08/04/2026
He asked for a wife willing to live in a forest.
Nearly 100 women said no.
One said yes and changed Melghat forever.
After completing his MBBS in the late 1970s, Dr. Ravindra Kolhe chose not to pursue a city career. Instead, he moved to Melghat, a remote tribal region of Maharashtra where children were dying from malnutrition and basic illnesses.
No roads, no electricity, no healthcare just need.
He decided to live there permanently.
But that meant finding a life partner willing to accept the same life.
So he made his marriage conditions clear:
• Live in a remote forest village
• Simple ₹5 court marriage
• Around ₹400 monthly income
• No city practice or comforts
• Walk miles to treat patients
• Life dedicated to tribal service
Nearly 100 women refused.
Then he met Dr. Smita.
She didn’t just agree, she committed.
They married simply and moved to Bairagarh village, Melghat, where life was extremely hard, no electricity, no transport, food scarcity, and patients arriving day and night.
They charged ₹1-₹2 per consultation, often treating people for free, living exactly like the villagers.
Their biggest test came when their newborn son fell critically ill.
Everyone urged them to go to a city hospital.
But Dr. Smita refused, she chose to treat him in the village, just like other children.
That moment built trust.
They were no longer outsiders, they became family.
For 35+ years, Dr. Ravindra and Dr. Smita Kolhe served continuously:
• Reduced infant mortality drastically
• Fought child malnutrition
• Treated malaria & infections
• Improved maternal healthcare
• Promoted breastfeeding awareness
• Trained local health workers
• Worked on food security
• Helped reduce farmer suicides
• Brought healthcare to inaccessible villages
They transformed an entire region while still charging just ₹2.
India honoured them with the Padma Shri, but they never left.
Because for them, Melghat was never a posting, it was home.
