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05 Oct 2020

Ashwinbhai K. Kothari, Chairman of Female Hospital Palanpur, Passed Away

Ashwinbhai K. Kothari

Ashwinbhai Kuverjibhai Kothari, a well-known philanthropist and Chairman of Female Hospital Palanpur passed away in Mumbai on October 3, 2020. He is survived by his son Apurva, daughter Purvi and their families.

The Female Hospital is one of the oldest medical institutions in Palanpur having been set up in the early 20th century by a group of five leading citizens of the city who were deeply disturbed by the sudden, untimely death of a young woman during childbirth. Among them was Ujambhai Manekchand Kothari (an ancestor of Ashwinbhai) and his brother Dharamchandbhai Manekchand Kothari.

A student of Vidyamandir in Palanpur, Ashwinbhai got admission for further studies at the prestigious St Xavier’s College in Mumbai, but soon left the course to join the diamond industry. After training in Antwerp and Mumbai, he set up his own diamond business and later also worked with Mahendra Bros and then Ketan Bros. After his retirement he focused his attention on social causes. A deeply religious person, he gave importance to fitness, both through regular daily walks and sessions on the badminton court. He was also known to be “a very hands on grandfather and travelled a lot with all three of his grandchildren”.

Ashwinbhai had been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Hospital since 1989 and assumed the responsibility as Chairman in 2017. During the period that he was on the Board, Female Hospital was modernised and a full-fledged Children’s Hospital and other wings were added with the support of other Trusts, particularly KD Parikh Trust and Jee Parivar.

Ashwinbhai became Chairman of the Trust around the time that the Female Hospital organised its centenary celebrations in 2017.

The Kothari family also donated the land on which Atithya, the Guest House of Vidyamandir Trust Palanpur stands today.