ONGOLE: Pagadala Lakshmi Reddy is a physician from Prakasam district who, driven by the call for helping the people in his native village, recently quit his government job. Born to farmer couple P Chinna Venkata Reddy and Subbamma, Lakshmi was described as smart and intelligent, who never had much interest in textbook education. After he failed SSC exams in his first attempt, he was asked to take care of over 30 cattle owned by the family.
A visit to the K Ramachandra Reddy Hospital, known for providing free healthcare to the poor and run by great communist leader late Puchhalapalli Sundaraiah’s family, a year later, motivated him to become a doctor and offer his services to the poor and destitute in the Markapur area.
That was a life-changing moment as he fell in love with books and ensured that in the next five years he qualified to pursue MBBS from Kurnool Medical College in 2005. Years later, he became a general surgeon after graduating from Rangaraya Medical College in Kakinada.
Dr Lakshmi Reddy hails from remote Malyavanthuni Padu, a hinterland in the Markapur mandal. After the completion of his education, Dr Reddy started his carrier as a government doctor and worked at various places, including Dupadu, Dornala and Peddaraveedu.He was a general surgeon at the Markapur district government hospital for three years.
During his stint as a government doctor, he performed 230 major and 1,380 minor surgeries. As Markapur is his native mandal, he became the family doctor to many poor people of the area.In the last few years when Covid-19 was at its worst, Dr Reddy made sure that his patients got medicines and essential commodities. He raised `20 lakh for the same from his family and known philanthropists.He was recently transferred to Narasaraopeta Government Hospital in Palanadu district from Markapur.
Due to his emotional bond with Markapur and its people, Dr Lakshmi Reddy decided against relocating and put in his papers.He has now opened a clinic and charges a low consultation fee of `30 per patient. He has also started Dr Lakshmi Reddy Charitable Trust with an aim to provide corporate treatment to the poor free of cost with his ultimate goal to launch a super-speciality hospital for them in the Markapur town limits.
“I was inspired by the life of Puchhalapalli Sundaraiah and, thus, decided to live like him throughout my life. My aim is to offer all medical tests with a nominal fee of `100 per test, just like what AIIMS-Mangalagiri is doing. My younger brother Chinna Lakshmi Reddy is a scientist and he is planning to establish a pharma unit here in Markapur to support my ideology towards giving free services to the poor. My parents, even my wife and daughter, also support my views.”