The COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc and the cases are surging each day. 507 people succumbed to the virus in a day, the highest so far, and India's COVID-19 death toll rose to 17,400 while the total tally climbed to 5,85,493 after 18,653 new cases were reported on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the country celebrates National Doctors' Day on July 1, which marks the birth anniversary of the renowned medical practitioner and former West Bengal Chief Minister Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy. Incidentally, the day is also his death anniversary.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the role of doctors in their "spirited" fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that they are saving lives by putting themselves in danger. "India salutes our doctors -- exceptional caregivers who are at the forefront of a spirited fight against COVID-19," he wrote on Twitter to mark Doctors' Day.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also said that he was "immensely grateful" to the doctors who are on the frontlines fighting against the coronavirus pandemic. "On Doctors Day, I am immensely grateful to the dedicated professionals who inspire hope in (the) Covid-19 times," the Congress leader tweeted.
Here is all you need to know about Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy:
Born at Bankipore, Patna, Roy was the youngest of the five siblings. He completed B.A. from Patna College with Honors in Mathematics. After his graduation, he studied medicine at the Calcutta Medical College. Later, his multiple admission requests at the St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London were denied. However, he was admitted after 30 requests and Roy did his postgraduation over there. He then went on to become a member of the Royal College of Physicians and a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons simultaneously.
In India, as per an article in The Hindu, he was the one to establish the Indian Medical Association in 1928 and even the Medical Council of India. He also played a crucial role in establishing the Indian Institute of Mental Health, the Infectious Disease Hospital and even Kolkata's first-ever postgraduate medical college.
Roy was also one of Mahatma Gandhi's personal physicians and a good friend. He was also known to be the medical counsel of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
"He was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta, a member of the Bengal Legislative Council and he also held the position of the Mayor of Calcutta. Later, he became the Governor of the State of Uttar Pradesh. However, it is his stint as the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1948 to1962 during which he attained the pinnacle of his political and administrative achievements," reads an article.
