R. Ranchandra Vishwanath Wardekar (October 27, 1913-1996) was an Indian doctor and founder of Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation. He received the

Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...

award in 1973. He is considered "the father of leprosy control" in India. Wardekar received his medical degree from Grant Medical College in Mumbai in 1940. He worked in private practice, but gave it up to work with

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

. Wardekar became responsible for the hospital at

Sevagram Sevagram (meaning "A town for/of service") is a town in the state of Maharashtra, India. It was the place of Mahatma Gandhi's ashram and his residence from 1936 to his death in 1948. After Sabarmati, Sevagram Ashram holds immense importance d ...

and the health of the people in the surrounding villages. When Gandhi died, a trust was set up for leprosy relief and the Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation (GMLF) was founded. Wardekar became the Director in 1952. Wardekar treated leprosy as a public health problem instead of merely working to institutionalize patients which was the current method. He created a system of health education, case detection and "domiciliary treatment" in 13 centers throughout India. His methods became accepted practice throughout India and the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...

, with whom he briefly consulted, also began using his approach. Wadekar retired in 1973 and devoted the remainder of his life to studying scripture. He received the International Gandhi Award for his work in 1990.

References

1913 births 1996 deaths Leprosy in India Leprosy nurses and caregivers Recipients of the Padma Shri in medicine 20th-century Indian medical doctors {{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Medicine