Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, popularly known as Dr. B. C. Roy was a renowned physician who later joined politics and became the second Chief Minister of West Bengal in 1948. For his contribution in various fields including the country’s medical development, Bidhan Chandra Roy was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1961 also as a recognition of his enormous medical service rendered to all echelons of the society, National Doctors' Day is celebrated on July 1 (his birthday) across India. Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy according to me was not a great physician but the best Chef Minster of West Bengal to date.
Dr. Roy was born on July 1, 1882, in Patna and died on the same date (July 1) in 1962 in Calcutta/Kolkata after treating some patients in the morning hours without any suffering. This simply indicates he was endowed with a pure soul. It has to be admitted that medical doctors play a significant role in our lives because my father was MBBS and observed his relentless service for others’ suffering periods.
Dr. B.C. Roy led the Civil Disobedience Movement in Bengal. He was elected as Mayor of Calcutta Corporation. Roy did his Intermediate in Arts (I.A.) from Presidency College, Calcutta, and B.A. from Patna College with honours in mathematics. Prior to that, he passed the Matric (now known as High School) examination from Patna Collegiate School in 1897. Bidhan Chandra after completing his college education applied for admission to the Bengal Engineering College and the Calcutta Medical College albeit he was selected for both institutions but preferred to go in the medical line. Anyway, while Dr. B.C. Roy was the Chief Minister of West Bengal lots of industrial development took place in the state. I personally feel he is the best Chief Minster among the CMs of West Bengal as during communist rule strikes, lockouts, etc., were regular features. Also, the former Communist’s Chief Minister’s son is now a great business personality and settled abroad. Further, the massacre in Marichjhanpi, which took place under Communist rule in West Bengal between January 26 and May 16, 1979, was simply inhuman activity. And in the present times, scams, corruption, election violence, etc., in West Bengal reached the zenith.
Anyway, Dr. Roy took the initiative to establish the Indian Medical Association in 1928 and the Medical Council of India. He also played a crucial role in establishing the Indian Institute of Mental Health, the Infectious Disease Hospital, and even Calcutta’s first-ever postgraduate medical college.
Further, because of his initiative, some leading medical institutions in then Calcutta/now Kolkata were set up such as the Jadavpur T.B. Hospital, Chittaranjan Seva Sadan, Kamala Nehru Hospital, Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital etc. As Chief Minister of West Bengal, he laid the foundation of five eminent cities, namely, Durgapur, Kalyani, Bidhannagar, Ashoknagar, and Habra in West Bengal. His broadness of mind may be observed when he gifted his house to the people of West Bengal in 1961. He had also constituted a trust for his properties at Patna to carry out social service, with eminent nationalist Ganga Sharan Singh.
On the occasion of his birthday my respectful salute to this great soul.
Prof Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad
Track2Training 
You must be logged in to post a comment.