Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Prof K. Laxmi Bai, who turned 100 on Friday, has donated ₹3.4 crore to AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
An announcement to this regard was made on Friday.
The centenarian doctor, a pioneer in women’s healthcare in Odisha, hopes her contribution will help set up a dedicated “gynaecological oncology programme”.
President Droupadi Murmu on Friday wished Prof Laxmi Bai on her centenary and commended her “thoughtful gesture”. In a letter, the President wrote: “I came to know that recently you have donated substantially from your savings for a noble cause of starting a gynecological oncology course at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar… I deeply appreciate your thoughtful gesture.”
A team from AIIMS Bhubaneswar visited her Berhampur residence on Friday as part of her centenary celebration and conveyed gratitude on behalf of the institute. “AIIMS Bhubaneswar has been honoured with an extraordinary gesture of trust and benevolence,” the institute said in a release.
Executive director Dr Ashutosh Biswas said the donation would be established as a corpus fund, and the interest would support research in gynaecological malignancy, community oncology services for the poor, and preventive oncology initiatives. An expert supervisory committee has been formed for transparent utilisation of the fund.
Prof. Laxmi Bai, a 1945 first-batch student of SCB Medical College, served in Sundergarh and later at MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, from where she retired. She lives in her Berhampur home with only a caretaker.