कस्तो थियो त डाक्टर भोला रिजालको बाल्यकाल अनि कसरि बने डाक्टर :प्रत्यक मेडिकलप्रती चासो लिने बिद्यार्थीले सिक्नुपर्ने पाठ

कस्तो थियो त डाक्टर भोला रिजालको बाल्यकाल अनि कस रि बने डाक्टर : प्रत्यक मेडिकलप्रती चासो लिने बिद्यार्थीले सिक्नुपर्ने पाठ

Biography of Dr. Bhola Rijal

Dr Bhola Prasad Rijal is a preeminent Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician in Nepal. Born in Dharan, the eastern hub of the country, in July 1948, Dr Rijal has pioneered In-vitro fertilization in Nepal a major treatment for infertility, thereby providing joy and hope for many couples. He is also the initiator for legalizing abortion in Nepal. Alongside his medical profession, Dr Rijal’s patriotism is reflected in his literatures and outstanding song writing ability, which has made him a renowned lyricists and singer in Nepal.

Early Life and Background

Dr Rijal is the son of a successful and educated landlord Janani Prasad Rijal and grandfather Dhurblal Rijal, who were also both lucrative poets and writers. His mother Purnamaya Devi Rijal, was an orphan whose lineage has been traced back to the “Luintel” family. To honour the family tradition, Dr Bhola Prasad Rijal was sent to the most prominent, highly regarded schools namely the Public High School in Dharan, AdarshaVidyalaya in Biratnagar, and later to Aadarsha Sewa Vidhyalaya in Varanasi India. He was married at the tender age of 15, to his ever-devoting wife, Sarala Ghimire when she was only 12 years old, in an arranged childhood marriage in accordance to the custom of the region. He then went onto gain his MBBS degree from Dhaka Medical College in Bangladesh in the year 1972. He returned to Nepal, as an eager newly qualified doctor and duly worked under His Majesty’s Government (HMG) in various hospitals around the country for about 7 years.

He decided to further his career and was keen to specialize in Gynaecology and Obstetrics, and returned to the University of Dhaka, Institute of Postgraduate Medicine and Research (IPGM &R) To complete his Postgraduate Diploma. He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the International College of Surgeons (FICS) and FRCOG from the Royal College of Thailand. In 1982 following his specialist training, he duly returned to Nepal to become the first practicing male gynaecologist, with the unsurpassable support and inspiration from his wife.

He decided to further his career and was keen to specialise in Gynaecology and Obstetrics, and returned to the University of Dhaka, Institute of Postgraduate Medicine and Research (IPGM & R) to complete his Postgraduate Diploma. He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the International College of Surgeons (FICS) and FRCOG from the Royal College of Thailand. In 1982 following his specialist training, he duly returned to Nepal to become the first practicing male gynaecologist, with the unsurpassable support and inspiration from his wife.

He lectured at the Institute of Medicine (IoM), Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) the only teaching hospital in Kathmandu then. In recognition of his work he was promoted to Assistant Professor at the institute. He went to become an Associate Professor in Gynaecology and Obstetrics.

During this time, he also worked as a trainer in Laparoscopic Sterilization for the Nepal Family Planning Association, the most successful NGO in the country in the field of family planning, for almost six years.

From April to November 1987, he was the Assistant Dean at the IoM. During his tenure, Dr Rijal’s international and nationally acquired experience enabled him to promote a high quality of academia at the institute. Subsequently, in 1988, he was made the Medical Director of TUTH and remained in the position for two years. During this time, the TUTH was subject to many positive reforms. As a man who had experienced first-hand, the health conditions of rural Nepal, Dr Rijal made sure that people visiting the hospital for care, especially the poor, were offered best possible

