Gulshan Rai Khatri

Gulshan Rai Khatri was an Indian medical doctor and public health specialist, known for his efforts in curbing the disease of tuberculosis worldwide. He was honoured by the Government of India, in 2013, by bestowing on him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for his contributions to the fields of medicine and medical education. In 2018, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer and after a long array of health problems, he succumbed to a heart and lung seizure on July 16, 2020.

Gulshan Rai Khatri was honoured by the Government of India with the civilian award of Padma Shri, in 2013.

Gulshan Rai Khatri hailed from Dera Ismail Khan but shifted to Delhi along with his family after the partition of India. He graduated in medicine from the Maulana Azad Medical College in the city in 1966. He also secured post graduate degrees of DPH and MD with specialization in community medicine.

Khatri joined the Government of India in 1966, after his graduation, and, over the years, rose in rank to head the nationwide tuberculosis programme. During his tenure, he managed what is rated by many as the largest Directly Observed Short Course (DOTS) TB and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment in history which started with 18 million patients in 1998 and covered 500 million patients at the time of his retirement from service in 2002. During this period, it is reported that the death rate due to the disease was brought down to 5 per cent.