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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.”

Sibling Dominance

At the time of the general election in May this year, of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the tussle between ruling Mahayuti allies – CM Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the BJP - had been the fiercest over the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency. Both the BJP, by way of the Rane clan and Narayan Rane, and the Sena, in form of Kiran Samant, brother of minister Uday Samant, staking claim.

Kiran, had been eagerly vying for a ticket, was believed to be on the verge of rebellion and had even gone ‘out of range’ at one point. However, the Samant brothers had backed down and ultimately ceded the nomination to Narayan Rane, who won the Lok Sabha.

This time, it is Kiran who is the Assembly election fray from Rajapur, which is part of the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency.


The dominance of the Samant brothers in Ratnagiri has emerged as a pivotal force in Konkan’s political landscape ahead of Assembly polls. They are not just contenders but represent a burgeoning political dynasty in the verdant coastal belt.


The Samants’ ascent is rooted in their ability to engage effectively with the electorate and navigate the treacherous waters of coalition politics. Uday Samant, who is seeking re-election from the Ratnagiri Assembly seat for the fifth consecutive term, already wields significant influence as the state’s Industry Minister.


This, coupled with Kiran’s growing base and grassroots supporters, has ensconced the siblings in a uniquely dominant position throughout Ratnagiri, a constituency that has been a stronghold of the undivided Shiv Sena.


Ravindra Samant, the siblings’ father, was a prominent contractor. Uday entered the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly at just 26, winning two consecutive elections on a Nationalist Congress Party ticket before joining Shiv Sena in 2014. His appeal among Ratnagiri’s youth stems from his active engagement in local cultural and religious events, generous support for various causes, and advocacy for sports initiatives, all of which have helped him establish a strong political base in the region.


Uday’s hold over his constituency is said to be so formidable, that opposition parties are compelled to tread cautiously when selecting candidates to challenge him. As Industries minister, he will naturally be touting the investments brought by him during his tenure.


Likewise, though this is Kiran’s debut in the Assembly poll fray from the Rajapur Assembly segment, he can hardly be called a neophyte in politics. Kiran, a prominent figure within Ratnagiri’s government contractor lobby and a key enabler in employment generation in the Konkan, oversees development projects right from the Zilla level onwards. He has running campaigns in several elections.


Kiran’s local base makes him a formidable contender for three-term MLA, incumbent Rajan Salvi of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT).


Salvi, who has initially supported the controversial Nanar-Barsu refinery project, had later reversed his stance, raising questions about the potential repercussions of this shift in the coming contest. Then there is the question whether the Muslim community in Ratnagiri’s Sakhri Nate, which previously voted as a bloc for Uddhav Thackeray in the Lok Sabha elections, will do so this time as Kiran Samant, too, has effectively built a rapport among minorities. Ramdas Kadam, a prominent leader from the Shinde camp, who vocally protested against the BJP’s claim over the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha seat, will throw his weight behind the Samant brothers as well.


As the election season heats up, all eyes will be on Ratnagiri, where the Samant brothers’ fortunes will not only impact their political ambitions but also signal the future trajectory of the Shiv Sena’s dominance in the Konkan.

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