Centenarian doctor donates ₹3.4 crore to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for cancer research

A doctor who turned 100 years on Friday donated ₹3.4 crore of her savings to All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar for research in gynaecological malignancy.

Professor K. Laxmi Bai, who graduated in medicine in 1945, had earlier donated the amount in May this year. The unique contribution was celebrated on her centenary anniversary on Friday. The gesture also received appreciation from President of India Droupadi Murmu.

Professor Laxmi Bai, a celebrated obstetrician and gynaecologist, had retired from Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur, in 1986.

Conveying gratitude on behalf of AIIMS, Executive Director Dr. Ashutosh Biswas said, “Prof. K. Laxmi Bai’s extraordinary gesture is not only a blessing but a powerful acknowledgment of AIIMS Bhubaneswar’s continual efforts in high-quality patient care, medical education, and advanced research.”

According to AIIMS, the donated amount will be established as a corpus fund, the interest from which will be utilized for research in gynaecological malignancy, for providing community oncology services to the poor and downtrodden, and for strengthening preventive oncology initiatives.

To ensure optimal and transparent utilisation of the corpus, an expert supervisory committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Executive Director, the institute said.

As part of the centenary celebrations, a team from AIIMS Bhubaneswar visited Professor Laxmi Bai at her residence in Berhampur. They conveyed gratitude on behalf of the institute and extended warm wishes on her 100th birthday.

AIIMS Bhubaneswar said it deeply values the trust placed by Professor Laxmi Bai and reiterated its commitment to excellence in healthcare, compassion-driven service, and advancing medical research for the benefit of society.

Thoughtful gesture: President

“I wish you on your 100th birthday! May you be blessed with good health and a peaceful life. I came to know that recently you have donated substantially from your savings for a noble cause of starting a gynaecological oncology course at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. This is a very significant step towards women’s empowerment, and I deeply appreciate your thoughtful gesture,” Ms. Murmu wrote in a letter addressed to Professor Laxmi Bai.

“Governments are working to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to all. I am confident that the participation of generous citizens like you will inspire others to come forward and support the government’s initiatives,” she stated.

“I understand that you have always worked for the empowerment of girls and women during about four decades long career. Your life is a shining example of how education can benefit an individual and who in turn can bring positive changes in the society,” the President wrote.