A doctor’s dedication to be a crutch for the disabled

Partho Burman   |   New Delhi

09-December-2010

Vol 1 | Issue 15

Long ago when Nandivada Venkata Satya Kiran Kumar saw a physically disabled person crawling on all fours at a crossroad in Vishakhapatnam city, he felt a deep pain in his heart.  It was then he decided to serve the disabled by becoming a doctor. But he couldn’t succeed for three successive attempts in the medical entrance test. He always missed by three marks and cried out his heart with a simple prayer: “God make me a doctor and I shall serve all after becoming an orthopedic surgeon.” His prayer was heard and he became doctor at the age of 21 years.
 
Now 44 years old, the orthopedic surgeon with a DNB (Ortho) and post graduation degree from the National Board of Examinations, New Delhi, has been doing what he wanted to do and won recognition for his selfless service when he was awarded this year’s Godfrey Philips Bravery Award under social bravery category.

Kiran Kumar prayed before he joined medical college, “God make me a doctor and I shall serve all.”

One day all of us will become disabled, says the doctor who treats anybody needing his help. “While pursuing my (first year) MBBS from Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, I established Krushi Orthopedic Welfare Society in 1987. Krushi is dedicated for the welfare of the underprivileged, differently-abled and aged people, all of whom are given free surgical treatment,” he says.
 
Kumar believes in ‘Sarve Jana Sukhinowbhavanthu’. (a Sanskrit term which means to serve all). Anyone can visit him for treatment. He has a team of doctors including anesthetists, orthopedic surgeons, general surgeons and general physicians, who are always there to provide assistance for all kinds of patients - whether they are rich, or poor.
 
“Most of the surgeries are free. But, if the patient belongs to an upper lower-income-group or middle-income-group then we charge them for our materials and a nominal fee.” More than a thousand disabled patients have been treated freely at Sramajeevi Charitable Hospital & Rehabilitation Centre in Vishakhapatnam since 2004, which is run by his NGO.
 
Kumar’s dream project is to create a home for the differently abled, which would take care of the needs of the inmates from birth to death. Kumar appeals to donors to provide them materials and equipment required for the surgeries, but is averse to seeking financial aid.
 
He has founded another NGO called as “Escort”, which aims to provide financial and material assistance to other NGOs which may be struggling for want of funds.

Soon, he is going to launch his film titled –“Left to the Winds”, a 60-minute movie that would depict the challenges and struggles of NGOs in the country. He is also launching a compact-disc of eleven devotional songs sung by him along with various differently-abled singers of Andhra Pradesh.
 
Yes, the doctor, who is married to Anita and blessed with two children, is a singer, writer, music composer, poet, sculptor, audio visual specialist and a counselor for anyone in  need.