In a politically strategic move just before the Bihar elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday based his convocation address at PGIMER around the ‘have-nots’ of the society and exhorted young doctors, not to forget the ‘behind the curtain’ contribution of those poor people, who have contributed considerably in their journey of success.
Reminding the role of poor tea vendors, Modi told doctors that they were here not just because of their intelligence and good marks, but there is a contribution of that tea vendor also, who might have sacrificed his sleep to serve them a cup of tea on the cool night before their exam.
Addressing the 34th Convocation of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) as the Chief Guest, Modi invoked Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda to assert that doctors have a huge responsibility to serve humanity, especially the poor.
Citing Mahatma Gandhi’s words to inspire the doctor fraternity towards service to the countrymen, the PM said “When you are in a state of confusion and unsure about a particular situation, when you think whether to do this or that, for a moment, just think about that poor man who may have played a role in your life, thought about you, remember him, the decision you are going to take will be decided automatically.” He said India will never face any difficulty if this remains the process of how we take our decisions.
Exhorting young doctors to be more careful and humane for treating poor, Modi said, “Jab doctor bimaari ke bjaye, bimaar per zyada dhyaan deta hai to uski davaayi ka
asar badh jaata hai” (Success rate of a doctor amplifies when he concentrates more on the sick then his sickness). He said that a patient may not have paying capacity when he is sick but if a doctor treats him well, the poor will back even after 20 years.
Modi began his speech referring 9/11 as the anniversary of terror attacks in the US but attaching remarkable moments to this day, he said that on this day only Swami Vivekananda had addressed the World Parliament of Religions on in the year 1893, in Chicago. He said that Swami Vivekananda began his speech at the Chicago gathering by addressing those present as ‘Sisters and Brothers of America’ and that word, that sentence, forced the people to clap for long time”
Modi awarded gold medals to nine students for outstanding research and academic excellence before his speech. The event that was also attended by Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki,Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Chandigarh BJP MP Kirron Kher, among others,
Keeping his visit and address around the poor, Modi said that he considers those school children to be the Chief Guest of the function, who have come here to learn from the success story of the young doctors, who are being adorned with their degrees today. He said, he wish that such occasions become inspiration for these under-privileged students to raise the bar of their targets for life.