Early Life and Education
Dr. Vallabhbhai Kathiria was born on November 30, 1954 in the village of kagvad (Khodaldham) in Gujarat’s Rajkot district. Born to lower middle class farmer parents Shri Ramjibhai and Shrimati Rambhaben, young Vallabhspent his childhood in Khirasara, near Jetpur (Rajkot), immersed in nature amidst an agriculturist and religious family. As a child, he developed a strong connection to cows and agriculture, inspired by the integral role they played in his rural life.
He always stood first in his class throughout schooling and even received a gold medal erstwhile SSCE in 1972.
After secondary school, Vallabhbhai pursued his medical education. He earned an MBBS from the reputed BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad in 1978. Driven by a desire to serve the needy, he then completed his MS in General Surgery from the same institute n 1982.
His academic brilliance and sincere work ethic shone through during his medical college years. He actively participated in extracurricular activities like NCC, NSS, student welfare activities, blood donation and general medical camps.
His service as an RSS svayamsevak further strengthened his dedication towards alleviating alleviating the misery of poor and downtrodden.
Thus, Dr. Vallabhbhai Kathiria’s formative years instilled in him an expansive worldview and commitment to social good. His agricultural and rural background as well as the medical training equipped him with the knowledge to tackle health challenges plaguing rural populations. As his career would illustrate, he channeled this preparation into saving innumerable lives and reforming public health.