Tura, July 4: Dr Debasis Sarkar, who was one of the first few medicine specialists from the Garo Hills region has passed away in Shillong on Sunday after a long battle with cancer. He was 53.

Born and brought up in Tura, Dr Debasis Sarkar completed his MBBS specialization in medicine and joined the Tura Civil Hospital as a young MD in the 1990s. He was well known for his medical services and also ran a successful private clinic at his home in Thakurbari locality of Tura bazaar.

After serving Tura civil hospital for several years with Dr Sujay Hazarika, Dr Debasis Sarkar was promoted to Shillong where he worked the last remaining years of his life.

He developed lung cancer two years ago and was under medical treatment but sadly passed away in Shillong civil hospital early Sunday morning. He leaves behind his wife, opthomologist Dr Sapna Sarkar and two young children, a son and daughter. His death has been mourned by the medical fraternity of Garo Hills where he spent the best part of his career spanning almost two decades.