Dr A.K. Rairu Gopal, fondly known as the "Two-Rupee Doctor" for his decades-long commitment to treating thousands of underprivileged patients at a nominal fee, passed away on 3 August 2025 at the age of 80 due to age-related illnesses. His funeral was held on 4 August at Payyambalam, as Kannur and surrounding districts mourned the loss of a physician who became a symbol of selfless medical service.
For over five decades, Dr Gopal dedicated his life to providing affordable healthcare to the poor, charging only ₹2 for consultations for nearly half a century before raising the fee gradually to ₹10, and later to ₹40–50. Despite the nominal charges, he continued to offer free medicines to patients who could not afford them, ensuring no one was denied treatment due to financial constraints. Over the course of his career, he is estimated to have consulted more than 18 lakh patients.
Operating from a modest clinic at his residence "Lakshmi" in Kannur, Dr Gopal’s daily routine began as early as 3 a.m., allowing daily wage workers, students, and those with time constraints to seek medical attention before starting their day. At his peak, he attended to 200–300 patients daily, with queues often forming before dawn outside his home. In recent years, due to declining health, he reduced his consultation hours to 6 a.m.–4 p.m. before finally closing his clinic in May 2024.
Dr Gopal, the son of renowned physician Dr A. Gopalan Nambiar, was a second-generation doctor who firmly believed that medicine should not be treated as a business. "If it’s about making money, do some other job," he often said, refusing corporate incentives and avoiding expensive prescriptions, focusing only on low-cost, effective medicines. Alongside his wife, Dr Shakuntala, and his brothers, Dr Venugopal and Dr Rajagopal, he continued his family’s legacy of compassionate care.
Known widely as the "people's doctor," Dr Gopal’s reputation for generosity and ethics in medicine spread far beyond Kannur. Patients from nearby districts regularly visited his clinic, with many considering him a saviour for the poor. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan paid tribute, saying Dr Gopal’s readiness to serve for a nominal fee provided "immense relief to poor patients" and made him a "doctor of the people."
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