Obituary Note:Professor Jogindra Mohan Senapati

This note was written by Dr. Bidhu Kalyn Mohanti


Born on 6 December 1928, Cuttack, Orissa

Expired on 15 August 2009, Cuttack, Orissa

The demise of Prof. Jogindra Mohan Senapati(popular to all in medical fraternity as Jogi Senapati) at 80 years of age is a life of rich fulfilment and shining examples.

In the right note of an obituary to recall him,we can speak a lot about ourselves,and when speak about what we saw in him that would speak all about Professor J.M.Senapati.

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To those who were taught by him,spread over 30 years of his medical teaching career in the discipline of Physiology, Jogi Sir remained etched in their minds and hearts.What was it,what did he exactly teach and why was he so iconic to leave a life long impression? I have often wondered and thought over these points. I do not have very clear answers in my mind. Still 37 years after leaving his class and laboratory as an undergraduate medical student(i.e.passing the 1st part of MBBS) at M.K.C.G.Medical College,Berhampur,Orissa; his name will unfailingly crop up whenever my batch mates or contemporaries meet on social or professional occasions.

Even when most of us are reaching the last decade of our own professional career, a discussion on those fleeting times of coming across with Jogi Sir will ring a note of respect mixed with fondness and camaraderie. This is the best a teacher can achieve,make the students bond together just by recalling his name, years after they are gone into the world!
I recall with a fresh memory, our 1st semester lab class of looking at white blood cells.We had to prick our finger tips and put a drop on the glass slide.Almost half the batch fainted.Jogi Sir came into the lab,moved around and told in his whispering tone ‘press your finger tips’ and went unto to hold the hand of a trembling 18 year old boy. How can I not remember him 37 years later, it was sheer baptism by fire! He taught us the various colours of medicine; blood,sweat,tears,joy,failure and above all the true colour of commitment. Learn to hold the hands of someone when he or she is in agony.

That is more than all the knowledge,training and skills his students would have gathered in different parts of the world and in different specialties of medicine.
Professor Jogi Senapati came from an illustrious family,his grandfather was Fakir Mohan Senapati,who is celebrated as the first novelist in Oriya.His brother served in the Indian Administrative Service.He was himself the first medical graduate from Orissa to have done the post-graduate degree course from All India Institute of Medical Sciences,New Delhi(he did his MD in Physiology in 1960).He published his first scientific paper in 1954,within 4 years of passing MBBS and much before his post-graduation. Just imagine, how many can think of doing a research or write a paper at that age of a career in 1950s, and even that would be a rarity in present times. He could have gone to explore the world,yet he remained rooted to the medical teaching career in Orissa and retired as the Head of Department from S.C.B.Medical College in 1986.As students we do remember him,conducting his experiments in the lab. It was our curious minds to know,what exactly he learnt from those anesthetized dogs in 1970s ! His area of research were related to respiratory and ventilatory process.
It was natural,coming from a literary family,that Jogi Sir was a keen reader and loved going to library.Improving the medical college library was a life time passion.I remember in mid-1990s,he walked into my tiny office in AIIMS and dragged me to Dr.B.B.Dikshit Library of AIIMS.He told me with enthusiasm and glint in his eyes’we should set up excellent libraries in our medical colleges’.That was years after retiring! He knew it well, ‘give the books and journals to build a good brood of physicians, nurses and paramedics.’

Professor Senapati,after his retirement, remained active in Physiology circle,and was associated with spreading awareness about diabetes and geriatric care.

In the last 4 days since his demise,I received some of communications on hearing about his demise and quote some of those:

Rajesh Patnaik,a young anesthesist from London ‘ he did not teach us,yet we always heard about his reputation.’

Basant Sahoo,a senior surgeon working at Royal Hospital,Muscat,Oman, ‘ he taught us the physiology with a clinical approach and that gave us a lot of interest. ’

Digamber Behera,Director,LRS Chest Institute,Delhi ‘ he was not only a great teacher and scientist,he was a great human being.’

Sadasiv Swain,Head of Anesthesiology at Ispat General Hospital,Rourkela ‘we all will miss him,do send a copy of your obituary note.’

Rabin Mohanty,a consultant in Paediatrics,at Manchester,UK, ‘though he was not directly my teacher,he was actively involved with some of us in designing and improving the Cuttack library,much to our liking.’

Hari Hara Dash,Chief of Neurosciences Centre at AIIMS,New Delhi, ‘ the news saddens all of us and we all must convey our heartfelt condolences to the family of Prof.J.M.Senapati.’

Niranjan Nayak,Additional Professor in Microbiology at Dr.RP Centre,AIIMS ‘he was like a father and always like a friend in the class,especially in the practicals.’

Biswa Mohan Biswal,Professor of Radiotherapy at Unversity Sains Malayasia, ‘ he was my mentor…..one evening he was so busy with our academic programme that he got delayed for his daughter’s marriage reception.’
Such far and wide responses from different corners of the world. It brings a few answers to my mind,why Professor Senapati is revered ‘ a teacher does not have to teach all things from the confines of a book, he does not have to know how brainy a student, he teaches best when he reaches out the most,to the last student in a corner of the class or lab or ward.’
Jogi Sir,I wonder,if teachers like you will be there to guide us to our old age.Life has been enriched by coming across you,one person and many facets;a saint,teacher,mentor,guide and a humorist .One of his favourite ways to goad you in chaste Oriya speak , ‘ tame se bohi ti aau thare bhalaki phada.’ Will you read that book again! We will all remember his childlike smile and quivering lips.

* This note has been written on 20th August 2009 by Dr.Bidhu Kalyan Mohanti ( MBBS student at MKCG Medical College, 1970-76 ) , presently working as Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology ,Dr.B.R.A. Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences,New Delhi 110029(Email: drbkmohanti@rediffmail.com),with ample inputs given by Dr.Sukdev Nayak,Professor of Anesthesiology and Palliative Care,AHRCC,SCB Medical College Campus,Cuttack.