Bhavnagar: Dr. Ganesh Baraiya's Journey

When Ganesh Baraiya wanted to take admission to medical college, the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI), now National Medical Commission (NMC), did not believe that he was capable of becoming a doctor, because he is all of three-feet tall. But he did not let the MCI rejection trip him up, and today he is 'Dr' Baraiya, an MBBS intern.

When he applied for the medical course in 2018, the MCI committee denied permission citing his physical condition. "The committee said I would not be able to handle emergency cases because of my height," Baraiya told PTI.

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He consulted his school principal and some other well-wishers who suggested he challenge the decision. The matter went from the Gujarat High Court to the Supreme Court, which passed a judgement in Baraiya's favour in 2018, allowing him to take admission to the Government Medical College, Bhavnagar.

"On August 1, 2019, I took admission to the medical college, and that is how my MBBS journey started. I recently completed my course and got the MBBS degree. I am now working at Sir T General Hospital in Bhavnagar," he said.

Dean of the Bhavnagar Medical College, Dr. Hemant Mehta, said it was a matter of immense happiness for him that Baraiya completed his course and was doing internship. "He used to find way in every situation. He would tell us his problems sometimes, and we tried our best to solve them," Dr. Mehta said.

"His friends, classmates, and batchmates must have helped him the most, as they used to be with him at all times. The teachers helped him too, because he required the most attention in the whole class," Mehta added.

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