Doctor who treated Nana Patekar pens a heartfelt tribute to him

“We had access to almost everything that could have helped save Nana Patekar ji — immediate assistance, financial resources, a car, a hospital with advanced cardiac facilities just 300 metres away, and friends ready to help at a moment’s notice,” Dr. Shekhar Salkar wrote this weekend, after the sad demise of veteran actor Nana Patekar at his house at Dona Paula in Goa. Dr. Salkar had attended to Nana as he was rushed to the hospital. It was he who had officially announced to the world about the sad demise of the actor on the morning of October 8.

There was no pulse by the time he was brought in, Dr. Salkar had said earlier. He is the chief of the Department of Oncology at the Manipal Goa Hospital at Dona Paula. Dona Paula is where Nana Patekar died on October 8, after falling unconscious at his house. He was immediately rushed to Manipal Hospital, but could not be saved. His mortal remains were taken to his village Donje in Pune, where he was cremated with full state honours. Several actors, political leaders paid tributes to the versatile actor who left his mark in Indian cinema and theatre.

Dr. Salkar said that the grief of being unable to save the actor was humbling. “Every second matters in a medical emergency, and seeking immediate attention can make a critical difference. Yet, even with the best facilities and the fastest response, some outcomes remain beyond our control,” he said.

Progress in medical science cannot guarantee that a life can be saved, he said. Expressing sadness, he said the moments had only made him realise the limits of medical science, the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing every moment with the loved ones.

“As a doctor, moments like these remind us of a profound truth — Medicine can offer hope, science can provide solutions and timely intervention can save lives, but no human being can guarantee an outcome,” Dr. Salkar wrote.