CHENNAI: Nearly four decades ago, during the sacred Mahamaham festival in Kumbakonam, when thousands of devotees thronged the temple town to take ritual baths and perform special poojas, a disturbing sight remained unnoticed amid the spiritual fervour.
The body of an elderly man, who had died of leprosy, lay abandoned on the roadside. At a time when the disease was feared and deeply stigmatised, passersby chose to look away. None alerted the police nor attempted to move the body. The man lay unattended, denied dignity even in death. It was then that a 16-year-old girl, Renuka, decided to act.
“Everyone was afraid to go near the body. But I felt someone had to do it,” recalls Dr Renuka Ramakrishnan (62), now a senior consultant dermatologist, leprologist and noted social reformer.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr Renuka said she gathered courage, covered the body with her dupatta and carried it on her shoulder. “I then approached an elderly man and requested him to perform the last rites. After repeated appeals, he finally agreed. With his help, I cremated the body. I even tried to give him the only Rs 10 I had with me, but he refused,” she said.
That single incident left a lasting imprint on her life. “Even in death, the old man gave me an opportunity to serve. That moment made me vow to become a doctor and dedicate my life to treating people affected by diseases such as leprosy and HIV,” she said.
Often hailed as a ‘living Mother Teresa’, Dr Renuka has quietly dedicated her life to service, balancing her roles as a doctor, mother, philanthropist, campaigner, motivational speaker and educator. She is associated with several NGOs, charitable trusts, oldage homes and orphanages, touching the lives of people and improving their health and quality of life.
As the managing director of Mangalam Charitable Trust and a member of the Rotary Club, Dr Renuka believes firmly that prevention is better than cure. “Guided by this principle, I have organised hundreds of free camps on dengue prevention, breast cancer awareness, blood donation and general medical screening,” she said.
Her service has earned her over 250 awards, including 11 international honours, three Governor awards, besides recognitions from the state and central governments and Rotary Clubs. Notable among them are the Dr Robert Burns Humanitarian Award from the South Ayrshire Council, UK (2023), National Doctors’ Day Award from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (2022), and Mother Teresa Award for social service in medicine (2016).
Her work with leprosy patients has also been documented in ‘The Vision of Antyodaya’, a book on best practices published by the Indian Social Responsibility Network with the support of the Ministry of Culture. The book was unveiled by then vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu in 2020.
V Ramanaiya (65), a resident of Villivakkam, is one of the many beneficiaries of her service. Diagnosed with leprosy at a young age, he recalls a life of isolation and rejection. “Even my family members hesitated to touch me. In the 1990s, I met Dr Renuka at a medical camp. From that day, she became my doctor and guide. After years of treatment, I was fully cured,” he said.
However, rebuilding life after recovery was a challenge. Once again, Dr Renuka stepped in, supporting him financially to start selling items such as helmets as a roadside hawker. “Today, I live a dignified life like anyone else,” Ramanaiya said.
Despite a decline in leprosy cases in TN, Dr Renuka believes the fight is far from over. “Medical camps must continue in different places. We must identify missing communities,” she said, referring to recent reports of 38 new cases. “We need deeper analysis to understand how the disease spreads and how it can be prevented,” adds Dr Renuka, who dreams of a leprosy-free future.
(Edited by Subhalakshmi PR)