Inauguration of Preventive Medicine Department

 

# Preventive Medicine

साधू-संत येती घरा । तोचि दिवाळी दसरा ।।

By this definition today was equivalent to Dasara and Diwali for me. My baby, the Department of Preventive Medicine at DMH, Pune was formally inaugurated today at the hands of Dr. Prakash Amte and his wife Dr. Mandakini Amte. This couple is today’s living example of everything that defines sant!! Expecting nothing they have spent their lives dedicated to the service of tribal people in Hemalkasa in northern Maharashtra. Divyatvachi jithe prachiti, tethe kar maaze julati. Where there is experience of divinity, there my hands fold in reverence. As soon as the couple alighted from the stage I wasted no time to go and bend for namaskar at their feet. This day will be one of the most blessed days registered in my memory. These people are a treasure of inspiration for many, including for me. 

Just before the start of the program and my presentation a lovely lady Shilpa Khire walked up to me and introduced herself as a saree sakhi who follows my post. It was truly a joy to meet someone from SS at this occasion unexpectedly. Her father had the honor to felicitate Drs. Amte today. 

It was a happy moment in every way to see the department get formally up and going after the efforts of last 3-4 months. I have something to carry back home in a few days as well as look forward to seeing when I return in a few months. 

Dr. Amte had weathered rain and poor road conditions to travel 6-7 hours from Hemalkasa to Nagpur and then fly to Pune amidst torrential downpours. I made a last minute call and picked a Vidarbha tussar with karvati kinar to honor him. Yet I reminded myself that this is a man who has no time to deliberate over what to wear. He is normally seen in an undershirt and shorts even in cold weather. Any thought of dressing up beyond basic minimum begins to look vain in his company.