Dr Krishna Prasad Sinha: A doctor par excellence By: Debashish Sinha

Lt. Dr. Krishna Prasad Sinha & Rasomoi Devi

 

Dr Krishna Prasad Sinha: A doctor par excellence

              By Debashish Sinha 

 

“The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.” ― Rabindranath Tagore

November 24, 1907 – the day on which Dr Krishna Prasad Sinha was born to Late Thakurdan Singha and Late Mithailaima Devi at Chiporsangan under Hailakandi Sub-Division in Cachar district (now Hailakandi district). He was the eldest among the siblings.

Since childhood, Dr KP Sinha was a bright student and always secured the first place in every class. He cleared his Entrance Examination (now HSLC) from Silchar Govt. Boys School, Silchar, during the British regime in 1927.

In 1932, Dr KP Sinha passed the Licentiate in Medical Practice (LMP) examination from the Medical College, Bengal (now Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata) with flying colours. He secured First Class First in Gynaecology. Hence, he was the first Bishnupriya Manipuri to be conferred as the doctor of the Bishnupriya Manipuri community.

[LMP has been the medical degree conferred by universities in India during the British rule to those who complete five years of the course and pass the required examination. This was in contrast with the MB degree which was of same duration but the curriculum was larger. Bhore Committee, a committee for public health improvement strategies, in 1946 decided to stop the LMP degree, and recommended a single qualification for all doctors, today’s MBBS. LMP was also known as Licentiate Medical Faculty (LMF) in some of the states/universities. – Source: Wikipedia]

Soon after that, Dr Sinha’s first appointment was at Local Board Government, Lala in 1932. A year later, he was transferred to Algapur.

[Local Board Government (LGB) was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local administration during the British rule before India’s independence.]

During that period, the infamous ‘Kala-azar’ (Black Fever) epidemic broke out in India. The effect was also experienced in Lala and Algapur areas. Being a doctor in these areas, it was Dr Sinha’s responsibility to rescue people from the pangs of kala-azar. He accomplished his duties with utmost sincerity and dedication while saving many precious human lives.

His age-old practice of washing hands with soap and antiseptics, washing clothes in boiled water, drinking warm water, etc., to avoid any disease, which he practiced till his death, has become an activity of highest priority during this COVID-19 pandemic today.

From 1950, an ill-fated voyage made inroads in Dr Sinha’s life and career. His house was dozed in fire and had to leave Algapur. He even lost his service due to reasons otherwise. He and his family had to live with his maternal uncle Lt Bhuban Singha (O/c of Hailakandi Police Station) government quarters at Hailakandi. He was determined to get his service back and filed a case against the Local Board Government in 1951.

But, Dr Sinha didn’t give up. In 1952, Dr Sinha tried something different apart from his profession as a doctor. He put up a cinema hall in Lala which he named as Shree Gobinda Talkies. The cinema hall was active for a year or so, but, that too had to stop as it was destroyed by natural calamities.

And as the proverb goes – “Favour fortunes the brave” – in 1957, Dr Sinha won the case in the Gauhati High Court against the Local Board Government. He was reinstated and again asked to join the medical services as Asstt. Surgeon in Rangiya Hospital under a community project. From there on, it was no looking back and this marked the end to his ill-fated voyage.

In 1958, Dr Sinha was transferred to the Bora Bazar TE Community Project Hospital in Bijni, where he served as an Asstt. Surgeon. He was again transferred to Silchar Civil Hospital in 1959 in the same rank.

It is said that, Dr Sinha, in his heydays owned a Ford company vintage car which the then Chief Minister of Assam, Lt Gopinath Bordoloi used it when he visited Silchar at that time.

Finally, Dr Sinha was transferred to Narshimpur Civil Hospital 1960, where he served as a Medical Officer till his superannuation in 1968.

Dr Sinha believed in the saying – “Plain living high thinking” – for which he never gazed for high standards and after his retirement, he stayed at Silchar in a rented house in Tarapur for almost six years. Later he and his family went back and settled in Lala in 1974. There opened up his own pharmacy and kept practicing till 1985. He enjoyed a respected status as ‘Doctor babu’ in the locality and was influential to bring certain developments in and around Lala during those days.

Dr Sinha was a pious man – an avid devotee of Lord Shree Krishna – which he had learned from his ancestors and later passed it to his siblings and grandchildren also. Infact, he made it compulsory for every grandchildren of his to maintain a regular routine as far as offering prayer to the Almighty right from the morning to bedtime.) at regular intervals.

After 1985, Dr Sinha and his wife Lt Rasomoi Devi left Lala and enjoyed their stay at their sons’, and sometimes, at their daughters’, along with their grandchildren also. During that period, Dr Sinha and his wife, taught their grandchildren to be God-fearing, about career choices, about healthy habits etc.

In January 25, 1999, Dr Sinha breathed his last at his second son Purnendu Sinha residence, thus bringing an end to a golden chapter of this Bishnupriya Manipuri.

It is again unfortunate that most of his career-related records have been collected from his sons – Bimolendu Prasad Sinha (eldest), Purnendu Sinha (second) and Late Amalendu Sinha (youngest) and well-wishers – as most of the records were destroyed due to lack of proper preservation. If somehow, anyone has anything related to Dr Krishna Prasad Sinha life or any incorrect information being mentioned or any information missed out, can inform this author over email along with necessary correction details, This will definitely be a great help indeed.

It would be worth mentioning that, the family of Dr Krishna Prasad Sinha has given three stalwarts – Dr Krishna Prasad Sinha, the first doctor, Lt Gobinda Prasad Sinha, first Executive Engineer (Civil) and Dr Hari Prasad Sinha, the first MBBS – to our Bishnupriya Manipuri community. Dr KP Sinha, being the eldest of the three, made vital contributions to shape up his younger brothers’ career, which I will mention while presenting both GP Sinha and Dr HP Sinha’s biographies later one by one.

(The writer is the grandson of Dr Krishna Prasad Sinha and is employed at The Assam Tribune. Email: donguw2012@gmail.com, mobile: 9854094774.)

File photo of Dr Sinha with his wife Lt Rasomoi Devi during his later years.