Progress of Medical Education among the indigenous tribals of Tripura
Dr. Susanta Ray and Dr. Bholanath Saha
March 1, 2025
Tripura is proud of her literacy rate at the national level next to Kerala, Delhi and Mizoram. With the establishment of many more educational institutes particularly two medical colleges in last decade there is rapid progress in medical education in the state specially among the tribal population. The indigenous students residing in the remote areas of the state have better access and opportunities to avail medical courses than before. This is evident by the increase numbers of indigenous tribal doctors, not among the major Tripuri community but also among the other ethnic groups also.
Past scenarios of Medical Education
About hundred years back Dr. Niranjan Debbarman was the only indigenous doctor in the Royal Kingdom of Tripura. He passed MBBS from Carmichael Medical College (Now R.G. Medical College), Kolkata in 1929. His registration number was 8055 of Bengal Medical Council. The last king of Tripura Maharaj Bir Bikram Manikya sent him to Vienna to acquire better knowledge and skill in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. After returning he was given charge of the maternity ward of V.M. Hospital (Now I.G.M. Hospital). He developed the ward with modern equipments and served with dedication. Nobel laurate Tagore awarded him with a special appreciation letter for his bright career.
There was only two indigenous doctors before Tripura got it's statehood, on 21st January 1972. They were Lt. Dr. Nilamani Debbarman and Dr. Sudhir Debbarma serving in the state under Central Health Service along with about two hundred doctors. These included ten specialist doctors and fifty licentiate doctors with L.M.F. qualification and the remainings are MBBS doctors. Both the above mention two doctors passed MBBS from Darbhanga Medical College, Bihar, in the year 1955 and 1965 respectively. Later on, Dr. Nilamani Debbarman completed Post Graduate course on Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases from Calcutta Medical College in 1961. He was the first specialist doctor among all the tribal community of Tripura. Both these two doctors glorified the chair of Director of Health Services and retired from the same post.
Present Scenario of Indigenous Doctors of Tripura
The present scenario of Tribal doctors in Tripura is very encouraging. There are 855 Tribal doctors including 360 post graduates in different specialities and 3 Super specialist up to 31-12-2024 serving in the state level, nationally and inter nationally with name and fame up to 31-12-2024. The doctor's population ratio is about one doctor per 1365 population, which is better than the National ratio and a little less than WHO norms of one doctor per 1000 pop.
Tribal Doctors according to their community-
All though there are 19 communities of tribal in our state but only 9 of them are the major groups. Namely 1) Tripuris, 2) Reangs, 3)Jamatias, 4) Chakmas, 5) Halams, 6) Mogs, 7) Noatias, 8) Kukis & Lushais, 9) Garoes. Others are with very minimum population.
1. Tripuris: - They use the surname Debbarma and Tripura. They are the major group with 50.75 % population of the entire tribal people of Tripura (2011 census). All the royal families belong to this group only. There are 615 doctors in their community comprising 71.90 percent of the Tribal doctors of the state. Pioneer doctors belonging to this community were described earlier.
2. Reang Community: - They use mainly Reang as their surname. They are recognised as primitive tribes along with 75 other primitive tribes of India. This community comprises 16.13 percent of the Tribal population of Tripura (1981 census) with 6.90 percent of tribal doctors of our state 59 Nos.
Dr. Laljoy Reang is the First doctor from this community. He passed MBBS from Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh in 1981 and retired from Tripura Health Service.
3. Jamatia Community: - This community was the major strength of the Royal army of Tripura. They comprise about 7.14 percent of the tribal population with 4.9% percent of doctors (42 Nos). The first Doctor from the community is Dr. Swapan Jamatia who passed
MBBS from RIMS, Imphal in 1987. Dr. Raja Jamatia is the 1st Post Graduate doctor in this community. He passed Diploma in Psychiatric Medicine from Silchar Medical College in 1983 and MD General Medicine from AGMC in 2015.
4. Chakma community: - They also use Dewan as their surname. This people migrated to Tripura from Arkan hills and were Buddhist. Chakmas make up 6.84 percent of the tribal population with 9.0 percent of them being doctors. There are 77 Chakma doctors in the state.
Dr. Arup Dewan was the first doctor from this community. He passed MBBS from Karnataka University in 1980. Dr. A.K. Chakma is the pioneer specialist doctor in their community with M.S. Ophthalmology in 2007 from Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh.
5. Halam Community: - Accordingly to their sub clans they use the surname Koloi, Kaipeng, Molsom, Rupini, Ramkhowi making 4.40 percent of total tribal population. They have contributed 1.98% of doctors of Tripura numbering 17 only. Lt. Dr. Dinamani Rupini is the first doctor from Halam Community. He passed from Bankura Sammilani Medical College in 1977. Dr. Ajoy Halam is a PG doctor of this community, in MS Orthopaedics.
6. Mog community: - This community also uses Choudhury as their surname. These people also migrated from Arakan area and are Buddhist. Estimated population of this community is 3.24 percent of the total tribal population of Tripura. They represent 2.53 percent doctors of the state with 22 doctors.