In 1990 private nursing homes and the private medical practice were slowly starting out in Kathmandu. (The country was also experiencing its first major peoples’ revolt.) There was also mounting protest against the monarchy reigned by King Birendra. The police were baton-charging protestors and bullets were being fired. Many injured people were seeking assistance from the TUTH. Despite being a government employee himself, Dr Rijal firmly believed that the Government should serve their people and not the other way around. Hence he supported the mass movement. Eventually, the citizens of the country were successful in bringing democracy to Nepal.
As a part of this democratic change in the country, TUTH started to see a serious debate over whether government doctors should be allowed to practice privately. People’s tendencies and trends of seeking services had changed and Dr Rijal felt that government hospitals alone could not serve the larger population. It was becoming evident that private facilities were more committed to quality health care. However, Dr Rijal was clear in his understanding. He believed that there should be no inequality between private and public health services, and in order to achieve this, doctors should be allowed to work consistently. He supported doctors to continue with Private services, as long as their private commitments did not impose upon the quality of care and services that they themselves provided in the government sector.
The Institution could not come to a mutual agreement, henceforth Dr Rijal and others of the same belief duly parted from TUTH. In retrospect, thirteen years later TUTH then recognized Dr Rijal’s healthcare vision and so resorted to allowing Doctors to practice privately alongside their government duties.

The brotherhood of man……..

People in Bangladesh respect and have the feeling of brotherhood for Nepalese people. Nepalese actively took part in their movement of freedom be it being a soldier or people who helped them giving them medical aid. I still remember me and my friends dragging bodies of injured to our hostel and taking out bullets from people who were injured. And in Bengal they used to call me dada and that’s great respect.

In media……

In 1969 director Gillani came to Kathmandu to open a radio station in Dhaka he had come to audition many. He came to auditioned Nepalese students residing in Dhaka for the radio, he selected me as a newsreader, commentary reader, and program organizer and in 1969 I started a Radio-Nepal in Dhaka, I taught many. My radio program also gave a platform to many big stars of today we were very close to them they used to sing my songs. When Narayan Gopal Dai and Nir Shah came here in 1971they meet me. I arranged there radio program and interviewed them. Narayan Gopal Dai’s song “Dherai Dherai bhul garechu zindagi payera mailai” was recorded here.

Starting work and then……………..

When I came back and in 1972 I worked in H.M.G’S health service, my first posting was and in Tauliahwa a remote area. When I was in Dhaka, I was already earning twelve thousand which was a great sum then. But I came here and worked for rupees four hundred fifty a month. I always felt that whatever I’ll do it I’ll do it in my country Nepal. I was posted in many remote places and helped people over there taking family planning camps as a team leader. In the year 1979 when the situation was not good and after working for 5 years I did not get the appreciation I seeked, I started growing tensed due to the political turmoil, I wrote a letter to my professor Noor Islam believe me six days after I wrote the letter I got the reply from him. I was surprised, when did the letter reach Dhaka and when did he send his reply. He had just written the line “Rijal come as soon as possible” not a word more or less in the letter. I had sent a letter where I had complained about my situation and had written that I had forgotten what I had studied and expressed deep concern of when was I to complete my graduation. I went back to Dhaka and in 1990 I did my post-graduation.

Ups and Down’s…………….

After the completion of my post-graduation the feeling to do something for my country had not died. I came back in Nepal but my service was fermented. But I did not give up at that time. Call it my sheer luck; there was a vacancy for a second class lecture in Teaching Hospital. I applied and got the job and began working there. During the time of the famous democratic movement in Nepal, I was the Director OF Teaching Hospital. We snatched 4 dead bodies of the communist killed in Kirtipur from the police I was one of the mass who came out and ordered the police to stop firing. Japanese described this incident in his book. He was the only one who had seen this as he was hiding. He took the bodies to Sundarijal and burned the four bodies. I also found out that in the world there was no incident that members of the hospital or any government service had ever taken and burned bodies of a communist. We did it for the first time, in the morning we did not know if we would live or die. The situation was that worse.

