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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.”

Is Nitish Kumar Poised to Leap Again?

Updated: Jan 2, 2025

A sweeping reshuffle in Bihar’s police hierarchy stirs fresh speculation about the Bihar CM’s political allegiances.

Nitish Kumar
Bihar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s ability to shift alliances with surgical precision has been a defining characteristic of his long career. The latest transfer of 62 senior police officers across the state—including three additional directors general (ADGs)—has reignited rumours about Kumar’s intentions. As political temperatures rise in Bihar, the reshuffle seems less like routine governance and more like a prelude to a strategic realignment.

The reshuffle, announced by the Home Department, affects key positions including Patna’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and the heads of multiple districts. Such sweeping changes hint at more than mere administrative adjustments.


The reshuffle coincides with Kumar’s two-day visit to Delhi, ostensibly to meet the family of the late Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The timing has raised eyebrows: the visit, coupled with the suspension of his state-wide Pragati Yatra, has triggered speculation about whether Kumar is on the brink of another political somersault.


His past is rich with such manoeuvres. Having pivoted from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Mahagathbandhan (‘Grand Alliance’), and then back to the NDA, Kumar has demonstrated a mastery of reading political winds and recalibrating his stance accordingly.


The current political atmosphere in Bihar provides fertile ground for intrigue. Kumar’s relationship with the BJP has always been edgy.


Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent ambiguous remarks on Kumar’s position as the NDA’s chief ministerial candidate for 2025 was the most recent catalyst for the JD (U) leader’s purported disgruntlement. Shah’s reluctance to endorse Kumar unequivocally during a television interview has reportedly rankled the chief minister. While BJP leaders have since scrambled to reaffirm their commitment to Kumar’s leadership, the damage was already done.


Adding to the tension, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha’s controversial statement about the BJP’s ambitions to govern Bihar independently has fuelled speculation of a brewing power struggle. Though Sinha later backtracked, his remarks underline the fragile state of the NDA alliance in the state. Meanwhile, the RJD has been quick to exploit the cracks, with leaders like Bhai Virendra openly inviting Kumar to return to the Grand Alliance.


Kumar’s history offers a template for what might come next. In 2017, he dramatically exited the Grand Alliance over corruption allegations against RJD leaders, only to rejoin the BJP. Today, the dynamics are different but no less volatile. The BJP’s growing confidence clashes with Kumar’s political indispensability. For all its ambitions, the BJP lacks a credible local face to challenge Kumar’s stature in Bihar. This asymmetry gives Kumar leverage, which he could use to either extract concessions from the BJP or pivot back to the RJD, should the latter offer him the necessary assurances.


Kumar’s silence on these issues is as telling as it is strategic. While BJP leaders publicly praise him, Kumar has refrained from reciprocating with equal enthusiasm. His absence from key events, such as the high-profile Bihar Business Connect 2024 summit, further accentuates his disengagement. His social media team, however, has been active. Posts proclaiming “Nitish Hai Sabke Favourite” (“Nitish is everyone’s favorite”) and “Jab Baat Bihar Ki Ho, Naam Sirf Nitish Kumar Ka Ho” (“When it comes to Bihar, the only name is Nitish Kumar”) seem aimed at both reassuring his base and signalling his indispensability to potential allies.


In this regard, the timing of the IPS transfers also cannot be ignored. By placing trusted officers in key positions, Kumar appears to be bolstering his grip on the state machinery. Whether this is merely administrative housekeeping or preparation for a political pivot remains unclear as of now.


For now, all eyes are on Kumar’s next move. His visit to Delhi, his calculated silence and the reshuffling of the police apparatus suggest he is weighing his options. If history is any guide, Kumar’s decisions have always been shaped by pragmatism, not ideology.

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