Kerala’s beloved ’two rupee doctor’ passes away after a lifetime of healing

Mangalore Today News Network

Kannur, Aug 5, 2025: Nearly six decades ago, Dr A Gopalan Nambiar, a respected doctor in Kannur, northern Kerala, advised his son Rairu at the beginning of his medical career, “If it’s about making money, do some other job." This piece of advice profoundly influenced the life of the young doctor. Consequently, Dr AK Rairu Gopal began his practice by charging just Rs 2 as a consultation fee, a rate he maintained for over half a century, earning him the nickname “Two Rupee Doctor." Dr Rairu died in the early hours of Sunday at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy of compassionate and selfless medical care that healed countless patients, especially the deprived and underprivileged.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who referred to Dr Rairu as “the people’s doctor," expressed condolences, noting that his dedication to service was a great relief to the poor.

Dr Rairu completed his MBBS from Kozhikode Medical College and initially worked at a hospital in Kannur before opening his own clinic in Talap, where he served the community for 35 years. He later moved to a house near Thana Manikkakavu Temple. Locals noted that bus services added a stop at Dr Rairu’s clinic near the police ground in Kannur town to facilitate patients.

Dr Rairu used to examine patients from 4 am to 4 pm. Recognising the time constraints faced by workers, he began seeing patients as early as 3 am, sometimes attending to over 300 people in a day. On most days, he would see more than 200 patients. According to his own account, nearly 18 lakh patients, ranging from children to the elderly, sought his care over his career.

He primarily prescribed low-cost, effective medicines and often provided them free of charge to those in financial need. Patients came from outside the district due to his nominal fee of Rs. 2, which he later increased to Rs. 10.

Dr Rairu’s daily routine was marked by discipline and simplicity. He woke up at 2:15 am, first tending to his cows, cleaning the shed, and collecting milk. After prayer and distributing milk, he would begin consultations. His journey into voluntary service began after witnessing the dire condition of a patient during a house visit.

His wife, Dr Shakuntala, supported him in managing the crowd and distributing medicines. Together with his brothers, Dr Venugopal and Dr Rajagopal, he continued the family tradition of non-profit medical service.

Dr Rairu is also survived by his son Bala Gopal and daughter Vidhya Bharath. He was honoured with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) award for the best family doctor in Kerala. Beyond his profession, Dr Rairu was a passionate animal lover who kept several pets. His body was cremated at Payyambalam, Kannur, on Sunday afternoon.