Dr. Rijal as freedom fighter in Bangladesh

Remembering Dhaka (Bangladesh) since 1966 as a student of Dhaka medical college. I can never forget 1969 tornado in Dhaka when almost 20,000 workers in jute factory wore injured. I as a student served those people continuously for 72 hours with tea and some biscuits. Our hostel (international) was almost 2km away from Dhaka medical college. Finally Principal Dr. Raheman offered me with lunch and dropped me in our hostel. I started radio programme Pakistan (Dhaka) in 1969 as a programme organizer and news reader where am I go to an opportunity to meet many celebrities Mahandi Hasan, Sahanaj Begam, firdosy Begam, Sabina Yasmin, Abdul Zabbar, Bashir Ahmad, Meena Ahmad , Khandarkar Farque, Rukshana Rehana, Flew Antish, Sabana, Nadim Beg, Sabnam, Azim kabori, and many more. I nearly conducted that programe for 6 yrs with Hem Nursing Mathke, Ananajali and Sarala Rijal and Anwari Qureshi. When I was working in radio program. I happen to meet many Pakistani official also to change my mind from simple Nepalese students to “MuktiBahini” worker. Bangladeshi were treated as second class citizen in the country. Life was miserable and politically this part was consider as “Upanibesh” a colony of Pakistan. Bangladeshi Dr. Hasi Moya Hajra a good friend of Nepalese student and best friend of Dr. H.N. Shakya was abducted in 1971 and still untraceable. From that day we all started working f0r Bangladesh Independent Movement (Muktibahini) contributed financially to needy person and treated wounded. Gunshot injury was our daily routine. It is not possible to express our feelings those days but when we achieved our goal we celebrated in Nepal and Dhaka equally. I am very much obliged by sincere guidance of Prof. Late N. Islam, Prof. T.A. Chaudhary, Prof. Sahla Khatun, Prof. Imam (Pharmacology) and Prof. Rehaman (Physiology) who are my God Father. My stay in Dhaka is remembered by my many friends of IGMR and DM college and also all the artist of Bangladesh. After the Independents my song “Yo Hamro Desh Kati Ramro Desh Yo Hamro desh Yo Ho Bangladesh” was one of the first song to be recorded in radio Dhaka Studio, sang by many Nepalese and Bangladesh Artist. I consider Bangladesh as my own country where I spend almost eleven yrs of my golden days. Where ever I meet my friend from Bangladesh. I feel happy to talk in Bangali. I have performed stage program with Bangali songs – solo or in groups. I always pray for the prosperity of Bangladesh and Bangladeshi people.

Social Responsibilities

Dr Rijal has always graciously upheld the Hippocratic Oath that doctors are supposed to serve and treat the people. He has never lost sight of this despite all his years in private and public practice. From the very beginning, Dr Rijal gave time to social service and volunteering. Keeping in mind that much of the rural population in Nepal does not have access to proper healthcare and medical facilities, he conducted many free health camps in the most remote and the most harsh regions of Nepal, including the arid landscape of Jomsom, the remote villages of Gorkha and the distant populations of Dhading. Thousands of people, who might never have received such world-class healthcare, benefited from Dr Rijal’s free health camps. In April 2013, Dr Rijal and his eldest son Dr Kapil Rijal led a strong team of 35 doctors and health personnel to Gumtha, Mugu in an isolated region of Nepal where they treated over 13,000 patients. This programme was arranged with the help of local organizations, Om Hospital and Research Centre, Nepal Medical College, Nepalgunj Medical College and the Om Health Foundation. In addition to medical treatment, he has also provided much support and been involved in helping victims of flooding.Alongside being a medical doctor and a man of science, Dr Rijal is very much a spiritual person. This is not surprising, given his propensity for helping others. He is involved in a hospital in Muktinath run by the Muktinath Pithdhiswor Swami Kamalnayarcharya. This charitable organization serves over 20,000 people annually, from the high Himalayas. He is the Chairman of the Mukitinath Aradhana Parishad Committee, a Trust of Swami Kamalnayarcharya, “Shree Ji Charitable Trust.” He is also the Vice-Chairman of another charitable organization called the “Lalita Devi-Dhruba Lal Rijal Memorial Trust

OM HOSPITAL AND RESEARCH CENTRE (P) LTD

When practicing and non-practicing doctors started to have dispute in teaching hospital I along with others always stressed on the point that no doctors can be called non-practicing. I resigned from the post of assistant dean and afterwards I left the hospital. When I left 31 doctors also resigned from the hospital. Many doctors went abroad but I still knew I could do something in my own motherland and I stayed. With few doctors we established Om hospital with only 8 beds, time was really hard for our hospital but we did not back away to give the best service to our patients. Now for the last 3 years our combined effort has proved it. We are established in our new complex here in chabhil. One by one we started to upgrade our services like we have a cancer treatment center and for the first time in Nepal IVF (test tube baby) service are also being provided Hospital. Its god blessing that we were named as the world’s most successful test tube centre and in the recent batch 50% of the mothers are pregnant.His song writing talents and creative writing have developed in strength from his tender young age. He is an amiable figure on Nepal television with his dearth of songs and lyrics, reflecting his passion for not only patriotism, but also in a variety of other genres. Dr Rijal also pursued a vibrant career in the creative arts. With his first musical, “Gauthali,” he raised awareness of women’s issues and attempted to dispel prevailing misconceptions in Nepali society. This critically acclaimed film is a milestone in terms of speaking out against early child marriage in the Nepalese society. He also composes music and writes lyrics for many of his films, winning numerous awards for both his writing and his music. Furthermore, he has released a numerous collections of songs, including Muktinath Bhajan Mala, Maina Chari, Sagarmatha Roirahecha, Ishwor Afai Bolcha, Jindagi Ko Yatra, Popcorn, Mero Desh, Meri Sannam, and Subha Kamana among others.

