A

Tribute
To
Dr. Dhananjay Yashwant Shrikhande

From

Students, staff and colleagues

(For Private Circulation only)

1
 Editors

Dr R K Sanjeev

Associate Professor

Pediatrics

Rural Medical College,

PIMS (DU)

Loni

Dr Vivek Gharpure

Consultant Pediatric Surgeon

Rural Medical College,

PIMS (DU)

Loni

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 Contents
1. My odyssey with with Col (Prof) DY Shrikhande 5

Surg Rear Adm Girish Gupta

2. कनल डॉ ीखंडे सर 8

Dr Prashant Nigwekar

3. DR. COL. D.Y. SHRIKHANDE SIR 12

Dr Priyanka Nayak

4. Poem 15

Dr Mohammad Arif

5. HOD SIR- TIMELESS INSPIRATOR 16

Dr Sujit Mulay

6. Poem 18

Dr Khushboo Thakka

7. Memories 19

Dr Navaneetha Reddy

8. Ideas and Ideals 21

Dr Vivek Gharpure

9. A Multifaceted Man 22

Dr R K Sanjeev

9. आठवणीतले ण 25

Anita Thoke

10. रता ते ण 27

Surekha Pulate

11. गु 28

Sharmila Kawade

12. गु वय डॉ ीखंडे 30

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संगीता गावडे

13. Veer Chakra 32

Dr Kshitij Gokhale

14. Memories 34

Dr Faric D’Souza

15. Poem 35

Dr Khushboo Kanwal

16 The many faces of a great clinician and teacher 36

Surg Capt RW Thergaonkar

17. POEM 40

Dr Ekta Singh

18. Col Dr Shrikhande 41

Dr Nupoor Kulkarni

19. Col. Dr Shrikhande 43

Aashirwad Mahajan

20. Photographs 44

21. Remembering Dhananjay 45

Sudarshan Shrikhande

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My Odyssey with Col (Prof) DY Shrikhande
Surg R Adm (Prof) Girish Gupta NM, VSM (Retd)

It is a unique and a very special opportunity to go in the memory lane for a person with whom

I travelled the challenging days of training in Pediatrics and thereafter shared moments on

regular basis both on professional and personal domains.

It was in year 1985, when I met then Major DY Shrikhande (DYS), as trainee in Pediatrics, in

Army Hospital Delhi Cantt. Both of us were blue eyed students of the Senior Advisor Col SK

Kalra, who retired as Major General. Both of us cherished the clinical beside Pediatrics tips

and administrative tactics of our Senior Advisor and they continued to guide us in our

subsequent lives. Despite all the seriousness and stress of the grading period, DYS always had

a witty comment to make, to lighten our lives. Thus, both of us by training and grooming

shared common values in profession and person.

Subsequently, when I was posted as a classified specialist in Pediatrics and Neonatology, in

INHS Dhanvantari, Port Blair in year 2003, I was fortunate to invite him as the Senior

Advisor. He was accompanied by Mrs. Shrikhande. It was an exceptional visit to the hospital

professionally. He exhibited exemplary quality of fine trading when visiting as advisor to a

friend and colleague but junior in the specialty. The image of both the specialty and hospital

went up.

Later , when I was HOD of Pediatrics in AFMC, Pune, I could invite him as a guest faculty to

deliver a talk on “Neurodevelopmental Follow up”, a topic which was very close to his heart

and possibly it was the best talk heard on the above subject.

Subsequently, I had the opportunity to visit Rural Medical College, Pravara, during his

Headship of Pediatrics department. He ensured that even in the late evening I could take

teaching round of NICU andPICU with residents and could deliver a talk on Developmentally

5
Supportive Neonatal care, such was his zeal to mentor his students which had no boundary

of timelines in the day. This professional extravaganza was followed by a delicious dinner at

home, which took away the tiredness and exhaustion as the evening was intermixed with his

subtle and wicked humor.

We used to meet regularly in the various national conferences of IAP and NNF. He always used

to be surrounded by his post graduate students and nurses, all of them had something active

to contribute to the meet. Such was his love, affection and dedication to his students, a rare

attribute of medical leadership and mentoring.

Me and my family were always beneficiaries of his warm hospitality, whenever we crossed

CH(EC) Kolkata andCH(CC) Lucknow during his tenures. These moments were representative

of his simplicity and affection.

He had a very strong desire of us joining his Medical College in Loni after our retirement. We

also together put serious efforts in the direction, but it was not the Gods wish.

Of late, when sadly we lost Gen KS Rao , a retired, Senior Pediatrician due to Covid infection,

we had a long telephonic conversation. Immediately thereafter, he posted a beautifully

written poem on WhatsApp group, which so aptly summed up Gen Rao. It reflected his

tremendous intellectual and communication abilities, the attributes to envy and remember.

I had interacted many times with him during his Covid ailment, at no stage he showed any

sign of pessimism. Though, we lost him physically, but mentally and morally he never gave

way and maintained his composure during his fight with the ailment, a reflection of being a

true warrior.

To say the least, Col DYS was a composite pack of sincerity, honesty, devotion,

professionalism, writing abilities and yet very humane with ample humor.

His demise is not only a personal loss to his family, to me and my family, students, friends,

colleagues, society and the nation, but most importantly, he will be missed by all his patients

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and their parents, who were so close to his heart. I am sure blessings of all, will ensure that

the departed soul of Col DYS gets peace and rightful place. The world awaits for another DYS

to be on the horizon.

Surg R Adm (Prof) Girish Gupta NM, VSM (Retd)

HOD Neonatology

HIMS, SRHU, Dehradun

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कनल डॉ ीखं डे सर

एक ब आयामी म

डॉ शां त िनगवेकर

सर नेहमी णत, " मी मा ा स रा ा वषापयत लोणी येथे राहाणार, मग

िनवृ ीनं तरचे आयु म पु ात घालवणार . िनवृ ी ा िनरोप समारं भाचे
श ां ना दां जली णू न िलहावे लागतील, असे ातही वाटले न ते ,
पण शेवटी, ई रे ा बिलयसी .

लहान मुलांम े ते छान रमत. " ꓲꓝ ꓬꓳꓴ ꓢꓮꓦꓰ ꓮ ꓚꓧꓲꓡꓓꓹ ꓧꓰ ꓪꓲꓡꓡ ꓡꓲꓦꓰ ꓝꓳꓣ ꓠꓰꓫꓔ ꓢꓲꓫꓔꓬ ꓔꓳ ꓢꓰꓦꓰꓠꓔꓬ ꓬꓰꓮꓣꓢꓸ ꓢꓳ
ꓔꓣꓬ ꓮꓠꓓ ꓓꓳꓠʼꓔ ꓡꓳꓢꓰ ꓧꓳꓑꓰ ꓔꓲꓡꓡ ꓔꓧꓰ ꓰꓠꓓ ꓔꓳ ꓢꓮꓦꓰ ꓮ ꓚꓧꓲꓡꓓ" हे ां चे ीदवा असे.
बिघत ावाचू न ां चे समाधान होत नसे. यामुळेच िकतीतरी बालके ां ा यो , आिण समयोिचत िनदानामु ळे वाचू
शकली. असेच एक phenyl ketonuria चे नवजात बालक, खोलीत ा बाळा ा वासाव न ां नी ओळखले होते.
ां ा सू नजरे तू न कुठले ही ल ण सु टत नसे. ामु ळे अचूक रोगिनदान हो ास मदत होत असे.

ां ा कारकीिदत, सवा ा सहकायाने ांनी पीएमटीचा बालरोग िवभाग, एका वे ग ाच उं चीवर नेऊन ठे वला.
िनवासी डॉ रां वर ां चे डो ात तेल घालून ल असे. ितथे चुकां ना मा नसे, आिण चां ग ा कामाचे तोंड भ न
कौतुक पण होई.

