At 83, most people slow down. Dr. V. P. Mittal still rises before dawn, does a brisk walk through the quiet lanes of Dehradun, and arrives at his modest clinic on Tilak Road with the energy of a man half his age. The waiting room is already filling up—mothers with restless toddlers, fathers balancing vaccine cards, grandparents whispering worries. The clinic is almost always crowded, yet the atmosphere stays warm and unhurried.

Born around 1943, he studied medicine at the prestigious S.N. Medical College (Sarojini Naidu Medical College) in Agra. There he shared classrooms, late-night ward rounds, and endless cups of chai with his batchmate Dr. M. M. Singh, who would later become a distinguished physician and teacher in Agra. Those Agra years shaped him: rigorous clinical training, a deep respect for the patient, and a quiet determination to serve.

After completing his studies he chose paediatrics—child specialist work—and eventually settled in Dehradun. On Tilak Road he opened a simple clinic that has become a neighbourhood landmark. Generations of Doon families have brought their children here. Many of today’s parents were once the little patients who sat on his examination table.

Walk into the clinic on a typical morning and you might overhear exchanges like this:

“Doctor sahib, he has been coughing for three nights. We are so worried…”
Dr. Mittal leans forward, listens carefully to the small chest with his old stethoscope, then smiles. “Beta, open your mouth… good. Nothing serious. A little medicine, plenty of warm water, and this cough will run away faster than you can say ‘Dehradun’.” The child giggles. The mother finally relaxes.

Or later in the day:
“Uncle, you still look so fit! What is your secret?” a young father asks while his daughter plays with the toy corner.
Dr. Mittal chuckles, eyes twinkling. “Simple. I eat what I advise the children to eat, walk every morning, and I never stop learning. And these little patients—they keep me young. Their laughter is the best medicine for an old doctor.”

He is known for clear explanations, gentle hands, and a refusal to over-prescribe. Vaccination days are especially busy; the clinic buzzes with the happy chaos of babies and toddlers, yet he moves from one to the next with calm focus. Former patients now bring their own children and sometimes grandchildren, creating a living chain of trust that stretches across decades.

Even at 83 he remains remarkably fit—upright posture, steady gait, sharp mind. Colleagues and patients marvel at his stamina. “Retirement?” he once replied when asked. “As long as a child needs me and my hands are steady, this chair is where I belong.”

Dr. V. P. Mittal’s story is not one of grand headlines or big hospital titles. It is the quieter, more enduring tale of a doctor who studied alongside future legends in Agra, chose the hills of Dehradun, and has spent a lifetime making small lives healthier—one careful examination, one reassuring word, one crowded clinic day at a time. On Tilak Road, the door is still open, the waiting room still full, and the doctor still smiling.