In the 1950-80s, Dehradun was a quaint hill town, its streets lined with bungalows, deodar trees, and the gentle hum of a close-knit community. Amidst this serene backdrop, a group of dedicated doctors shaped the city’s medical landscape, earning the trust and admiration of its residents. From the bustling Chakrata Road to the quieter lanes of Raja Road, these physicians, surgeons, and specialists were the heartbeat of healthcare in Old Doon. Among them were luminaries like Dr. Hari Singh Maini, Dr. V.P. Chopra, Dr. R.D. Verma, Dr. Om Prakash, Dr. G.R. Kalra, Dr. Ram Prakash Verma, Dr. Ram Murti Sharma, Dr. Durga Prashad, Dr. U.C. Chandna, Dr. Chadha, Dr. Mehta, Dr. R.P. Gupta, Dr. Bhim Pandhi, Dr. S.K. Gupta, Dr. Jwala Prasad, Dr. Nandwani, Dr. Sethi, Dr. Kalhan, Dr. Peshin, Dr lalit mohan, Dr R N Gideon, Dr Phuntsog, Dr Anil Agarwal, Dr M C Luthra, Dr Pooran Chand Kumar and Dr. Kiran Kalra. Their stories, as recalled by their colleague Dr. Rawal, paint a vivid picture of dedication, camaraderie, and innovation in a time when medicine was as much about trust as it was about skill.

Unlikely the present, Dehradun was a charming hill town nestled in the Doon Valley, its streets lined with deodar trees and colonial bungalows, buzzing with the quiet energy of a close-knit community. Against this picturesque backdrop, a remarkable group of doctors wove a vibrant tapestry of healing, transforming the city’s medical landscape with skill, compassion, and innovation. From the bustling clinics of Chakrata Road to the serene lanes of Raja Road and the lively hub of Cross Road, these pioneers were the heartbeat of Old Doon’s healthcare, earning the trust and gratitude of shopkeepers, farmers, and bureaucrats alike. Their stories, shared through the nostalgic lens of Dr. Avdesh Gupta and her late husband, Dr. S.P. Rawal, paint a vivid picture of a golden era defined by camaraderie, ingenuity, and a shared mission to heal.

The Pillars of Dehradun’s Medical Community

Dr. Hari Singh Maini, the sage of Chakrata Road, was the elder statesman of Dehradun’s medical fraternity in the 1970s. His modest clinic was a sanctuary where patients found not just treatment but hope. Known for his razor-sharp diagnostics, he once reassured a worried mother in 1974, “Your son’s fever will break, Mrs. Sharma. He’ll be chasing kites by the weekend.” His wisdom—“Medicine is about listening to the patient’s story”—shaped younger doctors like Dr. Rawal and Dr. Kiran Kalra, fostering a legacy of empathy.

Dr. U.C. Chandna, with his iconic stiff moustache, was a towering figure whose diagnostic prowess lit up Chakrata Road. Even at 100 in 2025, his legacy endures as a testament to his resolute spirit. In 1976, he calmed a farmer’s fears, saying, “It’s not your heart, Ram Singh. A few days of medicine, and you’ll be back in your fields.” His mentorship—“A good physician heals the mind as much as the body”—inspired a generation.

Dr. Chadha, the innovator of Raja Road, brought Dehradun into the modern age with the city’s first ECG and X-ray machines in the 1960s. Patients traveled from Haridwar to his clinic, awed as he explained, “This machine reads your heart’s rhythm, Mr. Joshi, like tuning a sitar.” His enthusiasm for technology, as Dr. Rawal recalls, was infectious: “He’d show us his X-ray films like a kid with a new toy, saying, ‘This is the future!’”

Dr. Bhim Singh Pandhi, the doyen at Darshan Lal Chowk, was a visionary whose leadership in the Indian Medical Association (IMA) united Dehradun’s doctors. Born in Mussoorie in 1935, trained in Boston and England, he returned to India in 1968 to serve. His crowning achievement was establishing Uttarakhand’s first world-class IMA Blood Bank in 2006, a lifeline for surgeries and emergencies. At a 1975 IMA meeting, he rallied his peers: “We’re not just doctors; we’re the backbone of this city’s health.” His suave demeanor and philanthropy, supporting causes like Cheshire Home, earned him accolades like the IMA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. Shamsi, based at the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) Mokampur, was a dynamic IMA president who introduced the first IMA Oxygen Bank in the 1970s. His initiative ensured oxygen reached patients in distress, from IIP workers to rural villagers. “Oxygen is life,” he declared at a 1975 meeting, his vision saving countless lives before his untimely death. Dr. Avdesh Gupta recalls, “Shamsi’s oxygen bank was a game-changer, a gift to Dehradun.”

Dr. Sushila Gupta, Dr. Avdesh’s aunt, was a trailblazing gynecologist on Chakrata Road, starting in the 1960s. Married to the disciplined surgeon Col. R.K. Gupta, she brought warmth to women’s healthcare. In 1968, she reassured a nervous mother, “Your baby’s in good hands.” Their son, Dr. Sudesh Gupta, now runs a cardiology practice on EC Road, carrying forward their legacy. “Mami Sushila was a force—kind yet fierce,” Dr. Avdesh reflects.

