Siddaramaiah recalls his aspiration to become doctor

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recalled his aspiration to become a doctor while inaugurating a robotic joint replacement centre in Mysuru on Friday.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recalled his aspiration to become a doctor while inaugurating a robotic joint replacement centre in Mysuru on Friday.

Speaking after inaugurating the GC’s Sports Medicine Centre and Multispecialty Hospital in Mysuru, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he aspired to become a doctor during his student days, but had to study law as he was unable to secure an MBBS seat.

“I also wanted to become a doctor, but I did not get an MBBS seat,” he said, while adding that he subsequently studied law and entered politics.

Mr. Siddaramaiah recalled his acquaintance with hospital owner Girish Chandra’s father Dr. Kullaiah, who hailed from Kuppegala, a village adjoining the Chief Minister’s native village Siddaramanahundi on the outskirts of Mysuru.

While describing Dr. Chandra as an orthopaedic doctor who made efforts to use advanced technology in the field of knee and hip joint replacement, Mr. Siddaramaiah said several people were now undergoing knee and hip replacement. “Earlier, people were afraid. But, now several people even in their 70s and 80s were undergoing the procedure,” he said.

Pointing out that problems in the knee start developing only after 60s, Mr. Siddaramaiah said even he experiences a little pain occasionally, but had not consulted any doctor. He pointed out that he would be 77 years old on August 3 and such minor pain was natural. Though such robotic joint replacement centres were available in Bengaluru, the one started by Dr. Chandra was the first one in Mysuru.

He called upon Dr. Chandra to be lenient while collecting charges from the poor. “Even though poor people go to government hospitals for medical treatment, please be considerate if they come to your hospital,” he advised the owner. He said people become doctors to serve the people. “If doctors help people save lives, they will always remember them. So, have concern for the poor and society,” he said.