Wednesday 6 August 2014

The Death of Dr. Kotnis

The Death of Dr. Kotnis
By his wife Guo Qinglan

At 6.15 a.m. on 9th December 1942 Dr. Kotnis breathed his last. He was just 32 years old. He had spent over 4 years in China during the War of Resistance against the Japanese, treating the wounded and sick Chinese.

On 27th November 1937, at the suggestion of of the eminent American correspondent, Agnes Smedley, Zhu De, Commander-in-Chief of the ...Chinese Eighth Route Army wrote a letter to the Indian National Congress leader Pt.Jawaharlal Nehru expressing gratitude for supporting the anti- Japanese struggle of the Chinese people and requesting for support in the form of a medical team and medical supplies from India. Consequently Pt. Nehru proposed that a Medical Mission be sent to China. China Day was observed all over India on 29th June 1938. Dr. Kotnis, who had qualified as a doctor from Bombay Medical College, saw the demonstrations in support of the Chinese, and determined to join the Medical Mission. He went to Sholapur, his home town, and told his family about it. At first they tried to dissuade him, His brother Mangesh said " For the sake of our education father had to borrow a lot of money. Now our parents are old and need a helping hand." However, when his father saw that he was adamant he said " So, Dwarka ( Dr. Kotnis' first name), you have decided to go. I would like to remind you not to let the Indian people down. Since you have decided to go, you must do a good job and good things to the Chinese people, and win laurels for your family and country". 

At midnight, September the 5 doctors of the Aid China Medical Mission, led by Dr. Atal, boarded the P.&O. liner , S.S. Rajputana. They were seen off by Mrs. Sarojini Naidu and others. On 14th September they landed at Hong Kong, and after a 17 days voyage reached Guangzhou. From there they travelled by road to Changsha, and then to Wuhan, where they were met by Zhou Enlai, who asked Dr. Kotnis " How old are you ?". " I am 28", replied Kotnis.

" Wonderful" said Zhou Enlai, " You can do much work for friendly relations between India and China".
They travelled then to Chongqing, which was the capital of the Chinese. government under Chiang kai Shek. At Chongqing, Dr. Kotnis received a letter from his brother in India, which was handed over to him by Dr. Cholkar, the deputy leader of the Indian Medical Mission. It said " Father has passed away suddenly ". This was a bolt from the blue, and he could not stop crying. His colleagues tried to persuade him to go back to India, but he said that he will never let his father down, and the best way to commemorate him was to help the Chinese people eject the Japanese invaders. So he continued with the Mission to Yenan, where they lived in caves. They spent the next 4 years treating the wounded and the sick Chinese.

During these 4 years Dr. Kotnis had overloaded himself with work for a long period until his health completely broke down working for the cause of the War of Resistance against Japan and liberation of the Chinese people. He went without food and sleep for long periods, and endured extreme pain during this period,and sacrificed all he had till his last breath.

On 7th December 1942 he performed operations on 5 wounded patients. On 8th December he taught his students and performed a practical operation for over 20 students in the operation theater. He was operating on a hernia patient.The operation was difficult as the tissues of the patient were very adhesive. Sweat started oozing out of his forehead as he was very tired. . After the operation Dr. Kotnis was completely exhausted and hungry. He grabbed a bite of a stuffed pancake when he suffered an attack of epilepsy. Earlier also he had suffered epileptic attacks. After regaining consciousness he convened a meeting to have a briefing of the day's work.

That evening he returned to his dormitory-cum-office, and started the compilation work of his proposed book 'Surgery in Detail'. At 8 p.m. he went to his room to be with me and our 108 days old child. As he was talking he remembered that the younger brother of his landlady was seriously ill. He went there to treat the patient, and returned after 2 hours totally exhausted..

