Profile of Dr. H V Hande

H. V. Hande (born November 28, 1927 in Coimbatore, India) is an Indian medical practitioner and a politician. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly from Park Town constituency as a Swatantra Party candidate in 1967, and 1971 elections. He is known as 'ever genial Mangalorian' because of his ancestral roots in Mangalore.

In the 1980 elections, Hande stood from the Anna Nagar constituency as a candidate of the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and lost by a margin of 699 votes to M. Karunanidhi. He also contested in the 2006 elections from Anna Nagar as a candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party but could only garner 9000 votes. He was National Council member of Bharathiya Janatha Party in 2004.

He is also a writer having written books on Ramayana, Dr. Ambedkar and other topics. He has opened Hande Hospitals in 1984 at Shenoy Nagar, Chennai.



Dr. H.V.Hande’s parents:

Dr. H.V. Hande (H. Venkataramana Hande ) was born on 28.11.1927. His late father Dr. H.M. Hande was then working as an Assistant Surgeon (during the British regime) in Coimbatore in Madras Presidency comprising of the 13 Districts of Tamilnadu, 11 Districts of Andhra Pradesh, Malabar and South Kanara

Though hailing from an agriculture family, the father, Dr. H.M.Hande finally ended up as a product of Tanjore Medical School. Dr. Rangachari & Dr. M.R. Guruswamy Mudaliar were some of his distinguished teachers. It is interesting that years later, in 1949, Dr. M.R. Guruswamy Mudaliar becameDr.Hande’s examiner for Medicine. Dr. H.M. Hande, the father of Dr. Hande retired a year after our Independence, with a distinguished record. In fact he was so straight forward & honest that he fought with the British Govt in 1930 and got one of his superior officers indulging in corruption in the Calicut (Kozhikodu) Mental Hospital, dismissed. There has been no parallel in the history of Medical Service, where a subordinate got his boss sacked Dr. Hande’s mother Mahalakshmi whose background was purely rural, was a tower & strength to Dr. H.M. Hande during his frequent transfers. The Govt doctors in those days never grumbled whenever a transfer order was issued by the then British regime.

Originally posted in Adoni (Rayalseema of AP), Dr. H.M. Hande was transferred to Agency tract near Vizag(Vishakapattanam), where he had the unique distinction of treating the great freedom fighter of Andhra, namely Alluri Seethrama Raju. Later he was transferred to Coimbatore (where, Dr. Hande was born), then Calicut, Chidambaram, Sriperambadur, Nellore, Penukonda (Near Puttaparthi), Mangalore, Palghat and finally back to Mangalore from where he retired. Mother Mahalakshmi never grumbled and gave Dr. H.M. Hande full support even though these frequent transfers put the family to great hardship.

Dr. H.V.Hande’s brothers and sisters:

The parents brought forth 10 children. The eldest Ganapayya became An advocate (He was the classmate and an extremely good friend of Chief Justice M.M. Ismail in the Madras Law College). Next to him was Parvathi who distinguished herself as Msc., Maths. Next to her is Venkataramana who is popularly known as Dr. H.V. Hande. Next to him was Narayanan who was a Geology Hons; and then Parameswara who distinguished himself as Wing Commander in the I.A.F, the first one to bomb Goa while in the hands of Portugal.

Then comes Kesava who passed Naval training in Training Ship Dufferin within the shortest period overtaking several British guys. His younger sister Rukmini a Graduate from the Presidency College married Col. C.S. Ranganath who distinguished himself in the Burma war. His younger brother Bhakthavasala, retired as a Brigadier who won accolades in the Bangladesh war. Next comes Vimala Ramamoorthy a high profile Geography Specialist ending up as Principal of a prestigious institute in Pune. The youngest who is nearly 75yrs, namely Srinivas retired as a Wing Commander from the I.A.F.





Dr. H.V.Hande’s school days:

Dr. H.V. Hande who was born on 28.11.1927. Started his school days in Nellore Town(Present Andhra Pradesh), when his father was working there as a Sub Assistant Surgeon. Later, when he was transferred to Penukonda, near Puttaparthi,

Dr. Hande had the unique opportunity of mingling with the young SAIBABA, who was one year elder to Dr. H.V. Hande. In 1941, when his father was posted to Mangalore, Dr. Hande’s scholastic career changed from Telugu to Kannada. The young 14 year old lad had to struggle to pick up Kannada and compete with the local students.

Dr. H.V.Hande’s college days:

After his SSLC, Dr. Hande joined the Govt College Mangalore for his Intermediate. In the college, during his first year itself the Quit India Movement began taking shape. Between July 7th & 10th of 1942, the AICC began its deliberations under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi in Vardha. At the end, the Mahatma announced that he would start his final and biggest movement known as QUIT INDIA, on 9th August. While Rajaji was against it, Pandit Nehru expressed his reservations. Mahatma Gandhi, however, was firm in going ahead. Soon, Pandit Nehru fell in line and a unanimous decision (san’s Rajaji) was taken, to pass the Quit India Resolution on 8th August 1942 (on 8thevening) at Bombay beach in Chowpathy. As the huge public meeting was going on, all the leaders including Mahatama Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Pandit Nehru and others were arrested and put in the train waiting in the Victoria Terminus Bombay.

The next day, on the appointed day of QUIT INDIA, namely 9th august 1942, the whole country woke up and protest processions were seen all over, Dr. Hande took part in this agitation organized by the students of Govt college Mangalore. Standing in the fore front, he had the privilege of tasting the lathi charge of the British Raj. He was one of the youngest students, aged above 15 years at that time.





Dr. H.V.Hande as a medical student:

Joining 1945,Dr.Hande completed d his medical studies from Kilpauk Medical -College of Integrated Medicine – later on KMCH. Dr. Hande set up his medical practice in Shenoy nagar in 1950.

Dr. H.V.Hande’s medical service to poor:

From day one (day and night) he began extending his maximum help to the poor and the needy. He had only one diction. ‘Anyone who came to him shall not go out without treatment due to want of money’. There were occasions when even bus fare given to those who had to return to far off places. The main areas that received his services were

T.P Chatram, Kilpauk slums, Vembuli Amman Kovil,
Appa Rao thottam,
P. P.Thottam, the entire Aminjikarai,
T.V. Amman Koil area,
Manjakollai,
Kathiravan Colony,
4 adukku & 5 adukku in the entire Shenoy Nagar,
Bharathipuram,
R.V Nagar
and several other slums and lower middle class areas, where his name has become a legend during the last 66years.Apart from these areas, people from far off places like Arumbakkam, Koyambedu, Maduravoyal, Vanagaram and even Poonamalee went to avail his services. Even now, his selfless service to these people go on unabated.


Dr. Hande’s sons and Hande Hospital:

Dr. Hande’s sons Dr. Krishna Hande who is a surgeon from the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh and his younger brother Dr. Vishwanath Hande a physician from Glasgow have put up a 50 bedded Multispeciality Hospital at Lakshmi Talkies Road, Shenoy Nagar namely Hande Hospital. Here, with a team of excellent specialists ,including senior O.G Specialists,a senior Uralogists,a senior Gastro entorologist,Ortho specialist,Cardialogists and several other Specialists, a high standard of treatment is given to the public at nominal charges.

It is to be noted that Dr. Hande always used to feel and tell his friends, that of all his achievements whether they were political or literary, the maximum satisfaction he derived was treating & making the poor happy, especially through top specialists.

The Journey continues

Dr. Hande’s relentless work in helping the poor downtrodden people goes on unabated. Even now at the age of 89yrs, he spends about 8 hours a day for them.