🩺 Kerala’s Beloved ‘Two Rupee Doctor’ Passes Away at 80, Leaving Behind a Legacy of Selfless Service

Kannur, Kerala, bid farewell on Sunday to Dr A.K. Ryru Gopal, fondly known as the “Two Rupee Doctor”, who dedicated over five decades of his life to providing affordable healthcare to the poor. He was 80.

🌿 A Life of Service

For more than 50 years, Dr Gopal treated patients at a nominal fee — just ₹2 for years, later increasing it to ₹40–₹50 — while other doctors charged several hundred rupees for a consultation. His mission was to ensure that no one was denied treatment due to poverty.

His journey into low-cost medical service began after a house visit where he witnessed a patient’s severe suffering due to lack of access to care. From that moment, he vowed to serve daily wage earners, students, and the underprivileged.

⏰ An Extraordinary Routine

• Woke up at 2:15 am daily

• Attended to his cows, cleaned the shed, and distributed milk

• Began patient consultations from 6:30 am at his home near Thaan Manikkakavu temple

• Often treated over 300 patients a day, starting as early as 3:00 am to accommodate workers’ schedules

His wife, Dr Shakuntala, and an assistant helped him manage the crowd and dispense medicines.

💊 Ethics Above Profit

Following the guiding principle taught by his father, Dr A. Gopalan Nambiar — “If it’s about making money, do some other job” — Dr Gopal rejected all corporate incentives, refused meetings with pharmaceutical representatives, and prescribed only low-cost, effective medicines.

Along with his brothers, Dr Venugopal and Dr Rajagopal, he upheld the family’s non-profit medical tradition.

❤️ A Legacy That Lives On

Even as his health declined and patient numbers reduced, Dr Gopal’s commitment never wavered. His life’s work became a symbol of compassion in an era of commercialized healthcare, proving that for some, healing is truly a calling, not a business.

Kannur mourns not just a doctor, but a legend whose generosity and ethics inspired generations.