Kannur’s ‘two-rupee doctor’ AK Rairu Gopal passes away at 80For over 50 years, Dr Rairu Gopal stood as a beacon of hope for the common people—the poor and working class—charging just Rs 2 (later increased to Rs 10) for a consultation and often providing free medicine to those in financial distress..
Kannur’s ‘two-rupee doctor’ AK Rairu Gopal passes away at 80For over 50 years, Dr Rairu Gopal stood as a beacon of hope for the common people—the poor and working class—charging just Rs 2 (later increased to Rs 10) for a consultation and often providing free medicine to those in financial distress.Statesman News Service | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM | August 3, 2025 8:04 pm
Dr AK Rairu Gopal, fondly known as Kannur’s “two-rupee doctor” for treating patients at a nominal fee when healthcare had become a business, passed away on Saturday due to age-related illness.
For over 50 years, Dr Rairu Gopal stood as a beacon of hope for the common people—the poor and working class—charging just Rs 2 (later increased to Rs 10) for a consultation and often providing free medicine to those in financial distress. Driven by an unwavering sense of duty, he examined patients tirelessly from 4 am to 4 pm, later adjusting his schedule to 6 am to 4 pm. At the peak of his practice, he attended to over 300 patients a day.Despite his advancing age, he continued to see patients until 2024, when he put up a sign outside his home in Thana, Kannur, announcing that he was no longer conducting consultations due to health reasons.The sign read: “I don’t have the health to work anymore… so I’m stopping consultations and dispensing medicine.” Yet, despite this, he continued to serve whenever he could.
Initially, Dr Rairu Gopal offered consultations from his home at Thalap in Kannur. The consultation fee was just two rupees. Those in financial distress were provided with free consultations and medicines. When he moved to Thana in Kannur, he increased the consultation fee to ten rupees, but the nickname “Two-Rupee Doctor” stayed with him.
Born to Dr AG Nambiar and AK Lakshmikutty Amma, Dr Rairu Gopal was an epitome of service and compassion. He started charging a modest fee from patients after hearing his father’s words, “If you want to make money, there are plenty of other professions.”
In his final days, Dr. Rairu Gopal stated he had treated 18 lakh patients throughout his lifetime. He leaves behind a lasting legacy of compassion and selfless service.—SUBHAM–

TAGS- TWO RUPEE , DOCTOR, KANNUR, AK RAIRU GOPAL