A tribute to Dr B S Bagi: A pioneer in forensic odontology & medicolegal research in India 

It is with a sense of grief I am writing this about a person who was so passionate in everything he did. I remember him as an honorary teacher who taught us Dental Anatomy as well as Medico-legal issues, Ethics in Dental practice and Jurisprudence and Forensic Odontology. How relevant are these fields today! It only goes to remind us how ahead of times was he to have the expertise to teach these 30 years ago. I really am not sure whether or not he received any remuneration for the classes he conducted for us as he did for our senior batches as well as many junior batches after us at the then KLES' Dental College, Belgaum. This was in the late '80s and early '90s of the previous millennium. God! I'm feeling old now.

"Bagi Sir" as we addressed him, was a towering personality, a tall and solidly built individual with an equally strong booming voice...definitely none would miss this personality even in a crowded place. Add to this was an interesting sense of dressing, so typically his hallmark that you just cannot forget such personalities.

I still remember that day when I had just finished my MDS in Orthodontics at KLES' Dental College, Belgaum, he had sent a message asking me to meet him at his clinic. I was quite pleasantly surprised when he asked me if I would be interested to start consulting in his clinic for Orthodontic cases. It was my first offer for Consulting and I had gladly accepted it. And it was during these few years of my interaction,  I confronted a person so very different from all the notions and perceptions we carried about him as a person. It was definitely a revelation to me then to note how humble he was! A quality individual,  a concerned dentist, an empathetic doctor and more importantly a great human being. Apart from his bachelor's degree in dentistry, he had a qualification in law and had undergone speciality training in Forensic Odontology. It was at his persistence, I became the Founder Life Member of Indian Association of Forensic Odontology.

He was also a very active member of the Indian Dental Association of Belgaum Branch and served in varying capacities including as a President. He was active in the Karnataka State Chapter of IDA as well and was a very good organizer of conferences and Scientific meets.

A very versatile individual...indeed he was! He had a typical practice, with mostly patients from nearby villages thronged his clinic. And they used to carry their produce from the farms to supplement any shortage of money they had towards treatment, which Dr Bagi whole-heartedly accepted knowing their inability to pay.

Overall, a great human being that he was...he has raised a wonderful Son, Dr Manish, another wonderful,  down-to-earth, extremely polite and well-behaved kid who followed his father's footsteps to become a Dentist himself.

All these memories are flashing by and I can see him gleaming and flashing a beaming smile as usual.

Heaven can be the only place for such souls.

Words are failing me now as I say "Om  Sadgati  Bagi Sir"

Dr Sameer Patil (MDS)