Dr.Om Parkash Singh Kande

A Medico-Social Worker of PATIALA (Punjab) .

The Child born to Mrs.Gurdev Kaur daughter of Freedom Fighter Sardar Dhanna Singh ( who took active part in Jaito Morcha ), in a small village of Bhangjari ( Muktsar ) on the night of Monday _ the 26^th.December 1948 ( Date of Birth as per his School records in 18^th.January 1949) , was named as Om Parkash by his father Sh.Sadhu Ram and grand-parents Sh.Baru Ram and Mrs.Dropati Devi _ a Goldsmith Family of Village Dhanaula of District Sangrur in erstwhile Nabba State. The combined effect of strictly Sikh religious family of Maternal parents and the Paternal family who believed in Hindu religious way of life, brought up a religious but secular minded person in the form of to-days Medico-Social Worker now known as Dr.Om Parkash Singh Kande , who is always on the forefront to serve anybody who needs help and there is no consideration of Caste or Creed. Young Omparkash studied in Govt.High School Dhanuala , where , apart from studies he started taking part in Social service at the age of 14 years when he became member of ‘Bharat Sewak Samaj’ and organized Social Service camps during 1963 to 1965. He used to read religious scriptures during those days and had studied Ramyana , Bhagwat Geeta and  religious books printed by Gita Press Gorkhpur and books on life of Abrahim Lincom, Pandit Nehru , Mahatama Gandhi ,Swami Vivekananda and many patriots , great social workers and also studied literature on Sikhism. He joined “Bharat Scouts and Guids” in the School and attended Social Service Camp at Tara Devi Simla Hills in 1963 as a Scout. In 1965 he attended 4^th.All India Jamboori of  Scouts & Guides held at Allahabad and gained the rank of ‘President’s Scout’. As a member of Indian Red Cross he took active part in Science Fair at Sangrur in 1964 . Apart from his involvement in these activities he maintained his interest in studies and passed the Matriculation examination in First Division gaining 6^th.postion in the District. After schooling he joined Govt.Ranbir College Sangrur and due to family problem between his Grandfather and Father on the issue of his studies , he had to shift from Sangrur to Muktsar and studied up to Pre-Medical under the supervision of his maternal uncle. In College he took active part in NCC and got the rank of Corporal. Interest in Social Service forced him to become doctor and to fulfil his desire he joined DAV College Jalandhar and did his B.Sc. in Medical group with First Division and joined MBBS course at Govt.Medical College Amritsar. He continued his passion for Service above self and   Served the class as Representative of the class during Second & third Profession of MBBS , Served as a Social Worker in Pinglwara at Amritsar and Leprosy Colony at Taran Taran during stay at Medical College Amritsar, Served as leader of Junior Doctor’s Association during the struggle movement of the association for better working conditions for the doctors and kept Fast in Chain Fast action of the association in 1974 and got the demands accepted by the then Chief Minister of Punjab - Giani Zail Singh, Donated Blood many times as student of the Medical College. After getting MBBS degree he joined Punjab Civil Medical Services as Medical Officer in rural and most backward area of Punjab - Sittogunno at Rajisthan- Punjab Border  and worked in rural areas of Punjab wef 1975 to 1980 and during this period worked on Family Planning programme with full devotion ,

During stay as Medical Officer Bhikhi ( Distt. Bhatinda now Mansa ) , collected Public support and by way of personal effort built 25-bedded hospital building without any funds from the govt. , As Doctor Incharge of emergency Department Rajindra Hospital Patiala handled Train -Accident victims during night time with team of few workers at Gobindgarh Mandi during days of militancy in Punjab and handled all the operations of that accident. He Left.Govt.Job to start Private Practice as a Visiting Anaesthetist . ( Here preference was given to ethical practice as a full time private practitioner rather than violating Govt. rules of ban on Private Practice by Govt.doctors ). There was not a single private Anaesthetist in Patiala City during those days and worked almost 18 to 20 hours a day to cope with the need of Private sector when militancy in the state was at its peak and hence is known as a Pioneer in Private Anaesthesia Services in the City.

