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The Goat Doctor of Modhwa

In a quiet corner of Dahod district, where dusty winds sweep through the hamlet of Modhwa and farming families mark time by the rhythm of the rains, lived Gangaben Mahendrabhai. Her life was stitched together with long days on a shrinking patch of farmland, the soft bleating of goats, and the constant balancing act of feeding a family on a threadbare income. Like many women around her, Gangaben knew how to endure. But unlike most, she refused to settle. One day, a rumour drifted into the village—there was to be a training on goat care, open only to women. “Pashu Sakhi,” someone called it. A few laughed. “We’ve raised goats all our lives. What more is there to learn?” But Gangaben had questions that others didn’t ask. Why did so many goats fall ill every summer? Why were kids born weak? Why did medicines arrive too late? She walked to the meeting alone.

 

What began as curiosity soon turned into purpose. Gangaben listened, asked, scribbled notes, returned home, and began changing things—small things at first. A shaded shelter here, cleaner water bowls there. She learned to mix feed, give vaccines, and treat wounds. Words spread when she treated 15 goats struck by diarrhoea. People began calling her before calling the vet. When a prized Sirohi breed goat collapsed one morning, Gangaben’s swift action saved it. She became more than a helper. She became the goat doctor. Over the years, her influence grew. She trained other women, simplified medical tips in the local language, and demystified animal care. Under her watch, approximately 70 goats were dewormed in a single season. Households began seeing healthier livestock and fuller incomes.

 

Gangaben never had a clinic. She never wore a stethoscope or a white coat. But what she carried was far more powerful—a tattered notebook, a tin box of medicines, and the unwavering trust of her village. Even now, long after her name became known beyond Modhwa, her story continues to be told not because she did something grand, but because she dared to begin where others didn’t. Because in every village like Modhwa, there’s a woman like Gangaben waiting not for the right time, but choosing to make it.