An impressive commemoration of the life of one of the community's highly respected and exceptional former GPs has been held.

Dr Appaji Gowda served the Hadfield and Glossop communities for more than 40 years and was well known across the medical profession in Glossop, Tameside and beyond.

Establishing his first surgery in a small terraced house at the bottom of Station Road, Hadfield, he quickly developed an excellent reputation.

The practice grew and moved into larger premises at Lambgates which were also extended many times. Eventually this culminated into the progressive Lambgates Health Centre in Wesley Street, which we know today.

Many new GPs of varied nationalities have been trained there, because it was built on the vision and firm foundations of Dr Gowda and his wife Dr Bhanumathi and the subsequent partners.

Generations of families owe their gratitude to this caring, compassionate and dedicated doctor. He was a favourite of children with his easy manner and amusing anecdotes.

His visits to the elderly were legendary, as much a personal tonic than the medicine he prescribed.

He had a wonderful retentive memory of patients and their ailments. It was not unusual for him when shopping in the main street to be met by a patient for advice and knowing their records he could take out his prescription pad and then they could go off to the chemist!

His cheery smile, infectious laughter belied the fact that he always listened carefully to his patients and gave them his time and expertise.

The couple had settled in their home in Glossop and were blessed with two sons.

Dr Gowda immersed himself in the Glossop community, being a prominent member of the Rotary Club of Glossop and involved in their charity work. He also enjoyed golfing at various local clubs.

Not only did Dr Gowda lead a very effective medical practice he saw the need to open a nursing home in the area which was Oakford Manor but more often called by the locals as ‘Dr Gowda’s place’.

This was followed by Oakford Court in 1993 a retirement complex for the over 55s.

He and his wife were both great local, inspiring entrepreneurs meeting the needs of the community they served.

Dr Gowda came from the state of Karnataka in the southwestern region of India.

He had trained at the Bangalore Medical School where he was always popular and where he met his future wife affectionately known as Bhanu.

Their story and career was told by their sons through a video presentation at the recent commemorative event held at Windy Harbour in Glossop earlier this month where there were also many contributory speeches.

They were factual, often humorous and came from numerous distinguished guests, many of whom were retired doctors and consultants from Tameside and the wider Greater Manchester area. Some had even travelled from abroad.

Representatives from local communities spoke of his generous nature, lovely bedside manner and genuine personality. Those who had been on his staff or personal friends for most of their lives, shared their memories and opinions. One distinguished lady sang a beautiful Indian aria which was so very well received.

Emails had been sent from all over the world paying tribute to this remarkable man and sending their condolences to his wife and family. It had been beautifully planned and organised by his sons with the oversight of their mother.

Dr Gowda suffered ill health following retirement and succumbed over a number of years to Parkinson’s disease. He returned eventually to India in 2019 for some further treatment but the pandemic intervened which caused him to remain there and he became too ill to travel and return to the UK.

Sadly he died on July 8  and two words ‘home’ and ‘UK’ were shared by him so the family followed his wishes.

Although he was physically in India, his heart was in the UK. His ashes followed the Indian tradition with some being placed in the holy river, some in his village with his ancestors and a portion buried in Glossop cemetery and where a headstone will be erected.

Many of Dr Gowda’s friends, colleagues and patients, with the approval of his family, would like to see a permanent memorial in the area perhaps a street named after him to recognise his many contributions and legacy to this local community and are determined to follow this up and make it a reality.