Doctors Day: Why is it celebrated on July 1 in India; Interesting facts

The first day of the month of July is observed as the Doctor's Day in India.

A doctor's profession is not only very demanding but it is also a job on which lives of the patients depends. People revere doctors and times even see them as God's incarnation on earth especially when the lives of their loved on ones depend on them.

The first day of the month of July is observed as the Doctor's Day in India. The day is observed to express gratitude and acknowledge the dedication and commitment of the doctors' towards our society. The celebration of the Doctors' Day is an attempt to emphasise on the value of doctors in our lives and to offer them our respects by commemorating one of their greatest representatives.

India has shown remarkable improvements in the medical field and July 1 pays a perfect tribute to all the doctors who have made relentless efforts towards achieving this goal irrespective of the odds.

Why is it celebrated on July 1 in India?

Doctor's Day in India was established by the Government of India in 1991 to be recognized and celebrated every year on 1st of July as National Doctors day. It is celebrated on 1st of July on the birth and death anniversary of the most famous physician of India Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy (Dr. B C Roy).

Dr Roy was born on July 1, 1882, and also died on the same date 80 years later. He was honoured with the Bharat Ratna Award in 1961. The Government of India declared July 1 as the Doctor's Day in 1991 as a mark of respect to Dr Roy.

Later he joined the Calcutta Medical College as a teaching staff and afterward he moved to the Campbell Medical School and then to Carmichael Medical College. He was a most famous physician and renowned educationist as well as a freedom fighter as he joined the Mahatma Gandhi during Civil Disobedience Movement. Later he became Indian National Congress leader and then Chief Minister of the West Bengal.

Interesting facts about doctors' day:

Doctors' day is celebrated on different dates in different countries. In the US is celebrated on March 30 while in Iran it is celebrated on August 23.

The Doctor's Day is also symbolized by red carnation because of the colour of the flower which denotes love, charity, sacrifice, bravery and courage, all of which are synonymous with the medical profession.

In some countries, it is even a holiday. In Brazil, National Doctors' Day is celebrated as a holiday on October 18, the day on which the Catholic Church celebrates the birthday of Saint Luke. In Cuba, National Doctors' Day is celebrated as a holiday on December 3 to commemorate the birthday of Carlos Juan Finlay.

The first Doctors' Day observance was March 30th, 1933, in Winder, Georgia, US. This first observance included the mailing of cards to the physicians and their wives, flowers placed on graves of deceased doctors.