An Unsung Gem

 Madras Medical College was her Alma Mater, Harrington Road, Chetpet her playground and the whole of India and South East Asia her stage. Born in 1914 to affluent parents, one of whom was an eminent freedom fighter, it was but inevitable that she grew up holding aloft the twin virtues of freedom and independence. This could be the reason why she endeared herself to the Indian National Army of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. She was made a Minister in the Azad Hind Government and was asked to form and head the Rani of Jhansi Regiment. Thus in 1943 at the height of the Second World War, with aplomb she led from Singapore a group of over 1000 women into battle against the British Army. She was captured near Imphal and put under arrest in Burma. As a woman of modern India, the prerogative to lead a regiment into battle has been hers and hers alone. How can it be otherwise, for it is said that she was Christened Lakshmi, after the valiant Rani Lakshmi Bai.

As a medical practitioner, Captain Lakshmi must have felt the pulse of thousands of her patients; however what is equally important is that she was there to feel the pulse and do her best during all the upheavals and catastrophes that befell India - Be it the partition, the Bangladesh War, the anti-Sikh riots, Bhopal Tragedy or the Gujarat Earthquake. She truly believed that women are the strength of any society and worked relentlessly for their empowerment. An Egalitarian society being her dream, she was easily approachable to the poorest of the poor and it is said that she had the ability to instill a sense of joy and possibility in all who met her. Being selfless, she never believed in accolades, nevertheless it was with utmost humility that she received The Padma Vibushan. Her brush with Politics saw her as a member of theRajya Sabha and as a Presidential Candidate. This Kohinoor is not in our midst having breathed her last in July this year.  Even in death she had the last word for she had donated her eyes and given her body for medical research.

Endowed with immense beauty and intelligence and passionately driven by social causes, Dr. Lakshmi Sehgal is indeed the Ratna that Bharat especially Chennai can eternally be proud off.