On January 3, 2024, the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, solemnly commemorated the 24th death anniversary of the late Dr. Sushila Nayar, the esteemed founder-director of the institute. Shri PL Tapadia (Vice-President, Kasturba Health Society), Dr BS Garg (Secretary, Kasturba Health Society), Dr AK Shukla (Dean, MGIMS), and Dr. Poonam Shivkumar Varma (Medical Superintendent, Kasturba Hospital) garlanded the portrait of Badi Behenji, paying homage to her enduring legacy and contributions to the institution.
Faculty, staff, students, nurses, paramedics, and healthcare professionals gathered to pay their respects by offering floral tributes and prayers at her memorial, Maatru-Sthal. A multitude of admirers expressed their homage by bowing with folded hands and performing a parikrama around her memorial. To mark this occasion, an inclusive, all-religion prayer was organized. The audience recited the final 19 verses from the second chapter of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and sang hymns from the Upanishads, Quran, Japji Sahib, and Bible.
Fondly referred to as 'Badi Behenji,' Dr. Sushila Nayar had a profound impact on numerous lives. During her presence in Sevagram from 1969 to 2000, she regularly participated in Friday evening prayers, captivating the audience with spiritually grounded advice afterward. On her 24th death anniversary, attendees were privileged to hear her majestic voice, recorded on tape, guiding people to embrace the virtues of life and death. "Divinity resides within every soul. Extend your assistance to those within your reach, for in aiding others, the benevolence returns to you," resonated the words of Badi Behenji.
Subsequently, the Department of Pathology at MGIMS organized an annual blood donation camp in the Blood Bank to honor Dr. Sushila Nayar's memory. Faculty, staff, and students from Kasturba Health Society and MGIMS actively participated. Dr BS Garg (Secretary, Kasturba Health Society), Dr AK Shukla (Dean, MGIMS), and Dr. Poonam Shivkumar Varma (Medical Superintendent, Kasturba Hospital) inaugurated the camp by lighting the lamp and garlanding the portraits of Ba, Bapu, and Badi Behenji. Dr Anupama Gupta (Head of Pathology), Dr VB Shivkumar (Director Professor of Pathology and Officer in-Charge Blood Bank), faculty, staff, and students were present on the occasion. A stream of students, faculty, and staff members volunteered to donate blood, with each donor contributing 350 ml after undergoing thorough health checks. In total, 34 donors participated in the blood donation.