Meet Ganesh Baraiya, Shortest Doctor In The World From Gujarat Whose Determination Knows No Bounds

Standing at just 3 feet 4 inches tall, Ganesh has overcome numerous challenges to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. Despite facing obstacles due to his dwarfism, Ganesh overcame challenges to complete his MBBS degree.

Ganesh Baraiya, a native of Gujarat, has made history by becoming the shortest doctor in the world. Standing at just 3 feet 4 inches tall, Ganesh’s determination and passion for medicine have broken all barriers and stereotypes. His journey is an inspiring tale of resilience and unwavering dedication. His challenges stem from dwarfism, which has also resulted in a locomotive disability affecting 72% of his body. Yet, he faces the world with a smile. Despite his exceptional skills and knowledge in the field of medicine, Ganesh has faced numerous challenges due to his height. From discrimination to doubts about his capabilities, he has encountered it all. However, instead of letting these obstacles deter him, Ganesh has used them as fuel to propel himself forward.

Weighing only 18 kg, his journey was marked by challenges. In 2018, he was denied permission to pursue MBBS by the Gujarat Government despite scoring 87 percent in boards and 233 marks in NEET. He took the help of his school principal, approached the District Collector, the state Education Minister and then knocked on the doors of the Gujarat High Court.

Even after losing the case at the Gujarat High Court, Dr Baraiya did not lose hope. He approached the Supreme Court court, won the case in 2018, took admission into MBBS in 2019 and now after finishing his MBBS he is working as an intern at Sir-T hospital in Bhavnagar.

“After I passed Class 12 and cleared the NEET exam to enrol into MBBS and filled up the form, the Medical Council of India committee rejected me for my height. They said that I would not be able to handle emergency cases because of my short height. Then, I spoke to my principal of Nilkanth Vidyapeeth Dr Dalpath Bhai Katariya, and Revasish Servaiya all about this, and asked them what we can do about it,” Dr Baraiya said speaking to ANI about his initial struggle.

“They told me to meet the Bhavnagar Collector and the Gujarat Education Minister. Following the direction of the Bhavnagar Collector, we decided to take the case to the Gujarat High Court. Two other candidates were with us who were differently abled…We lost the case in the High Court but then we decided to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court,” he added. Speaking about how his MBBS journey finally started, Dr Baraiya said, “In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that I can get admission in the MBBS course. Since the 2018 admission to MBBS course had been completed by then, the Supreme Court said that I will get admission in the 2019 MBBS course. I took admission at the Government Medical College at Bhavnagar and my MBBS journey started.

#WATCH | Dr Ganesh Baraiya says, ” The committee of Medical Council of India had rejected me saying that my height is 3 feet and I won’t be able to handle emergency cases…with the direction of Bhavnagar collector, I went to Gujarat HC…after 2 months, we lost the case…we… https://t.co/ALEjkaaZsk pic.twitter.com/zjMfZQE7pz

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2024

The sight of Ganesh Baraiya on his rounds often prompts patients to do a double take, surprised by his young age. However, his reassuring demeanor quickly puts them at ease, showcasing a maturity well beyond his years. Patients’ initial shock soon fades away as Ganesh chuckles at their reactions, creating a sense of comfort and trust.

“On his everyday challenges owing to his height, Dr Baraiya said that though patients judge him for his height initially, they get comfortable over time and accept him as their doctor.”Whenever patients see me they are a bit startled at first but then they accept me and I also accept their initial behaviour. They behave with me cordially and with positivity. They become happy as well,” he said.