Dr. Shantilal Shivdas Patel, a healthcare professional and social service contributor associated with Raghunandan Seva Sansthan and S.S. Patel Lakwa Upchar Hospital Pvt. Ltd., has been nominated for the India Republic Times – Leadership Conclave Mumbai 2026’s Maharashtra Spotlight Awards (MSA). The nomination places attention on his work in healthcare access, rehabilitation and community service, particularly in areas where patients have historically faced difficulties in reaching timely treatment.
Dr. Patel works in Bhiluda, Tehsil Sagwara, Dungarpur district, Rajasthan. Originally from Raikhed village in Shahada, Nandurbar district, he has been involved in developing healthcare services in a predominantly tribal region. His profile states that Raghunandan Seva Sansthan established a 45-bed hospital in Ganeshpuri near Bhiluda in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hospital was set up when emergency treatment was difficult to access. According to Dr. Patel’s profile, patients in the surrounding area often had to travel to Gujarat or Udaipur for treatment. The hospital was intended to provide affordable care closer to the community. During the COVID-19 period, the profile states that patients were treated even when beds were full, while three nursing staff members were deployed for home visits to patients who could not come to the hospital.
Rehabilitation is another important part of the healthcare work described in the profile. The hospital has what is described as the largest Panchakarma and Rehabilitation Centre in Vagad. The centre receives patients with stroke-related conditions, including facial paralysis and paralysis affecting the hands and legs. The profile says that at least 300 new stroke patients visit the centre every month, with patients also coming from Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
Treatment at the centre includes medicines as well as speech therapy, physiotherapy and other rehabilitation services. The profile highlights a non-surgical approach for stroke patients and describes the facility as a place where patients can receive continued rehabilitation support.
Dr. Patel’s work has also received recognition at different levels. His profile records the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Award presented by Rashtra Prerana Samiti at the national level in Indore in 2021. In 2023, he received a World Peace United Nations honour in Delhi for entrepreneurial work in healthcare. He was also honoured with the Health Care Award organised by Dainik Bhaskar in Dungarpur on May 31, 2025. On August 15, 2025, he was recognised at the district level for service work by the District Collector, Dungarpur, and on January 26, 2026, he received the Rashtriya Gaurav Award at the state level in Jaipur.
His activities extend beyond medical services. The profile also describes his involvement in religious and community events, including Ram Navami, Krishna Janmashtami and Navratri. A Krishna temple has been built on the hospital campus, where morning and evening aarti is conducted. Patients and their families who are able to participate are also described as joining the prayers. In 2022, Raghunandan Seva Sansthan and Dr. Patel organised a weekly Bhagwat Katha, with prasad provided during the programme, and the profile states that no donations were accepted.
The nomination for the Maharashtra Spotlight Awards 2026 brings this combination of healthcare service, rehabilitation work and community activities into focus. The recognition is linked to a body of work centred on expanding access to treatment and supporting patients and families in the region.
For Dr. Patel, the nomination adds another recognition to a record that includes healthcare initiatives, rehabilitation services, social work and honours received between 2021 and 2026. The Leadership Conclave Mumbai 2026 will provide a platform to highlight such contributions in the wider healthcare service sector.
