examination.
In next year 1918, he again stood first in
Shahabad district in matriculation exam & got
admited in I.Sc. in Patna Science College.
He had early marriage in 1915 as was the custom
then, with Smt. Rampyari Devi. He joined Medical College-Calcutta, in 1920
and passed out in 1926. In the midst of his
medical education, he joined the evening B.Sc
class and passed out with distinction in 1925. He
joined Patna Medical College as a House Surgeon in
1927, was selected by the State of Bihar for post
graduation in 1933. He passed both D.L.O. and DOMS
of Royal College of Surgeons, London in 1934 and
returned to join as lecturer in Eye and ENT Dept., Patna Medical College. In 1944, he was elevated to
the post of Prof. of Eye and ENT Dept. which was a
combined department at Patna. During this
professorship, D.O. and D.L.O courses were started
in addition to M.S. (Eye) and M.S. (E.N.T.). He
visited a number of universities in India as
external examiners and also as inspector on behalf
of Indian Medical Council. He was nominated as the
member of the Governing body of A.I.I.M.S., New
Delhi, by the then Health Minister Raj Kumar Amrit
Kaur and served in that capacity till the
Institute was fully established.
He was conferred the title of Rai Saheb in 1945.
In addition to his medical teaching and extensive
practice, he was associated with a number of
social organisations in various capacities. He got
elected as third President of Akhil Bharatiya Kesarwani Vaishy Mahasabha at
Jabalpur. He
served Arya Samaj as Pradhan, Bihar State Arya
Pratinidhi Sabha (1951-1986). Vice-President, All India Pratinidhi Sabha (1956),
Vice President of ninth International Arya Leauge
in Jaipur and President of tenth
International Arya League at Mauritius (1975). He
became the principal of Patna Medical College in
1959 and continued in that capacity till he was
elevated as the Vice-Chancellor of Bihar
University which comprised all graduate and
post-graduate institutions in the state of Bihar,
except those located at Patna. Rajendra Medical
College, Ranchi, came into being during his tenure
and the seeds of Medical College at Muzaffarpur
and Bhagalpur were also planted. He established
arround 50 DAV schools in Mauritius between
1976-78. Established many school in 1982-84 in
backward areas of Bihar, while he was the
president of Bihar Arya Samaaj.
In 1957, he was selected by the then President of
India, Late Dr. Rajendra Prasad to operate on his
eyes for cataract. He continued to be Hony.
Opthalmic surgeon to successive Presidents of
India till late Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad.
In recognition of his services to the specialty,
he was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1967. He was also
elected to the state assembling from Sasaram the
same year.
He was
appointed Director of Bank of Bihar Ltd. in 1968.
In the same year he was got publicaly honoured &
Abhinandan Granth was dedicated by Governor of
Bihar. In 1979 he was the Chief Guest & Oldest Boy
in Centurion celebration of Patna Medical College.
He honored as "Bihar Ratn" by Bihar Government in
1988.
He was equally involved in the activities of the
associations of Eye and ENT Surgeons both at the
State and All India level. The state unit of A.O.I.
was formed under his Presidentship in 1952. He was
the Chairman, organising committee of the annual
conferences of A.O.I. held at Patna in 1952 and at
Jamshedpur in 1956. He presided over the all India
annual conferences of ENT and also Eye held at
Hyderabad in the year 1953 and 1961 respectively.
In 1933 he went to abroad for study. Later in 1949 he again went to abroad thro' Traveling Fellowship scheme of Indian Government of India. In 1958, he went to represent Commonwelth University conferences at Totanto Montreal, California, as Vice Chancellor of Bihar University.
He was actively associated with furthering of the
cause of the two specialties at national and
international levels. Himself a meticulous and
natural surgeon, he trained a number of competent
and expert surgeons. This was an effortless
surgery and it was a privilege and pleasure to
watch him operate. His tissue respect was
legendary quoted by contemporary surgeons to
emulate. He was so devoted to his profession that
in spite of ill health he examined his patients
till two days before he passed away at Patna on
April 16, 1990. In addition he was a very good
orator. His speeches were laced with quotations in
Sanskrit and sprinkled with humor.
He left behind six children, two sons and a
daughter being doctors. His wife predeceased him
by two years. He has left behind a number of
students, admirers and well-wishers who celebrate
his birth day as a solemn occasion. Not only the
people of Bihar, but the whole of India feels the
loss of the great soul. He loved the people and in
return people also loved him in ample measure.
Let his soul rest in peace.
From: http://www.biharonline.com/aoicon/dkram.php
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