Born in the remote village of Bhurawan in Darbhanga, Raman grew up in a modest household. His father was a farmer who also ran a small elementary school in the village. In such circumstances, becoming a doctor seemed almost unimaginable. When making ends meet was the priority, dreaming big felt like a forbidden luxury.After completing his 10th grade from Kisan Uchchaya Vidyalaya, Pokhivala, the biggest step he could afford in terms of education was moving to Darbhanga for his higher secondary studies. But Raman had a bigger dream—he wanted to become a doctor. Despite strong resistance from family and friends, he decided to move to Patna.
“People questioned me—how will you afford such an expensive education? Who will pay for your books and coaching? Where will you stay?” he recalls. “They discouraged me not because they didn’t want me to succeed, but because they knew how difficult the journey would be and that I had no support.”
Determined, Raman refused to take money from his family. He supported himself by giving tuitions and struggled for years before finally securing admission to medical college in 2012. Coincidentally, that was also the year his father was appointed as a government teacher after years of struggle.
Just when things seemed to improve, tragedy struck. His mother fell seriously ill. “She was being treated in the village. In poor families, parents often neglect their own health because they don’t want to spend money meant for their children’s education,” he says. As her condition worsened, she was taken to town, where she was diagnosed with liver cancer. The family later took her to Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, but it was too late. The doctors said that earlier intervention could have made a difference.This experience deeply changed Raman’s perspective. “I once dreamed of becoming a cardiologist or a big specialist,” he says. “But after what happened, I decided I wanted to become a doctor who diagnoses diseases at an early stage—so that others don’t lose their loved ones because of delays like we did.”
After completing his postgraduate studies from AIIMS Patna, Dr. Raman began dedicating his weekends to setting up medical camps in remote villages.“In seven years of my career, I have set up 296 camps and treated over 50,000 patients free of cost,” he says. “I do not accept donations because once you do, you may have to accommodate the interests of the donor—and that defeats the purpose of my service.”
He adds, “I am not married yet and have very few expenses, which allows me to manage everything from my own salary. I get a lot of help from volunteers and juniors in the camp.”
“I carry my own equipment and purchase medicines with my own money. I do not distribute medicines recommended by pharmaceutical companies. There are doctors who set up camps to divert patients to their private clinics, but I have taken a conscious decision never to have a private practice—so that I can continue to serve people selflessly.”Dr. Raman Kishore, popularly known as “Gaon Ka Doctor,” was invited by Amitabh Bachchan to Kaun Banega Crorepati and was honoured for his selfless service.
“Someone must have suggested my name. When I received a call in the evening, I thought it was a prank, as it wasn’t during office hours. However, it turned out to be real. It was a surprise for me—but definitely, I felt very happy,” he says.Dr. Raman Kishore is a man of simple needs. He believes that helping the poor using his own salary gives him a kind of satisfaction he cannot find anywhere else. His journey is not just about medicine—it is about purpose shaped by loss. From a small village in Bihar to being recognised across the country, his story stands as a reminder that true success lies in service. In healing others, he continues to honour the one life he could not save.
