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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 1:54:18 pm

Healing Beyond the Clinic

Dr Kirti Samudra “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” This thought by Mother Teresa finds reflection in the life of Panvel-based diabetologist Dr Kirti Samudra, who has spent decades caring not only for her family but also thousands of patients who see her as their guide. As we mark International Women’s Day, stories like hers remind us that women of substance often shape society quietly through compassion, resilience and dedication. Doctor, mother, homemaker,...

Healing Beyond the Clinic

Dr Kirti Samudra “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” This thought by Mother Teresa finds reflection in the life of Panvel-based diabetologist Dr Kirti Samudra, who has spent decades caring not only for her family but also thousands of patients who see her as their guide. As we mark International Women’s Day, stories like hers remind us that women of substance often shape society quietly through compassion, resilience and dedication. Doctor, mother, homemaker, mentor and philanthropist — Dr Samudra has balanced many roles with commitment. While she manages a busy medical practice, her deeper calling has always been service. For her, medicine is not merely a profession but a responsibility towards the people who depend on her guidance. Nagpur to Panvel Born and raised in Nagpur, Dr Samudra completed her medical education there before moving to Mumbai in search of better opportunities. The early years were challenging. With determination, she and her husband Girish Samudra, an entrepreneur involved in underwater pipeline projects, chose to build their life in Panvel. At a time when the town was still developing and healthcare awareness was limited, she decided to make it both her workplace and home. What began with modest resources gradually grew into a trusted medical practice built on long-standing relationships with patients. Fighting Diabetes Recognising the growing threat of diabetes, Dr Samudra dedicated her career to treating and educating patients about the disease. Over the years, she has registered nearly 30,000 patients from Panvel and nearby areas. Yet she believes treatment alone is not enough. “Diabetes is a lifelong disease. Medicines are important, but patient education is equally critical. If people understand the condition, they can manage it better and prevent complications,” she says. For more than 27 years, she has organised an Annual Patients’ Education Programme, offering diagnostic tests at concessional rates and sessions on lifestyle management. Family, Practice With her husband frequently travelling for business, much of the responsibility of raising their two children fell on Dr Samudra. Instead of expanding her practice aggressively, she kept it close to home and adjusted her OPD timings around her children’s schedules. “It was not easy,” she recalls, “but I wanted to fulfil my responsibilities as a mother while continuing to serve my patients.” Beyond Medicine Today, Dr Samudra also devotes time to social initiatives through the Bharat Vikas Parishad, where she serves as Regional Head. Her projects include  Plastic Mukta Vasundhara , which promotes reduced use of single-use plastic, and  Sainik Ho Tumchyasathi , an initiative that sends Diwali  faral  (snack hamper) to Indian soldiers posted at the borders. Last year alone, 15,000 boxes were sent to troops. Despite decades of service, she measures success not in wealth but in goodwill. “I may not have earned huge money,” she says, “but I have earned immense love and respect from my patients. That is something I will always be grateful for.”

Building New Mumbai: Development Dreams vs Destruction Debates

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

New Mumbai

As Maharashtra gears up for an especially critical Assembly election, the battle for Mumbai, a city that accounts for a significant share of the state’s political power and economic clout, is shaping up around a theme of development versus obstruction.


The ruling Mahayuti coalition, composed of the Shiv Sena led by CM Eknath Shinde, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has positioned itself as the champion of growth and infrastructure. They seek to capitalize on a series of high-profile projects initiated during their tenure, from the long-delayed Mumbai Coastal Road to the Atal Setu bridge.


The argument the Mahayuti will present to the voters is clear: the opposition, particularly Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of Shiv Sena (UBT), stood in the way of progress when the MVA government helmed by Thackeray was in power.


The Mahayuti will likely point to the Dharavi redevelopment project, which aims to transform one of Asia’s largest slums into a modern residential and commercial hub, and the ongoing Mumbai Metro expansion as prime examples of Thackeray’s alleged obstructionism. While the Coastal Road promises to cut down travel time between South Mumbai and the northern suburbs, Thackeray’s criticism of environmental concerns around these projects has led to accusations of stalling key development initiatives.

The Mahayuti will be positioning itself as a forward-looking government, one willing to make tough decisions for the future of the metropolis. The Dharavi project, for instance, is not merely about relocating slum dwellers but represents a vision of urban renewal that could unlock immense real estate value in one of the world’s most crowded cities.


The Mumbai Metro stands as another flashpoint in the development vs. destruction narrative. Uddhav Thackeray, as part of the MVA government, took a public stand against the construction of the Metro Car Shed in Mumbai’s Aarey forest—an urban green lung. While environmentalists praised his decision to halt work on the car shed to protect the forest, the Mahayuti government quickly reversed this after coming to power, shifting construction back to Aarey.


The Shiv Sena (UBT)’s emphasis on environmental protection stands in contrast to the ruling coalition’s aggressive push for urban transit expansion. For the Mahayuti, the Metro is a critical solution to the city’s traffic woes, one that Thackeray hindered during his brief reign.


For the Mahayuti coalition, this election will be an opportunity to showcase tangible achievements and portray the opposition as agents of delay. The Atal Setu, which connects Worli to Bandra, and the Coastal Road Project are symbolic of a city being upgraded to global standards. With Mumbai positioned as India’s financial capital, the coalition will frame its infrastructure push as essential for attracting investment and maintaining the city’s competitiveness on the global stage.


As the polls inch closer, the narrative of ‘development versus destruction’ will intensify. As voters weigh their options, the future of Mumbai’s landscape, both physical and political, will be shaped by this defining debate.

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