At midnight he asked me for some boiled water as he was thirsty. Having taken it he felt better, but an hour thereafter I was suddenly awakened by the groans of his pain, only to discover that all his four limbs were severely twitching. His complexion had turned pale. He had suffered another attack, and it was serious. I staggered all the way to the Medical School for assistance. After a while, Principal Jiang Yizhen reached our house in a great hurry. On regaining consciousness Kotnis said " Principal Jiang, thank you for your visit. I am sorry to interfere with your rest. Please do not worry about me and go back to rest. "

Principal Jiang was aware of the convulsions Dr. Kotnis had suffered in the past, which never exceeded 3 to 5 minutes. This time the convulsions would not stop, foam oozed out from his mouth, and he went into coma. Dr. Jiang gave him morphine and camphor liquid, but to no avail. The doctor then tried spine puncturing, but it was of no use. Dr. Kotnis breathed his last at 6.15 a.m. on 9th December 1942. He was just 32 years old.
I cried bitterly with my infant Yinhua in my arms and fainted a couple of times. He parted from me and our infant boy , his wounded patients who were waiting for him, his international friends, and the army and civilians of the Shansi-Qahar-Hebei Border Region who were engaged in a bloody battle with the Japanese on the battlefront. I glanced at the table only to see the manuscript of 'Surgery in Detail' that he had written upto page 175.

After his sudden demise, Dr. Kotnis' dead body was kept inside a courtyard on a flagstone.

Dr. Kotnis had spent the last period of his life in the Tang County, treating patients day and night. There was not a single person in this area who did not know him.

The sudden demise of Dr. Kotnis left everyone in the Tang County in grief, and even the Tang River wept. The people in the County felt they were rendered orphans. An atmosphere of grief shrouded the entire valley. The villagers of the Ge Gong valley came to our place from all directions. Everyone who came was crying in the streets and in the courtyard, where his body lay.

Shortly after his death, the Bethune Medical School, the Third Divisional Command of the Middle Hebei Military Region, and the County Committee of Tang County, organized a funeral committee.

On 17th December 1942, around 1 p.m. the Shansi-Qahar-Hebei Military Region convened a mourning ceremony at the southern square of Ge Gong village. There was an ocean of people inside and outside the square. People from Shennan, Shenbei, Niangzishen Doufu, and other neighbouring villages walked to the mourning ground wailing and weeping. Some of the country folk were even stamping the earth and crying bitterly. People had never witnessed wailing and weeping of such intensity, and that too over the demise of a foreign doctor. Many fainted with grief.

As for me, my grief was even worse. All my tears dried up and I fell unconscious. I lost my hunger, thirst and sleep, and became very weak.

The memorial ceremony was conducted in accordance with the Chinese traditional funeral. A canopy was put for the departed soul, in the middle of which hung a portrait of the deceased, and to both sides of the coffin lay the floral wreaths and mourning couplets offered by people from all walks of life. An oblong sheet of silk was hung with the words " Doctor who rivalled the glory of Dr. Bethune". The place was filled with posters stating " Learn from Kotnis ". The memorial committee consisted of representatives of Commander Nie, Zuo Huaiying, Cheng Zihua, Wang Ping,etc 

The memorial ceremony started with funeral music played by a military band, followed by floral tributes and bowing in silence, and then speeches commending Dr. Kotnis' outstanding achievements and spirit. This was followed by a grand funeral.

Among the crowd were many elderly men and women burning incenses and paper money. Some people sang a song which they had composed for the occasion :
" You came from the shores of the warm Indian ocean
To brave the cold of North China
For the world of tomorrow
You fought four autumns in China
Alas! At the end of a long night
The fountain of your life ran dry
Oh, Comrade Kotnis, our beloved
Your image will always be with us
And your memory will live forever in our hearts"

The news of Dr. Kotnis' death was soon carried to Yenan. On 18th December 1942, Zhu De, the Commander -in-Chief of the Eighth Route Army, and Peng De Huai, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief communicated the sad news to Dr. Kotnis' family. The news was flashed in the Liberation Daily newspaper published in Yenan, carrying an article by Zhu De.

On 30th December, a memorial service was held addressed by Zhu De. He said " Dr. Kotnis, our Indian friend, came to China from afar to assist us in our War of Resistance. He worked for four years in Yenan and North West China, giving medical treatment to our wounded and sick, and died owing to constant overwork. The army has lost a helping hand, and the nation has lost a friend. Let us always bear in mind his internationalist spirit ".

