Height of success: Overcoming odds, legal woes, Gujarat’s 3-feet-tall doctor gets first job

Standing 3-feet-tall and aged just 25, Gujarat resident Ganesh Baraiya has scripted an inspiring tale of grit and determination, fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a doctor and securing his first appointment as a medical officer.

The man from a farming family, detected with 72 per cent locomotor disability, fought lengthy legal battles, leading up to the Supreme Court, to become a doctor and faced several other overwhelming odds, but the thought of giving up never crossed his mind.

His efforts have borne fruit and Baraiya last week joined Sir Takhtasinhji General Hospital, a government facility in Bhavnagar district, as a Medical Officer (Class-2).

“Since childhood, whenever I was asked about my ambition, I used to say ‘I want to be a doctor’,” disclosed the 25-year-old physician, a resident of Gorkhi village in Bhavnagar district.

He humbly acknowledged the roles played by his mentors, family members and friends in his extraordinary journey.

“My mentor guided me throughout my journey of becoming a doctor. As I stand here at Sir T General Hospital, treating patients, I dedicate my achievement to my mentors Dalpat Katariya and Revatsinh Sarvaiya, my parents and my friends,” Baraiya said.

Baraiya said it was Katariya who convinced him that he could be the world’s shortest doctor.

And then began his remarkable journey to become a doctor.

According to Katariya, Principal of Nilkanth Vidyapeeth in Talaja, Baraiya’s journey has been one of determination and resilience.

“After fighting long legal battles, a farmer’s son with 72 per cent locomotor disability has proved that dreams do come true,” said Katariya, basking in the success of his student.

Locomotor disability refers to a condition that results in the loss or restriction of movement of limbs or body parts.

Katariya recalled magicians once offered money to the family to make the dwarf child perform in a circus, and his father constantly feared the boy might be abducted.

After pursuing studies in science stream, Baraiya cracked the medical entrance National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in 2018. However, the youngster faced a rude jolt when the Medical Council of India (MCI) denied him admission to MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) programme due to his disability.

“The school decided to fight a legal battle against MCI (now National Medical Commission), but my father was reluctant initially due to financial conditions. The school’s management then decided to cover the court expenses for my case,” he stated.

“With the school’s support, I challenged the decision in the Gujarat High Court, which upheld the MCI’s stance. We then approached the Supreme Court in 2018,” he maintained.

In the meantime, he enrolled in a BSc programme.

On October 22, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in Baraiya’s favour, noting a disability cannot bar the student from pursuing MBBS, as doctors also serve in non-clinical roles such as administration, radiology, and psychology.

In 2019, Baraiya was admitted to Bhavnagar’s Government Medical College. Throughout the medical course, classmates reserved the front row seats for him and supported him during lectures.

One of his seniors during MBBS, Dr Yash Dave, helped arrange a writer for Baraiya after he struggled in his first semester due to slow writing speed.

Speaking about his current work as medical officer, Baraiya said, “Some patients are shocked to see me as a doctor, while some already know me. But mostly they respond positively. I share a special bond with my paediatrics patients. Usually, kids are scared of doctors, but in my case, they cooperate well with me,” he pointed out.

About his further goals, Baraiya disclosed that he wants to pursue a post-graduation in paediatrics, dermatology, or fields with fewer emergency responsibilities.

“I want to contribute to nation-building and serve patients in whatever way I can,” Baraiya asserted.