The Departure of a Noble Soul.

The thoughts of departure from life comes on and off to our minds in these pandemic days. Most of the time, we think about our leaving from this worldly pleasue, the moment may arrive anytime. The days are, obviously tough and becoming tougher day by day as most of us are getting news of people, known or unknown, friends or foe are leaving. The life has become uncertain and at this point of time and life , it is almost inescapable that we count our blessings and boons. We must calculate our KARMA! My today’s write up is all about the Karma of a noble man- a Doctor par excellence.

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On 9th May, 2021, I heard a dreadful news that our University’s Honorable Vice Chancellor Dr. M. S. Biradar had developed post covid complications and suffered heart attack. The quick treatment saw him doing fine and all of us felt relaxed. The next day went well but the development of more complications occured in the night. Hence he was air lifted and taken to a renowned hospital in Bangalore. Many of us started praying for his life as we wanted to see his smiling face again. May be our prayer didnt have that energy and enthusiasm to reach upto that Supreme healer and the “Doctor for all ” breathed his last on 12 th May. Little did anyone get any time to help him, serve him or pray adequately for him. All of a sudden the pillar of everyone’s strength fallen down! I wished, I could ask God why the good die young! I wished, I could to ask God why is He so cruel!

Dr. Mallangouda Shivanagouda Biradar( most popularly known as MSB sir) started his life’s journey from a small village of Karnataka in the year 1955. The name of the village is Ukkali in Bagewadi taluk of North of Karnataka . He grew up in a family of a farmer with two brothers and one sister. In those days, life was simple in the villages. There were Government schools only and the private Gurus who on their own interest used to teach the village children as they knew the value of education. So Dr. MSB was also got his primary and secondary education in the local Govt. school alongwith the special training from the village Guru. The meritorious boy then joined a nearby city college in Vijayapur city and with his own talent and ability earned a merit sit in KIMS, Hubli to pursue Medicine. The village boy, became a doctor with Gold Medals and went on studying M.D. (Post Graduation) in Medicine in Govt. Medical College, Bellary, Karnataka. Again he earned gold medal and made his family and village proud . Many a times while speaking about his life, he mentioned his teachers and professors’ names (most of them are gems in their own field) and said no teacher could find out any fault in his answerscript! The contended student then started seeing patients and the journey of a doctor began in different government hospitals. Meanwhile , he developed interest in medical teaching and joined the newly started medical college in Vijayapur. The brilliant village boy now became a good medicine practitioner as well as a Medicine Professor. Patients started flowing in and DR. M.S.Biradar became the household name.

I came in contact with this noble soul when my husband joined the same Medical University where Dr. Biradar was the Principal of the medical college. The bonding between my husband and Dr Biradar alongwith the then VC of the University Dr. B.G Mulimani started growing and many productive missions were taken up and fulfilled. The BLDE Deemed to be University could earn a niche in the medical world. The journey of getting a worldwide recognition had also started under the leadership of Dr. Biradar when he took the charge as the Vice Chancellor of the University. The achievements poured in which were well reported in every convocation by the Honorable VC DR. Biradar.

The memories are innumerable. The renowned doctor for the poor patients of his village areas or rich in the city had many passions. He was an avid reader and read many books not to forget the lessons learnt in that book. I had an oppotunity to travel with him and my husband to USA. During the journey I heard from him many stories of his life, many lessons he learnt from various books. I got fascinated by his immense memory and understood why he earned the gold medals! Our country need these kind of students who know how to struggle in life and come to a point of no looking back. My fascination got overwhelmed when me and my husband listened to the lecture delivered by him in the University in USA. He did not use a single note or slide but spoke about his Institution and the patients of his college hospital all from memory. The one hour lecture contained all data of the patients suffering from high blood pressure and renal failure and its correlations. He made us so proud and the purpose of visiting the university was fulfilled. The Americans were impressed and the MOU was signed.

Dr. Biradar never forgot his roots- his village and its people. Very often he spoke to us about his farmer father and the teachers who taught him in the village. He had immense respect for his father who motivated him to serve the people of Ukkali and Vijayapur district. Hence a rural hospital of BLDE Association was established in Ukkali village under the guidance of Dr. Biradar and now the students of BLDE Medical College gets training in that rural center. The village people were treated by him regularly. Many of his relatives were uplifted by him. The generous and kind attitude of a renowned doctor who could have lead a lavish life abroad, is indeed noteworthy, must be emulated by the younger generation. A brilliant student with many gold medals, an efficient doctor, a Professor of Medicine, a very good administrator, an orator par excellence, a courageous man who always beamed with positivity, stood like a banyan tree to his family members, to his colleagues, to the organisation where he worked till the last breathe. Once my husband asked this passionate doctor friend to leave patients as the time is not favourable due to pandemic and the doctor replied ” God has given me this stethoscope to treat patients. Its God’s wish, I can’t sit at home.” The acute willingness of serving poor people during pandemic was reflected the way he managed our covid ward with 500 beds dedicated to covid patients. He, alongwith other doctor colleagues and health care workers cured most of the patients in the hospital. But the end was not well- he suffered with covid and bid us good bye! 12 th May, 2021 saw the tears rolling from every eyes who saw or knew DR. M.S. Biradar. An illustrious life of a noble soul has ended. The relentless worker is now sleeping peacefully.

Life ends- but not the spirit

life ends – but not the memories

Life ends- but not the bonding

Life ends – but not the inspiration

Life ends not to create the vacuum- but to fill it with more noble souls.

Life ends to acknowledge the life beyond death.