A 60y old gentleman from Dhaka, Bangladesh called me on a Tuesday evening, calmly and gently asking my permission if I’m free to talk about the sudden back pain and disability his 30y old son Mohamadus Salehin is suffering for the last one month. After looking at the MRI images that were emailed to me, I requested a clinical examination before commenting or recommending further course of action on the disease.

Within 3-4 days both the gentleman were in Shanta Spine Hospital, Nagpur fully prepared to undergo any recommendation I propose to make the son healthy again. After clinico radiological evaluation of Mohamadus, I recommended Endoscopic discectomy and proper postoperative rehabilitation to modify his lifestyle. The worried father went through in detail about the myths of paraplegia, leading a disabled life after spine surgery etc. Walking him through the pros and cons of this daycare procedure I could see the fear, worry, agony and concern that his child will go through. He within minutes gave consent to go ahead with the surgery saying that “We have travelled a thousand miles just on the “Supreme” faith that you will take care of my son”. Mohamadus was starving and had all the investigations required from Apollo Hospital, Dhaka. He was scheduled for surgery the same day on 14/1/17 at 11.30am.

During 1.5 hours of the procedure, I saw a concerned father standing at the Operation theatre Door, internally praying to the almighty for the well being of his son. When after the surgery I went to inform the success of the procedure, the father just held my hands and squeezed them tight, just with eye to eye contact thank from the bottom of his heart. A moment like this makes me happy to have chosen the right profession.

During recuperation after surgery, the father sat and slept next to his son on a 2.5′ x 6′ bed provided for all patient attendants at my hospital. Never complaining or uttering a single word about the discomfort a post Cardiac surgery 60y old man is going through during the two-night stay at our hospital. He without complaining used to take shower in cold water (as he felt that the service of hot water by the hospital staff is for needy deserving individuals) when the temperature outside in Nagpur now is 6-8 degrees. The happiness and the joy of his son getting rid of his pain and agony were making the father forget all his hardships.

The father I’m talking here is Justice A K M Asaduzzaman who is an Honourable Judge at The Supreme Court of Bangladesh. When he landed at Nagpur airport he was escorted by 7-8 Policemen as Bangladesh Government had informed the Indian Government about His travel. After the surgery when he went to visit the Nagpur Bench of The Bombay High Court he was honoured and welcomed as His Highness by none other than the Sr Judge (equivalent to Chief Justice of the Nagpur High Court). He was taken around the entire court and courtrooms. Justice Asaduzzaman was informed that 2 huge government rooms were booked in the Circuit house with a Chauffeur drove car at his service 24×7 till his stay in Nagpur.

When I heard all this at the time of discharge, I felt Justice Asaduzzaman taught me more than any school of human nature can teach a disciple in his lifetime. Humility at his pristine level. A big tree bends itself to provide shelter and shade to the people standing below it. Position, money or power can never buy respect; it’s only your deeds which generates respect and honour. Justice Asaduzzaman is one person who commands respect from his simple deeds. A person who was so humble to make you feel at home the time you meet him, a person who has so much to give that he doesn’t waste time and energy on small earthly things which has a visual appeal.

By doing surgery on Mohamadus I not only left a small signature on his back but in return got a signature left by Justice Asaduzzaman on my heart. This signature of humility, this angel of simplicity was the moment of my life in 2017.