Dr. Malatibai Chitnis hospital : Celebrates Diamond Jubilee!

Know Your Town March 21, 2023March 21, 2023

Dr. Malatibai Chitnis Hospital is a household name in Thane. Being one of the first few establishments of the city, the hospital has garnered tremendous respect and appreciation from the Thanekars. This year, the hospital completes 75 years, and what a momentous occasion it is for Chitnis family and other lakhs of families who have been blessed with gifts of God.

On the eve of its diamond jubilee celebrations, KYT interviewed Dr. Kishor Chitnis, son of the founder Dr. Malatibai Chitnis to know more about the beginnings and the illustrious journey of the hospital over the course of seven and a half decades.

“We lived in a joint family in Charai. My mother who was born and brought up in Pune moved to Thane after marriage. She was the eldest of the siblings and the first doctor in her family. Her father was a lawyer and her mother was a home-maker. My mother completed LCPS (present day MBBS) in first attempt. Being an enterprising lady, she started a hospital in Damlewada on the day of Gudi Padwa in 1948 to become the first lady gynaec in Thane to run a maternity home. She took on rent two rooms and arranged for two beds. Soon she took a bigger place and expanded into six beds in Divecha blocks in Charai,” says Dr. Kishor.

In 1954, Dr. Malatibai shifted her base to Parsi House, which continues to be the hospital’s address to date. Dr. Kishor avers, “My father Madhukar, who worked in Customs, and my mother together bought this place. It was a great decision since we lived in the same building. It was a boon especially during emergencies.” Dr. Malatibai started with performing 30-50 deliveries in a month. Gradually she did 70-80 as people from outside of Thane visited her. Dr. Malatibai always saw the medical profession as a social service.

Since childhood, Dr. Kishor watched his mother work relentlessly hard in the hospital. “I would spend hours in the OPD. At a very young age, I decided to become a doctor,” he recalls.

Dr. Malatibai inspired many to take up medical as a profession. She was a popular figure in Thane. Dr. Kishor shares, “When my mother was 57, one day suddenly she started suffering from stomach pain. My fiancé, Meghna, was there with her at that moment. Meghna called to inform me and I immediately left for home from my college. We called up Dr. Arun Karkhanis. She was taken to the hospital and after examination it was found that her gall bladder had ruptured and required operation. She had A -ve blood group. We somehow managed to get only one bottle of blood in the entire Mumbai. At Harkishan Das hospital, she was put on dialysis. But she could not cope with it and breathed her last in the hospital. When we took her back to Thane, the road in front of our hospital was flooded with people to take her last glimpse. The TMC also showered flowers at various corners. It was for the first time I saw ladies coming to the crematorium.” Dr. Malatibai had performed 110 deliveries exactly one month prior to her death. She was extremely workaholic.

Dr. Kishor took over the reins as he decided to discontinue his education. His professors at Sion Hospital tried to convince him but Dr. Kishor had made up his mind. Though his mother had laid a solid foundation, it was challenging for him at the start being a male gynaec. However, the fact that he had served with his mother in a hospital run by Bohri community worked in his favour. He continued the tradition even after his mother’s demise. Dr. Kishor also requested a lady doctor who practised there to join him at Dr. Malatibai Chitnis Hospital to make his mother’s patients feel comfortable at the start.

In no time, Dr. Kishor had 90-100 patients daily. His wife, Dr. Meghna too joined hands and started looking after the OPD and administration of the hospital. He states, “My wife has played a pivotal role in overall management. She is a strong pillar. I am at times impulsive and emotional but she has a very practical approach. She still looks after our admin very well. It is because of her that our attrition rate is low.” He adds, “Meghna’s parents were doctors. Seeing her parents serve people, Meghna was also encouraged to become a doctor. After marriage, she held the fort at home brilliantly well. She raised our kids with love and affection and was always there for them in my absence. I will always remain indebted to her for her unconditional support at home and in the hospital.”
At present, Dr. Malatibai Chitnis Hospital is 53-members strong. There are people who are still working with the hospital for close to four decades.

Dr. Kishor adds, “Currently, we have two centres – one at Charai and other at Kapurbavdi. Both the centres have modern Modular OT and day care facilities. Besides, there is an advanced NICU and IVF Lab at Kapurbavdi centre, which is looked after by my son, Dr. Nikhil. His wife, Dr. Minal is a paediatrician, and practises there. My daughter, Dr. Tejal is a dermatologist and is based in Pune and my son-in-law Nikhil is a doctorate working with Johns Hopkins school of medicine”.

Talking about his son, Dr. Nikhil, who, with his youth and exuberance, brought about paradigm changes in the treatments and facilities Dr. Malatibai Chitnis Hospital offers, Dr. Kishor says, “Nikhil’s first three years into the practice were all about getting the basics right. Once he was thorough with the basics and had gained the required expertise, he was well-equipped to take the plunge to dive into the pool of infertility and IVF, which was relatively new back in 2009. Modular OT, motorised tables, advanced Laparoscopy instruments, and high-tech anaesthetic pendants were introduced. These advancements ensure the safety of patients, reduce infections, increase the mobility of doctors, and allow the doctors to concentrate more on the work rather than the paraphernalia. Our patients often complained that the prescribed medicines were not easily available to them. To find a permanent solution to the problem, Nikhil came up with the idea of having an in-house Pharmacy.”

Dr. Kishor and his wife Dr. Meghna and Dr. Nikhil with his wife Dr. Minal have carried the strong legacy of Dr. Malatibai forward. While Thanekars are proud to have Chitnis family as one among them, Dr. Kishor shares that he owes to the city and its people. He says, “Without the support and trust of Thanekars it wouldn’t have been possible to reach this milestone. I promise to serve Thane till my last breath.”

With a stupendous wealth of experience that is spread across seven decades, Dr. Malatibai has undoubtedly become a big brand, thanks to three generations of the Chitnis family that have been striving relentlessly to keep the legacy going. “Today we have the fourth generation of our then patients coming to us, and this loyalty that we enjoy, I think, speaks volumes of our success”, elucidates Dr Chitnis

Looking at the evolution of Dr. Malatibai Chitnis Hospital, which has successfully survived three generations from grandmother to father to grandson, the Japanese saying “Shirtsleeve to Shirtsleeve in three generations” can certainly be put to rest.

The new Malatibai Hospital at Kapurbavdi is a luxurious 5000 square ft space decked up in English green colour that signifies fertility. “We take utmost care to make the patients feel at ease. Right from the patient-friendly environment that is composed of state of the art infrastructure, beautifully crafted hospital layout, and refreshments to online scheduling of appointments, we see to it that patients have a hassle free experience”, elucidated Dr Chitnis. Patients are extremely happy with Dr. Nikhil’s results, adds Dr. Chitnis.

Facilities :

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Address :

Madhumalti, Malatibai Chitnis Chowk, V.S Marg, Jambli Naka, Thane – 400601
drmchfertility@gmail.com | 022 2534 2388 | 022 2539 0076 | 022 2539 0044

3rd Floor, Pinak Galaxy, Opposite Goenka International School, Kapurbawdi Junction, MH SH 42, Thane.
drmchfertility@gmail.com | 09114-979797 | 09114-383838

Read Emagazine : Dr. Kishor Chitnis- KYT March 23