The first MBBS and PG doctor of this community is Dr. Saila Mog. He Passed MBBS from Rims in 1985. followed by M.S. in Ophthalmology in 1997 from the same college
7. Noatia:- Noatia literally means newcomer. They use surnames like Murasing, Kalicha, Keowa. They were captured by the king of Arakan long back and there has been a change in their original language and culture to some extent. They constitute 1.22 percent of the tribal population with 0.81 percent doctors i.e. 7 Nos. The first doctor from this community is Dr. Alok Noatia. He passed MBBS from RIMS, Imphal in 2007.
8. Kuki & Lushai:- There are many sub-classes like Darlogs, Rokhum. The chiefship uses 'Lal' as their identity. Kuki & Lushai together constitute 0.93 and 0.46 percent of tribal population respectively with 16 doctor or 1.8 percent. 1st Kuki doctor of Dr. N.Darlong who passed MBBS from Bankura Sammilani Medical College in 1982. He retired as Director of Family Welfare and Preventive Medicine on 2018.
9. Garos: - These people migrated from the Garo Hills, between the plains of Mymensing in east Bengal and the Khasia & Jainlia Hills. The Garo people of Tripura uses surnames Ghagra, Roga, Sangma, Daru. They constitute 1.11 percent of the Tribal Population with only 4 Nos of Doctors.
Dr. Pulak Chandra Ghagra is the 1st doctor from their community. At present he is working under Central Health Service and Head of Tihar Jail, Delhi. Dr. Himadri Daru is the another doctor of this community who completed PG in Medicine.
Present Scenario of Indigenous Female Doctors of Tripura
Progress of female tribals in medical education in last two decades are very encouraging and almost at par with the males. There are 360 Nos of female doctor including 48 Nos of Post Graduate or Specialist and one Post doctors degree or Super Specialist namely Dr. Harshita Debbarma M.S. from R.G. Kar Medical College and M.Ch. Neurosurgery from AIMS, Ranchi. At present she is working at Delhi, People of Tripura is proud of her achievements.
The percentage of lady doctors is 42 percent. It is about 13 percent more than the National level (29) and more than that of Japan 20.3, United States of America 34.3, Australia 39.4, Canada 41.2 and only about 2 to 3% less than France 44.3%, and United Kingdom 45.8%.
Community wise percentage of the Lady Doctors
Tripuris are in the top of all other communities percentage wise Tripuris constituted 75.55, Reang-5, Jamatia-3.8, Chakma-6.1, Halam-1.38, Mog-3.63, Neotia-1.9, Kuki & Lushai-1.38, percent respectively. At present Garos community residing at Tripura have no lady doctors.
The pioneer doctor among the tribal ladies is Dr. Sudeshna Debbarman. She is the 1st lady tribal doctor of Tripura belongs to Royal Tripuri community. She completed her MBBS from RIMS, Imphal in 1979 and also P.G. in Obstetrics & Gynaecology from P.G.I. Chandigarh in 1983 at present she is residing at Sydney.
Dr. Anita Reang is the 1st lady doctor in Reang Community. She completed MBBS in 1990 from Pandit Ravi Sankar Shukla University and completed MD in Paediatrics from AGMC in Agartala in 2022.
Dr. Arundhati Jamatia who completed MBBS from B.R.D. Medical College, Gorakhpur in 2000 is 1st lady doctor among the Jamatia Community
Dr. Binita Chakma is pioneer lady to complete MBBS from Imphal 1996. Dr. Swarupa Chakma passed MD in pathology to be the 1st PG lady doctor in Chakma Community.
Dr. Amrita Rupini who completes MBBS from AGMC is the path maker in the Halam Community lady doctor.
Dr. Chanda Mog glorified to be the 1st lady in Mog Community to be a doctor. She completed MBBS from RIMS, Imphal in 2004 and Dr. Kneshi Mog completed P.G. in Anaesthesia in this group.Dr. Purnima Noatia is 1st lady to be a doctor in Noatia Community. She completed MBBS in 2020 from AGMC.Similarly, Dr. Lalthakimi Darlong become the 1st lady doctor in Kuki Community. She completed MBBS from TMC.
Conclusion: -
Medical education among female tribals are very relevant. Nationally and Internationally they are in a very prestigious position.Community wise Tripuris are well ahead of others, In respect of other population doctor ratio. Next is the Chakma Community. Though they comprise 6.84 percent of Tribal population but total 9.0 percent of the tribal doctors. Munda people do not have any doctors from their community so far though their population is more than the Noatia, Kuki, Lushai and Garos. As such Munda community needs more intervention for their development.
Lastly, this article is of a general narration. Any addition or alternative will be Glady accepted and welcomed.
Dr. Susanta Ray, President, T.S.M.C.
Dr. Bholanath Saha, Registrar cum Secretary, T.S.M.C.
(Tripurainfo)