A 75-year-old family physician and known personality in the Parsi community, Dr Khushroo Laskari, succumbed to the novel coronavirus late on Thursday night.
Dr Laskari was fighting a battle against Covid-19 for the past six weeks at the Seventh Day Adventist hospital.
He is survived by his wife and two daughters
Also known as a doctor of the poor, Dr Laskari was operating his family clinic at Machlipith near Saibaba temple at Chauta Bazaar. The clinic was started by his grandfather and later his father took over to serve the underprivileged. Dr Laskari was the third generation of family physicians who has served people in the walled city area for the past 45 years.
Dr Laskari was so popular that the street on which his clinic is located in Machlipith is named Dr Laskari Marg.
Dr Jayendra Kapadia, family physician at Mughalsarai, who was close to Dr Laskari told TOI, “We have lost the last shining star of the Laskari family and the last senior family physician from the Parsi community. He was the third generation of the Parsi family dedicated to medical service. He was very soft-spoken and down-to-earth personality. It is a big loss to the family physicians fraternity in the city.”
Dr Kapadia added, “Dr Laskari had cars at his disposal, but would prefer travelling on the moped. For the last 150 years, the Laskari family have served the people of the walled city through their medical expertise.”
Jamshed Dotiwala, president of Surat Parsi Panchayat told TOI, “Dr Laskari’s demise is a big loss to the Parsi community. He was the trustee of the Parsi panchayat for many years and belonged to a family who donated their properties for the development of the city. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) hall in Mughalsarai is donated by Dr Laskari.”
Yezdi Ichhaporewala, a Parsi lawyer told TOI, “We have lost a doctor of poor patients. Dr Laskari was always there to help the community members in difficult times. He was born with the silver spoon, but he was very humble and down to earth person.”