From samosas to stethoscopes: Two brothers turn family’s hardship into medical dreams

In a modest rented shop where the aroma of freshly fried samosas fills the air, two brothers are rewriting the story of their family’s future. Jinal, 27, and 22-year-old Parin Shroff, who once helped at their parents’ small food stall, are now on their way to becoming doctors.

For Jinal, the spark came early. “It all started in Class 7,” he recalls, remembering the day his grandfather suffered a heart attack. “We faced the helplessness of not being able to do anything. That’s when I knew I wanted to become a doctor.”

The journey was anything but smooth. Between 2017 and 2022, Jinal attempted the NEET exam seven times. On one occasion, he took the test while still recovering from chickenpox, so weak that holding a pen was a struggle. Amid whispers and skepticism from outsiders, who asked his parents, “How many more years are you going to waste?” the Shroffs never wavered. “But my parents never gave up on us,” Jinal says.


Persistence paid off. In 2022, on his seventh attempt, Jinal cleared NEET and earned a place at GMERS Medical College in Himmatnagar. Parin, meanwhile, succeeded on his second try, joining Bhavnagar Government Medical College that same year.

Financial hurdles loomed next. Each brother had to furnish a Rs 20 lakh bond to secure their seat—a sum that seemed insurmountable for the family with no property to mortgage. That is when their father’s friends stepped forward, mortgaging their own properties to ensure the brothers didn’t lose their hard-earned opportunities.

Reflecting on their journey, Jinal credits a mentor who played a pivotal role. “We couldn’t have done it without our teacher, Ramanand Sir. He supported us with scholarships, mentorship and unwavering belief.”

Now in their third year of medical studies, both brothers are determined to give back. Their promise is simple but profound: to provide free medical care to poor patients, a tribute to the community and mentors who stood by them.

(With inputs from ToI)