मा ा बाबतील, गे ा पाच सहा वषातील पाठदु खीमुळे झाले ला मी थोडा िनराश वाटलो िक णत, " िनगवे कर,
तु ाला फ पाठदु खी आहे. मला बघा काय नाही. पण कुठ ाही आजाराला मी मा ा मनावर कूमत गाजवू दे त
नाही. " सरांची मा ावर, मागदशक, समु पदे शक, Counsellor, सहकारी , Mentor, अशा अनेक भू िमकां तून
मे हेरनजर होती.

मी डॉ शुभां गी, डॉ सोनल, यां ाक रता ां ा मो ा मन असणा या मो ा कार म े नेहमीच ह ाची जागा असे .

बालरोग िवभागात सवानाच ां चा आधार वाटे . ां ामु ळेच िवभाग एकसं ध रािहला.

सरांना िफर ाची आवड होती, पण वे ड न ते. ां नी भरपूर परदे श वासिह केला. तसे च नोकरीिनिम भारत
पालथा घातलाच होता. सरांचे राहणीमान उ म असे. लोणी हे ां चे ꓝꓲꓣꓢꓔ ꓧꓳꓟꓰ, आिण पुणे हे ꓢꓰꓚꓳꓠꓓ ꓧꓳꓟꓰ
होते. आिण दो ी िठकाणी ते ते व ाच सु ख सोियनी ं प रपूणपणे राहातꓸ ीखं डे मॅडमची ां ना पूण साथ होती. ामुळे
लोणीम े ते िचतच एकटे रािहलेले आठवतात.

आता ां चे ' ीखं डे के फंडे ' हे आठवणीतच रािहले, पण ां नी िदलेली, ानाची, अनुभवाची िशदोरी आ ाला
आयु भर पुरेल.

ां ा ृती ंना भावपूण आदरां जली

डॉ शां त िनगवेकर बालरोग िवभाग,

वरा गामीण ालय, लोणी

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Photographs

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11
DR. COL. D.Y. SHRIKHANDE SIR
Dr Priyanka Nayak

I still vividly remember the day I went to the student section to collect my official guide allotment
letter. There written in bold was HOD sir’s name “ Dr. Col. D. Y. Shrikhande “ .That alone turned
out to be life altering and transformative for me, for the coming years. Being with sir for these
three –four years was a learning experience that I would not trade for anything.

It is unbelievable and massively heartbreaking that I am penning down a eulogy for him. It has
possibly not sunk in yet and part of me lives still in denial that I shall never see him again.

Sir was a disciplinarian by habit, an exemplary clinician, strict academician and a smart
administrator all rolled in one. Sir was the guiding light to all students during these difficult yet
fruitful years. What sir would accomplish in a day at the ripe-young age of 67 we could barely
dream of.

Sir would reprimand, guide and counsel us all within the same conversation. We had his
unflinching support in all our academic endeavours. He would encourage us to keep ourselves
updated in our craft.

Would celebrate our laurels and punish us for our mistakes both with equal vigour.

My senior once told me that having sir as your guide is like holding a mirror to your personality.
It was exactly just that, he made me know my shortcomings upfront and would also show me
the way to improvement.

Its after three years that I have grown to realise how sirs teachings, words, anecdotes and the
famous “SHRIKHANDE KE FUNDE” became the guiding voice inside my head in my moments
of fear and doubt.

Sir was full of stories and an avid singer. We students to could trace down stories from his
various postings , be it Bhatinda , Kolkata , North east. All his stories were ‘Slice of life’ kinds
that would always teach you a thing or two. The singer in him came out on Faculty day of
Padmanjali( college fest) and also during departmental celebrations.

If you had the good fortune of travelling with sir for a conference you would be in for a delight.
He would put down the armour of his strict persona and be lively and fun, always up for a new
adventure.

He would constantly tease you, have singing contests, treat you to feasts and exotic
cuisines……all along the way encouraging the learning part of the experience. During
poster/paper presentations at these conferences he would stand right next to you which was
terrifying and calming both at the same time.

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He would become a kid while interacting with his patients and win their hearts instantly. Sir used
to say that to become a good paediatrician you must love kids, He lived this statement. And boy
the kids loved him back and how!

Sir had an eye for detail. He could catch signs well and come to an accurate diagnosis. He had
years and years of experience in the field(30+ yrs) and that did show in his calibre.

He had a special empathy for the kids with developmental delay and intellectual disability.

He aimed at not only on saving precious lives but improving the quality of their life post survival.

He taught us to focus on all round development and well being of every patient that walked in
our doors.

Morning rounds were terrifying for all residents as no mistake would go unnoticed by sir and the
residents would face the music if he caught something going wrong.

But once he would calm down he would break the ice by cracking a joke and all would be well
again.

At such moments he would sing the famous song from Amar-Prem which he
loved…………………………

“Ye kya hua, Kaise hua,Kab hua, Kyun hua , ………….…Socho aur fir padho”.

He was equally ambitious to make Paediatrics at Pravara the best in class and he strived hard
to maintain its standards.

He was a workaholic but he did make time for Shrikhande madam who was the love of his life.

Seeing them together was precious and he would regale us all with their small tiffs.

He would enjoy whatsapp jokes and would love to joke about the plight of a ‘happily married’
man.

He also wrote limericks himself and his replies were witty and full of humour.

What we will miss the most is his Cherubic face, full of laughter and love.

I shall always be indebted to him and how he moulded me to be the student I am today.

I lost my father figure on 29th Oct 2020 ……..but I shall always remember you sir and possibly
your memories will push me towards betterment and will hopefully make you proud one day.

I guess the best we all can do while we recover from this rude shock is to uphold the standards
which he so passionately strived to achieve and take Paediatrics at Pravara Loni to the heights
he wanted .

In the end reminiscing your last Padmanjali performance sir I would like to say………….

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“Bekarar karke humien yun na jayiye …aapko hamari kasam laut aayiye”

Dr. Priyanka V. Nayak

Senior Resident

Dept. of Pediatrics

PMT-PIMS(DU) ,Loni

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Dr Mohammad Arif
1) Ward hai banjar,sune hai Icu,,

Kon yha ab aaega..

Tum is kadar hmse ruthe,,
Ab Kon samundar ki gahrai Tak jaega....

(Sir used to say this line-samundar ki gahrai Tak jao/ try to know more about disease by
reading)

2) Chod ke sare kaam aaj me likhta hu,,

Hmare picu ki shan,sir aaj aap par likhta hu..
Hmare abaad picu ke divaro ki nev aap ho,,
Bimar bacho ki awaj aap ho..
Bin apke ye picu is kadar akela hai,,
Jese ek pita ke bin ye bacha akela hai..
Kher aaj pankti 2-4 likhta hu,,
Chor kar sare kaam mam me Aaj aap par likhta hu

3)Koi to aesa aaega...(for my disabled kids-this is able kids) Early intervention and HOD
sir...

Koi to aesa aaega Jo mere andar ka shor sun Meri khamoshi pad paega,,
mere man ki baat ko sun mujhse bate kr paega..
Meri maa ke ansu ponch,aunke chahre pe muskurahat laega,
ye na soche ki samaj Kya kahega,mujhe Malini aur Iswar ki tarah taraki dilaega,,
mere red flag sign ko andekha kr,mujhe chalna aur bolna sikhaega,
mere pichde hue milestone ko dekh mujhe Bhai aur bahan ki tarah asan Zindagi de paega,
Mera jaldi ilaj kr, Meri maa baap ke chahe pe hansi laega, Meri kamjori ko dur kr mujhe bhi
Zindagi me kch krne ka moka de paega..
bhagwan ne Malini ko Indira Gandhi aur nargis di,mujhhe bhi ek din koi Allah ka farista sahi krke
jaega...
Jo mere bikhre khwabo ki motiyo ko dundh kr la ske,
Mere visual impairment, seizure ko thk kr Meri hatheli chamka sake..
Jo mere liye bhi sapna saja ske,
Mere term birth aur normal intelligence hone ke baad bhi Meri ye halat pe mere ghar walo ko
rota na dekh ske,,
Mera neuronal plasticity ko thk kar my little finger part 2 bana ske..
mere watershed area ko thk kr,
Mere sar pe bindi aur hatho me kangan phna ske.
Jo viklang ki paribhasha badal ske,
Jo samandar ki gahrai tak ja ske,,
Aur hme bhi samaj ka hissa bana ske.
Wo ek din jarur aega..

