Telangana Journal of Psychiatry (Jan 2021)
Dr. Vidya Sagar (1909–1978)
Abstract
Dr. Hoch, Consultant, WHO, on his visit to Mental Hospital, Amritsar, in November 1964 said, “You have here at Amritsar a sea of nectar of human kindness and also a Dr. Vidya Sagar, a sea of wisdom. May they never dry up.” He was talking about Dr. Vidya Sagar Diwan, a legendary figure in Psychiatry. Dr. Vidya Sagar was a pioneer in community psychiatry, showing how modern psychiatry can be adapted to local conditions. During the horrific times of partition, when a huge number of patients with mental illness were sent to Amritsar and kept in army barracks, Dr. Vidya Sagar's devotion to the service of these patients was phenomenal. Community Psychiatry has come a long way in India. The building blocks were laid by Dr. Vidya Sagar, in 1950, by constructing tents and involving family members in the treatment of persons with mental illness in Amritsar.
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