Imagine sitting in a cozy clinic in Agra on a quiet evening, the ceiling fan whirring lazily overhead, as Dr. Naresh Chandra leans back in his chair, a faint smile playing on his lips while he reminisces about the old days.

“Ah, beta, you want to know about my journey? Arre, where do I even start?” he chuckles, adjusting his spectacles. “Back in 1976, when I walked into S.N. Medical College for the first time—SNMC, Agra—everything felt like a whirlwind. The campus was buzzing with energy, students rushing between lectures, dissecting halls smelling of formalin, and those endless chai sessions at the canteen where we solved the world’s problems… or at least pretended to!”

He pauses, eyes twinkling with mischief. “I remember the batch of ’76—we were a wild bunch. Late-night study groups that turned into gossip marathons, cricket matches on the ground where everyone claimed to be the next Gavaskar, and of course, the famous ragging that was more like brutal welcoming rituals. But those days shaped us. We learned medicine, yes, but more importantly, we learned life.”

Fast-forward a few years, and the story takes a dramatic turn. “1979 was something else entirely,” Dr. Chandra says, his voice dropping a notch, almost conspiratorial. “There was this massive movement—class IV employees agitating, things got heated, police got involved… chaos! I happened to have my camera with me that day (yes, in those days we carried actual cameras, not phones!). Clicked a few shots of the madness. Later, I shared them with the alumni group, and suddenly everyone’s messaging: ‘Naresh bhai, you were there? Tell us more!’ Those photos still pop up in our chats—little time capsules from when we were young and fearless.”

He laughs softly. “People ask if I was scared. Of course I was! But in medicine, you learn early: sometimes you have to step into the storm to help others. That spirit carried me through my career.”

After graduating (MBBS from Agra University in the early 80s—though the batch spirit started in ’76), Dr. Chandra settled into general practice right here in Agra. “Over 43 years now,” he says proudly, tapping the table. “No fancy specializations, no big hospital headlines. Just me, my stethoscope, and thousands of patients who became like family. Fevers in the monsoons, diabetes check-ups, a child’s first vaccination, an elderly uncle’s blood pressure worries… every day is different, yet the same. People come in anxious, leave with a smile and a prescription—and hopefully some reassurance that someone cares.”

I ask if he ever thinks about retiring. He shakes his head. “Retire? Arre, what would I do? Sit at home and watch TV? Nahin! My patients are my extended family. And the SNMC alumni reunions? Those are pure nostalgia fuel. We meet, hug, tease each other about gray hair (or no hair!), share old photos, and laugh until our sides hurt. Someone always brings up that 1979 protest photo and says, ‘Naresh, hero ban gaya tha tu us din!’ I just smile and say, ‘Hero? No—just another doctor trying to capture the moment.’”

He leans forward, voice warm. “Look, medicine isn’t glamorous every day. But when a patient says, ‘Doctor sahab, aapne meri jaan bachayi,’ or a kid waves goodbye with a toffee in hand—that’s the real award. The 1976 batch? We’re scattered now—some in big cities, some abroad—but the bond? Unbreakable. Like that old college canteen chai—strong, sweet, and never forgotten.”

Dr. Naresh Chandra glances at the clock, then back at you with a grin. “Ab bolo, coffee piyoge ya chai? And tell me—tumhari story kya hai?” 😊