91 Years Old Doctor Who Treats Patients For Free Since 1948 Conferred One of The Highest Civilian Award in the Republic of India

Dr Bhakti Yadav receiving Padma Shri Award from The president in the presence of Indore in charge minister Jayant Malaiyya and Mayor Malini Gaud.

INDORE: Nonagenarian gynaecologist Dr Bhakti Yadav was handed over the Padma Shri award by district collector P Narahari at her house in Scheme Number 114 on Thursday.

Ninety-one-year-old Dr Yadav is Indore's first woman MBBS graduate and was conferred the Padma Shri award this year. She could not leave for Delhi to receive the award from the President due to health issues, thus was presented the award by Narahari in the presence of Indore in charge minister Jayant Malaiyya and Mayor Malini Gaud.

Dr Yadav has been offering free treatment for the last 68 years and is known for her close association with her patients.

Born on April 3, 1926 in Mahidpur town of Ujjain district, Dr Yadav completed her primary education in Garoth town. She completed her school from Ahilya Ashram school in Indore, while staying with her uncle.

Dr Yadav went on to become the first woman doctor in Indore when she passed out as part of the first batch of MGM Medical College here in 1948. She was the only woman in the batch.

\

Early in her career, she refused job in government hospital and joined Nandlal Bhandari Maternity Home for wives of poor cloth mill workers. She headed the maternity home for several decades, before starting her nursing home, Vatsalya, in Pardeshipura area.

Dr Bakhti examining her patient in her Clinic

In 68 years of her career as a gynaecologist, she has delivered thousands of babies, without charging any fees from patients travelling reaching her from far off places of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

At 91, Dr Yadav is physically very weak now due to old age, but continues to serve the poor. Her last wish is to keep serving people until her last breath.

Source: Economic Times