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HOD SIR- TIMELESS INSPIRATOR
Dr Sujit Mulay

Anytime one thinks of a person, there is an image that the mind conjures up. Likewise,
whenever I think of Dr. D. Y. Shirikhande popularly and lovingly known as ‘HOD SIR’, the image
evoked is one of supreme compassion and kindness; very much akin to the expression that any
father has for his child.

I still remember when I first met him in his office in January 2018. I was little nervous, but his
humility immediately put me at ease. I begin my post pg career under his guidance. The
encouragement and opportunity he provided to me in those initial days of my career made
significant difference and shaped my approach towards emergencies and neonatal care. He
taught me the most important thing in neonatology unit which I could remember for my lifetime
that is ; DOING LESS MEANS DOING MORE. He also taught me the importance of basic things
like KMC and breastfeeding in newborn. I don’t think I would have managed snake bites so
meticulously, if I wouldn’t have worked in sir’s unit.

He always made it to a point that everyone around him enjoys work and also celebrates the
important milestones of life. He always had solutions to toughest of the issues may it be patient
related or personal ones. His aura kept everyone of us in comfort zone and assured that we
learn to cope up with our weak areas. Evening Tea with him was real stress buster for everyone
in the department.

On 23 rd September I got a call from resident that HOD sir wants to see me urgently. As he
wanted to discuss with me the schedule of the orientation programme which was to be held
after two days. He also mentioned the weakness and intermittent episode of fever he was
suffering since 2 days. Subsequently he was advised to get tested from the nodal officer. As I
was working on the orientation programme schedule, he asked me to take care of it and
assured that he will return soon. But never in the wildest of my dream I have imagined that it
was the last time I am meeting HOD sir. As I vividly remember he was confident even in the last
message we got from him that he will fight out of the difficult situation.

He was a workaholic and always endeavored for progress and perfection. His commitment
towards the work was so intense that one would find him in PICU at 2 am happily engrossed
with the patient management. He was a thoughtful and truly committed teacher who loved
helping people and had caring nature towards the people he worked with. He had a special way
about him that made him forge a lasting bond with everyone he met.

He was always very enthusiastic about new treatment modalities and technologies which would
make difference to the outcome in the pediatric and neonatal patients. He was always very keen
to adopt global thoughts.

Sir has left an everlasting impression in Pravara Institutes of Medical Sciences and on people
who worked with him especially me. His remarkable ability to remain composed even during
high levels of challenges is a life lesson for me. The leadership lesson that I learned from my

16
interaction with him was that no matter how significant your achievements are, you ultimately
earn affection of people through your humanity and humility.

He was meant to live a life of challenge and growth, courage and decency, kindness and
compassion, love and strength, service and joy. He lived every moment of his life.

There was no one like HOD sir and there will be no one like him. He will be always present in
my memories and prayers.

Dr Sujit Mulay

Assistant Professor, Dept of Pediatrics, PIMS, Loni

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 The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And books to read before I sleep,

And books to read before I sleep.

-Shrikhande ke Fundae
(edited version of Robert Frost’s poem)

A mother is always right,

What you do not think, you will not see…

All his words are engraved in our hearts,

His dedication towards Paediatrics was par excellence.

He always strived to get the best out of every moment.

His jokes, his teachings, his scolding, his appreciation,

His love for the kids and us, each and every thing will be missed.

Whatever little we know today is all because of him,

We will put our best foot forward to always make him proud.

He has left the mortal world but he lives in all of us.

-khushboothakkar,

Khushboothakkar16@gmail.com

Pravara, Loni, 2018 PG batch

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In remembrance of the Late.Col.Dr.D.Y.Shrikhande Sir
When I try to recall my best Shrikhande Sir’s memories - out of the so many that I have from my
3 years of MD Paediatrics at PIMS (2017-2020), these four are what stand out :

When I was admitted to the ICU at RMC in Sep’2019 and came out of a dire medical situation,
you urged me to treat this extra life that I got as a ‘bonus’ and be grateful for that, as a lovely gift
from God. Those words stuck with me, to this day!

During my thesis struggles, you had always encouraged me to speak up, but for some odd
reason, I couldn’t fully do that. Only due to what all confidence you instilled in me, at that time,
now in my Neonatology Fellowship course, I am able to communicate freely with my faculty
persons here. Those life lessons keep helping me, to this day.

Once when my husband Mahesh and I were coming to your house to visit you, you were merrily
singing along loudly, a Kishore Kumar song and just being happy - in your world. We could hear
your voice from the gate/car park itself. This is quite a rare personality-trait that I am trying to
imbibe in my life i.e. this kind of happy-go-lucky temperament. Those fun vibes of yours still
remind of me to be joyful ‘everyday ’, to this day.

A smile can’t stop coming onto my face, when I watch that clip where-in, you did a slow-motion
walk after the magic-show of an ex-student. That feeling of wonder, that spirit of ‘living’ life fully,
still stays with me, to this day!

- K. Navanitha Reddy

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Dearest Sir,
You were a great Soldier, a better Doctor and the greatest teacher. A man with a courageous
and courteous heart, who had the look of determination right from the days of youth! Sir, you
were truly one of the greatest teachers one could have not just for pediatrics, but also for life.
We were blessed to have learnt through you the art of pediatrics, the way of living a zestful life
and more importantly to stay happy with the little things. Your ways to inspire- though
intimidating at first, but nevertheless left a lifelong impression on us and inspired us for life.
Whatever we are today, we all owe it to you, dear sir.
After leaving our post-graduation we realized how much a single scolding from you meant
because it meant that you cared and that you expected us to be better; unlike the times we
faced afterwards.
Cruel are the ways of time and fate, to have taken you away from us in this manner…and just
reminds us of a bitter truth of life that our time is limited; We just wish we could tell you how
great you were and what you meant to each one of us. Wherever you are dear sir, you will
always be an inspiration and forever in our memories reminding us to be better each day.
Our deepest condolences to the Shrikhande Family, we pray to god to give you strength during
these tragic times.
“You have left a void in our hearts & we will miss you deeply sir; but we will also remember how
fortunate we have been to have had you as our teacher!”

Dr Abhishek Gupta

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Ideas and Ideals
It was nearly five years ago, that I considered working at Pravara Medical Trust Hospital, and
decided to pay a visit. After meeting Dr Shashank Dalavi, then Vice-Chancellor, he rightly asked
me to go and see Dr Shrikhande. Which I did. It was a wise decision, that made me give up my
30 years private practice at Aurangabad and work full time at Pravara Medical Trust Hospital.

Dr.Shrikhande, with his open, welcoming smile, frank demeanour welcomed me like a long lost
brother. He promised complete support and assured that there is enough work to keep a Senior
Pediatric Surgeon busy all days of the week.

Which turned out to be true within a year and I had my hands full.

Having worked with a large number of pediatricians during residency and practice, I found him
to be the best of the lot. Always supporting, never interfering, never hinting or suggesting that it
can be done differently, respecting other person’s professional opinion, and thus earning
respect for himself. The PICU, NICU were open for me. For surgical patients, I had carte
blanche. We were not keen on ‘procedural formalities’, and it became routine for pediatric
residents to call me at any hour of the day for a consultation, or sharing x-ray images.

So much so, I used to meet Dr Shrikhande more often than surgeons in my own department.

