‘Five rupees doctor’ is an example of selfless service

Mysuru: Kalpavruksha Trust on Sunday honoured Dr Shankare Gowda, who fondly known as ‘Five rupees doctor,’ with Karnataka Kalpavruksha award.
Dr Gowda, who hails from Shivalli taluk in Mandya, gets the sobriquet for treating patients for just Rs 5 per patient. If this is not humanitarian enough, the doctor also treats about 150 patients every day back in the village free for cost.
Dr Gowda, who is also an agriculturalist, is also a favourite among the poor labourers in the area as he prescribes only affordable medicines. The doctor, who treats all kinds of skin ailments, used to practice in Mandya, but when more people from his village started arriving to consult with him, decided it was time to return and do service there. Speaking to TOI, Shankare Gowda said, “I wanted to give something back to the society, especially in rural areas. Many people in rural areas are not getting good treatment due to financial problems. The government should see to it that health care facilities reach all.”
He said former professor of Mysuru Medical College Research and Institute K Govinda was his inspiration. “He used to attend to patients even till 10pm. You don’t see such dedication among many doctors these days.” Narahalli Balasubramanya and progressive farmer KG Prathiba presented the Karnataka Kalpavruksha to Dr Gowda, in the presence of University of Mysuru VC KS Rangappa.