July 1 is Doctors Day. But for Dr. Ramaswamy every day is doctors day.

Forty-nine-year-old Dr. Ramaswamy, a trained laproscopic surgeon, has a mission – to serve the poor and bring difference in their lives.

Its been since 15 years that the doctor has been treating and performing surgeries on those from the lower strata of the society.

The corridors of the Shanti Medical Centre in Singanallur is always crowded between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. with patients lining up to see ‘their’ doctor, who always greets them with a smile on his face. He sees around 30 patients a day here. Neither he accepts any money from them nor from the hospital.

So far, Dr. Ramaswamy has performed 500 surgeries free of cost. “I do not own a hospital. I get my patients admitted in private hospitals and negotiate with the management to give concession for them as they cannot afford to pay more. Most of the hospitals have been obliging,” he smiles.

Last month, one of his patients, a 35-year-old labourer had to undergo three surgeries simultaneously – fibroid in uterus, infected gallbladder and a large spleen. He got her admitted in a hospital and performed the surgeries, with good cooperation from the hospital management.

Dr. Ramaswamy, originally from Perambalur, has made Coimbatore his home. The hardship and struggles he faced as a child to get a proper meal or treatment, made young Ramaswamy determined to do something and help people. For that he used education as a tool. Hard work, grit and the determination made him enter medical college and come out with flying colours. “Dr. Sellvarajan is my mentor. I have seen him treating people without charging a single penny from them. He, being a laproscopic surgeon, trained me in this field,” he adds.

Apart from the Shanti Medical Centre, he also performs surgeries at Sumit Hospital on Avinashi Road. Shanti Medical Centre, that was opened in 2010, too charges nominally for the patients.