Over time, I realized that he had developed a great ecosystem at PMT hospital, with his
colleagues, residents, nurses which helped thousands of children recover, survive and lead a
productive life.

A humorous, well read individual, he was always ready with a story or anecdote.

I was almost part of the Pediatrics department.

It is impossible to forget the episode, and not feel gratified, when he called me to see a relative
with illness. An adult relative. That was the level of trust he had.

I now regret that I could never invite him for dinner to my home, and have more social
interactions, talk more about books, films, music, his other interests.

Dr Shrikhande was a ideal, a lofty goal which other lesser mortals should strive to equal. He
was an idea of excellence, in clinical work, teaching, training, mentoring.

He left a strong impression on everyone he met. He was the elder brother I never had. He will
be missed. He will remain in our hearts forever.

Dr.Vivek Gharpure

Consultant Pediatric Surgeon,

Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni

21
A Multifaceted Man

Dr.R.K.Sanjeev

Col DY Shrikhande, was a multifaceted ,larger than life personality. My journey with him

began when I as a Resident of Pediatrics at Army Hosp R & R came across case referred by him

of a child with facial nerve palsy of recent onset, from his Military Hospital. A detailed history and

physical examination was followed by a clear elucidation of the diagnosis as probable tuberculoma

of the brain stem. I was intrigued and impressed because there was no imaging study which was

done on the child. It was 1995, and we did a CT scan and confirmed his diagnosis. Thereafter, I

met him again a decade later in 2004 when a PALS course was being conducted at AFMC.

Conversation with him revealed his enthusiasm for Pediatrics like using rescue surfactant without

benefit of ventilation, much before the INSPIRE protocol came into practice. Then again I met him

a decade later in 2015 at Base Hospital Delhi Cantt ,where we had organised an EEG workshop

for Pedicon. We had a talk again and he told me about Rural Medical College, Loni where he was

working.

In 2016 , while planning for my release from Army , I spoke to him and asked him about the

scope of working at RMC. He immediately told me to come over and organised a visit which

included the schools for my younger child as well as meeting the heads of the institution. The visit

involved accompanying him for ward rounds in the busy and sprawling wards of RMC ,which was

an eye opener to me having worked in less busy Military Hospitals.

After joining, though I was about a dozen years his junior , he ensured that I was made

comfortable and facilitated my stay in every way. He would bring out one’s professional successes

and highlight them in everyone’s presence without hesitation. It was a pleasure visiting him at

home when he would go out his way as a host , making sure effortlessly that all of us are in good

spirits and at ease. His clinical skills were exceptional and involve a breathtaking range from

picking up tetanus cases, locating a foreign airway in the trachea by lung sounds or diagnosing

22
tuberculosis in all it’s protean manifestations. He kept a tight leash on Residents working in the

ward by means of rounds where he would at turns excoriate the Residents for their failings in

history taking, presentations or clinical examination. It would be immediately followed an off the

cuff joke or reminiscence with an infectious laughter. The Residents would follow him spellbound,

and, it was a pleasure to see them make efforts to put up a good show for the twice daily report

telephonically about new admissions and critical cases to him.

Since I was working in the PICU and upper NICU all the time with him, whenever I asked for

leave or a break he would smilingly say “ main hoon Na!!”. At the same time , I had the privilege

along with all my departmental colleagues, to walk into his office and talk freely at length on any

issue. We would get a ready audience and an immediate resolution of issues.The talks would go

on in a freewheeling and delightful manner on past reminiscences punctuated by full throated

laughter. A stickler to time, he would be there in the morning at the stroke of nine and leave in the

evening only after having a look at all the serious cases, often well past 5pm. Some scenarios like

snake bites, which are quite frequent at Loni, would get him rushing back to the ward irrespective

of the time of the day. Never, one to flinch from work, he would frequently take pleasure in the

antics of the child as an individual. Making the child at ease would even include getting a

chocolate, drawing a doodle or cartoon or lifting up a small child.

Frequently we would go back together walking while talking about the ward, Residents, work

challenges and so on. While passing by his house he would unfailingly call one over for tea and

one could have the pleasure of having Darjeeling tea brewed by Ma’am Shrikhande.His support

for any initiative like a workshop or CME was unhesitating and he would move heaven and earth to

ensure that it would go without a hitch. Any visiting faculty were equally touched by his hospitality

and openness. A complete Pediatrician and leader, he would fearlessly speak about what is right in

any meeting without consideration to himself.

On WhatsApp he would share off the cuff poems and limericks written by himself, movie

23
favourites, songs of his son or and the laughter would go on. During gatherings he would belt off

Hindi songs to rapturous applause. During the mango season he would share the harvest of the

mango tree at his house with everyone and go in great detail about how to ensure that it is eaten

when perfectly ripe. Such anecdotes are numerous and only reflect the innumerable facets of

generous and brilliant individual we all had the privilege of interacting.

Dr.R.K.Sanjeev

24
 आठवणीतले ण

आठवणीतले ण

मनी होते ते भोळे पणा

पण कधी न दाखवले मोठे

अजू नही होतो भास

तु ी आहात जवळपास

भ िवचार हा सु गंधासारखा असतो, तो आपोआप पसरतो. पसरिव ासाठी वे गळे काही करावे लागत नाही.

सरांचे िवचार भ होते. माणसाला दोनच गो ी शार बनिवतात, ा णजे भे टलेली माणसे, आिण वाचलेली पु के. .

सर नेहमी आ ा सवासाठी एक supporter बनले .

सर णजे पंिडत ने ह ,

सर तु ी महान होते

वॉडाची शान होते

HOD असले तरी

आ ा मुलांचे ाण होते

ेक बाळा ा treatment साठी

तुमचे य होते

ेक मूल तु ाला ि य होते

तु ी आ ा ेक ाफ साठी

सर होते, . . . . . सर होते !

िदवाळी दसरा या सणाला कधी आ ा ाफ आिण वॉड ला िवस न पूजा केली नाही.

तु ी आ ा ाफ ला ने हमी नवीन काहीतरी िशकवत होते

patient साठी ने हमी अतोनात य करायचे

resident ला ओरडणे , ाफ ला ओरडणे, पण पेशंट व थत करायचे

25
patient साठी सतत नवीन instrument आणणे, ासाठी झटत असायचे

कोरोना काळात सरां नी आ ा सवाची खूप काळजी घेतली

सवानी फेस िश , मा , ो ज, गाऊन घालून तः बरोबर patient care कशी ायची ते िशकवले.

सर आले िक एकदम शां तता असे, इतका दरारा होता सरांचा .

सरांना मुले आवडायची. पेशंट ला कडे वर घेऊन, िवचारपूस क न, रे िसडट सोबत चचा क न, ां ना ेझट करायला
लावून, सर सवाना िशकवायचे . सर तु ी बालरोग िवभागाचे गॉडफादर होतात.

सर, तुम ाब ल िलिहताना येतात डो ात अ ू, आठवतात तुम ाबरोबर घालवलेले सगळे ण.

सर तु ी बालरोग िवभागाचा पाठीचा कणा होतात .

तु ाला बरे च काही करायचे होते, पण रा न गेले. कोिवड संसग काय झाला आिण काळाने सरां वर झडप घातली.
आजारपणात िह सर णत, मी फौजी आहे, ꓲ ꓮꓟ ꓮ ꓮꓣꓟꓬ ꓟꓮꓠꓹ ꓲ ꓮꓟ ꓢꓔꓣꓳꓠꓖꓹ ꓲ ꓮꓟ ꓐꓣꓮꓦꓰꓹ ꓲ ꓮꓟ ꓝꓲꓔꓸ

रोज सकाळी सरांची आठवण ये ते. राऊंड सु झाला िक आठवण येते. तुम ा आजारपणात आ ी सव ाफ ने
ाथना केली, िक दे वा सरांना यातुन बरे कर, पण दे वाने ऐकले नाही. काळ सरांना घे ऊन गे ला.

