Tribute to Dr Dilip Kumar Baruah

My father, Dr Dilip Kumar Baruah, left us for his heavenly abode on the evening of November 11. With him, I lost the guiding light of my life and the society has lost a dedicated teacher, physician, surgeon and a great human being.

Born to Harendra Mohan Baruah and Monu Baruah in Raha Chaki village of Nagaon in 1950, he led a very simple yet meaningful life right from his childhood. In fact, he not only practised a principled life, but also made sure that the same is imbibed in his family members, especially his children and grand-children.

For us, he was more of a friend, philosopher and guide who would see us through all our problems. No wonder, most of us would invariably fall back on him in the time of distress, and Deuta would not disappoint us.

As a doctor who specialized in ENT, Deuta was known for his clinical acumen in diagnosing and treating the patient. He was someone who identified the patient-centric family physician approach, which is rarely seen in today's health care ecosystem. As a teacher, he was always a fatherly figure, guiding them professionally and in all aspects of life. His compassion for his patients, especially those who come from a modest financially background, made him extremely popular. There are numerous instances when he has provided free treatment or even spent from his own pocket to aid economically weak patients.

While for his peers and colleagues, his down-to-earth demeanour along with his jolly personality was always present. And despite a successful medical career that spanned over several decades, which includes his stint as the head of the department of ENT in Gauhati Medical College and Hospital and Barpeta Medical College and Hospital, Deuta remained an ardent follower of medical science till his last breath, which was evident by the fact that even after superannuation from his service, he continued to work extensively in some of the remotest areas of the North East region. Post retirement, he also served as the Professor and Head of the department of ENT in Agartala Government Medical College. He breathed his last in the ICU of GMCH, an institution very dear to his heart, where he completed his entire medical education and served for over 35 years in various capacities.

Today on his Adya shraddha, we pray before the Almighty for the eternal peace of the departed soul. I request all his acquaintances and well-wishers to join us in our prayers to pay the last respects to the departed soul.

Debarshi Baruah (Son)

Also Read: A Tribute to Dr Ananta Kumar Bhattacharyya

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