Thiruvengadam Veeraraghavan

V. Thiruvengadam was a doctor in North Chennai whose patients called him the “five rupees doctor” for the token fees he charged over more than 45 years. He was named for the Padma Shri posthumously in 2021 in the field of medicine, from Tamil Nadu ^[1].

Growing up in Vyasarpadi

Thiruvengadam was born on 7 June 1950 and grew up in his family home in Vyasarpadi, behind which he later had his clinic ^[2]. His father was active in the St John Ambulance first-aid service, and from him he took his wish to serve ^[2]. He studied at the Thyagaraya Chetty School in Washermanpet, then at Thyagaraya College, and took his MBBS from Stanley Medical College, Chennai ^[2]. He worked at the communicable diseases hospital in Tondiarpet and took a diploma in leprosy from Madras Medical College ^[2].

Evening clinics

Having been educated free in government schools and colleges, he felt he had to give back ^[2]. He worked in hospitals during the day, from 2003 as an industrial medical officer checking the health of workers at petrochemical companies, and from 8 pm until midnight saw patients at his clinics in Sri Kalyanapuram and Erukkanchery ^[2]. He began the service in 1973, saw patients at hours that suited them, and charged those who could pay no more than Rs 50 ^[2].

He rarely took a day off; his clinic closed for the first time in more than three decades only in March 2020, because of Covid-19, and even then he took calls from patients ^[2]. In 2017 he was named the Weekend Leader and VIT person of the year ^[2].

Thiruvengadam died on 15 August 2020 ^[2].