NICU म े सर नेहमी रे िसडट आिण ाफ ला सांगायचे, ꓧꓮꓠꓓꓪꓮꓢꓧꓲꓠꓖꓹ ꓧꓮꓠꓓꓪꓮꓢꓧꓲꓠꓖ ꓮꓠꓓ

ꓧꓮꓠꓓꓪꓮꓢꓧꓲꓠꓖꓸ

सर उ म िश क, Listener आिण supporter होते.

रोज आ ाला राऊंड म े काहीतरी नवीन िशकायला िमळायचे

NICU म े शां तता असे ल, तर सर णत, ꓲꓝ ꓰꓦꓰꓣꓬꓔꓧꓲꓠꓖ ꓲꓢ ꓮꓡꓡ ꓣꓲꓖꓧꓔ ꓲꓠ ꓔꓧꓰ ꓠꓲꓚꓴꓹ ꓔꓧꓰꓠ ꓢꓳꓟꓰꓔꓧꓲꓠꓖ ꓲꓢ
ꓓꓰꓝꓲꓠꓲꓔꓰꓡꓬ ꓪꓣꓳꓠꓖꓸ

ꓟꓳꓔꓧꓰꓣ ꓲꓢ ꓮꓡꓪꓮꓬꓢ ꓣꓲꓖꓧꓔꓹ हे पण ां चे आवडते वा होते.

थोडस िलहावस वाटतं

आप ा सावलीपासून आ ी िशकावे

कधी लहान, तर कधी मोठे होऊन जगावे

शेवटी काय घेऊन जाणार आहोत सोबत,

ेक ना ाला दयातून जपावे

S/N Anita Thoke Ward 16 and all Staff Nurses

26
 रता ते ण

डोळा येते पाणी

गेले ते िदवस
रािह ा ा आठवणी
.
होय. मला डॉ ीखं डे सर यां ा िवषयी मला मा ा पेिडयािटक वॉड म े ुटी करताना, चेक करताना डॉ
ीखंडे सरां ची आठवण ये ते, व डो ात भावनांचे अ ू येतात.
वॉड म े आ ानंतर आजही सर आप ाम े आहे त असे वाटते. सरां ा मागदशनातून आिण कतबगारीतून
असले ा पेिडयािटक वॉड म े काम करताना वाटते. ीखंडे सरांचा आ ाला १६ वष सहवास लाभला. सरांनी
आ ाला फार मोलाचे ान िदले. ीखं डे सरां िवषयी सां गायचे तर सरांचा भाव लहान मुलासारखा ह ी होता.
कोणतीही व ू वॉड म े लगेच, ताबडतोब सरांना लागत होती, आिण ती सरांना ताबडतोब उपल क न ावी
लागत होती, नाहीतर सर खूप रागवायचे.
सर ने हमी लहान बाळासमोर, लहान मुलासारखे बोलायचे, व वागायचे. ीखं डे सरांनी तपास ास
िकतीही गंभीर असला तरी तीन ते चार िदवसात बरा होत असे . सर ने हमी पी. जी. ा िव ा ाना हसून व िवनोद
क न िशकवायचे, व आ ालाही ा पेशंटची काळजी घे ाबाबत मागदशन करायचे .
सर आम ा मु लां ब ल, व कुटुं बाब ल ने हमी िवचारपूस करायचे . लहान बाळां ा ब ल सर दे वमाणूस होते, हे
ने हमी ि काल स असेल.
Surekha Pulate
I/C Ward 16

27
 गु

डॉ ीखंडे सर समिपत

गु िक मिहमा ा करे

िनमल गु म िह होये

िबन गु वर जीवन कटू फल सा होये

गु

जानवर इ ान म जो भेद बताय

वही स ा गु कहलाये

जीवन पथ पर जो चलाना िसखाये

वही स ा गु कहलाये

जो धैयता का पाठ पढाये

वही स ा गु कहलाये

संकट मे जो हसना िसखाये

वही स ा गु कहलाये

पग पग पर परछाई सा साथ िनभाय

वही स ा गु कहलाये

िजसे दे खे आदर से सर झुक जाये

वही स ा गु कहलाये

ऐसे थे हमारे परम पू गु

डॉ ीखं डे सर

उनको कोटी कोटी णाम

Sharmila Kawade I/C Ward 15

सव ाफ

वॉड १५

28
 गु वय डॉ ीखंडे

आभार, Thank you , हा श आप ाला जीवनात सतत वापरला जाणारा श आहे. आप ाला मदत करणा या
ीचे आभार आपण सतत मनात असतो, मग ती ी घरातील असो वा वसायातील.

मा ा जीवनात, मा ा मागावर सतत सावली बनू न वसायात मला मागदशन कर ाचा सरळ, सोपा, आनं ददायी
मं दे णा या अशा महान ीचे, गु चे मला आज आभार मानावेसे वाटतात.

िह ी णजे बालरोग िवभागाचे गु वय डॉ ीखंडे. िवभागात ां ची शारी, वाघासारखे म , आिण

िन ाथ से वा, यामु ळे ते खूप सव े ठरले होते. ज ा मी वॉड म े नवीन वॉड इन चाज णू न आले, त ा मला
सरांची खूप भीती वाटली. चुका िह झा ा, पण सरां ा ते ल ात आले, आिण सर णाले,

" िस र, when you balance your heart and mind equally, then you are the master of yourself ".

या तुम ा वा ाने मला आजपयत ेरणा िमळाली.

वॉड म े काम करताना ामािणकपणा हे आपले खूप मोठे ह ार असते, असे सर सां गत.

सर नेहमी सां गत,

"ꓮꓠꓬꓔꓧꓲꓠꓖ ꓲꓢ ꓑꓳꓢꓢꓲꓐꓡꓰꓹ ꓪꓧꓰꓠ ꓬꓳꓴ ꓧꓮꓦꓰ ꓣꓲꓖꓧꓔ ꓑꓰꓳꓑꓡꓰ ꓔꓧꓰꓣꓰ ꓔꓳ ꓢꓴꓑꓑꓳꓣꓔ ꓬꓳꓴ"ꓸ

ामुळे काहीही सं कट आले, तरी मी सरांना िबनधा सां गत असे, आिण ावर सरांकडून मागदशन ने हमीच िमळत
असे.

वॉड म े काम करताना ग ा, गो ी, आजीबाईचा बटवा कसा उपयोगी असतो हे ीखंडे सर तः आई, आजी यां ना
सांगत. बाळांची, आईची काळजी कशी ावी, हे आजीला समजले आहे, याकडे सरांचे ल असे.

कुणाकडूनही पेशंट ा बाबतीत दु ल , हलगज पणा ायला नको, पेशंट आहे त, णू न आपण आहोत, हे सर सवाना
सांगत.

वॉडम े सर ये त, त ा वॉड इ ाज पासून सफाई कामगार पयत चौकशी करत, आिण काळजी ायला सां गत.

सवा ा सु खात आिण दु खत सहभागी होणारे , सव कलािनपुण असणारे , सतत ानाची िशकवण दे णारे , असे गु वय
होतात तु ी. खरं च " ीखंडे के फंडे " हे वे गळे च होते . आज ा सग ाला आ ी मुकलो.

खरं च सर, खूपच ेट होतात तु ी.

शेवटी सां गावे से वाटते,

ीखंडे सर णजे बालरोग िवभागाचे िव ास होते

सर णजे बालरोग िवभागाचे ास होते

29
सर णजे िवशाल आकाश होते

आिण णू नच, ीखं डे हे नाव मुळातच खूप खास होते.

अशा या गु ं ना माझे ि वार वं दन.

