At 25, Ganesh Baraiya has begun his first posting as a medical officer after a long struggle to study medicine. He stands three feet tall, weighs around 20 kg and has a 72 per cent locomotor disability due to dwarfism. Despite these challenges, he completed his medical education and reportedly started work on November 27. Ganesh comes from Gorkhi village in Bhavnagar district.
His parents are farmers, and he is one of nine siblings, seven sisters and a younger brother. His family lives in a kaccha house, and he says his first goal now is to build a proper home for them.
“My family still lives in a kaccha house. My biggest dream is to build a brick house with all the facilities for them,” he told The Times of India. “Construction has halted several times since we often ran out of money. With my salary now, I can finally finish it.”
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How His Legal Fight Began
Medical college came with many difficulties. His classmates and professors helped him by reserving front seats during anatomy classes and helping him see the operating table during surgery training. “My friends and professors helped me at every step. They made sure my height never stopped me from learning,” he told the publication.
Patients are often surprised when they meet him at first, but he says this changes once they hear about his journey. “Initially, they are taken aback by my appearance,” he says. “But once they hear what I have been through to become a doctor, they trust me completely.”
His legal battle started in 2018 when the Medical Council of India (MCI) refused to admit him to an MBBS course, saying his physical condition would stop him from working as a doctor. Ganesh approached the Gujarat High Court with help from his school principal, Dr Dalpatbhai Katariya, who supported him financially because his family could not afford the legal expenses.
The High Court upheld the MCI’s decision, but he did not give up. He joined a B.Sc. course while taking the matter to the Supreme Court. Four months after he filed his case, the Supreme Court ruled that he could not be denied admission based on his height, clearing the way for him to study medicine.
Completing His Degree and Starting Work
After the Supreme Court order, he joined Bhavnagar Medical College in 2019 and completed his degree and internship. He is now serving as a medical officer, the role he worked years to achieve.
Ganesh hopes to specialise in paediatrics, dermatology or radiology. “I want to treat poor people in rural areas. That’s where the need is greatest,” he says. The doctor is also reportedly being considered for the title of the world’s shortest doctor. He says he understands that people may judge him at first but believes they soon change their view.
“Whenever patients see me they are a bit startled at first but then they accept me and I also accept their initial behaviour. They behave with me cordially and with positivity. They become happy as well,” he says.
Gujarat News – Meet Bhavnagar’s Ganesh Baraiya, who defied all odds to become a Doctor.
At three feet tall, this resident of a village in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar has earned distinction of being appointed as a Govt Medical Officer after successfully completing his MBBS studies.
He… pic.twitter.com/i5oo6uzUMA
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) December 1, 2025
Social Media Applauds His Journey
As the story spread online, many people praised Ganesh Baraiya for his determination and success. Users shared supportive messages, calling his achievement motivating and well-deserved.
A user said, “More success to him.” Another wrote, “Hero’s verdict to serve against all challenges, salute.”
“Shame on the administrative system that doesn’t work until the highest judiciary intervenes. Also, the lower judiciary needs to be understanding the correct process and prospects,” a person commented. “Such people are real living role models,” another remarked.
Original source: in