In 1974, when Dr. Tapan Kumar Lahiri joined the Institute of Medical Sciences at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), he began his career with a modest salary. Over the years, he rose to become a professor and Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery, building a reputation not only as a skilled surgeon, but as a doctor deeply committed to his patients.
But somewhere along the way, Dr. Lahiri decided that his salary could do more for his patients than it could for him.
From the 1990s, he began giving up his earnings to support poor patients. When his salary and allowances crossed ₹1 lakh, he chose not to keep it, directing the money towards the needs of underprivileged patients at BHU.
Then came 2003. Retirement could have marked the end of his medical career. Instead, Dr. Lahiri became Professor Emeritus at BHU, and continued serving patients without taking a salary. Even his pension was largely given towards helping those who could not afford treatment, while he kept only what he needed for his basic living expenses.
His simplicity became as remarkable as his medical career. He chose to remain close to the hospital and continued seeing patients who came to BHU seeking care, particularly those who could not afford expensive private treatment.
His years of service eventually received the country’s recognition. In 2016, Dr. Tapan Kumar Lahiri was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, for his contribution to medicine.
But perhaps the most fitting description of his life is not the award or the designation of Professor Emeritus. It is the choice he made repeatedly: To have the knowledge to heal, and then choose to use it for those who needed it most.
For Dr. Lahiri, medicine was never just a profession. It was service.
