Ayushman Bhav: by Organiser weekly at Ahmedabad

 Valedictory session

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India today needs role models in the healthcare sector, who can inspire the next generation of doctors dedicate their lives to service and build a healthy nation. Healthcare must not be viewed merely as a profession but as a form of national service, said Dr Jayantibhai Bhadeshiya, Paschim Kshetra Sanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, during the valedictory session.

Ayushman Bhava: Holistic Healthcare Confluence 2026; hosted by Organiser, concluded on March 7 at Jatelpur in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The 'Ayushman Bhava' event was held with the theme of holistic approach and was attended by Purnesh Modi, Deputy Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, as the Chief Guest. While delivering the address,

institutions across the country are already demonstrating such models of service.

Emphasising the ethical foundations of healthcare, Dr Bhadeshiya said the sector must be guided by strong principles beyond affordability alone. "In the health sector it is not only about affordable prices. There are some principles we must follow - we should be honest to Science, we should be honest to the profession, we should be honest to society, and we should be honest to ourselves and to the organisation where we work,” he said.

He noted that organisations such as the National Medical Organisation (NMO) and Arogya Bharati are working to bring together Doctors, medical students and healthcare professionals to contribute to public health initiatives. According to him, Swayamsevaks associated with such initiatives have helped establish more than forty hospitals and blood banks across the country. Dr Bhadeshiya said the most effective way to inspire young medical professionals is by presenting real-life examples of Doctors who have dedicated their lives to serving society, often in remote and underserved regions.

He cited the example of Padma Vibhushan Dr Ashok Rao Kukde, who chose service over a comfortable career. "Dr Ashok Rao Kukde's father had a hospital in Pune. But while studying, he decided to go to a place where healthcare services were scarce," Dr Bhadeshiya said. Dr Kukde moved to the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, where medical facilities were extremely limited.

"He went there with his wife and two friends and started a small ten-room hospital. Over time it developed into a hospital. Over time it developed into a charitable institution and today functions as the Vivekananda Medical Mission, providing advanced services including cancer and cardiac treatment," he said.

Dr Bhadeshiya also referred to the work of Dr Mehul Shah, who along with his wife chose to serve in the tribal belt. "Dr Mehul Shah and his wife studied in South India and later moved to Dahod, a tribal region on the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border," he said. Initially, the couple started a private hospital but soon realised that many tribal patients could not afford treatment. "They reduced the charges and began offering free services two days a week. Eventually the hospital became a charitable institution, and today patients come there from distant places," he said.

Emphasising the ethical foundations of healthcare, Dr Bhadeshiya said the sector must be guided by strong principles beyond affordability alone. he said In the health sector it is not only about affordable prices. There are some principles we must follow

The hospital now performs super- speciality eye surgeries and also serves as a training centre for postgraduate fellows, demonstrating that advanced healthcare institutions can develop even in small towns. "This shows that such healthcare institutions can emerge even in small towns," Dr Bhadeshiya observed.

Models of Compassionate Healthcare

Dr Bhadeshiya further cited the example of Dr Vasant bhai, whose trust hospital displayed a board stating that payment of hospital bills was not compulsory. "Patients could pay whatever they could afford,” he said. Another example he mentioned was the Sadbhavana Charitable Hospital in Mahuva, run by Dr Kanubhai Kalsariya. "Many people have donated for the hospital, but the rule is that no donor's name will be displayed anywhere," he noted, highlighting the spirit of service behind such institutions.

According to Dr Bhadeshiya, such examples represent the values that should guide healthcare in India. "These are the role models that the next generation must follow. Only then can we build a healthy nation," he said.