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.

Biography

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 and also worked as a member of the World Health Organization Expert Advisory Panel on Tuberculosis.

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