Odisha: 100-Year-Old Gynecologist Donates Entire Life Savings of ₹3.4 Crore to AIIMS Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar/Berhampur: In an extraordinary act of compassion, Dr. Lakshmi Bai, a pioneering gynecologist from Odisha who turns 100 on December 5,  has decided to donate her entire life savings of ₹3.4 crore to AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

The amount will be used exclusively for the treatment of women battling cancer, a cause she devoted her life’s work to.

A member of the historic first MBBS batch (1945–1950) of SCB Medical College, Cuttack, Dr. Bai went on to complete her DGO and MD in Obstetrics & Gynaecology from Madras Medical College in 1958. Beginning her service at Sundargarh District Hospital in 1950, she retired in 1986 as a senior faculty member at MKCG Medical College & Hospital, Berhampur.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, Dr. Bai delivered thousands of babies, offered free treatment to scores of underprivileged women, and earned enduring respect as one of Odisha’s most compassionate medical professionals.

Born on December 5, 1926, in Berhampur, she continues to live a simple, contented life in her modest Bhabanagar home, surrounded by memories of the countless patients whose lives she transformed.

All legal procedures for the donation have been completed. Dr. Bai will personally hand over the cheque to the Director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar on her 100th birthday.

Former colleagues and students describe her as a living legend who never refused a patient, irrespective of their means. Many plan to visit Berhampur to greet her on her centenary and witness this historic gesture of giving.

As Odisha honours one of its most remarkable daughters, Dr. Lakshmi Bai’s noble contribution at the age of 100 stands as a timeless testament to a life devoted entirely to service.