It is always invigorating to know about the stories of the struggles people face on their road to success. People ignore all odds and remain fixed on the path they have chosen and leave traces of their journey for the future generation. In this issue, we have brought the words of Dr. Arlice Enghipi, the first Karbi to have an MBBS degree.
TDE: Tell us about yourself and your childhood.
Dr. Arlice: I am Dr. Arlice Enghipi, daughter of Lt. Langpher Enghi and Lt. Omphu Senarpi. I was born on 30th January 1933 (as per documents available), at Umru Christian Village, Vothatlangso, which was then a part of Nagaon district (now under West Karbi Anglong).
I am the eldest child of my parents. My younger siblings are Hanri Enghipi, Sintu Enghipi, Basapi Enghipi, Annie Enghipi, Monsing Enghi, Harmon Enghi and Harold Enghi. Both my parents were primary school teachers and people fondly called my father by the popular name ‘Mastor’. However, my father did not complete his service life as he took voluntary retirement and spent the remaining part of his life in missionary work as a pastor.
TDE: Tell us about your educational career.
Dr. Arlice: I began my schooling at Nagaon Mission School, which taught only till Class VI. From Class VII to X, I went to Golaghat Mission School. Then I studied intermediate in Science Stream at Cotton College, Guwahati.
After that, I sat for a medical entrance test and joined Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh (1956), the only medical college in the state at that time. The college was earlier known as Berry White Medical School and was set up during the Second World War. I did not have any back papers and passed my MBBS in 1961. Straight away I went for a six-month internship programme, followed by another six months as a house surgeon. I also did a six-month diploma programme called Diploma in Gynaecology and Obstetrics (DGO).
Later, I wanted to go for an MS course in AIIMS, New Delhi, I even got selected for the course but I could not make it happen because none was there to guide me to the big city.
TDE: Was it your childhood dream to be a doctor? What kept you motivated?
Dr. Arlice: Yes, I always wanted to become a doctor. My parents told me the importance of hard work from a very young age, they believed that both boys and girls must be educated and permitted us to study as much as we wanted. Those words helped me to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to my studies. As a consequence, I had very good results in class 10 and class 12 examinations and this let me step ahead to fulfil my dream to become a physician.
I also had the desire to help my Karbi people in getting good medical facilities. The tribe in those days was too ignorant about medical sciences. On top of that, many people were habitual drunkards and addicted to opium.
TDE: How were the means of communication during those days?
Dr. Arlice: There was no proper road. To reach Nagaon Mission School, we had to walk through jungles all day long from Vothatlangso to Kampur. To cross the Kopli River, there used to be one or two boats. The crossing often got very risky, especially during the monsoon season, with the increase in water level and current of the flooding river. Often, we escaped accidents by inches. We faced this situation when we got summer vacation from school.
The day-long walk was very tiresome with hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. Only after crossing the Kopili river, we would take a rest in the small rest-house owned by a Mondol (father of Lily Teronpi, principal of Badan Memorial School). We would buy some rice, dal, and potatoes from a nearby shop, cook them, have our meal and then continue our journey to Kampur. As far as I could remember, the first bus service from Vothatlanso to Kampur was introduced in the year I completed my MBBS.
TDE: What was the biggest problem you faced in your life as a student?
Dr. Arlice: Fear and Hunger in the hostel were the biggest problems. At home, there were plenty of things to eat. Apart from the food cooked at home, there were fruits easily available. There was freedom to eat and my parents whom I could ask for eatables without any fear.
But in the boarding school, things were different. All students were very afraid of the wardens, foreigners with fair skin. Due to that fear, we could not eat properly or reject the food items on the menu, we ate quietly. Sometimes we could not even fill our stomachs, and on those days we took the help of a few jamun trees, and tree apples (thepli) in the campus and the puffed rice (muri) seller nearby.
Things were worse in Golaghat Mission School, which was situated in a dry area, there were no fruit trees. There were only two-times meals a day and we were not given enough food to eat. In four years I did not have even a single meal when I ate to my heart’s content. We were given rice in a small steel container and there was no chance for a second serve. On top of that, all boarders of the hostel had to do various work but none dared to speak against the authority, we were really very afraid of teachers and wardens. There was no electricity and reading was also difficult. I remember that in those days I became so thin that after vacation when I was returning from home, my father wanted to carry me on his back fearing I might collapse on the way.
