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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.”

The Shadow of His Grandpa

Updated: Nov 18, 2024

Rohit Pawar

Rohit Pawar is wedging a tough contest from Karjat-Jamkhed assembly constituency. Actually, he had won this constituency comfortably in 2019 and hence it shouldn’t have been such a tough contest for him. But many things have changed in past five years making it a big difficult for him to repeat his performance. However, still he is roaming around crisscrossing the state along with his grand uncle to campaign for other candidate fielded by the party. He wants to grow in politics like his grand uncle. He is Rohit Pawar.


Born on September 29, 1985, in Baramati Rohit Pawar contested his first election from a zilla parishad constituency near Baramati in 2017. It was at that age of 32 that the grandson of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s elder brother Appasaheb and a member of the formidable family’s fourth generation ventured into the political arena of the state. Rohit is married to Kunti, an economist, and they have two children, Anandita and Shivansh. He completed his schooling at Vidya Prathisthan, Baramati, and graduated with a Bachelor of Management Studies from the University of Mumbai in 2007.


The late Appasaheb is highly respected in Maharashtra for his contributions to the development of the farm sector. Rohit’s father, Rajendra, is also respected for work performed through the Baramati Krishi Vikas Pratishthan. Rohit, a highly educated man, is the CEO of Baramati Agro Ltd., a position he assumed at the young age of 21. Under his leadership, the company has made significant contributions to the agricultural sector, including distributing 170 water tankers daily to drought-affected areas in Maharashtra. He also served as the President of the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) from 2018 to 2019.


Sources say that fielding him from the Shirsufal-Gunwadi constituency in the Pune zilla parishad elections was a conscious decision on the part of the Pawar family and his entry into politics was a low-profile event. He was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 2019. As a young MLA he established the Karjat-Jamkhed Integrated Development Foundation (KJIDF) to tackle local development challenges and improve the quality of life for residents. Additionally, he founded the Srujan Foundation, which organizes various events and competitions to engage and empower the youth.


Since the rebellion within the party by his uncle Ajit Pawar, Rohit has become the shadow of his octogenarian grand uncle Sharad Pawar. He has been taking on Ajit Pawar along with CM Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and even the BJP. He has even seen the flip side of such aggression, when he got a summon from the ED for some irregularities at Baramati Agro Ltd.


In recent years, Rohit Pawar has been involved in various campaigns and initiatives to promote development and empower the youth. His efforts have helped raise the profile of the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency on the socio-political map of Maharashtra. As he continues to grow in his political career, Rohit Pawar is considered a potential contender for leadership roles within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

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