[ Dr Mrimingsi Kri ]

Some journeys are measured not by titles earned or positions held but by the lives touched along the way.

Born in the remote village of Pangung in Anjaw district to Mingfrisi Kri and Kelepso Kri, my mother, Dr Adisi Kri, is the eldest of seven siblings.

Her educational journey began in the schools of Yatong and Hayuliang, before she completed her higher secondary education at Government Higher Secondary School, Tezu. At a time when higher education opportunities for young women from remote villages were limited, she dared to dream beyond the boundaries of circumstance.

She pursued her MBBS degree at Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, graduating in 1994. After completing her medical education, she began her career serving patients at the government hospitals of Tezu and Sunpura. While fulfilling her duties as a dedicated physician and a mother, she never allowed her pursuit of knowledge to fade.

I remember the day you left for Imphal to pursue your postgraduate training in radiation oncology. As you boarded the bus for the long journey, our family stood there with mixed emotions – pride and excitement, and sadness. Looking back today, that bus ride was the beginning of a journey that eventually transformed cancer care in Arunachal Pradesh. (The writer is a fellow doctor, department of head & neck oncosurgery, State Cancer Institute, Guwahati, Assam)