Zhou Enlai sent a message of sympathy to Dr. Kotnis' family :

"Dr. Kotnis is a symbol of the friendship between the great Indian and Chinese nations, and a shining example of the Indian people, who are taking an active part in our common struggles against Japanese militarism and world fascism. His name will live forever in the hearts of the two great nations to whom he dedicated his life."

Soong Qingling, widow of Sun Yatsen and Chairperson of the China Defence League, also wrote to Dr. Kotnis' family :

" His memory belongs not only to your people and to ours, but also to the whole roll-call of fighters for the freedom and progress of all mankind."

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31 comments:

  1. sir I hv always observed that when we move out of India,our people shine,there is something about our country,which makes our people fail.How can we change this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. First to make this country change, don't be afraid of putting your authentic name in front of your comments. You yourself is the reason why India is India now!!. Don't you get the answer!!

      Delete
  2. Mr.Katju,

    What is your opinion on Rahul Gandhi should he quit politics?

    Do you think in congress victory is because of duplicate Gandhi's and defeat is due to whole party?

    Why people call you 'Mughal" Katju instead of "Markandey" Katju?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I make no distinction between Hindu and Muslim. All are Indians

      Delete
  3. Sir do you think that Barak Obama looks like Monkey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I place Monkey in front of your name Anonymous, if you feel okay with it, and I feel you would be okay with it. Because if you feel Obama the way you feel, why not the name 'Money' in front of your name. Obama works hard for the nation. He can't work for one anonymous person like you.

      Delete
    2. Obama directed tracking of BJP leaders?

      Anyone against India's interest is of no importance to me and I will call he Monkey again and again

      But you appear to be CIA agent type person or anti-Indian person hence you are licking ass of Obama

      Delete
  4. ek film bani thi dr kotnis k upar aur usmay ashok kumar nay dr kotnis ka role kia tha,yaad nahi aa raha kaun sa year tha ,itna yaad hai ki ek rupaye ka ticket mene black may kharid kar film dekhi thi,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946)
      Hindi Film

      During the Japanese invasion of China, a young Indian doctor joins the Chinese resistance, meets and courts a Chinese girl, cures a virulent plague, and is captured by a Japanese platoon...

      Director:Rajaram Vankudre Shantaram
      Writers:Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (screenplay), Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (story),
      Stars:Rajaram Vankudre Shantaram, Jayashree, Keshavrao Date

      Delete
    2. It was Shantaram who played the role of Dr. Kotnis

      Delete
  5. mughal not means mughal caste, a person who is royal by nature is mughal, u anonymous fool

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    2. Mr Katju Sir, block all Anonymous. Because they don't have a name, an address, a country, a citizenship, an earth-ship. They are aliens.

      Delete
  6. no obama is like a human,he is wise and great man, but u anonymous is like a dirty pig eating human stool,so u cant know what is humanity

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If Obama is gread man why he did tracking of BJP ministers?

      You anonymous is ass licking CIA agent of America?

      Delete
  7. obama is not like a monkey u ras.....,he is like an angel, u bas.... mine u lang,otherwise i can abuse a lot litre as ocean contains, u are asking these ques to nobal a man mr katju, ask me i will ans in ur mother tounge,

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  8. no he is not mr katju replying, its me ,a real hindu,and i can abuse u above limit,if i am saying mughal means a royal ,done ,no ques,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Real Hindu don't abuse anyone you disclosed who you are ;-) Mughal ;-)

      Owaise ke bache ;-)

      Delete
  9. u fool ,ex prime minister chandra shekhar was called 'yuva turk' was he muslim, no,but u ill is educated uneducated u cant undstud, u are mulla it seems

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  10. Heart touching story

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  11. Sir what do you think about India-England match and our players performance?

    Should players be allowed to take their girl friend with them?

    Does take g/f affects performance

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No wonder why Sachin is worshipped as God. Mr. Katju is a retired Judge from Supreme Court. If you are a cricket fan, you should go to right forums to chat with many such cricket fans.

      Delete
    2. Idiot making a fake blog does not make you are real person?