Dr Rijal as Producer and Writer

Dr Rijal’s film credits are numerous. He has produced and written many films, including Laxmi Puja, Chori Buhari, Jun Tara, Sathi, Ek Number Ko Pakhe, Apsara, Ukali Orali and Gauthali. Dr Rijal’s literary output is also quite inspiring. He is the author of poetry collections such as Mero Pauwa Pati and AnantaYatra, both critically acclaimed collections. The last publication of Dr Rijal “Amanta Yatra” a lyrical collection book, was released by Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, First President of Republic Nepal in 2012.

Personal life

The first name of Dr Rijal, Bhola, was chosen by his grandfather Dhurba Lal Rijal, due to his composed behavior and politeness. He was also the favorite grandson. It was Dr Rijal’s grandfather himself who led to his early marriage. Unable to refuse Dhurba Lal Rijal’s desire to see Bhola married off before leaving to spend his final days as a sage in Kashi, India, Bhola married at the age of 15. His wife, Sarala Ghimire, was only 12 years old.Going to Banaras I had many friends like Prakash Koirala and Sushma koirala they were about to do a program “international evening” we together did a Nepali program with many of my friends on the town hall of Banaras the program was successful. I went to Dhaka and performed many shows, which reflected my culture, which glorified the name of my country. Wherever I went the feeling of patriotism did not leave me. I was also a very good athlete; I used to participate in track event, cycling and football, table tennis where I had won till the district level. I was very interested in literature and music but I also took keen interest in athletics. I did many culture programs in Dhaka we also used to sing Bengali song and people really liked it.Dr. Bhola Prasad Rijal and Sarala Rijal have three sons, Kapil born in 1968, Manish born in 1969 and Pralaya, born in 1974, who are all happily married and pursuing their careers. His eldest son Kapil Rijal is married to Rajni Rijal and they live in the UK with their two daughters, namely Sangeeta and Tara. Kapil and Rajni are both dentists practicing in the UK. His son Manish Rijal is also coincidentally married to another Rajani Rijal. They live in Canada with their daughter Sashmita and son Siddhant. Manish Rijal is a software engineer, and Rajani is involved with Human Resources. His youngest son, Pralaya Rijal also a dentist is married to Fatima Rijal who is a doctor. They live in Norway with their baby son Robin.Dr Rijal is fluent in five languages: Nepali, English, Hindi, Bengali and Urdu. A master of many fields, Dr Rijal had led the way for many Nepali doctors and medical practitioners to put the people first. His contributions to the field of medicine have brought relief to thousands of Nepalese, both men and women.

Future Vision

Dr Rijal calls to join hands to stop female foeticide (sex selective abortion). Knowing full well that it is a very difficult task, however he is very optimistic to achieve his goal. In his bid to discourage female foeticide, Dr Rijal has recently composed a song called “Chori Bhanera Nafala” (“Don’t abort just because she is a girl child”). Dr Rijal believes that this song once released will create a wave of awareness across the country. The Nepal Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (NESOG) is also all set to film a Docu-drama based on Dr Rijal’s theme of the song “Chori Bhanera Nafala”. Dr Rijal also plans to continue conducting health camps in the harshest geography of Nepal where people have fewer excess to quality health care.

Concluding Remarks

Dr Rijal has been a glimmer of hope for many Nepalese women who call him “Santaneswar Mahadev” a God of Procreation. For his students he is considered as an ideal man, an excellent teacher and a role model. Alongside his medical achievements, he is also highly recognized in the cultural and social fields. He is an amiable, well known and highly charismatic figure, with the ability to inspire, promote and enhance the lives of many people at a personal and National level. His drive and ambition to improve various aspects of his country will long continue in the future