In the quiet lanes of Kolkata once lived a man whose simple yet life-saving innovation has touched the lives of over 70 million people worldwide. Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis, the man hailed as the “Father of Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS)”, was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2023, India’s second-highest civilian honour.
If only the recognition had arrived a year earlier, Dr. Mahalanabis could have witnessed the nation’s gratitude during his lifetime. He passed away in October 2022, aged 87—leaving behind not only a rich legacy but also a powerful lesson in humility and service.
Dr. Mahalanabis’ defining moment came during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. As waves of cholera-infected refugees from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) flooded into refugee camps in West Bengal, the mortality rate soared to a devastating 30%. With medical supplies and intravenous fluids in short supply, the situation was desperate.
Armed with a humble mixture of salt, sugar, and water, Dr. Mahalanabis implemented a bold strategy—oral rehydration therapy, now famously known as ORS. Within weeks, the mortality rate in the refugee camps dropped below 4%.
His work drew global acclaim. The British medical journal The Lancet documented these results, calling the method a “medical breakthrough”. Years later, the journal published an obituary honouring his immense contribution after his passing.
Dr. Mahalanabis’ innovation didn’t stop at the borders of Bengal. His pioneering work soon caught the attention of the World Health Organization (WHO), who collaborated with him to spread the usage of ORS in multiple regions of the developing world. Today, it is considered one of the most impactful medical interventions of the 20th century.
According to the WHO and UNICEF, ORS has saved more lives than any other medical therapy in modern history, especially among children suffering from dehydration due to diarrheas’.
Despite global recognition and accolades from institutions worldwide, Dr. Mahalanabis lived a modest life, never chasing the limelight or wealth.
Before his death, he quietly donated ₹1 crore—his life’s savings—to the Institute of Child Health (ICH), Kolkata, to support further research in paediatrics. It was a gesture that perfectly encapsulated his life’s mission: saving and nurturing lives.
Acknowledging Another Pioneer: Dr. Sambhunath De
In this context, one must also remember another unsung Indian scientist—Dr. Sambhunath De (1915–1985)—whose work laid the foundation for understanding the actual cause of diarrhoea during cholera outbreaks. He discovered that the culprit wasn’t just Vibrio cholerae, but an exotoxin secreted by the bacteria, which led to the severe water loss seen in cholera.
Though Dr. De never received the recognition he rightfully deserved during his lifetime, his discovery was instrumental in scientifically validating why solutions like ORS worked so effectively.
The Indian Government’s decision in recent years to open the nomination process for Padma Awards to the general public via india.gov.in is a progressive step. Thanks to this, unsung heroes—not just the rich and famous—are finally being brought to light.
Some shining examples include:
- Subhashini Mistry, awarded the Padma Shri in 2018, built a hospital in West Bengal by saving every penny from her vegetable-selling business.
- Tulsi Gowda, recipient of the Padma Shri in 2021, planted over 30,000 saplings and has been a living embodiment of ecological preservation in Karnataka for over 60 years.
These stories, like Dr. Mahalanabis’, serve as reminders that the real soul of India lies not in boardrooms or Bollywood, but in its villages, clinics, refugee camps, and forests—where silent warriors keep serving humanity without applause.
Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis gave the world something profoundly simple yet staggeringly impactful—a life-saving salt-sugar-water solution. The fact that such a humble remedy could save millions reminds us of a larger truth:
Greatness doesn’t always come with grandeur. Sometimes, it arrives in the form of compassion, courage, and a teaspoon of salt.
The Padma Vibhushan may have come late, but the impact of Dr. Mahalanabis’ work has echoed for decades—and will continue to do so for generations to come.
