Kathiawadi Doctor Settled In US Village Lives By Bapu’s Prescriptions
“You need to have your eye surgically removed. Man, don’t waste time, money, and energy over treatment. I am sorry,” said the doctor in a sombre tone. The truth was quite pinching. And it did disturb the patient, a 40-year-old American man from Leolard town near Washington DC.
The patient hurriedly left the clinic. After two years, he returned to the doctor. He told the doctor, “I visited ten renowned ophthalmologists in the US. They ordered extensive medical investigations, prescribed medicines, called me for follow-ups and in the end, advised me to have the eye removed.” In short, other specialists had provided the same counsel that the doctor had offered in the first consultation. “Hence, I have returned to you today with full confidence and choose to have the eye removed by you,” the patient said.
For Dr Narendra Laheri, a Kathiawadi ophthalmologist living in Leolard’s countryside for the past 43 years, these words are one of the most cherished treasures of life.
Simplicity, truth, and transparency – these three Gandhian ideals inform the lifestyle of Laheri who unconventionally chose to settle in the county region. “I had a dream to serve a village as a doctor for the lifetime,” says Laheri. “For some unpleasant reasons, that dream could not come true in India but I am happy it did in a small village of the US.”
Laheri, who speaks fluent Kathiawadi Gujarati but has the typical local English accent, says, “Gandhi’s ideals satya (truth), sadachar (transparency) and sadgi (simplicity) are my anchors. I have been able to retain my own way of life and Kathiawadi thinking due to my belief in Gandhiji’s philosophy.”
Laheri has one simple evening Kathiawadi meal during working days and loves to wear Khadi. “As I adhere to the old values of Kathiawadi life, practise medicine conservatively, and speak the plain truth, I am often compared to Gandhiji,” he says.
“Doctors in the US have to maintain minute medical records of their patients,” Laheri says. “Though they can see what the problem is, they often take the longer route of getting costly investigations done so that they can prove the correctness of their medical treatments.” These long routes often help doctors make more money too, he says. “I call this practice a defensive medical approach,” he says. “Today, I am respected in my region for not taking these long routes. I bluntly advise simple methods.”
Laheri and his better half, Jyotsna – who handles his back-office work – have successfully instilled their way of practising medicine in their three ‘doctor’ daughters. Alpa is an allergy specialist in Maryland and teaches at one of the most prestigious institutes of the world, Johns Hopkins University. Anupa is a dentist in California, and Asha is a paediatrician in Maryland.
