In Assam’s Barak Valley, families once faced an impossible choice: travel 24 hours across dangerous roads to Guwahati for treatment, or stay home and watch a loved one slip away. Poverty kept many from even trying. In this cut-off valley, cancer was not just an illness — it was almost a death sentence.
Meet Dr Ravi Kannan, who is bringing hope — and treatment — to thousands through an innovative model of compassionate cancer care.
Shining the spotlight on Dr Ravi Kannan
In 2007, Dr Kannan — then a leading oncologist at Chennai’s Adyar Cancer Institute — made a life-altering decision. Leaving behind a secure career, he moved with his wife and young daughter to Silchar to take charge of the struggling Cachar Cancer Hospital.
“When I first came here, we realised this was where we should be. The need was immense, and we could not turn away,” he recalls.
Back then, the hospital was little more than a building with 25 beds and 23 staff. Infrastructure was almost non-existent. Most patients were daily wage earners, earning barely Rs 3,000 a month. Choosing between treatment and a day’s income often meant treatment lost.
Dr Kannan decided that this situation had to change. His team began offering free or subsidised care, nutritious meals, and even small jobs for patients’ attendants so families wouldn’t go hungry. They took medicine to people’s homes, set up satellite clinics, and even offered phone consultations — anything to ensure patients never had to give up on treatment.
“No one should be denied access to treatment due to a lack of money,” he says.
Winner of the ‘Health Changemaker of the Year’ (category sponsor: Optum) at Optum Presents The Better India Showcase, supported by the M3M Foundation, Dr Kannan’s story underscores how compassion and resilience can transform healthcare in India’s underserved regions.
How one hospital became a lifeline for thousands
Seventeen years later, the hospital is unrecognisable. From a handful of staff, it has grown into a 200-strong team of doctors, nurses, and caregivers. The number of beds has quadrupled. Departments for palliative care, dental surgery, and intensive care now stand where there was once only struggle.
The numbers tell their own story: more than 70,000 people have received treatment here, with 3,000 new patients and 14,000 follow-ups every year. Most pay little or nothing. Many travel from neighbouring states and even Bangladesh, because in this corner of Assam, hope has a new address.
The challenges remain. Funds trickle in from individuals and NGOs. Staff work for less than they could earn in bigger cities. But no one is giving up. “The satisfaction we get from serving this community is indescribable,” says Dr Kannan.
While Dr Kannan was among the winners at Optum Presents The Better India Showcase, supported by the M3M Foundation, we believe true recognition is what comes even after the applause. And so, we will be highlighting stories of the winners across categories for the next few weeks.
Read about the other winners here.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