आभारी आहे

संगीता गावडे

वॉड इन चाज

वॉड ५

30
Veer Chakra
Dr Kshitij Gokhale

It’s 7.15am in the Boys’ hostel.. All students are getting ready for the
‘8am’ lecture. Boys’ hostel has its own pace of functioning, waking up
at 7.50am and still managing to get into the class surely deserved a
‘Veer Chakra’, but that was assuming that ‘15mins+’ isn’t considered as being ‘late’. Such Veer
Chakra awardees were not able to prove their mettle when sir was scheduled to conduct the
lecture.

Our seniors had told us about how disciplined sir was, how he doesn’t like people who aren’t
punctual.. so sitting in the lecture hall, I was excpecting a very strict professor who doesn’t like
to crack jokes, but to my surprise the first powerpoint slide that I saw was titled ‘SHRIKHANDE
KE FUNDE’

This was followed by a series of jokes that probably no other professor cracked in a lecture and
puns.. puns.. and lot of puns.. Pediatrics was tought to us with a mixture of shayaris, puns, jokes
making us realise what a true gentleman sir was.

On the eve of the annual Pediatrics quiz, sir had asked me to sing a ‘funny’ , rather a ‘punny’
song. He showed me a video of another student who had made a parody of a very famous
song, and told me to add his name in the song. The lyrics of that ‘pun intended’ song are

’आज पढ़ानेकी िज़ ना करो

‘’आज पढ़ानेकी िज़ ना करो ,

युही कुस म बैठे रहो,

आज पढ़ाने की िज़ ना करो ,

हां ये मर जाएं गे हम तो लूट जाएं गे ,ऐसी बात िकया ना करो ,

आज पढ़ाने की िज़ ना करो

खुदही सोचो ज़रा ोंना रोके तु े,

जान जाित है जब ,

PPT िदखाते हो तुम ,

तुमको अपनी कसम DEAR SHRIKHANDE SIR,

बात इतनी मे री मान लो

आज पढ़ाने की िज़ ना करो’’

31
Sir, with you not around us I think the original song just makes much more sense,

Thank you sir, for all that you have taught us, a true fauji, a true fighter, thank you very much sir

DR KSHITIJ GOKHALE,

kshitijgokhale2@gmail.com
9820048132

2014 BATCH

32
Memories
1 My first interaction with Col Shrikhande was during my 2nd year when he caught me
unshaven for a second year paediatric lecture. Needless to say, I was kicked out after an angry
stream of warnings not to repeat it.

2. I remember being labelled the " defaulter of the highest order" when I had managed to miss
out a post-end in pediatrics. Sir put his foot down saying that he wouldn't allow me to appear for
it, which would mean me failing the semester.
It was then that I told him about my aspirations to join the organisation and assured him that
I intended on saluting him in a blue beret as an officer.

3. I was an intern working in pediatrics post call on morning rounds, and he caught me once
again but this time unshaven due to the night shift, he politely looked at me and said that I could
skip the rounds, and go shave. I made it back in time before the rounds were over and caught
up with him in the ward opposite the PICU. He looked at me and smiled and it was the kind
of smile that you probably see once or twice in a lifetime. He said, "D'souza, you're back and
looking much better, I'm sure you're more popular with the girls now than you were 15 mins
ago." And then he carried on with the rounds enthusiastically.

4. I remember speaking to sir prior to my interview, sharing all my achievements with him,
even calling him for guidance from time to time. He was always there with some or the other
advice based off of a fundamental idea drawn from his own personal experience.
And Col. Shrikhande ke Funde were never wrong.

5. I was speaking to sir after a successful cas evac and I told him that I was grateful to have a
teacher like him and also that I intended to come to Loni just to meet him once and keep the
promise I had made to him before. A couple of weeks later, on the 30th of October, Shrikhande
sir was no more. Bad news travels fast. And I was inconsolable with the loss of an irreplaceable
mentor, a brilliant doctor and an educator. A man I owe so much to and who changed so many
lives, every day of his life.

Dr Faric DeSouza

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 Poem
Sacred were those hallways, which we used to roam
That led us to the department, that eventually became home
With Bablu on his table and a smile across his face,
He says, Paediatrics is a Tapasya, that you must embrace
Armed with Shrikhande ke funde and Nelson by our side
We dived into residency, naive and starry eyed
While on punctuality and discipline, he never compromised,
His enthusiasm and energy would often leave us surprised
Examining every critical patient, sometimes 50 or more
With his anecdotes and stories, rounds were never a bore
Grilling us at reporting, he wouldn’t let us slack
But if we were to fumble, he always had our back
He celebrated our victories, no matter what the size
He encouraged participation even if you didn’t win a prize
Even in the final battle, like a warrior he fought,
In every life he touched, a void his loss has brought
A cheerleader, a critic, a mentor and guru
When we count our blessings, we always think of you
We hold him in our hearts, and all the memories remain
To walk and guide us through our lives until we meet again
.
Dr Khushboo Kanwal

34
 The many faces of a great clinician and teacher
The very fact that I find myself writing this piece makes today a sad day because I
practice Pediatrics in a world without a great guru – Col Shrikhande. A shining spark in
a tough clinical world full of challenges, a man with a sharp eye for detail, the heart of a
clinician – detached enough to be objective but in love with children nevertheless, a
curator of the wisdom of old yet the harbinger of the new, a clinical leader, a creative
writer par excellence and cheerful mate with a drink in his hand – Col Shrikhande had
many qualities. That is what made him so special – and that is what makes his absence
leave that hurt, that void, that one sanctum of common sense lesser, that one happy
space lesser behind. As I write this, I can even imagine him cut me short in my reverie
with an acerbic one-liner full of dry wit! I take that as a sign for me to stop lamenting and
start sharing my experience rather than my sorrow.

I can recollect the number of times I met Col Shrikhande on my fingertips. I first saw him
as an examiner for undergraduates when I was doing my postgraduation in 1999. He
later came to AFMC to take a lecture on cerebral palsy for my batch. My next interaction
with him was at MH, Kirkee where I was sent assist him in performing an exchange
transfusion. A few months later he was my examiner in the Grading Examination. My
last interactions with him in official capacity when he was Senior Adviser at CH(EC),
Kolkata and I at INHS Dhanvantari, Port Blair. I conducted him through an official visit
and later underwent observation for Classification. Besides this, there were not more
than five or six meetings. What then makes me write about him? The answer is a simple
Sanskrit word that defies translation into English: runanubandhan.It is a spiritual debt
from the student to the teacher. Even if the interactions were brief, the learning was
immense. What was spoken was a mere fraction of what transpired. I sensed in him the
tangible – the depth of knowledge, the dedication, the love for children and above these
the joie de vivre that kept him going. I also sensed him the intangible – that which
makes a great clinician, that which gives the master his mastery and that which makes
a person a great human being but defies description. I will try and explain myself on the
tangible through a series of instances that I recollect.

A hands-on paediatrician

When I assisted him in performing an exchange transfusion at MH Kirkee, I could see

from his deft work that he had performed many such exchange transfusions. For the
benefit of those who are not from the medical field, an exchange transfusion is a
process in which a line is placed inside a baby’s umbilical vessels, the baby’s blood is
removed and fresh blood infused. This is done to remove toxic substances in a baby’s
circulation. This process requires skill and because of the availability of alternates, the
need for phototherapy had started declining. Many young and budding paediatricians
(me included) did not have the skills to perform this procedure. But I had no worries.

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This was because I was working under the guidance of a master – an old captain who
had weathered many storms. He not only completed the procedure with rehearsed ease
– he also taught me the ropes. The conversation we had during the procedure was even
more precious than the learning. He told me about the many emergencies he had
managed over the years – malaria, snakebites, diabetic ketoacidosis and others. To a
young resident, these discussions are far more educative and enthusing than the drab
reading of books.