When in Guwahati, the problem of good was over, there was more than I could eat. But by then I was already an adult and did not have much zeal to eat. I stayed at a hostel in Sarthe Bari and every day I would walk to reach Cotton College and so did other boarders. I did not have money to take a vehicle. Often in the evenings, I used to walk alone from Dighalipukhuri (the Biology Department of the college) up to the hostel without any fear or insecurity as in those days Guwahati was not so thickly populated.
When in Dibrugarh, everything was so good, the environment, climate, and facilities in college were laudable. The professors were also helpful. In my batch, there were 13 girls out of 100 students. I was among the best three girls.
TDE: How was your reading strategy as a medical student?
Dr. Arlice: Students often take medical science to be a very tough subject, but I do not think you, I feel like Engineering, Mathematics, and branches of science are tougher. As a student, I read a lot, and that helped me to clear all my doubts. I read with full attention and when I was not reading, I would recall in my mind the things that I have read.
TDE: How did your family react when you became a doctor?
Dr. Arlice: My father was the happiest one, she considered me his glory. He would tell me how the gathering of people in Vothatlangso would talk about my achievement. My entire family and village were overjoyed to see me become a doctor.
TDE: Which were the places you have served?
Dr. Arlice: I did not work for any govt. hospital; I had served in missionary hospitals and then later had my own clinic. My first posting was at Jorhat Christian Hospital, Borbheta in the year 1962. After working for five years, I went to Guwahati Mission in Sarthe Bari. From Guwahati, I went to Silchar Christian Hospital.
In 1974 I came to Diphu and opened a clinic (Christian Medical Centre) in the Diphu Town Committee building in Diphu Main Market. Here I got the chance to serve my tribesmen – Karbis. Before my arrival here, people with no education had much difficulty in consulting due to their inability to communicate in Assamese or English languages as all doctors were in Diphu those days from outside and could not speak Karbi. Due to the problem in language, patients were not able to tell their problems properly to the non-Karbi doctors so can we imagine getting proper treatments? So, they were very happy to come to my clinic.
The examination fee in my clinic was Rs. 5, that too was not manageable for some patients. Such patients received free examination, treatment, and free medicines from me. If the medicines are not available in my pharmacy, I would prescribe the cheapest medicines. I went to the clinic every day and the older generation of people will still remember me.
TDE: When did you get married?
Dr. Arlice: I got married in December 1965. My husband Lt. Rothanglien Hmar, is an M.Sc. from Jorhat Agriculture College and also an LLB. He was a very godly man, he gave up the job of an IAS Officer and gave his time to missionary work. He originally hailed from a village on the Assam-Manipur border, on the bank of Barak. He became an orphan at a very early age.
After his B.Sc., he was appointed as an Agriculture Supervisor in Chinthong so he came to Vothatlangso. Being a Christian, he wanted to have fellowship, and the nearest Church was either in Tika or Umru. Talking help from locals, he contacted my father who was then working as a pastor.
From his senior employees, he came to know about me and he gathered more information about my nature. Without meeting or seeing me, he made up his mind to marry me. I was in my fifth year of MBBS then. During one summer vacation, I was at home. He came to visit us. I remember offering him a cup of red tea and a plate of smoked pork.
After that, he went to study M.Sc. in Guwahati and also joined LLB course to prepare for IAS examination. So, he was busy in his studies and I was also busy with my medical classes and then work. For 4-5 years we had no communication, but late, we came together and got married. We have four children – two sons and two daughters. They are all hard-working and are well-settled now. Unfortunately, my husband passed away in 2022.
TDE: When did you retire from your medical work?
Dr. Arlice: There is no retirement for a physician. Even today, I am ready to treat patients. Also, I did not join a service under any department so there is no issue of retirement.
TDE: Why was Hill Top English School closed?
Dr. Arlice: Establishing a school was never our plan. The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) allotted us the land for starting a hospital. However, to set up a hospital, there is a need for many staff and money. So, by the time we managed everything needed for the hospital, we started school. It was running well, my children themselves would often teach the students whenever they had breaks from college. After they got jobs, the administration of the school went into the hands of another party and that was a disaster.
Now, we are almost ready for the hospital. As per rules, a school and hospital cannot exist in the same compound, so the school had to be closed. Dr. Reuben Rongphar and his group of around 7-8 doctors are ready for Langpher Enghi Memorial Hospital. The aim is for a 100-bedded hospital, but it will begin with 25-bedded. The construction of the main building will begin in October this year.