As member of Indian Medical Association has been associated with various social and service clubs of the city and have been taking part in Blood donation camps , Immunization camps, Eye Camps , Medical Check up camps and other projects of social service. Fighting Quackery has been a goal in life. For this promoted establishment of Patiala Allopathic Practitioner’s Association and organised first Anti-quackery seminar in 1985 in Patiala. As Chairman of Anti-quackery cell of IMA has done ;lot of work in fighting the menace of quackery with full efforts. As a Practitioner has been providing free service to senior citizens and poor patients. Has been associated with society for re-habilitation of handicapped children and also serving students in school for deaf and dumb at Patiala . As President of Intellectual Council and Organising Secretary of Intellectuals Forum for Social reforms - working for love and peace amongst citizens of all the religions and casts to be working for unity and integrity of the country.  He took active interest in implementation of Bio-Medical Waste ( Management & Handling ) Rules 1998 and in collaboration with Punjab Pollution Board he managed many talks and awareness camps for doctors for Environmental protection and it is because of his efforts to-day Punjab leads the Country in management of Bio-medical Waste. He exerted a lot for getting the Bio-medical waste treated as per rules and the Common treatment Facilities were forced to bring them up to date . For his active interest in the Environmental Science he has been regularly invited to the meetings of State Advisory Committee on Bio-Medical Waste Management.  He has been trained as ‘Master-Trainer’ by WHO and works for control of Sexually Transmitted Diseases with special interest in awareness and control of AIDS. IMA HQ appointed him a National Chairman of Blood Donation Committee and Punjab Govt.made him a member of State Blood Transfusion Council and State AIDS Control Society. He is contributing a lot towards safe Blood Transfusion and promotion of Voluntary Blood Donations. Under his active participation October 1, 2004 was celebrated as World Voluntary Blood Donation Day by IMA all over the Country and in one single day 11000 units of Blood was collected through out the Country by IMA Branches. He is taking lot of interest in implementation of National Health Programmes of Govt. India like National Family Welfare Programme. Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme and Pulse-polio etc. His area of special interest is to STOP SEX-SELECTIVE ABORTIONS LEADING TO ELIMINATION OF UNBORN FEMALE CHILD. It was in 1998 , when the Govt. was sleeping over the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques ( Prevention of misuse) Act 1994, he wrote to Punjab Govt. to make Appropriate Authorities under the Act ,in the State to stop the menace of Female Foeticide. He , as State President of IMA Punjab arranged a State Conference of IMA on the theme of ‘ FEMALE FOETICIDE :  A CRIME _ LET US FIGHT IT OUT” and a book on the subject written by him and Dr.N.S.Bawa , was releases at this conference on 18^th.November 2001 at Sahnewal (Ludhiana ). There after he dedicated whole of his time fighting against the menace of Female Feoticide and traveled through out  the State and neighboring States  to spread the message of rights of unborn child and stoppage of Female Foeticide. Punjab Govt. appointed him as a Member of State Advisory Committee on PNDT Act and his active participation in the implementation of the Act has been widely appreciated. He has written many articles on the subject , published in various news-papers and magazines and has attended many seminars on Female Foeticide. He , in one of the Seminars , held at Ludhiana on 24^th.January 2002 ,vowed to end the menace of Female Foeticide and made this statement on behalf of all the members of medical profession , in the presence of a gathering of about 10000 people and His Excellency the Governor of Punjab . He administered oath of ‘not to indulge in pre-natal sex – determination and sex-selective abortions’ to 2000 doctors in different Seminars. One such Seminar was held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Health Minister of Punjab at Jalandhar and the other at Bathinda under the Chairmanship of Mr.D.S.Guru IAS, Secretary Health & Family Welfare Punjab and Mr.Joginder Singh Vedanti Jathedar of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib Sri Amritsar. He is committed for the cause of Women Empowerment and on this issue he presented his views on “Mis-representation of Women in Media” at a function organised by Punjab State Commission for Women.

