Prime Minister invokes Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda at PGI convocation

Chandigarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, invoked Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda to state that doctors have a huge responsibility in serving humanity, especially the poor, even as he emphasised the need for holistic and preventive healthcare.

Citing Mahatma Gandhi's 'Talisman' exhorting all to act in the best interests of the "poorest and the weakest", he said, "Today, I too will request the same thing from you at this convocation function. You are going to move ahead with big responsibility, you are connected with a field where you just don't decide about yourself but others too.

"When you are in a state of confusion and unsure about a particular situation, when you think whether to do this or that, for a moment, just think about that poor man who may have played a role in your life, thought about you, remember him, the decision you are going to take will be decided automatically."

Addressing the 34th Convocation of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), the Prime Minister said that "if this remains the process of how we take our decisions (by keeping the interest of poor/common people at the top), then India will never face any difficulty".

Modi, who was the chief guest at the event that was also attended by Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Chandigarh BJP MP Kirron Kher, among others, awarded gold medals to nine students for outstanding research and academic excellence.

Modi began his speech by referring to the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US, saying, "Today is September 11, but when we say it this way, one will not recall what had happened on this day. However, when we say 9/11, we immediately remember.

"How has this day gone down in history. On this day, an attempt to destroy humanity was made, thousands of people were killed. Today also is 9/11, when young doctors are stepping out from this institute to take upon the task of saving the lives of others. Killing is very easy, but one has to dedicate an entire life for preserving life," he said.

"Therefore, in your (doctors') lives, too, 9/11 holds special importance," he said.

Modi also referred to another historic landmark associated with the day, of Swami Vivekananda's address at the World Parliament of Religions on September 11, 1893, in Chicago. "In the annals of history, 9/11 holds another significance. In 1893, about 120 years ago, a great man of this land had gone to the US. And, on 9/11, Swami Vivekananda began his speech at the Chicago gathering by addressing those present  as 'Sisters and Brothers of America' and that word, that sentence, forced the people to clap for long time," he said.

Modi also remarked on how Swami Vivekananda had connected with the people in the USA by tapping the bonds of humanity and showed that mankind can rise to greater heights. He said that if the September 11 message given by Swami Vivekananda had been accepted by the world, then an episode like 9/11 would not have occurred.

Turning to healthcare, Modi said there was consciousness now among the people about its holistic and preventive aspects. The world is asking for something more from medical science, he said while noting that "it has begun to think about good health rather than depending on (the use of) medicines".

"If you look at successful doctors, you will find very few among them who focus on the illness of a patient; they focus on the root cause behind the ailment by  understanding the person before him, including his psychological state.

"A poor patient comes to see a doctor, who knows that he cannot make payment and, if he decides to treat him, then even 20 years later, that poor patient will return to that doctor and repay him because the doctor had treated not just his illness but accepted him for what he was," said Modi.

He also said that medical science today is technology- driven.

"A doctor these days evaluates a patient's condition and then takes a decision on how to treat him. Technology helps in better diagnosis," he said, adding, "When I hear that PGIMER has taken an initiative of a digital sort, that means you are connected with most modern technology and, in this scenario, it makes your task easy.