Dr. Ram Murti Sharma, a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, was a generous orthopedic surgeon who mentored young doctors with referrals and even gifted office supplies, like a wall clock for Dr. Avdesh’s theater. “Surgery is an art,” he’d say, “but sharing knowledge makes us a community.” His Chakrata Road clinic was a beacon of precision and collegiality.

Dr. Chatterjee, the first woman IMA president in 1955, was a pioneering obstetrician-gynecologist whose leadership championed maternal health. Her 1955 call—“Every mother and child deserves care”—inspired Dr. Avdesh’s own presidency in 2015. Her EC Road clinic was a haven for women, complementing peers like Dr. S. Suri, a popular gynecologist whose son, Dr. Prashant Suri, continues her legacy.

Dr. P.K. Dhir, and Dr. Avdesh’s Mami Dr Sushila Gupta, was a pre-partition gynecologist in Astley Hall, collaborating with Dr. Ram Murti Sharma. Her ethical stance against medical terminations reflected her values, and her clinic, now run by her children Dr. Arunjeet Dhir and Dr. Annu, remains a cornerstone. “Mummy set the stage for women in medicine,” Dr. Avdesh says.

Dr. Durga Prasad, a Chakrata Road physician and IMA founder, possibly lived in Mussoorie, traveling to Dehradun for calls. His clinic was a lifeline, and his IMA work united doctors. “Dehradun needs a strong IMA,” he urged in 1953, bridging urban and rural care.

Dr. Mitranand and Dr. Bhupal Singh, IMA founders, were vital in establishing the branch’s framework. Though details are scarce, their efforts fostered collaboration at venues like Dr. Ram Prakash Verma’s Gandhi Road clinic, setting the stage for initiatives like the oxygen and blood banks.

Dr. B. Kumar, an ENT surgeon and anesthetist, was a multitasking marvel, using ether for tonsillectomies. His son, Dr. Mohit Kumar, upholds his legacy. Dr. I.F. Nath, head of Coronation Hospital, mastered spinal anesthesia, his humane approach earning him love. “Nath was a brilliant soul,” Dr. Avdesh recalls.

Dr. Vijay Chopra and Dr. K.N. Chhabra introduced pathological services and paid-donor blood banks, supporting surgeries by Dr. Sharma and Dr. Suri. “Our labs are your backbone,” Dr. Chopra told colleagues, easing diagnostic challenges.

Dr. Om Prakash, a diagnostic genius on Chakrata Road, mentored Dr. Avdesh on chloroform use but never gave anesthesia. “Listen to the patient’s story,” he advised, his clinic a trusted hub.

Dr. Sarala Chaurasia, Uttarakhand’s first laparoscopic surgeon, brought advanced techniques to remote areas, building on the work of Dr. Chatterjee and Dr. Suri. “This procedure is quick and safe,” she’d tell patients, revolutionizing women’s healthcare.

A Collaborative Ecosystem

Chakrata Road was the medical heart of Dehradun, with clinics of Dr. Maini, Dr. Chandna, Dr. Sushila Gupta, and Dr. B. Kumar forming a powerhouse. Raja Road’s Dr. Chadha and Cross Road’s Dr. Pandhi added innovation, while Astley Hall’s Dr. P.K. Dhir and MKP Road’s Dr. Pritam Kaur, who built the first medical complex, expanded access. The IMA, founded in the early 1950s, was a unifying force, hosting meetings at Dr. Ram Prakash Verma’s clinic, the Doon Club, and the Regent Hotel, where homemade chapatis warmed discussions. Open-ground symposiums with “kannat” enclosures fostered learning, as did the Surgical Society, co-founded by Dr. Avdesh, Dr. S.P. Rawal, Dr. Kalhan, and Brigadier Dr. Peshin at Gyan Lok Library.

Institutions like the ONGC Clinic, where Dr. Rawal worked, and Rama Eye Hospital, linked to Dr. Madan Mohan Gupta’s ethical eye surgery, served diverse patients, from industrial workers to hill villagers. Dr. Gupta’s selfless referral to Dr. Rawal—“Your health comes before my ego”—exemplified the era’s spirit.

A Legacy That Endures

These doctors were more than healers; they were community anchors, their modest clinics places of hope. From Dr. Chadha’s ECG to Dr. Pandhi’s blood bank, Dr. Shamsi’s oxygen bank to Dr. Sarala’s laparoscopy, they bridged the gap of limited diagnostics with skill and heart. The IMA’s evolution, from Dr. Chatterjee’s 1955 presidency to Dr. Avdesh’s in 2015, reflects their enduring impact. Dr. Avdesh sums it up: “From Maini’s wisdom to Sushila’s compassion, they built Dehradun’s medical soul. I salute them all.”

Their legacy lives in modern institutions like Max Hospital and Graphic Era Hospital, and in the memories of a town forever touched by their care.