Some years later when I (in vanity) considered myself a relatively senior paediatrician, I
found myself brief and telegraphic in writing clinical notes especially in the outpatient
department (OPD). This was till I saw a patient in the OPD who had notes written by Col
Shrikhande. This was for the evaluation of short stature. Three pages of detailed notes
in neat handwriting leading the reader to the diagnosis in the patient and educating him
on the way. He had walked down the entire diagnostic algorithm and established a
diagnosis of idiopathic short stature. His notes were a wake-up call to me to up my
clinical clerkship.

A deep knowledge of pediatrics – and dedication to children with special needs

Col Shrikhande had taken a lecture on cerebral palsy for my batch of residents. It as a
presentation that I can never forget. It was like a bright light had been switched on in the
darkness. A very tough concept was explained with great simplicity. And there was
more - he went on to say that one thing which I imbibed for good – that we have to
focus less on diagnosis and more on treatment. That the doctor should not go on and
on with a series of tests but close the workup to focus on management with the help of
a team of professionals including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech
pathologists and special educators. This is known by all paediatricians - yet fails to
translate into practice so often. From his work, it was clear that he (and Dr (Mrs)
Shrikhande) had gone the extra mile to ensure good care to children with cerebral
palsy. His closing slide quoted Mother Teresa saying, “We don’t do great things, we do
small things with great love.” This is, in fact, the gist of Paediatrics as a specialty.

Connect with the old yet ahead of time

During my four-week period of observation for classification, I learnt that he would see
all patients daily and make sure that all clinical issues are resolved. He remembered all
the clinical signs that should be elicited in clinical examination. He had a mastery over
infectious disease – including measles, croup, diptheria and tuberculosis – that younger
paediatricians find outside their comfort zone. But he was not one to be passed over as
an old-timer who did not want to change! He was one of the first users of surfactant for

36
respiratory distress syndrome in the neonatal period – and that too using the InSurE
protocol far before it was the standard of care. I was both surprised and worried to see
him take a 31-week preterm neonate to full feeds within three days during an 10-15
days was the norm. His protocol for feed progression is the norm today. Roots anchored
in the past and leaves reaching for the future – that was the tree of knowledge called
Col Shrikhande.

A warm person

Col Shrikhande was not merely a cut and dried doctor. He was a helpful senior, a friend
philosopher and guide. I remember being called home after the exchange transfusion at
Kirkee, being offered a meal and a fine conversation. When he and Mrs Shrikhande had
come visiting in Port Blair, they made it a point to accept my invitation and come home
for a meal. They interacted with my children and for that day, it was just like having
parents over. He told me not to be too strict a parent and allow the children some
chocolate now and then. Every personal interaction is a warm memory to cherish.

An irreverent sense of humour

His dedication at work and kind-heartedness off work did not make him a bore. His
sense of humour is legendary. When one of the candidates for grading examination
failed to answer many questions, he asked him what he did during the training period.
The answer was that he was blessed with a baby boy. Col Shrikhande’s response was
instantaneous “Your conception is fantastic, but your concepts are bull.” Outside the
hospital, he could pen any number of limericks with all colours of humour. His humour
could be black, even blue but more than the object of the joke, it was his wit that
sparkled. It was this deadly combination of a keen sense of observation, dedication to
patients and razor-sharp wit that gave us the famous slideshow “Shrikhande ke funde”.

An embodiment of involvement till the very end

Sachin Tendulkar was known to be totally involved in the game of cricket. He would
cheer a good stroke of the bat or a good catch even after spending years on the field.
This is because he genuinely loves the game. Col Shrikhande felt the same way for
Paediatrics. Even when admitted with serious Covid-19 infection and on non-invasive
ventilation, he was participating in the academic discussion on the paediatric group. In
an argument, I found myself alone and in disagreement with many on the group-but he
agreed with me. He was able to discuss the matter with a clear mind while his body was
giving way. Like a true soldier, he battled hard for life and remained dedicated to
Paediatrics till the very end. A brave Covid warrior who lost his life to the deadly virus –
it is veergati for him – a path to salvation by Hindu belief – but a great irreparable loss
for those who regarded him as a role model.

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Remembrance and a solemn promise

When Mahatma Gandhi passed away, Pandit Nehru said that the light has gone out of
our lives. Col Shrikhande’s students and mentees would no doubt feel the same. I,
however, would like to add that the light that went out lit many more such lamps. It
remains our duty to keep his values alive in a clinical world where common sense fights
for survival. Thank you, sir, for the teaching, the philosophy and the good times.

Surg Capt RW Thergaonkar

Senior Adviser (Paediatrics)

INHS Asvini, Mumbai
Email: rantherg@gmail.com
Mob: 9910075862

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POEM

How do I remember HOD sir. .

The man who loved his job
About too much work he would never sob
One would only wonder, how could this man not get tired?
But at the end, one could only get inspired.

The handsome army man

Who walked with head up high
He gave his students wings
and then let them fly

The department was his family

Always treated us as his own
He beamed with pride
When any of his students shone

He was the life of the party

Loved his music and his drink
He never ever let his love
For Madhubala sink!

He was the greatest teacher

He was a man filled with knowledge
He loved kids and pediatrics
With his heart bone and every cartilage

He loved writing poems

And loved reading them out to all
His laughter, his humor and the twinkle in his eyes
One will always recall

He followed the most famous

Shrikhande ke funde
He didn’t budge and took ward rounds,
Even on a Sunday

He reprimanded, and
showed the right path and forgave
Oh yes! He wouldn’t go
a day without a clean shave

Last but not the least

The most most important lesson
A pediatrician needs 3 things in life
Nelson, Nelson and Nelson !!

I hope he is at peace
wherever he is,

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Shayad aap aaj bhi koi gaana gunguna rahe hai . .
But what one would miss saying
Jaldi chalo ! HOD sir ward ke taraf aa rahe hai. . .

Dr Ekta Singh

40
Col.Dr.Shrikhande sir,

A man with devotion towards his work, his patients and humanity.

I feel so lucky to have him met in this life. I had always experienced a great positivity and charm
when he was around. He was so energetic that even a young person would not be able to
match his level of efficiency. I have always seen him working dedicatedly with his patients. He
was never tired of work like treating patients, teaching students. He was strict in discipline and
always looked after the welfare of patients as well as subordinates in his department with his
pleasing personality. Sir was the god man for the needy people at any point of time. My whole
family had such a great faith on him that my sister used to travel all the way from Pune to Loni, if
her son would be sick. Sir had named him Gotu and my daughter as Motu. Even the third one
and youngest kid of my family was fortunate enough to get his magical touch during lockdown.
We always used to say that” Sir merely by your touch our kids would be alright”.But modestly he
used to refuse that.

I was fortunate enough to serve sir as his physiotherapist. Aging was the only reason which
brought him to physiotherapy department otherwise he was never dependent on anyone for
anything. That was the time when I got to know him more closely. Sir was such a humble
person having respectful attitude towards everyone he used to meet that he clarified in first visit
only that I am not supposed to treat him like VIP he expected the same treatment as other
patients.(I only knew how VVIP he was for me).he used to tell his stories which were really
hilarious and inspirational. I was lucky enough to take many indirect lessons through his actions
on what love and humanity can achieve. Sir and madam were my most favorite and ideal
couple. I have a strong bond with Madam for more than a decade. There are no second
thoughts to the fact that she is a wonderful psychologist and a counselor But sir used to say
jokingly that “when it comes to me, she neither understands my psychology, nor she ever
counseled me. He recalled once incident in which he was so engrossed in preparing the lecture
on his laptop that he forgot the milk vessel on burner and it was totally damaged.

“After coming back she saw the burnt vessel and scolded me so much!! Had she been a good
counselor, instead of scaring me she could have consoled me saying that it’s okay, you were
engrossed in your work, I appreciate your dedication but she reacted in totally opposite
manner.” he said. Jokes apart sir loved her so much.

