Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu Friday conveyed her warm wishes to Prof K Lakshmi Bai on her 100th birthday and lauded her extraordinary gesture of donating her self-earned savings of Rs 3.4 crore to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for cancer care.
In an official letter to Prof Lakshmi Bai, Murmu appreciated her noble contribution and expressed confidence that AIIMS Bhubaneswar will make the best and most effective use of her generous support to strengthen cancer care services for the poor and underserved.
Murmu said the participation of compassionate and responsible citizens like Prof Lakshmi Bai serves as an inspiration for others across the country to come forward and support the government’s initiatives in public health and social welfare.
AIIMS Bhubaneswar, in a statement, expressed gratitude to the President for her encouraging words and for recognising the exemplary act of generosity.
The institute said it is committed to utilising the donation to advance cancer research, community oncology and patient-support services.
Lakshmi Bai, who remained unmarried, donated Rs 3.4 crore to the department of obstetrics and gynaecology on the occasion of her centenary birthday.
“The donated amount will be used as a corpus fund, the interest from which will be utilised for research in gynaecological malignancy, providing community oncology services to the poor and strengthening preventive oncology initiatives,” AIIMS Bhubaneswar executive director Ashutosh Biswas said.
Lakshmi Bai received her medical degree in 1945 and served the nation selflessly until retiring from MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, in 1986.
As part of the centenary celebrations, a team from AIIMS Bhubaneswar led by medical superintendent and officiating executive director Dr. Dillip Kumar Parida, along with senior faculty members Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohanty (HoD, FMT), Dr. Saubhagya Kumar Jena (HoD, O&G), Dr. Pruthwiraj Sethi, Dibya Ranjan Pattnaik, and Kamal Kishore Mahapatra, visited Laxmi Bai at her residence in Bhabanagar, Berhampur.
The celebration, organised by family members, was attended by several academic stalwarts, medical professionals, and dignitaries, reflecting the towering legacy of Prof. Lakshmi Bai and the deep respect she commands across generations.
PTI