      Sachin is not the God of Cricket he got Bharat Ratna by fixing match with congress ??? Congress removed name of Dhyanchand after sachin joined their party???

      All Indians are cricket fans so I thought Master Katju also would be liking cricket?

      Why I feel Sengaiyan is a a/c created by Master Katju to reply what he can't reply via his real a/c (I mean abuse those who comment)

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  12. Few people are still out there in India who could resemble the marvel life of Dr. Kotnis's. However, to see see such people, somehow I feel only a war can bring out authentically patriotic politicians and others, if and when they volunteer to help combat forces in the middle of battle field!. Only a war can tell, how many of the souls who make huge noise on TVs, Medias, Blogs, Facebooks, Twitters etc, do really posses courage, selflessness to show up to help wounded forces at combat field!. And I laugh, many people who is afraid of even putting their name here, at the Anonymous souls here!.

    ReplyDelete
  13. All the contributions of the so popular 'Anonymous' are only noise!. Just like the noise of TimesNow TV, occasionally when politicians don't let anyone be heard!!.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sir who is more entertaining accourding to you

    Arvind Kejriwal

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    Sunny Leone ;-)

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  15. dekhiye mr sengaiyan aap ya aap k dada paida bharat may huay,anna,roti yaha ki khai,ab bahut baday vidwaan bantay ho,bharat k logo ko bahut rai detay ho ki wah backward hai,apni mahanta dikhate ho,jab ki tum wah kalank ho jo jis thali may khata hai usi may chhed karta hai,tum kagaj k tukday k laalchi jaha ka naam apnay title may lagate ho usi desh k logo ko,unki bhasha ko jangaliyon ki bhasha batatay ho,jab ki jo yaha desh may hindi nahi jaanta wah hindi seekhnay k prayaas may laga rahta hai,tum ko hindi nahi aati to seekh lo,lekin khanaktay sikkon k liye apna desh tyaag videsh ki chakri karnay walay sengian tum say bhala paltu aur awara kutta bhi hota hai ,jo jiski kha k bada hota hai us par bhaukta nahi,aur tum khud is yogya nahi ki katju jee jaisay deshaj vidwaan k blog par tipoadi karo,aur ek baat aur sun lo agar tum nay agar phir kabhi bharteeyon ko aur hindi ko gali di to tum ko wah wah gali may duga ki kabhi katju jee ka blog kholnay ki tumhari himmat nahi hogi,tum angrej ho gaye ho to wahi un k jootay saaf karo,apni had may raho sengaiyan

    ReplyDelete
  16. सिकंदर हयात9 August 2014 at 13:20

    बहुत बहुत शुक्रिया काटजू जी की आपने सचिन को भारत रत्न देने के खिलाफ आवाज़ उठाई दिल से शुक्रिया और एहतराम काटजू जी ये भी देखे की अभी जेक केलिन्स रिटायर हुआ हे उनका आलराउंडर परफॉर्मेंस कही भी सचिन से काम नहीं हे लेकिन कोई सवाल ही नहीं हे की उन्हें दक्षिण अफ्रीका का सबसे बड़ा अवार्ड मिले असल इन्ही सब ज़हालतो के कारण ही कॉंग्रेस्स की ये दुदर्शा हो चुकी हे

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  17. इतने सालो हमने फिल्मे देखी, उपन्यास पढ़े समाचार देखे जिसमे चीन को हमारा सबसे बड़ा दुश्मन दिखाया गया. जबकी चीन हमारा महत्वपूर्ण पड़ोसी है. जन स्तर पर हमारे सम्बन्धो के डाक्टर कोटनीस मानक है. चीन से सम्बन्ध बेहतर बनाने की जब भी कोई कोशीस होती है कोई भारतीय मीडिया वाला जुर्र से एक न्यूज छाप देता है की चीन घुसपैठ कर रहा है. साथ में कोई पुरानी वीडियो क्लिप भी जोड़ देता है. चीन से सम्बन्ध सुधार की एक इमानदार कोशीश होनी चाहिए. डाक्टर कोटनीश की स्मृति हमारा मार्ग-निर्देशन करे.

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  18. service to others is emphasized Great soul.

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