Have you ever felt how doctors help us grow psychologically and always encourage us to fight the disease? From a kid’s favorite doctor to our granny ophthalmologist whom she approached multiple times to get her eyesight back as before, a doctor is always special. They infuse strong willpower to overcome the diseases.

 We should also be thankful to the Doctors who are equipped in the research field and tirelessly contribute to improving medical science, especially in recent times when the world is dealing with the pandemic.

To express gratitude to such doctors all over the country for their dedicated services, National Doctors Day is celebrated every year on July 1st.

This year National Doctor’s Day holds a special significance because the doctors and the physicians are working round the clock in a fight against the widespread COVID-19 pandemic as well as various other health crises and deadly diseases.

Doctor’s Day in India is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, an eminent physician, freedom fighter, academician, and politician. In his memory, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had also instituted B.C. Roy National Award to recognize the eminent people in the field of medicine.

Many great doctors in India have made an impact with their contributions. Here are some of the famous doctors who have changed the face of Indian healthcare.

Dr. Indira Hinduja 

Dr. Indira Hinduja is a Mumbai-based gynecologist, infertility specialist, and obstetrician. She is known for delivering the first test-tube baby in India in 1986.

The 2011 Padma Shri recipient also introduced the Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) technique, resulting in the birth of India's first GIFT baby in 1988, and developed the oocyte donation technique for those suffering from menopausal and premature ovarian failure.  

Dr. SI Padmavati 

Dr. Sivaramakrishna Iyer Padmavati, India's first female cardiologist has set up India's first cardiology clinic, North India's first cardiac catheter lab, and the first cardiology department at an Indian medical college.  

She was honored with Padma Vibhushan and serves as the Director of Delhi's National Heart Institute; she's the Founder-President of All India Heart Foundation.  

Dr. Kamini Rao 

Bengaluru-based gynecologist, Dr. Kamini Rao, contributed immensely to assisted reproduction in India. She is a Padma Shri awardee with specializations, in reproductive endocrinology, ovarian physiology, and assisted reproductive technology.  

She's credited with the birth of India's first SIFT (Semen Intrafallopian Transfer) baby and started South India's first semen bank and engineered the country's first babies born through ICSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection) and Laser Assisted Hatching.  

 Dr. AGK Gokhale 

Dr. Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale a renowned cardiac surgeon and the pioneer of keyhole bypass surgery has performed over 15,000 open-heart surgeries, 34 heart transplants, and 3 lung transplants. He's currently practicing at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad.

 The Padma Shri recipient has successfully performed the first human-to-human heart transplant, first lung transplant, and first implantation of a ventricular assist device in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty 

Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, a cardiac surgeon, is a reputed doctor in the field of cardiology and the founder of “Narayana Hrudayalay” who has performed over 15,000 heart surgeries.

He was honored with Padma Shri, 2004 and Padma Bhushan (2012) for his contribution to affordable healthcare in India