A charming, Santa Clause-y doctor with a sense of humor and a warm fatherly aura about him, this doctor of hearts has an immensely kind heart especially for youth – he sees a talented kid and offers them all the support he can. As many as 20 such kids have found a place at his palatial villa, resided in comfort to study hard and become doctors themselves. This heart doctor skips a beat when someone returns to thank him, and that makes him continue to build the future – the youth!
Born in Gujarat, he took after his father, Dr Bhogilal Dave’s profession and became a doctor in Mumbai (then Bombay). Despite his father’s insistence, Vijay was delivered at his ancestral house by his grandmother. “Home delivered,” he laughs.
Till grade 3, he studied in his village, a primitive one at that time with no basic facilities .He later completed his schooling and medicine studies in Mumbai. “I knew very early on that I wanted to be a doctor. When I was in grade 6, my father’s friend visited us and asked me what I wanted to do. And before I could answer, my father said, ‘What else! A doctor’s son will be a doctor’. And that was it! And then, growing up, I developed an urge to do something for people around me. Nature conspired for me to become a doctor.”
He had wanted to study medicine in England but his father suggested he go to the US instead. “I had thought of opening a small hospital in Bombay but we couldn’t because of foreign exchange restrictions. Later, my father suggested continuing here. And I have been here since 1973. I do visit at least once a year to volunteer and visit family. I have a house in Mumbai and in the village too.”
Budding and Blossoming
His initial days in the US were a tryst. “I had $8 and by the time I reached Chicago, I was left with 65 cents.” Fortunately, a friend helped him out in the initial days. “I remember,” Dr Dave says, “I got a check for $105 during my residency, though I was expecting cash. He showed me the way to bank. But that was my first salary (laughing)”. To supplement his meagre income as a resident physician, he had to do several other jobs like. “Ah! I have pierced a thousand ears – that was one of my jobs,” he chuckled.
The young doctor was married to Ranjan before he flew to the US; however, she could join him nearly a year after. Till then, he stayed with his friends and they together struggled to adjust to the food available, especially because they were all a bunch of vegetarians from India! “A friend invited me for lunch one Sunday. Traditionally, Indians have their lunch at around 1 in the afternoon and so I showed up accordingly; he was still asleep. I then walked across the street to a McDonald’s joint. I knew hamburgers contained meat so I had a cheeseburger. Later, I was told what I had had! I was and still am a vegetarian.” Those were the days when he often moonlighted as a specialist at parties to make some extra money.
Vijay has known Ranjan since childhood; however, their marriage was fixed by his parents. “Our story started in reverse. I was 20. My grandmother arranged for our matrimony, we then became friends, developed respect and admiration for each other and then fell in love. We blossomed together.”
The house of Daves is always open to students who find it difficult to find a place to stay. He has helped many through their tough times and ensured that the lack of finances does not derail their dreams.
An Eagle’s Eye
Success according to him is not about amassing wealth. “I don’t know whether I am successful or not. I am blessed that at 78 I still work, though I have slowed down. At St Mary’s Medical Center, for the last 44 years, we have welcomed many students from 15 countries including Spain, Germany, Macedonia, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, India, Pakistan and Vietnam. I am blessed to be teaching them.” St Mary’s Medical Center has named one of its programs Vijay Dave Center for Medical Education.
He ran the Gifted Talented Student programme where he invited students over breakfast, showed them around the hospital and ensured to help them financially and morally. Many who have benefitted from his largesse still are in touch with him.
It all comes from his parents, he says. His father was particular about discipline and determination. “He was paralyzed on his right and so, at the age of 70, he learnt to write with his left hand. He wanted to continue writing letters to his loved ones and be of purpose to society even if slow. He never bothered about popularity.” Dave’s mother, though from a very wealthy family, never learnt to read or write, till she met his father. “She was an emotional and very friendly person and always ready to feed and help. I call it my inheritance – this ability to help!”
The Daves have two children, a boy, Amar, and a girl, Dulari, both adopted. “I remember the day well,” as he talks about adopting Dulari. “We were watching a movie, Dulari, starring Madhubala. A colleague informed me of a single Indian woman who had delivered a girl child. She couldn’t keep the child for social reasons but was keen to protect her. My friend asked if I was interested in adopting her. And so Dulari, just three-dayold, came into our life.” Vijay had found Amar abandoned in front of a police station and adopted him. Amar is now a Clinical Psychologist in Maryland. Dulari, working in the County Prosecutor’s office in Indiana, is married to Ashish and has a two year old son, Aarav.
A die-hard fan of Madhubala, a yesteryear blockbuster Indian actress and one of the most beautiful women, he loves watching movies with Ranjan. Roman Holiday, My Fair Lady, Kagaz ke Phool, etc, are his favorite.
Love and Recognition
His patients, sometimes three generations of them, reciprocate the love and care he showers on them. “Many just tell me of their love for me and that’s a reward like no other.”
Another young and talented girl got a full scholarship from Harvard but was not able to go. “Her father was a truck driver – they barely had enough to send her there. I willingly helped her. Lack of money should not come in the way of studies, especially for talented youth like her.”
He shares all these stories only upon being pressed for answers. “I don’t want to talk about these things. Our home is always open to those who seek help. I learnt this from my parents. As much as I hate documentation and paperwork, I love encouraging the youth.”
In India, he has given free vaccinations for some deadly diseases and volunteered during natural disasters in Gujarat and Bihar. He also distributed sugar at subsidized rates and financially helped orphanages. He is a recipient of many awards and accolades like, the Sagamore of Wabash Award (the highest civilian award of Indiana), the Glory of Gujarat award, the Shalin Manav Ratna Award (Outstanding Gujarati Citizen) and many more. St Mary Medical Center dedicated a new medical education conference center in Dr Dave’s name.
He is a multidimensional person. An avid philatelist, a numismatist and a stage actor too. “Ever since I was in grade 4, my teacher insisted I go on to the stage. I finally started when I was in college.” He has done numerous one-act plays apart from other shows. He has done plays in Chicago, Iowa and other places in the US. “And most of them were sold out. Among the plays I was a part of were based on Rabindranath Tagore’s Tasher Desh, and stories of Meera, Shakuntala, among others.”
He also keeps himself involved in local politics. “Well, staying active in politics is one of my ways to make our presence felt as a minority.” Some of his friends and he started an Indian Community organization in Chicago of which he was the President in 1975. “We had also started publishing a smalltime English newspaper.” Many India-origin organizations have recognized him with awards. The Art Circle of Chicago has given him a special award for his monetary support and mentorship to budding artists. He serves on endless medical boards, committees and organizations.
All his achievements sit lightly on his shoulders as he recalls his successes and failures equally without any remorse or ego. He concludes with a smile, “I am still young at heart and love what I do. I don’t plan to retire, I don’t want to rather”.