NORTH CHENNAI'S '2 RUPEE DOCTOR' JAYACHANDRAN DIES AT 71

It was a gloomy morning at Old Washermanpet as North Chennai lost one of its beloved ' Two Rupee Doctor'.

Dr S Jayachandran, who was loved by the residents of the working class neighbourhood, charged a partial fee of just Rs 2 for decades. Jayachandran, who was suffering from ailments for the past few months, breathed his last at 5:30 AM, said R D Ramesh, a close relative.

He is 71 and is survived by his wife and 3 children.

After completing MBBS at the Madras Medical College, he began practice at Ullagaram near Madipakkam and a clinic in Kasimedu, before moving to old Washermanpet in the 1970s. "The physician used to charge only Rs 2 from each patient and continued to collect the same fee till 1998. Later he revised it to Rs 5 and then Rs 10," said Thooyamurthy, his long-time friend.

He would serve the poor through the day. "People would begin queuing up at his clinic since 4:30 am. On an average, he treated about 250 patients every day, sometimes offering medicines for free," said Thooyamurthy. Jayachandran remained the 'people's doctor' till the end, he added.

In his trademark safari suit, the doctor was a familiar sight at medical camps in different parts of north Chennai.

DMK President MK Stalin was among those who condoled Jayachandran's death. "The death of People's doctor Jayachandran is a great loss to the residents of North Chennai," he tweeted