Padma Shri Dr Shanti Roy was born in 1940 in Goreakothi village of Siwan district in Bihar. She completed her primary education from the high school of her village, Karmyogi Vidyalaya, in 1955, with first division. She passed the I.Sc. examination with first division in 1957 from the prestigious Langat Singh College in Muzaffarpur. She was admitted to Prince of Wales Medical College, Patna, in the same year and passed out in 1962, topping the list of successful candidates with honours in two subjects. She was also awarded many gold medals from Patna University for her achievements in university examinations.
Padma Shri Dr Shanti Roy joined Bihar government medical services in the year 1963. Her first posting was at M.J.K. Hospital in Bettiah as a civil assistant surgeon. Thereafter, she served as a teacher as well as clinician in almost all the Medical Colleges of Bihar. She worked hard and while continuing her duties with sincerity, she appeared for her postgraduate examination. She became a member of the National Academy of Medical Sciences after clearing the National Board of Examinations in 1979. Her sincerity, dedication, devotion, and love for her work made her popular not only in Bihar but also in nearby regions such as UP, Nepal and Bengal.
After 35 long years of service in the Bihar government, Dr Shanti Roy superannuated on 31 October 1998. However, she continued working in a private hospital and is still engaged with her patients with the same zeal and enthusiasm. Padma Shri Dr Shanti Roy is a life member of the Indian Medical Association, Indian Red Cross Society (Bihar State Branch), Gynaecological Oncologists of India, Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction (ISAR), Indian Society of Perinatology and Reproductive Biology, and Patna Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society (Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India). She is a founder fellow of the Indian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons, and a Fellow of the Indian College of Maternal and Child Health.
Padma Shri Dr Shanti Roy has a passion for spreading public awareness and services to marginalised communities. She regularly attends and presents her research papers at various national and international conferences. At every platform, she emphasizes the value of awareness and education. Her passion for public awareness led her to edit two books on Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Hindi for laymen.
These books are “Garbh Evam Prasav Gyan” and “Stree Rog Gyan,” which deal with different conditions of pregnancy and female diseases. These books are simple to read and easy to understand by even those who are less educated. She also edited two books in English for medical personnel. These books are “Practical Guide for Obstetricians” and “Practical Guide for Gynaecologists.”
These two books are in simple English, targeted at doctors working in remote rural areas, who are generally overloaded with clinical work and have little time to study or to attend conferences or other educational programmes. Padma Shri Dr Shanti Roy’s dedication to women’s health and her continuous efforts in improving awareness, health, and education of people at the grassroots were recognised by the government of India. She was awarded the Padma Shri by the honourable President of India on 8 October 2021.
Besides public awareness, Dr Roy’s fields of interest are autism and the eradication of cervical cancer. She is fond of music and reading.
