A strange incident happened about 11 years ago, in the year 2011.
A poor man got unbearable pain in his stomach. He was rushed to Akal Hospital in Patiala, Punjab (India). On examining the patient – Ram Sahay, the doctor on duty – Dr.Bhagwant Singh recommended an operation to remove the appendix.
Ram Sahay had no money to pay the doctor, which he told the doctor. Being empathetic, Dr. Bhagwant Singh operated on Ram so that he could be relieved of pain without charging anything at all. Ram was bewildered and asked the doctor how he could repay him. The doctor told him not to worry about the costs and that he could be paid whenever Ram Sahay had the money.
The doctor totally forgot about this noble deed and carried on with his life.
11 years later, Ram Sahay came back to Akal Hospital, Patiala all the way from Haridwar, which is about 250 kms. He had collected enough money to pay the doctor. When he reached the hospital, he was told that the doctor is unavailable for 2 days. He decided to wait.
Once Dr. Bhagwant Singh was in the hospital, Ram Sahay handed over the cash to him. Doctor was dumbfounded as to why someone was paying him money. Though the doctor had forgotten about the surgery, Ram Sahay chose not to overlook the dues. He kept saving all these 11 years to pay off the debt.
It was an emotional moment for both. They had tears in their eyes as they hugged each other.
“It is not the amount that brought tears to my eyes,” Dr Singh said, adding, “it is the fact that he kept it in mind for 11 years.”
When Singh tried to give him the money back, Sahay said, “I always remembered that I was indebted to the noble doctor. I want to unload that burden by paying him back. I am a follower of Lord Krishna. I have to show him my face when I leave this world!”
What a beautiful gesture from both of them. Incidents like these makes us believe in humanity, isn’t it!
Here is the video shared by a journalist Gagandeep Singh –
What a great example of honesty and humanity. 11 years ago a person was operated by a doctor for free and now the same person came from Haridwar to return the fee and waited for two days for the doctor to come. #Honesty #Humanity pic.twitter.com/R5jHOZ2774
— Gagandeep Singh (@Gagan4344) December 20, 2022
References –
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/punjab-doctor-meets-former-patient-after-11-years-patiala-akal-hospital-surgeon-2311925-2022-12-21
https://www.storypick.com/patient-pays-doctor-after-a-decade/
