Paying homage to the legendary Indian physician, Dr Dwarkanath Shantaram Kotnis, the Consul General of China recently announced that it will establish a school in his memory. The school will be opened in Dr Kotnis’ home district, Solapur. Dr Kotnis travelled to China in 1938 and provided medical aid in the battle zone during the second Sino-Japanese War.
The announcement was made by Chinese Consul General Kong Xianhua in Mumbai. Kong also said good ties between New Delhi and Beijing are promoted by people.
“We will work with the Solapur Municipal Corporation to establish Dr Kotnis Friendship School. Nine Chinese companies have expressed the intent to support the project,” said Kong in his keynote speech delivered on December 12 to commemorate the 80th death anniversary of Dr Kotnis.
Solapur is located nearly 400km away from Mumbai.
“Dr Kotnis’ behaviour makes us aware a good China-India relationship is promoted by the people and should benefit the people in the end,” he said.
In 1938, Dr Kotnis went to China as part of a five-member team of Indian doctors to provide medical assistance during the second Sino-Japanese war. The physician worked at frontier and saved around 800 injured soldiers.
He later married a Chinese nurse and they had a son in 1942.
However, adverse weather affected Dr Kotnis and he died at the age of 32 in 1942.
On August 30 this year, an eulogy written by Communist leader Mao Zedong decades ago for the Indian doctor for his services rendered to Chinese people was installed in the form of a plaque at Dr Kotnis Memorial Hall in Solapur.
The life of the physician, regarded as a shining example for Sino-Indian friendship, was the subject of a Hindi film titled ‘Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani’.
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