The Consulate General of People’s Republic of China in Mumbai and Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis Memorial Committee are holding a photo exhibition to commemorate 80th death anniversary of Dr Dwarkanath Shantaram Kotnis. The exhibition has photos highlighting Dr Kotnis’ heroic deeds and contribution to China and a reflection of the country’s development in the past decade. The objective is to juxtapose the present and the past to tell a touching story.
Indians might have forgotten Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis, who died at the age of 32 in China on December 9, 1942. However, citizens of China remember him with reverence even 80 years after his death. Dr Kotnis went to China in 1938 during Sino-Japanese war to help Chinese overcome the impact of war.
Kotnis left with four other Indian doctors for China. The other returned, but Kotnis stayed back. He found the love of his life, Guo Qinglan, there and decided to make China his permanent home. He died soon after his son was born.
The Chinese feel indebted to the contribution of Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis even today. On his death, Mao Zedong, the founder of People’s Republic of China, had said that they had lost their saviour and friend. Kedihua dai fu (Kedihua was the Chinese name given to Dr Kotnis by the Chinese, and dai fu means doctor in Chinese) was a man who had worked relentlessly for the Chinese army, sometimes for more than 70 hours at a stretch.
Born in a village near Solapur, Maharashtra, Dwarkanath completed his medical education in Mumbai from GS Medical college. He volunteered immediately to go to China to help the army when he heard of the need. He wanted to help and learn before he settled down to practice — his only reason to volunteer.
In memory of the man who served the Chinese army selflessly at a time when not many were ready to help, the Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis Memorial Committee was formed. The committee has collected pictorial memoirs of Dr Kotnis and displaying them so that today’s generation learns more about the hero of the Indo-Sino relations.
The photographs are on display on the terrace of The Free Press House till the December 17 from today.
