SHRI: From 1985 to 2009: Dr Palin walks down memory lane
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, February 06 2009: The Shija Hospitals and Research Institute (SHRI) Pvt.

Ltd popularly known as Shija Hospital stands tall at Langol in Imphal West.

Patients from all over the North East region now are heavily depending on Shija Hospitals and Research Institute.

The maximum number of patients, apart from Manipur, are from Nagaland.

Guinness Record holder for being the first hospital to remove the largest neck tumour in the world in 2003 and the first hospital in the State of Manipur to be certified ISO 9001:2000 in 2006 SHRI's head honcho, Dr Kh Palin, a surgeon and the Managing Director (MD) looks back through the years of inspirations, hardships, achievements and also looks ahead to dreams and the yet to be achieved aspirations in an exclusive talk with a team of Newmai News Network in his office on Thursday evening.

Shija team interacts with NNN newsmen

Dr Kh Palin, who started a small clinic without a name way back in 1985 at Paona Bazaar in Imphal, attached to a pharmacy, revealed that he always of being a Surgeon. "I wanted to be a doctor, a surgical doctor and it was a dream since my childhood days," narrated the Mr Palin.

And that passion combined with hard work, determination and patience has paid off to what is perhaps the biggest private hospital in the state, the Shija Hospitals and Research Institute (SHRI).

However, there were obstacles and difficulties on the way to being first a surgeon and then setting up the hospitals.

Hailing from an eight member family consisting of four brothers and two sisters, Dr.Palin recalled that there were tough times especially when their father wanted to help the poor and joined politics.

"My father wanted to help the poor and the needy.

So, he became a politician from Heirok in Thoubal district and contested elections but lost," recalled Dr.Palin.

But not the one to give up easily, his father stood elections for the second time, which he won under the banner of the Communist Party of India (CPI), narrated the MD of the Shija Hospitals.

However, in this fight for the second time, their father exhausted all family properties in order to 'help the poor'.

"Nevertheless, my father was very inspiring and always encouraged us," maintained the surgeon.

But, one of the hardest times of his life came when, on the last day of MBBS form submission at the Regional Medical Centre (RMC), now Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and was to submit his form, his father died in an untimely death in an accident at the age of 67 years.

"That was way back in 1973, the last day of MBBS form submission at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

My father died in an accident but I had to submit the form.

With the cremation process underway at home, I took an auto rickshaw and went to submit the form," recalled Dr.Palin.

Perhaps inheriting the genes of his father, Dr.Palin began to help those in need especially the locals as an intern at RIMS.

This was subsequently followed by his appointment at the hospital as Registrar and surgical from 1980-82 .

However, in January of 1982 Dr.Palin left for PGI Chandigarh for 2 years MS course in General Surgery after which he rejoined RIMS in 1984 in the department of plastic surgery as a registrar.

Revealing an interesting feature of his stay and work at RIMS, the surgeon stated that he was arrested in May 1985 for operating an underground shot in an encounter.

"I was arrested for operating an underground cadre who was shot in a shoot out.

But there was nothing to fear.

I was only doing my duty as a surge-on," asserted the surgeon, showing no sign of guilty feeling for his duty as a surgeon.

Then in June-July of the same year began a clinic attached to a pharmacy at Paona Bazaar, what is today perhaps the biggest private hospitals chain in the state with a world record under its belt and is known as the Shija Hospitals and Research Institute (SHRI), Langol in Imphal West.

However, it had no name then, revealed Dr.Palin, surgeon and MD of SHRI.

But friends and family members decided that the clinic be name after his mother, Shija.

"Shija is the name of my mother.

So, we called it Shija Clinic," revealed Dr.Palin.

The Managing Director of SHRI also has loads of praise for his brother-in-law Dr Jugindro who is also assisting him for all these years.

However, the setting up of the Shija Clinic only brought Dr.Palin more hardships and challenges.

"People never thought Shija would be this big.

I was ridiculed but I never mind it," narrated the surgeon of the days he started the clinic and the ridicules he had to face then.

He also narrated further that he appointed three nurses who were paid as low as Rs.50/ per month, took a sofa set for Rs.1500/ on half credit after having paid Rs.500/, which he cherishes till today.

"After a month, they came asking for the remaining Rs.1000/ but I thought they were one of my clients and asked them what was their sickness," laughed off Dr.Palin recalling one those few anecdotes amidst hard days.

Revealing further that the rent of the room was increased from Rs.200 to Rs.1000 per month., Dr.Palin asserted that it was real hard period.

"I thought of giving up.

But it was a challenge, an opportunity.

So, we continued," stated the MD of SHRI.

"Growth is the only solution," he asserted and perhaps one sees the growth and solution standing tall at Langol in Imphal West.

Nevertheless, amidst all these hardships the Shija Clinic was growing slowly but surely.

Its clinic at Paona bazaar started measles vaccination for the first time in Manipur and cryofreezing, a non-operative treatment of piles for the first time in Northeast India in 1986.And looking out for a more spacious room, the clinic was shifted to RIMS Road in a rented building on 3rd October 1988 with 9 beds and major operation facility.

But amidst all these, there was the determination in him to go for further studies in his related subject and in 1990 set of to PGI Chandigarh for two years MCh.

(Plastic Surgery) course.

Having returned after the course in 1992, he was then promoted to the post of Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery in 1993 at RIMS wherein he performed several innovative surgeries during his tenure.

"But I felt I was limited at RIMS," revealed Dr.Palin adding that he could see no future for his aims at RIMS.

He quit RIMS on March 16, 1996."I have no grudge, no regrets with RIMS.

I am rather grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to learn so much," asserted the surgeon.

And this end at RIMS was to be the beginning of many "Firsts" in the state and the North East region.

Though having shifted the clinic to RIMS road, Dr.Palin asserted that there was no much respite in the new place too as there was lack of room, water, roadside noise, dust and pollution besides no parking space.

But the turning point came on May 10, 1996 when the Shija Clinic performed the "Key Hole" surgery for the first time in Eastern India.

The surgery first came out in France in 1989, then in Mumbai (India) in 1990, informed the Surgeon.

"We were not far behind and people didn't believe us.

Not even doctors," he recalled and added, "It was a turning point surgery".

However, due to the inconveniences of the area, a new place was sought and found the place in Langol where the SHRI stands now.

"We are innovated by our patients.

Besides our targets keep changing," stated Dr.Palin who proudly owns the much-acclaimed SHRI.

He also credited the patients for his entrepreneurship.

"The entrepreneurship is due to want for satisfaction of patients," Dr.Palin stated and affirmed that Shija was not going to stop here.

And amidst all these heavy schedules, Dr.Palin also takes off times to chat with close friends and supporters.

He also savours on fried 'U-kabi' (a small darkish fish) and local delicacies enjoyed by the people of the state.

The surgeon also feels that a strong feeling of integrity is to be maintained and also urged for a positive attitude and true thinking.