It was an evening unlike any other. A hush of anticipation hung in the air at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, as members of the medical fraternity, artists, scholars, and admirers from across the city and beyond gathered for a rare and special event—Oganga, a deeply personal and philosophical play written by the legendary physician, Dr. Farokh Udwadia.

Doctors, young and old, had come from across Delhi, Noida, and Gurgaon. Presiding over the event as Chief Guest was Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry. But this was not a political presence, it was personal. Mr. Goyal, with visible emotion, shared that Dr. Udwadia was his own doctor and that he wouldn’t have missed this occasion for the world. He had come, simply, to say thank you to a man who had touched his life in profound and unforgettable ways.

Mr. Abhay Soi, Chairman Max Healthcare and his team were very supportive. Their sponsorship had made the staging of Oganga in the nation’s capital possible, a dream long held by Dr. Udwadia, now beautifully fulfilled.

Following this, Mr. Soi took the stage to present Dr. Udwadia with a Lifetime Achievement Award, on behalf of Max Healthcare, in recognition of his immense and irreplaceable contributions to medicine in India. There was a quiet dignity in the moment. Dr. Udwadia, in a brief yet deeply touching address, thanked Parzor Foundation, Teamwork led by Mr. Sujoy Roy, and Max Healthcare for enabling his “dream to come true.”

And then, the lights dimmed, the audience held its breath, and the play began.

Oganga, a work of love, was brought to life by none other than Jim Sarbh, whose stirring performance transcended the stage. The play, directed by the brilliant Sooni Taraporevala, Padma Shri awardee, screenwriter, photographer, and filmmaker, was a meditation on healing, sacrifice, and the human spirit. The narrative drew inspiration from the life of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, who served in Africa and whose philosophy of “Reverence for Life” remains timeless.

But it was more than a play—it was an invocation. Jim Sarbh didn’t just act—he became. Sitting silently in the audience was Mrs. Veera Udwadia, clapping softly, her eyes misty, her face radiant with pride. As people turned to glance at her, they saw what love and admiration looked like in its purest form.

Then, it was time for Minister Piyush Goyal to speak—and he did so not as a minister, but as a patient and admirer. With warmth and humour, he shared anecdotes that drew laughter and fond nods from the audience.

“Before you saw Dr. Farokh, you had to pass through the fortress that was his secretary, Patricia, may she rest in peace. She was formidable. When I finally met Dr. Farokh, he looked at me, shook his head, and said, ‘You don’t need these medicines. Start walking.’ Later, when I took some test results to show him, he frowned and said, ‘Everything’s normal. Don’t come to me when you’re healthy. You’re wasting my time!’ That’s the honesty of Dr. Farokh. He’s one of a kind.”

Then came the moment everyone was waiting for. Dr. Udwadia’s address, simple, profound, unforgettable.

“Treat every patient equally. Never say, ‘He is a VIP—he should be treated differently.’ No, that’s wrong. There is no such thing. Every life is equal. Treat everyone with compassion and empathy. Don’t run after money. If you treat patients only for money, you are not learning, and you are not growing. Do it selflessly. The money will follow.”

At 94, Dr. Farokh Udwadia stands tall—physician, thinker, writer, teacher, mentor. Yet the most touching image of the evening was not of awards or applause, but of a gentle, personal truth: When Dr. Udwadia and his wife Veera walk together, they always hold hands. Just like Dr. Albert Schweitzer and his beloved Helen. It’s a gesture of enduring love. Of partnership. Of a quiet promise. And it’s in that clasped hand that one sees the secret to a life of meaning.

-Freny Daruwalla wrote this article in collaboration with ParZor. The article was published in Jam-e-Jamshed.