A Sunday lifeline: Meet Chhapra doc who treats rural poor for free
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Chhapra: In an age where healthcare often comes with a heavy price, one doctor in Saran is rewriting that script by offering affordable, compassionate treatment to the most vulnerable.
Dr Ravi Shankar Singh, a 66-year-old paediatrician based in Chhapra, has spent the last 22 years dedicating his Sundays to treating poor patients in remote villages entirely free of charge. His approach is not only patient-centric but deeply rooted in a philosophy of service inspired by the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda.
"Service to man is service to God" is a way of life for Dr Ravi. Every Sunday, without fail, he travels to rural outreach centres affiliated with the Ramakrishna Ashrama in Chhapra.
These include the villages of Kohbarwa (under Sadar block), Matkaua (under Garkha block) and Salempur (in Manjhi block), where hundreds of patients, mostly from impoverished backgrounds, line up for free consultation and treatment.
"I treat the patients considering them as my own family members. I avoid sending them for costly pathological investigations. Most of my patients are poor. I cannot treat them like they are in Delhi, Mumbai or other metro cities," Dr Ravi said.
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Patients and locals often compare his prescribing style to that of the late Dr Sheo Narayan Singh, a Patna doctor known for his minimalist, cost-conscious prescriptions. Dr Ravi follows the same ethos – fewer medicines and always affordable ones.
His commitment to service originates from a turning point in 2003 when the Chhapra branch of the Ramakrishna Mission was taken over by its Belur headquarters. During one evening prayer at the ashram, he was moved by a particular Sanskrit verse – Khandan Bhavabandhan, Jagavandan, Vandi Tomay – which translates to, "You are able to liberate a person from the bondage of the world, I offer my respect to you."
"After understanding the meaning of that prayer, I became a dedicated follower of Sri Ramakrishna and committed myself to serve the people," he said.
In 2020, shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Ravi took voluntary retirement from govt service. Yet, his dedication to the underserved has not diminished.
Healthcare runs in the family. Dr Ravi's wife, Dr Kalpana Sharma, is a well-known gynaecologist in Chhapra.
Their only son, Dr Pratyush Chandrayan, is a doctor of medicine at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College and Hospital at Bihta in Patna while his daughter-in-law, Dr Priyanka Basu Bal, is a biochemist. Together, the family forms a quiet medical powerhouse with a shared commitment to care.
Born in Nalanda's Bahadurpur village under the Sare police station area, Dr Ravi is the second of four brothers. His father, the late Shambhu Sharan Singh, was a respected figure in the community.
Though deeply engaged with the world, Dr Ravi has a message for today's youth – resist the distractions of the digital age.
"In this era of electronics and artificial intelligence, I never keep a cellphone," he said – a quiet protest against the noise of modern life and a reminder that some healing does not require screens, apps or AI. Just presence, empathy and service.
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