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A decade seems like too little time spent with him. There were still more things to learn from
him, more joys to discover and more jokes to crack. Beneath his smile and soulful eves was
great depth of knowledge. Every family member of mine was a big fan of sir. Even in a small
meetings with sir, they felt his affection and compassion.

He was not only a great doctor and teacher but also a great human being. I can never forget
my last interaction with sir, which was near blood bank when he was climbing stairs to his
department. I was just behind him. Suddenly I noticed that he was about to fall backward.
Spontaneously, I tried to support him and unintendedly, he held my hand. I was astonished, and
could never forget that grip which made me scared that the person, who has always been
independent, never took anybody’s assistance even in severe pain, unknowingly held my hand.
When he stabilized himself, even in that situation he said “Thank you Nupoor, please carry on
with your work”. I found him breathless so advised him to take out his mask and face shield .He
refused to do so and asked me to leave him as few of the residents from his department were
COVID positive and he thought he might be at a risk so he expressed that I should not be in
contact with him. When I told him that I could not leave him like this then he scolded me. That
showed his selfless attitude and concern for others. I have guilt for my life that in Sir’s critical
time I could not do anything for him. My heart aches when I think that sir is no more. I feel like
our campus is charmless and unpleasant without sir.

Pravara family was fortunate to witness a doctor who was intelligent, dedicated and loved by all.
He inspired people in many interesting ways. Sir was a precious gem and a great asset to all of
us. He is and will always remain in our hearts.

Nupoor Kulkarni

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Col. Dr Shrikhande Sir,

‘One of the best pediatricians and a great human being’

He was such a jovial person. I feel fortunate that I met him. His dedication was second to none.
He always strove hard for wellbeing of his patients. I used to see him return from pediatric ward
in the late evenings even though the college used to get over by 5 o clock.

He was a skillful and trustworthy pediatrician. All the parents of the kids he treated had immense
faith in his abilities. I am proud to say that I am one of them. Whenever my daughter felt ill, I
used to feel that she will get better once Sir would see her.

He simply made everyone laugh with his wit and humor. He always joked of the incidence of his
proposal to Shrikhande ma’am. It was hilarious that he had named the baby doll in his OPD as
’Bablu Shrikhande’ and used to engage babies while examining them.

He was so affable and affectionate and we would always cherish his company. He had come to
our home for my daughter’s birthday and had met my parents. Even in that small visit, my
parents had a lovely time chatting with him and still fondly remember him. Such was his aura
that he made a long lasting impression on everyone’s hearts. My parents were saddened to
hear about his untimely demise.

He always wished to be independent. Owing to his age he suffered from back pain. I feel
fortunate to have treated him. I used to advise him to take rest and he used to brush me off
saying “I am a Fauji, I will not take rest. Don’t advise me to do this”. Such was his
determination and dedication that once I asked him about his back pain, he jokingly replied “My
back pain is like my wife, I have to find a way to live with it.”

His PG residents used to fear as well as respect him so much. I had never seen such a
wonderful Head of the Department who was so disciplined as well as compassionate towards
his students. His untimely demise left everyone heartbroken. His memories will always be
cherished. His sense of humor and devotion towards his work will always be remembered. He
touched everyone’s lives in his unique and jovial way. I just wish I could have spent more time
with him. We will miss you Sir!!!

Aashirwad Mahajan

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Photographs

44
 A Brother Remembers Dhananjay

It is almost five months from that tragic and fateful day, 30th Oct 2020, that we all lost
Dhananjay. As I pen this tribute to my older brother, I find my heart still heavy with grief.
Nonetheless, the grief is increasingly being balanced with the pride we as a family, and I as a
brother feel at the way Dhananjay touched the lives of so many with his professional
competence as a doctor, his empathy and compassion for all, his good humour, and even his
singing!

It is a great comfort for all of us related to him to know he is being honoured with a
memorial book compiled by his students and colleagues and with contributions from others who
were fortunate to have known him.

My mind goes back to the terrible, tragic evening of his passing when I penned my small
tribute to him with a heart broken into pieces. Our hearts were broken and yet there was pride
even then at the good work he had done all his life and the hearts he won, the hearts, especially
the “little hearts” he saved from stopping as a doctor and paediatrician.

So, let me take the readers a bit into Dhananjay’s own childhood. We were three
siblings, “D” being the eldest, my sister and then I the youngest by five years. My early
memories are of my own made-up mind to be a sailor in the Indian Navy and of D’jay wanting
to be a doctor. Funnily enough, our parents had sent him to a boarding school in Pilani, thinking
that it would be easy for him to continue into BITS, Pilani for engineering. There was, of course,
no medical college there and he found his way into AFMC. During school holidays he would get
hold of frogs from the garden (we lived in the coalfields of Dhanbad, in Jharkhand) and
cockroaches to dissect them while trying to explain all that he was doing. That was perhaps a
factor why I chose history instead of biology in high school!

Later on, we used to tease him about the medical terms and names of medicines he
used to reel off in explaining something about the health issues that we were checking with him.
Just a few days back I was exchanging messages with a close friend-- an Aussie sailor-- about
his nephew being a doctor with a sense of humour. I told him how much we miss D’jay’s advice
on phone about some health issue for ourselves or our children. There was an ever-ready
doctor in him even if I had to ask him to explain the diagnosis in plain English or Marathi
because I did not know Latin or pharmacology. He would do so, but not without soon lapsing
into medical terms that elicited a laugh and reminder from me. Among other things, he often
helped with advice for some ailment my shipmates, or their families were experiencing. Often,
he would speak with his erstwhile colleagues in the Armed Forces Medical Service to assist
them which they always did.

In Sept 2020, I came down with COVID in Goa. We would exchange messages about
my parameters and recovery and then, just as I finished my home-isolation, he turned positive.
During those weeks, we exchanged funny messages about some symptoms. As many readers
of the book, and D’s friends would know he was always punning and penning doggerel and

45
limericks. Until he turned very seriously ill from mid-Oct in the Military Hospital (Pune) that was
looking after him and fighting the fight with him, his funny bone showed through despite the
travails his body must have been experiencing.

He loved children and they always reciprocated. My wife often remembers a very colourful T
shirt he had with a lot of animals on it (Chennai, 1992 most likely) which seemed somewhat
strange apparel for an Army officer to wear! He said he would wear it for his ward rounds on
weekends because it would be a conversation point for children as they pointed out their own
favourite animals and he found it easier to examine them. He always asked the mother to
discuss symptoms and anything else they observed, because he simply believed that mothers
knew best. I had said in the 30th Oct post that it was likely that some children occasionally
feigned illness just so they could meet their favourite doctor and person!

The very charming—and in retrospect—very poignant picture of his that some colleague
or student in Pravaranagar hospital took with a little boy speaks intensely to us. (It was his DP!)
It speaks of a doctor who listened to his patients, put them at ease and won their confidence
and love. It speaks of his compassion and concern for children. It speaks of a young boy,
perhaps wearing his own older brother’s best shirt, coming to see his favourite doctor. It is
difficult to say who adores the other more, the doctor or the little boy? They are happily looking
at each other as “God’s creatures big and small” …It speaks to us as we would all always like to
remember Dhananjay.

In what order of importance, love, affection, respect would he be remembered? Well, that would
depend on how you knew him or came to know him. We are several people rolled into one,
much more than the “double-role” of Bollywood films that would fascinate us growing up in the
1960s and ‘70s. Dhananjay was a husband, father, son, brother, relative, friend, Army officer,
colleague, doctor, teacher…he was a poet in Hindi and English, a good singer, (and a terribly
funny dancer when he shook his torso), an absent-minded professor right out of comic
books…he simply was a good soul. And, a warrior unto the end, saving lives with an
acceptance of giving up his own in so doing.

Be at Peace, Bro, and Be at Ease, Soldier!

At the Dawn and Setting Sun, We shall all remember you!

Sudarshan Shrikhande,

Goa, 25 March 2021

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