He was in Bhubneshwer on 26^th.December 2004 when Tsunami struck the Coastal areas of Tamil Nadu , Kerla & Andman and on learning about the vast devastation caused by Tsunami he donated the Award Money of Rs.5000/- ,on the spot towards National Disaster Fund_ the money he won with Dr.A.P.Shukla Memorial Award. After coming back from Orissa he gave a call to doctors to donate liberally in Prime Minister relief Fund for help to Tsunami Victims. He went to Tsunami hit areas of Tamil Nadu along with a team of 20 doctors and 10 para-medicalsand held Medical Camps in Akkarpatti and Vellenkani areas of Naggapattinam District. His services were lauded by the District Administration of Naggapattinam & State of Tamil Nadu . On his way back he submitted a report to His Excellency the Governor of Tamil Nadu , who praised his services. By the time he returned to Punjab after a tour of 8 days many doctors had donated lakhs of Rupees to this fund and some sent Drafts directly to him. He collected the amount of Rs.157211/- and presented that amount to Hornble Chief Minister of Punjab Capt. Amarinder Singh. His recent crusade is against unethical practices by medical professionals . After a successful fight for reconstitution of Punjab Medical Council he is now on the move to stop cut outs and Commissions in Medical Practice and has declared a war against unethical medical people. In this fight he has miles to go and is facing strong opposition from within the profession. But he has vowed to continue the fight at all costs for re-establishing the image of medical profession and making medical treatment affordable for the poor.    

He is member of number of Social Clubs and is doing social service in collaboration with Roatary Club Patiala , Patiala Social Welfare Society ( Regd.), Patiala Society for Orthopedic handicapped children , Golden Youth Club etc.

He has been honored and awarded by many State and National bodies and out of many awards to mention few are

·    Selected for "VIJYA SHREE AWARD" for contribution in the field of Medicine and Social work , by India International Society , New Delhi.

·     Selected for "Millennium Achiever" award by Indian Friendship Society New Delhi

·    Awarded Excellence award and President’s Appreciation Award , at 55^th.Annual state Conference of IMA Punjab held at Barnala.

·        Awarded “Doctor of the Millennium” Award by Association of Medical Sciences New Delhi

·        Awarded  IMA Punjab Rattan Award – 2001

·        Life – Time Achievement Award by IMA HQ on October 13, 2002

·        IMA Punjab Star Performer Award- 2004

·        IMA Dr.AKN Sinha Award

·        IMA Dr.A.P.Shukla Memorial Distinguished Services Award – 2004

·        IMA Dr.P.C.Bhatla Award-2005 for Community Services

         Recently award by I.I.F.S New Delhi with Rashtriya Gaurav Award 2009 and above all

·        Punjab Sarkar Parman Patra – 2003

In recognition of the services as a Social Worker , Govt. of Punjab awarded “ PUNJAB SARKAR PARMAN PATRA-2003” _ a State Level Award containing a commendation certificate signed by Chief Secretary to Govt. of Punjab, a shawl , a citation ,    Rs. 11000/- in cash and the award was presented by Hon’ble Chief Minister Punjab Capt. Amarinder Singh at State Level Function on the 57^th.Independence Day function held at Kapurthala on 15^th.August 2003 &
He has been given prestigious I.M.A. Chakitsa Ratan Award 0n December25,2006 by National President of IMA

Apart from his involvement in Social Services he is a Medical Practitioner of repute among rural areas and a very popular Consultant Anesthesiologist in Patiala and areas around and he always believes in Ethical practices and affordable Medicare for the poor.

He remained Director of IMA AKN Sinha Institute of Continuing Health & Medical Education & Research New Delhi ( 2008) and succeeded in getting accreditation from Punjab Medical Council for CME Hours for courses run by the institute.

We have a dedicated Medico-Social Worker in the name of Dr.O.P.S.Kande at Patiala about him we all feel honored and proud as medical professionals.

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